LIVE: Tracy Bonham
<div>Tracy Bonham is a twice Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, violinist, and classically trained multi-instrumentalist whose fearless artistry has spanned three decades. Born in Eugene, Oregon, and trained at Berklee College of Music in Boston and USC in violin, Bonham burst onto the alternative rock scene in 1996 with her debut album The Burdens of Being Upright, which earned her two Grammy nominations, an MTV Video Award Nomination, went gold in the US, Australia, and Canada, and landed her on the cover of magazines and in heavy rotation on MTV and VH1. Her breakthrough hit "Mother, Mother" topped the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and became an anthem for a generation of women who refused to be silenced. It would hold the record as the last song by a solo female artist to top that chart for seventeen years, until Lorde's "Royals" came along in 2013.</div><div><br></div><div>MTV first called her an "angry young woman," and then Howard Stern reinforced the label in a memorable interview. The moniker followed her through much of her early career. What the world didn't yet understand was that her fire wasn't anger for its own sake. It was truth-telling. It was the sound of a woman refusing to shrink. </div><div><br></div><div>The years that followed proved just how wide her world was. Bonham performed on the mainstage at Lilith Fair for two years running, in 1997 and 1998, toured with Ben Folds, and served as a featured vocalist and violinist in two Blue Man Group arena tours in 2003 and 2006. She shared stages with rock royalty, performing alongside Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, appeared as a featured artist on an Aerosmith album, and performed in the celebrated Paul McCartney tribute concert in Copenhagen with Danish pop star, Tim Christensen, and American singer songwriter Mike Viola. She brought her music to television audiences through appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. </div><div>Her music found its way into the cultural fabric in ways that extended far beyond concert stages. Her song "Just Perfect" was featured on the soundtrack to Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), and her music appeared in the cult classic film Grosse Pointe Blank. On television, her work was heard in Daria (MTV), Malcolm in the Middle, Grey's Anatomy, The L Word, and Weeds. Most recently, her signature song "Mother, Mother" was introduced to a whole new generation when it was featured in the hit series Yellowjackets.</div><div><br></div><div>Across eight studio albums, Bonham has continually revealed new dimensions of her artistry, from alternative rock to jazz inflected pop to lush classical orchestration. In 2017, her album Modern Burdens, a bold collaborative project featuring a chorus of strong female voices, made Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of the year. </div><div><br></div><div>Her 2025 album Sky Too Wide, co-produced with Rene Hart, is perhaps her most personal work yet, born out of extraordinary circumstances. After beginning to develop the material in collaboration with the Eugene Ballet and resident choreographer Suzanne Haag, Bonham received a breast cancer diagnosis in January 2024. She underwent surgery in March, and just one month later, took the stage with the Eugene Ballet for two nights at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The album, already conceived as a meditation on resilience and perseverance following a difficult period that included a divorce during the pandemic, took on an even deeper meaning. Released on June 6, 2025, it earned some of the best reviews of her career. </div><div><br></div><div>Beyond recordings, Bonham has continually pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a working artist. Her music has been featured in art gallery installations. She performed at Lincoln Center as part of the Singer Outsiders series, and joined Belly for their New York show at Sony Hall. She celebrated the release of Sky Too Wide with an unforgettable evening at Joe's Pub in New York City, joined by her longtime friend and comedian-musician Fred Armisen. And she has shared stages with fellow icons of the nineties, including members of the Go Go's and the Bangles, at benefit performances including the Freezing Man epilepsy research benefit.</div><div><br></div><div>Bonham is also the founder of Melodeon Music House, a music education project combining original material with curriculum inspired by Schoolhouse Rock, The Electric Company, and Sesame Street, aimed at young music enthusiasts and continues her lifelong commitment to music education. </div><div>Now, as she approaches the thirtieth anniversary of The Burdens of Being Upright, Bonham has returned to Boston, where her musical journey began, for a spring residency at the Burren. The shows are all ages by design, a deliberate invitation for young women to come and hear what it sounds like when a woman fully steps into her own power. A portion of proceeds benefits Women's March and BraveWomen.us, organizations dedicated to amplifying women's voices and pushing for social change. She is currently at work on her 30th anniversary album and subsequent tour. </div><div><br></div><div>"I feel like my message is still very positive," Bonham has said, "but I'm using experience to tell a story, and to hopefully have people see themselves in the struggle." </div><div><br></div><div>The daughters who sang along to "Mother, Mother" in 1996 are grown now. And their daughters are coming of age in a world that still asks women to turn down the volume on who they are. Tracy Bonham isn't turning down anything. She's turning it up, and she's inviting everyone to join her. </div><div><br></div><div>Bonham is currently living in Brooklyn, NY with her son, and is cancer free. </div>Alternative RockPT2H2026-08-21LIVE: Tracy Bonham"LIVE: Tracy Bonham"Live Music, Live EventShowtimes
August 21, 8:00 pm
August 22, 8:00 pm
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