Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem Hit the Strings in Free Middletown Show

Americana and roots musicians Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem are performing on their home turf this weekend at Middlesex Community College.

They’ll bring their joyous blend of musical genres to Middletown in a family-friendly concert. Check out some of their tunes here.

Rani and her husband, band member Scott Kessel, live in Middletown and have been an integral part of the community for many years. Band members Anand Nayak and Andrew Kinsey hail from Massachusetts, while Rani and Andrew were part of an earlier bluegrass group she founded called Salamander Crossing.

Check out Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem on their website. The concert, on Friday at 7 p.m. in Chapman Hall, is free, however reservations are required. Click here to register.

In 2011, Canton Patch interviewed Arbo. Here's an excerpt:

CP: What instruments do you play?

RA: The fiddle, cello, guitar, mandolin. I work at these versus singing, which is completely natural; like a primary instinct.

CP: What are your thoughts on the current music scene?

RA: I’ve been playing in coffee shops, small theaters and university performing arts centers. You have to go to conferences to be seen and to get on the performing arts center schedules.

There are a lot of festivals that promote to a very specific audience of music lovers.  Festivals are moving towards picking only hot tickets, in part due to economics. It used to be that you could get a decent slot, as the surprise act, at a festival. There is less wiggle room now; much fewer slots. There is a gap in the economics of music; the economics of taking a risk and the ability to get out there.

CP: How about the internet?

RA: I use the internet for booking, promotions, fan communication, publicity. It’s kind of hit or miss. You need to spend a lot of time to make the best use of it as a tool. Dar Williams worked the internet, in the folk world, and it made a big difference for her.

CP: What’s your favorite type of audience?

RA: Audiences all have a different energy and volume. A lot has to do with the room; the time of day; the type of people who come; and what happened to them that day. But, any audience is a good audience.  I recognize that spending a night of your life out on the town is a commitment; especially if you’re with your family. So, I appreciate that commitment.

CP: How are you different as a Haymaker?

RA: Haymaking is about having little moments to make hay, outside of family life and our own ongoing music careers. We don’t want it to be anything, unless it’s fun. There is no plan. We’ve only played a handful of shows, so we’re going by the seats of our pants!

Mark is committed to every note that he plays and sings. He doesn’t hold back. So, I verge in that direction; out of my usual context, I step away from my normal self. Both Mark and I have a bit of abandon.

We have covered all styles of country, as well as our own repertoire. We’re still evolving.

CP: In what way are you evolving?

RA: When I first started out, it was about going on tour and being famous. Now, I want to be happy, find joy and be able to afford to play music; to have the exchange, excitement and traveling that comes with performing.