The Mezzanine

The beer scene is rife with personalities, but Burial Beer co-founder Tim Gormley in a category all his own. He’s constantly coming up with new ideas – and often – the weirder, the better. We’re going to talk about his latest venture into wine, but first we’ll tap into his early life. Because from past to present, music has been an inextricable part of Tim’s identity and his approach to fermented beverage-making.

Americana musician Lera Lynn doesn't shy away from the tough stuff. In this episode of The Mezzanine, she speaks with clarity and directness about growing up with an alcoholic parent, processing grief, and seeking self-acceptance -- both on and off stage. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter stopped by Citizen Studios while on tour with the duo, Penny and Sparrow. During their conversation, she and Cass share laughs, tears, and a memorable surprise. Lynn's preparing to release her second solo album, due out July 15. The record, “Something More Than Love',' glimmers. Her songs are deeply personal and affecting, while she brings up themes we can all find relatable.

On today’s show we’re going to revisit a live event Citizen Vinyl put on in August 2021. We invited a poet and a painter to talk about their creative efforts to revive an epic African folktale. Glenis Redmond, the "Afro-Carolinian poet" teamed up with British painter Julyan Davis to produce a spoken word album called, "Cymbee." It's named after an African mermaid. Her legend traveled along with enslaved Congolese people who were brought to the shores of South Carolina. In this episode we'll hear how Julyan first encountered the folktale and how Glenis weaves her own ancestry and identity in its retelling.

Helado Negro talks about his latest record "Far In," and opens up about moving to Asheville during the pandemic, finding connection in the desert, and how his relationship inspired the song "Gemini and Leo."

On today’s show, we’re going to meet a writer and performer who’s not afraid to touch topics that most of us would find too embarrassing or uncomfortable. In fact, she says, it’s those themes that allow us to discover deep truths about ourselves. Her name is Gina Cornejo, and her latest work is called “Dirty Laundry.” Because, that’s what it is – personal stories that she wants to air out publicly. She shares intimate details about relationships, marriage, and her personal journey with divorce. The show was supposed to premiere in January at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, but the Omicron variant forced them to cancel. Instead, Gina and her collaborators with Stewart Owen Dance decided to film the piece and stream it online through the month of February. We’re going to talk to Gina about the stories that make up “Dirty Laundry” – then we’ll go further back to meet someone from her past who still joins her on stage.