Thao & The Get Down Stay Down make their first appearance on Mountain Stage, recorded live at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, W.V. Based in San Francisco by way of Falls Church, Va., Thao Nguyen has recorded three acclaimed albums with her band, The Get Down Stay Down, including the latest, We the Common.
Nguyen met drummer Willis Thompson while both were students at the College of William and Mary, and it wasn't long before the two were playing the hybrid of jazz, string band music and indie pop the group would become known for.
The musicians have worked with Andrew Bird, Joanna Newsom, and toured the U.S. with NPR's Radiolab. Nguyen has also done extensive volunteer work with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, which inspired the band's latest release. Its sprightly leadoff track, which is featured in this set, is dedicated to Valerie Bolden, an inmate Nguyen bonded with while volunteering.
Set List
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