As newly elected Chapter President of the Recording Academy Chicago Midwest Chapter, I am excited and honored to continue my work advocating for all musicians! To learn more about becoming a member, visit RecordingAcademy.com/join.
On Trust the Waves Will Hold You Susan Voelz delivers six enchanting songs recorded with Poi Dog Pondering in the 2000’s. Oyster is the ‘lost song’ from their Natural Thing recording sessions. Step Off the Roof is a song of having courage and faith in oneself. Pravda Records release - November, 2022.
10.12.22 - Beautiful sounds were created at Constellation for ONEderful, a monthly solo series featuring artists of different genres playing intimate short sets.
4.22.22 - 4.24.22: The Magnificent Strings performed 3 sold out nights with Wilco at the
Auditorium Theater in Chicago. 20th Anniversary of their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album.
The new album, Arrival of the Ancestors, is finished and mastered beautifully. Thank you to Tom Eaton and Will Ackerman of Imaginary Road Studios.
Upcoming Shows:
8.26.23 - Poi dog Pondering in Aurora, Illinois at River Edge Festival.
The Archives
03.11.23 - Poi dog Pondering at Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ.
02.17.23 - 02.18.23 - Poi dog Pondering at 3TEN Austin City Limits Live in Austin, TX.
01.27.23 - 01.28.23 - Poi dog Pondering at Thalia Hall 93XRT Presents in Chicago.
10.12.22 - SMV Solo show at ONEderful at Constellation in Chicago.
9.24.22 - Poi dog Pondering at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City.
3.14.22 - 3.17.22 - Poi dog Pondering at Space - Evanston, IL.
11.20.21 - Poi dog Pondering at Sebastiani - Sonoma, CA.
11.18.21 and 11.19.21 - Poi dog Pondering at The Chapel - San Francisco, CA.
11.12.21 and 11.13.21 - Poi dog Pondering at 3Ten - Austin, Texas.
11.4.21 - Poi dog Pondering at Music Box - Cleveland, OH.
10.21 - Recorded strings at Narwhal Studio with Brian Deck, producer. (Invoking Patsy Cline and Flight of the Bumble Bee).
10.21 - Composed original music for Fire Season, a new site-specific work from Los Angeles immersive theater company Capital W. Performed at the Paramount Ranch, a former 2018 burn site. VIEW DETAILS
9.18.21 - Poi dog Pondering at Summerfest - Milwaukee, WI. Photo by Philamonjaro.
9.11.21 - Poi dog Pondering at Delmar Hall - St. Louis, MO.
9.21 - Fenne Lily’s long awaited record, Breach, is released. Pitchfork mentioned us: “the muted strings are lovely.“ Here we are after recording strings at Narwhal Studios pre-Covid.
8.28.21 - Poi dog Pondering at Rivers Edge Festival - Aurora, IL.
8.26.21 - Poi dog Pondering at Uptown Social - Michigan City, IN.
8.21 - Recorded strings for the new Mono of Japan album at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini. Four violins and four cellos. (This is the band that loves Beethoven and My Bloody Valentine).
2.20.20 - Poi dog Pondering, Tivoli Theatre.
2.7.20 and 2.8.20 - Poi dog Pondering at 3 Ten Austin City Limits Live.
2.5.20 - SMV pre-release solo performance of her new record Arrival of the Ancestors. Playing piano, violin, triggering samples and loops, the piece begins “The things you are about to hear may or may not be true although they did happen.” It is a musical world that exists somewhere between waking and dreaming, the known and the unknown.
Location: Hungry Brain 9 PM with Nora Barton.
8.24.19 - Poi dog Pondering at Riveredge Park, Aurora, IL.
1.18.19 and 1.19.19 - Poi dog Pondering at 3TEN Austin City Limits Live.
10.5.18 and 10.6.18 - Poi dog Pondering record release at Thalia Hall,
Remnants of Summer.
7.13.18 - Poi dog Pondering, Music Box Theatre, Cleveland.
5.5.18 - Poi dog Pondering in Key West.
4.15.18 - Poi dog Pondering at Arcada Theatre.
2.17.18 - Poi dog Pondering City Winery, New York City.
1.17.18 - with Expo 76 at Space, Evanston.
1.12.18 and 1.13.18 - Poi Dog Pondering 3TEN Austin City LimitsLive, Austin, Texas.
