Jhe folk-rock group Delta Rae is about to take a break to work on a musical.
First up, the Durham, NC-based band will perform their mysteriously themed tour at the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on Monday, March 27.
“It’s the ‘Return of the Witch’ tour,” says singer Brittany Hölljes.
“For a lot of people, it’s a mysterious nickname. But for us, it’s just an acknowledgment of this character that we’ve created that has been embodied in a lot of our songs.
The tour honors the transition to the musical, which they hope will go to Broadway. Hölljes and his two brothers/bandmates, Ian and Eric, spent the pandemic working on the musical. It gave them a place “to call home,” she says.
“Our fans are really the reason we’re able to do anything,” she says. “They helped us stay afloat during the pandemic by joining our fan club. When they joined, we gave them previews of the musical as it was being written.
“We also have a lot of people invested in it from a fan perspective. To have this creative outlet during the pandemic was amazing. We also released two albums during the pandemic. So we had a lot to do.
The Crescent Ballroom show – and the rest of the tour – has a dual mission.
“It was really exciting. This tour is kind of like, A, we haven’t seen you in a while. Come check it out because, B, we’re on to that next thing.
Hölljes says the Crescent Ballroom show is going to be stripped down and “super earthy.”
“It’s going to be mystical and wizarding for sure,” she said with a smile. “If you like tarot or astrology or just like earthly harmony and music, I think you’ll like the show a lot.”
Hölljes, Ian and Eric have been performing together since they were young. They performed in school musicals, choirs and a cappella groups.
“We always sang,” she says. “I would argue. “We will be close to each other, but whatever. GOOD.’ It wasn’t until they went to college that I think we all started to respect each other as individual artists and listen to each other’s voice in a way that proved I was a big fan of them.
Known for his song “If I Loved You” with Lindsay Buckingham, Delta Rae was founded when Hölljes was 19, in 2009. Hölljes agrees this tour is bittersweet.
“The band will always be at the center of our lives,” she says.
“However, as we start families and everything, touring will be less of the driving force of the band. We will continue to make albums together and we will continue to play concerts together as best we can. We now have four babies in the group and everyone nests and explores all their different passions.
Hölljes says it’s “a fun time to branch out.”
“Unfortunately, the pandemic has derailed a lot of things,” says the newlywed. “I think it gave everyone permission to get married and have babies. We are definitely in the phase of preparing for parenthood.
Delta Rae
WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday, March 27
OR: Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix
COST: Tickets start at $25
INFORMATION: 602.716.2222, crescentphx.com
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