Music Scene: Stealing a few moments with Boston-bred folk-rockers Ballroom Thieves

The Ballroom Thieves spent some of their lockdown time writing and recording new songs. They are getting back into the swing of touring with a Friday night stop at The Spire Center in Plymouth that is a precursor to a West Coast tour that kicks off Feb. 22.

There have been changes in the Ballroom Thieves, with original member Devin Mauch leaving to pursue other things and the usual lineup for live shows trimmed from a quartet to just Martin Earley and Calin Peters. Since the music on their fourth album, "Clouds" (released last summer on Nettwerk) is more stripped down and focused on the duo, they've decided that's how they want to play concerts.

"We really want to focus on the duo material," said Earley by phone from their Maine home this week. "We really like showing people how these songs were written, which is typically just the two of us, Callie and me. We've never done it before because it's always been a bigger production when we toured. But we like the idea of a more intimate setting, and look at it as a fun experiment."

Finding 'Clouds' on Nantucket

The latest album was recorded over a couple of weeks on Nantucket, where the duo sought to refocus their sound on harmonies and songwriting. While some of the tunes on "Unlovely," like the title cut, used their poetic gifts to hint at the social upheaval of the times, the new album's songwriting takes a more personal approach. There are moments of doubt and questioning one's life and career, but also bright and invigorating pop/folk/rock melodies framing the two voices. You could suggest the duo is expressing the self-examination anyone has when they hit their 30s, but there's also that definite post-pandemic quality too.

A song like "Tenebrist," from the "Unlovely" album, really portrays that sort of existential doubt. Lines like "I'm the sum of what I've become, which is to say, I'm really no one ..." land like a gut punch, no matter how lovely the melody.

"I felt like 'Unlovely' was one of our most political records ever, even if it wasn't obvious," said Peters. "To do this latest record, we went to Nantucket just before the summer season kicked in, flew in a couple friends to help us, and it was a really nice time.  As you get older, I think it is natural to think more about what you're doing with your job and your life and ask if you're really happy. We had all been doing the band thing for 10 or 12 years and didn't really look up. When the pandemic hit, we were able to look at it, ask ourselves if we really wanted to be doing this, and decide, 'Yes, we do.'"

Taking the duo format for a spin

The Ballroom Thieves had achieved a level of success that allowed them to tour the country and abroad before things shut down in 2020. Now that they are venturing out again with the stripped-down format, most of the usual rock 'n' roll venues are happy to have them back, while the duo format also introduces them to more intimate places to play.

"It really seems to just depend on the venue, and where we are in the country," Earley said. "Some rock venues are versatile enough rooms to have us back as the duo. In other places, with much bigger rooms, we have seen it scaled back, having us in a different room, but it's nice for us to get to discover new venues."

"We went out last fall with the four-piece band," Peters said. "I'm not sure the country was fully ready to go out again then, though, so it will be interesting to see how this year continues to evolve. Music is clearly coming back strong now, and we're excited to get back out there with the duo."

Fans might expect to hear a lot of the material from "Clouds" this weekend, but the duo format also allows the Ballroom Thieves to revisit parts of their songbook they haven't generally played in concert before. The dynamics of a full-band rock show meant that some songs, even dating back to their 2015 debut album, got left on the shelf. There are few restrictions now, and the pair promised some surprises.

"Our set lists are going to be all over the map," Peters said. "With just the two of us, there are a number of songs we will not play because it is such a different setup. But we will also be able to play a lot of our older songs that we didn't play as much with the band at our rock shows. So I'd say we will play our new songs and some older songs, and also include some older folk songs people haven't heard us do, which we try to make our own."

Earley and Peters write all of the Ballroom Thieves' music, and that is a process that never stops, so there's also always the possibility of hearing a new tune.

"We are always writing and recording," Earley said. "We've found that you can't really take any time off from that. If you don't know exactly when a record will come out, you are always trying to stay ahead. It takes about a year or more for a record to see the light of day after you record it, so you've got to be writing stuff almost constantly. We haven't been writing any topical or political-type songs because everything is changing so fast and it is hard to foresee what things will look like a year or a year−and−a−half."

