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Washington City Paper ~ Frightening Beauty Sessions
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The Frightening Beauty Sessions
by David Nuttycombe
with Xyra and Eric Ulreich

"It is called "Cabaret Rock Nouveau," and it is the now sound of then. Or the then sound of now. Either way, it sounds terrif', and we love it. Adding strings and woodwinds to the classic rock lineup, XYRA & VERBORGEN create striking musical tableaux not usually heard in places like Jaxx or Blues Alley—though both venues have hosted the band. Backing diva Xyra's dramatic vocals are Andrew Cann (pianos, MIDIs, guitar), Fred Lieder (acoustic and electric cellos), Norm Thorne (drums, percussion), Don Stapleson (clarinets, flutes, saxophones), Larry Lawrence (fretless bass, MIDIs, sequencers), and Eric Ulreich (lead electric and classical guitar). This then is an account of their latest recording project, which will result in not one but two CDs—the EP Shadows of Light and the full-length Frightening Beauty!

Be not afraid of the beautiful noise that is Xyra & Verborgen!"

Photos in the original article were by Craig Fitzpatrick, Catherine Farrell, Xyra, and Sandi Galle.)

Best Wishes!

Omnipresent drummer and friend, Kenny Finger Tyler Beddow, guitarist Matt Wall, bassist Chelle Fulk: violinist, violist, chin-cellist Dan Kolcun… second guitar Mike and Spiro Karagiannis...Live @ the 9:30 Club 2017 Kevin Gutierrez ~ Mixing Engineer/Producer Contributing visual artist: Jordan Montgomery-Conway Bill Wolf ~ Mastering Engineer Guru Anastasia Ovchinnikova: MASTER ARTIST for Flight of Odin album over "The Only Door" Flight of Odin cover art by Anastasia Ovchinnikova Dec 2010 Dec 2004 Dec 1999 Jan 2000 Dec 1998 &lt;FONT COLOR = 8000800238&gt;Photo � J.Matt Senkow Odin Land &lt;FONT COLOR = 8000800238&gt;The way they were, with &lt;b&gt;Jeff Spencer&lt;/b&gt; playing lead guitar on his custom Ibanez. &lt;b&gt;Xyra&lt;/b&gt; is seen playing her Diamond Series Schecter, and &lt;b&gt;Andrew Cann&lt;/b&gt; is seen on the far right, playing his Roland keyboard (when he wasn&#39;t on his Ibanez electric named &#39;Jaws&#39;). &lt;b&gt;Dave White&lt;/b&gt; played bass for the one gig, with &lt;b&gt;Ron Smith&lt;/b&gt; on drums, in the background. This night, they opened for former &lt;b&gt;XTC&lt;/b&gt; member, &lt;b&gt;Barry Andrews&lt;/b&gt;. The performance was reviewed by &lt;b&gt;Mark Jenkins&lt;/b&gt; in &lt;b&gt;The Washington post&lt;/b&gt;. <br /> <br />Photo � &lt;b&gt;Tatyana Vishnevsky&lt;/b&gt; <br />Photoshop effects: Xyra Drums and percussion: Never Lost Forever <br />Photo by Lloyd Wolf Violin, bass, mandolin: Never Lost Forever <br />Photo by Lloyd Wolf Photo by J.Matt Senkow; Frightening Beauty release Xyra at <b>Happinest</b>, looking pensive. <br />Photo by: J.Matt Senkow <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master drummer/percussionist, <b>Norman Ellsworth Thorne III</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in 1997. He appeared on all Xyra CD releases and performed many live gigs, including the PMC, Blues Alley, and The State Theater. Norm is featured on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining', and continues to play and record with Xyra and friends, to date. <br /> <br />Photo of Norm at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki <br /> <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master guitarist/composer, <b>Eric Ulreich</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in 1999. He completed the guitar tracks for the second CD, 'Frightening Beauty' and continued performing and recording with Xyra and friends through 2012. Eric plays lead guitar on 'Siren in the Water', track 5 of 'Through the Dark Glass Shining' - XYRA's 2005 release. <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Violinist/composer, <b>Doug Empie</b> joined Xyra and Andrew for a <b>Nico 60th Birthday Tribute</b>, with <b>Rupert Chappell</b>, in October 1998. In 2000, Xyra, Andrew, Doug and brother Bret Empie formed <b>THE LINE_</b>. THE LINE_ recorded a home demo that landed on <b>WRNR FM</b>. Doug performed and recorded with Xyra and friends again, in 2001 and is featured on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining'. <br /> <br />Photo of Doug at Happinest by: Jeff Lewis <br />Frame created by: Tone' Wellington <br />Photoshop effects by: Xyra <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Pianist/keyboardist/composer, <b>Bret Empie</b> aligned forces with his brother Doug Empie and Xyra and Andrew Cann to form <b>THE LINE_</b> in 2000. Bret later recorded keys and effects for all the tracks on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining'. <br /> <br />Photo of Bret at Happinest by: Jeff Lewis <br /> &lt;FONT COLOR = 8000800238&gt;Virtuoso multi-wind player/orchestra leader/composer, &lt;b&gt;Don Stapleson&lt;/b&gt; joined Xyra &amp; Verborgen in November 1997. Don finished the wind parts for the first CD, &#39;Where Glass Birds Fly&#39;, appears on all the CD releases and continues to perform and record with Xyra and friends, to date. <br /> <br />Photo at Recording Arts Studios by: Xyra <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master bassist, <b>Larry Lawrence</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in January 1998. He performed several gigs, to include Blues Alley, Black Cat and The State Theater. Larry also completed the bass parts on the first CD, 'Where Glass Birds Fly', and continued performing and recording with Xyra and friends through 2001. Larry plays all the bass parts on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining.' <br /> <br />Photo of Larry at Recording Arts Studio by: Xyra <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master cellist, <b>Fred Lieder</b> was the first to join the Verborgen trio, in 1997. Fred performed many live gigs with Xyra & Verborgen, and recorded two demos and three CD releases with them at Omega, NPR and Recording Arts Studio, 1997-1999. The last gig Fred played with Xyra was at The State Theater, in February 2000. <br /> <br />Photo at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki Clarinet, flute, oboe: Where Glass Birds Fly <br />Photo at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki 6-string bass: Where Glass Birds Fly <br />Photo at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Guitarist/composer, <b>Cris Chillura</b>, Xyra and Andrew Cann formed the Verborgen trio in 1996. Cris is featured on all the Verborgen works. He continued performing and recording with Xyra and friends through the first 'Frightening Beauty' sessions of 1999. <br /> <br />Photo by: Michelle Chillura