1.6.18 - Solo piano house concert. East Troy, WI.
1.1.18 - Solo piano house concert. Palmyra, PA.
12.26.17- 12.31.17 - Poi dog Pondering, City Winery Chicago.
9.23.17 - Poi dog Pondering, Thalia Hall.
9.22.17 - PdP Space Evanston.
6.25.17 - 3TEN Austin City Limits, Austin, TX.
5.13.17 - Arcada Theater, St. Charles, IL.
Poi dog Pondering Troubadour Tour 2017
• 3.24.17 and 3.25.17 - City Winery, NYC
• 3.31.17 - City Winery, Nashville, TN
• 4.1.17 - City Winery, Atlanta, GA
12.26 through 12.30 - City Winery, Chicago, Poi dog Pondering.
10.22.16 - Beautiful Life debut, SMV Quartet, Vic Theatre, Chicago.
10.21.16 and 10.22.16 - Vic Theatre, Chicago, with PdP.
5.21.16 and 5.22.16 - Frankie’s Blue Room Naperville with PdP.
3.4.16 - Honolulu, Hawaii with PdP.
3.4.16 - Paramount Theatre with PdP.
1.29.16 - Great American Music Hall with PdP.
1.26.16 and 1.27.16 - City Winery NYC with PdP.
12.26, 27, 28 and 29, 2015 - City Winery Chicago with PdP.
10.24.15 - St. Louis with PdP.
10.23.15 - City Winery Nashville with PdP.
10.16, 17 & 18, 2015 - The Vic Theater with PdP.
Frank Orrall, Abra Moore and Susan at the Vic shows.
10.4.15 - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival with PdP.
9.12.15 - Popcorn Festival Valparaiso with PdP.
8.26.15 - "This is How We Courtyard" show with Deep Blue Field.
7.29.15 - Pritzker Pavilion with PdP.
Duo shows with Alejandro Escovedo:
6.20.15 - Lubbock, TX
6.19.15 - Amarillo, TX
4.19.15 - Portland, OR
4.18.15 - Seattle, WA
4.17.15 - Spokane, WA
4.16.15 - Missoula, MT
3.28.15 - The Promontory, Hyde Park (Chicago, IL)
3.27.15 - Space, Evanston, IL
4.23.15 - Tivoli Theatre, Downers Grove 7:30 PM. With PdP. The Rock Violin Studio students performed!
3.6.15 - PdP Paramount Theatre.
2.27.15 and 2.28.15 - PdP City Winery NYC.
2.14.15 - With Alejandro Escovedo Center for the Arts Jackson Hole Wyoming.
1.22 through 1.24.15 - with Alejandro Escovedo City Winery NYC.
1.10.15 - with Alejandro Escovedo, Moody Theater Austin, TX.
12.26 through 12.29.14 - PdP City Winery Chicago.
10.24.14 - with Alejandro Escovedo & Peter Buck Band, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA.
9.12.14 - Poi dog Pondering epic return to Ravinia!
8.22 through 8.30.14 - Duo Tour with Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely.
7.31.14 - A play of The Secret Birds with Tony Fitzpatrick, Frank Orrall and Poi.
The Poetry Foundation, 61 West Superior, Chicago
6.11.14 thru 6.29.14 - Northeast and Southeast duo tour with Alejandro Escovedo.
6.8.14 - ‘Strings in the Temple’ Chuck Prophet Show with string quartet,
Chicago, City Winery.
5.23.14 - Poi dog Pondering, Denver, Larimer Lounge.
5.24.14 - Poi dog Pondering, Phoenix, Crescent Ballroom.
5.25.14 - Tucson, Rialto Theatre (private event).
4.18.14 - Poi dog Pondering, Paramount Theatre, Aurora, IL.
3.14.14 - SMV and Sean Lennon at Lou Reed Tribute, Paramount Theatre, Austin, Texas.
2.20 - 3.8.14 - Duo tour with Alejandro Escovedo, Peter Buck and band.
2.13, 2.14 & 2.15.14 - With Poi dog Pondering at the Continental Club, Austin, Texas.
2.11.14 - SMV solo violin show with Buffalo and Honey, Me/Or/We. 5 string violin through effects pedals and tracks.
1.15, 1.17 and 1.18.14 - With Alejandro Escovedo at City Winery, NYC.
