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UCC Library & Tombstome Promotions Present

Marisa Anderson with guest Dancing Bears live at UCC Library

- Thursday 10 September
- Doors at 7.00 PM
- The Creative Zone, UCC Library
- 16+ (Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult)
- Venue is access-friendly

- Refreshments by My Goodness

Marisa Anderson channels the history of the guitar and stretches the boundaries of tradition. Her playing is fluid, emotional, and masterful. - Bandcamp

‘One of the best emotional mediums in the field of solo guitar, Anderson is a master of lovely melancholy.’ - Pitchfork

‘Marisa Anderson doesn't just play guitar — she sinks into bends and lingers over melodies, knowing when to light a fire under her fingers’ - NPR

Marisa will be touring her new album, called The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music: Volume 1. The record will be released May 2026 on Thrill Jockey as part of a larger multi-year release project connected to her ongoing work curation of what she calls the Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music.

This curated collection draws from nearly one thousand songs sourced from the private record collection of Harry Smith, where she is focusing on music from regions where the United States has engaged in conflict since 1970, including Southeast Asia, the former USSR, and the Arabic and Islamic world. Very relevant at the moment!

Marisa was awarded a residency through the Tulsa Artist Fellowship granting her access to an archive (of more than 1,200 records) from Smith’s personal collection, now owned by the University of Oklahoma and housed at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. During the nine-day residency, Marisa focused on collecting recordings from countries connected to U.S. conflicts during her lifetime starting in 1970 - the year she was born.

The record features deeply personal interpretations—composed, transcribed, and arranged—of music spanning from Afghanistan to Vietnam, via Yemen, Cambodia, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan. She will be performing this material live for the first time, alongside selections from her earlier catalog and new, unreleased work.

Dancing Bears play ‘Irish Primitive’ trance folk, wordless vocals with guitar/banjo and sometimes percussion. Dancing Bears is also Rory who plays guitar with Ten Past Seven and does vocals with Hands Up Who Wants to Die. Their performances drift in between improvisation and composition. Rooted in rhythmic folk and exploring psychedelic territories.

UCC Library works with an independent promoter who manages artist bookings and all financial arrangements; all ticket revenue is used solely to cover artist fees and related costs, with no proceeds retained by UCC. Events are alcohol-free, accessible and age-friendly, supporting UCC Library’s and the university's commitment to inclusive public engagement.