"We are currently working on our next project," Peters agreed, "and you can almost always say that. But we are really happy to be able to get back out and play for people as just the two of us, and excited to share some of this new, and old, music with them."

Quincy's Gambino is a proud papa

Swinging Steaks keyboardist Jim Gambino, the Quincy native now living in Brockton, is a proud dad after his daughter Nina, an accomplished flutist, emerged from a round of auditions and interviews as one of the first two female drum majors in the history of the Brockton High Marching Band. Beyond musical ability, the positions require leadership and dedication to teamwork, and when the Steaks arrive at The Spire Center for their March 10 show, it's a good bet Papa Gambino will still be smiling.

Live music at FreeJacks rugby games in Quincy

Your own New England FreeJacks pro rugby team is bringing the tunes to Quincy's Memorial Stadium this season. The FreeJacks open with two games on the road, but once the home schedule begins on March 11, the musical fun begins with pre- or postgame concerts. The performers include Celtic band Scottish Fish on March 11; disco faves Booty Vortex on March 25; New England soft-rock giants Orleans on April 11; ska pioneers The English Beat on April 22; rock's Crash Test Dummies on May 21; the swinging big band sound of Cherry Poppin' Daddies on May 27; and your country-rockin' faves Old Crow Medicine Show on June 18.

Mac Saturn about to take off

I love finding hot young bands, like the Detroit quintet Mac Saturn, now on their first national tour, who made their first Boston appearance at Brighton Music Hall on Jan. 29 before a college crowd of about 150. As I noted in social media, the sound would remind you of a funkier version of the J. Geils Band, or maybe Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, but with some Faces grit thrown in. For the tour they added a keyboardist, who skillfully expanded the arrangements, often mimicking horns. I predict this band will someday make an album with a horn section, and it will be awesome. Singer Carson Macc has a kind of Peter Wolf-style, soul-nerd charm, and their songs like "Mr. Cadillac" (check out the pool hall video), "Plain Clothes Gentleman" and "Ain't Like You" are infectious fun.

Upcoming gigs: Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews tributes

THURSDAY: Folk-pop songbird Maggie Rogers is a unique creative force, not least because she's spent the past couple of years earning a master's degree at Harvard Divinity School, and she and her band take over Roadrunner for three nights. Former Moody Blues/Wings stalwart Denny Laine at City Winery. Pop songsmith Adam Melchor at The Sinclair. Country thrush Lily Rose at Brighton Music Hall.

FRIDAY: Chartbusters Fitz & the Tantrums light up Big Night Live. Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace at The Paradise Rock Club. Living on a Bad Name is the Bon Jovi tribute at Soundcheck Studios. Legendary rock percussionist Sheila E (whose autobio is a fun read) takes over City Winery.  Club D'Elf meshes funk and world music at The Narrows Center. Four in a Row rocks The C-Note. Indie rocker Samia takes over The House of Blues. Crash is the Dave Matthews Band tribute at The Sinclair.

SATURDAY: Rock 'n' blues with Big Head Todd & the Monsters at The House of Blues. Booty Vortex makes you recall the disco era at Soundcheck Studios. The Van Morrison tribute at The Spire Center is sold out. It's a Valentine's Day Party at The C-Note, sponsored by Hull Pride. Dazzling guitarist Mike Dawes at The Narrows Center. The electronic trio Cheat Codes at Big Night Live.

SUNDAY: The indie pop quintet Arlie at Brighton Music Hall Sunday night. Tuesday (Valentine's Day) night Bush rocks MGM Music Hall, while guitar aces Jon and Juli Finn warm up The Red Lion Inn.

See Ballroom Thieves

When: 8 p.m. Feb. 10

Where: The Spire Center, 25½ Court St. in downtown Plymouth

Tickets: $28

Info: 508-746-4488; spirecenter.org

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Stealing a few moments with Boston-bred folk-rockers Ballroom Thieves