Announcing the Fall 2025 Season
Songbird Concerts is proud to announce our Fall 2025 Season—marking 15 seasons of intimate shows, unforgettable artists, and a community built around the joy of live music.
This fall, we’re bringing together another outstanding lineup of singer-songwriters and storytellers who will fill The Focal Point with warmth, harmony, and a whole lot of heart. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or this will be your first time in the round, you’ll find something to love in every show.
Each concert is a one-night-only experience—no repeats, no reruns—just authentic connection through song, shared in the company of fellow music lovers.
Make plans, bring friends, and grab your tickets early. This season promises to be one of our best yet!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
TICKETS: $20 advance | $25 at the door
TIMES: 6:45PM doors open | 7:30PM show starts
LOCATION: Focal Point | 2720 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood
AUGUST 27
Chris Shepherd
Hunter Peebles
Shanna in a Dress
Miki P
SEPTEMBER 24
Maxwell Landry
James Ibur
Karen Choi
Amber Skies
OCTOBER 22
JJ Loui
Kip Loui
Mattie Schell
Gerard Erker
MEET THE ARTISTS
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Amber Skies is a St. Louis-based singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music floats somewhere between a sun-soaked daydream and a late-night city drive. Blending beachy indie rock with shimmering electronic textures, her sound is both laid-back and layered—equal parts chill and charged. She creates immersive sonic landscapes that feel cinematic, introspective, and undeniably cool.
Her presence is both ethereal and grounded—delivering performances that are intimate, atmospheric, and always infused with emotional honesty. Whether you're catching her live or vibing with her on Spotify, Amber Skies invites you into a world where indie rock shimmers, synths sparkle, and the feeling lingers long after the last note fades.
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Chris Shepherd is a St. Louis-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose music channels the raw emotion and rich legacy of blues, soul, and gospel. With gritty guitar work, smooth-as-honey vocals, and a deep well of original songs, Shepherd brings a timeless authenticity to every stage he steps on. His sound is rooted in the spirit of St. Louis—a city steeped in musical history—and it pulses with the lived experience of heartache, resilience, and joy.
Whether delivering a soul-soaked ballad or a foot-stomping blues anthem, Chris Shepherd keeps the tradition alive with every note, reminding us why the blues still matter and why St. Louis still swings.
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Gerard Erker is a St. Louis native and seasoned multi-instrumentalist whose music bridges the worlds of roots-rock, bluegrass, and Americana with heart, grit, and soul. His live shows are rich with harmony, high energy, and the kind of musicality that only comes from years on the road and deep roots in tradition.
A gifted vocalist and instrumentalist, Erker moves effortlessly between mandolin, guitar, fiddle, banjo, and more—bringing texture and nuance to every arrangement. His songwriting is thoughtful and resonant. In 2023, Erker stepped into the spotlight with his first solo single, “Hey KDHX!”—a protest anthem that channels his community spirit and passion for local music advocacy. Whether performing on festival stages or in more intimate spaces, Gerard Erker delivers roots-driven music with purpose, personality, and plenty of soul.
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Hunter Peebles brings a rich, reflective voice to the Country and Americana scene—one that echoes the grit of John Prine and the soul of George Jones. Based in St. Louis, Peebles writes songs that dig deep into life’s messy beauty—love and loss, grit and grace—delivered with a storyteller’s eye and a voice that rings true.
Known for his work fronting Hunter Peebles & The Moonlighters, Peebles shines just as brightly on his own, blending timeless country influences with modern songwriting sensibility. His solo sets showcase the heart behind the music: stripped-down arrangements, poignant lyrics, and a voice that can break your heart and mend it in the same breath. Whether you’re a fan of classic country, modern Americana, or just a good story well told, Hunter Peebles offers a sound that’s as authentic as it is unforgettable.
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For decades, the twin worlds of Art and Music have intertwined, informed and inspired St. Louis based multi-media artist James Ibur.
After stints in two noteworthy 90’s indie bands, he co-created the soulful Folk/Pop/World/Rock band Flying House in 2008 where he is the sole writer and guitarist of what is now an 8-piece band. That project is currently working on its fifth record with Producer Sean Garcia after releasing its fourth record, Blood Red Moon, in May 2025.
Ibur released his first solo record with Producer Sean Garcia (Floating) and video (Floating People) in December of 2024.
He is a nationally exhibited ceramist and mixed-media artist and Professor of Art at Stlcc-Meramec.
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JJ Loui is part of the next generation of St. Louis songwriters—blending indie-folk intimacy with a lyrical honesty that cuts straight to the heart. With a voice that’s equal parts vulnerability and quiet strength, JJ crafts songs that explore identity, self-discovery, and the shifting terrain of growing up in a complicated world.
Whether performing solo or as part of a duo, JJ Loui brings a fresh voice to the folk tradition—one that’s grounded in family, rooted in St. Louis, and already carving out its own path. With each song, she invites listeners to sit with the uncomfortable, celebrate the tender, and find connection in the in-between.
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Karen Choi is a singer-songwriter whose music is steeped in the rich soil of Americana tradition—where folk, country, and roots-rock meet lyrical storytelling with heart and grit. Raised in Lincoln, Nebraska and now based in the Midwest, Choi first found her voice through her father’s bluegrass records and a well-loved Martin guitar. Since then, she’s been crafting songs that turn everyday encounters into timeless narratives, full of nuance, place, and emotional honesty.
Whether she's singing about heartbreak, resilience, or the quiet corners of everyday life, Karen Choi brings a steady hand and a sharp eye—reminding us that the most meaningful stories are often the ones we’re already living.
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Kip Loui is a longtime fixture in the St. Louis music scene, known for his warm vocals, sharp songwriting, and deep love for all things twang. With a sound rooted in classic country, folk, and Americana, Loui’s music carries the easy charm of a front porch session and the storytelling weight of a seasoned troubadour.
With decades of songs and stories under his belt, Kip Loui brings a lived-in authenticity to every performance, delivering classic sounds with a generous heart and a knowing grin.
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Mattie Schell is a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter helping to shape the next wave of Americana music. As a founding member of the beloved St. Louis group River Kittens and a frequent performer with the Allman Betts Family Revival, Schell brings a fearless blend of roots, soul, and rock to every stage she steps on. Her voice—rich, raw, and emotionally charged—cuts straight to the bone, while her songwriting is steeped in truth, tenderness, and hard-earned wisdom.
Whether fronting a band or performing solo, Mattie Schell commands attention with songs that feel both timeless and unmistakably personal. She carries forward the tradition of Americana with a deep reverence for its past and a bold, modern voice that’s entirely her own. From dive bars to big stages, Schell delivers music that hits you in the chest and stays with you long after the lights go down.
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Maxwell Landry is a singer-songwriter whose sound feels like it was pulled straight from a sun-drenched Laurel Canyon daydream. With a voice that echoes the warmth of 1970s vinyl and lyrics that speak to timeless themes of love, loss, and longing, Landry bridges the past and present with effortless charm. His songs are equal parts nostalgic and refreshing—full of familiar grooves, rich harmonies, and melodies that settle in like an old favorite.
Whether you're a longtime lover of folk-rock or just discovering the magic of that golden era, Maxwell Landry is here to make you believe—in melody, in memory, and in the power of a really good song.
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Miki P is a Midwest-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and performer whose music blends introspection with infectious melody. Rooted in a lifelong love of rock and pop—both classic and modern—her songs feel like pages from a beautifully written journal: vulnerable, melodic, and unafraid to dig deep. Writing as a form of healing, Miki crafts compositions that linger long after the last note, filled with emotional honesty and subtle strength.
Whether performing solo, alongside her acoustic band The Swallowtails, or lending her talents as a freelance musician, Miki P brings a captivating stage presence and a sound that’s both intimate and expansive. Her music carries a quiet weight—melancholy in tone, but always reaching for connection. For fans of raw lyricism, rich instrumentation, and the kind of songs that feel like they were written just for you, Miki P offers something beautifully real.
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Shanna in a Dress is the folk-pop singer-songwriter you didn’t know you needed—part comedian, part poet, and all heart. Known for her clever wordplay, fearless vulnerability, and quirky charm, Shanna delivers a performance that’s equal parts gut-busting laughter and heartstring-pulling truth. Whether she’s crooning about heartbreak, feminism, or her refusal to wear pants, Shanna takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster—and somehow manages to land the punchline and the gut-punch in the same breath.
A blend of John Prine’s storytelling, Ingrid Michaelson’s indie sweetness, and a dash of Phoebe Buffay's lovable chaos, Shanna’s songs are delivered with a voice that’s warm, clear, and unmistakably her own. Whether she’s on stage at the Bluebird Café or pedaling across the country in a sundress, Shanna in a Dress is an artist who’s impossible to forget—and honestly, why would you want to?