1.11.14 - Sounds of Austin with Alejandro Escovedo, Lucinda Williams, Joe Ely, Kimmie Rhodes, Roky Erickson and more. Moody Theatre, Austin, Texas.
12.31.13 - New Years Eve with Alejandro Escovedo at Space, Evanston.
12.26.13 - 12.29.13 - With Poi dog Pondering at City Winery, Chicago.
9.24.13 - 10.01.13 - SMV duo tour with Alejandro Escovedo and Shelby Lynne with Ben Peeler in the Northeast.
8.27.13 - Syd Straw Poet of the Spheres with SMV, Robbie Folks, Gerald Dowd at Space.
8.26.13 - Sugar Fly With Me, City Winery, Chicago.
8.18.13 - Sugar Fly With Me, Electric violin, cello, vibes, jazz drummer and DJ Numinous Radio, City Winery, Chicago.
8.14.13 - Expo 76, special guests SMV and Syd Straw. Simons, Chicago.
8.3.13 - Complicated - a play by Brigid Murphy inspired by the music of Poi dog Pondering. Acorn Theatre, Three Oaks, MI.
7.21.13 - Poi dog Pondering Sheffield Garden Walk.
7.20.13 - SMV performed with Belle & Sebastian, Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago. Love the Scottish!
6.22.13 - Poi dog Pondering in Aurora.
4.30.13 - Nick Tremulis Orchestra at City Winery. Record release of For the Baby Doll.
Special Guests: Bun E. Carlos and Rick Rizzo.
4.22.13 – Los Immortales performance at La Sirena Clandestina.
4.8.13 – Sugar Fly with Me performance at City Winery.
4.5.13 – PdP show at the beautiful Tivoli Theatre in Downer’s Grove.
3.26.13 – SMV with Nicholis Tremulis Orchestra at City Winery.
Special Guest: Willie Nile.
3.21.13 – PdP DVD release Gingerman Tavern performance.
2.25.13 – SMV with Nicholis Tremulis Orchestra. Special Guest: Charlie Sexton.
2.15.13 – Poi dog Pondering tour to Denver and Phoenix.
2.9.13 – Poi dog Pondering plays the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.
1.29.13 – SMV with Sugar Fly trip hop DJ, vibes and violin at City Winery.
1.13.13 – SMV songwriting storytelling show at Space in Evanston with Anne Harris and Cathy Richardson. Unexpectedly rich night.
1.12.13 – Alejandro Escovedo Holiday Spectacular Show at the Moody Theatre in Austin, Texas. With Charlie Sexton, girls choir, horns lit in red in the balcony. Majestic.
12.26.12-12.27.12 – Poi dog Pondering two night orchestral show at the City Winery in Chicago.
12.1.12 – Pali Chant Suite performs at Moksha Holiday Party. The recording of the orchestral and trip hop Pali Chant Suite will be available by spring.
10.25.12-10.27.12 – Poi dog Pondering Austin version performs three nights at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas.
10.23.12 – Clark Street Bridge. Art & Science multi media lecture with cinema musicians and Draft FCB at Northwestern.
10.18.12-10.20.12 – Poi dog Pondering performance at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Doug Fur Lounge in Portland and in Seattle. We packed lightly and hopped on trains when possible.
9.27.12 – Pali Chant Suite performed at the Goorin Bros. Hat Store. Love this hat store. We all left looking foxier than when we arrived.
8.20.12 - Deep Blue Field performs at the new Chicago City Winery at Randolph & Racine.
8.17.12 - Austin Chronicle article spotlights SMV’s Musician Guide to the Road.
Click to read.
8.19.12 - Poi Dog performs for Bicycles Worldwide at Wrigley Field. Then to Mia Francesca for a pleasant after show dinner of red wine and pasta on the patio.
7.31.12 - Members of Poi – SMV, Dag and Max sing the 7th Inning Stretch at Wrigley Field.
7.22.12 - Poi Dog performs at River North Festival. Super nice festival. On the river.
7.14.12 - Poi dog Pondering Concert in Naperville with full strings and horns.
6.14.12 - Rare 8fatfat8 performance. Matt Lamb Galleries at the River East Art Center, 435 E. Illinois, benefiting IL Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights. Frank Orrall, SMV and Charlette Wortham. Live PA.
5.26 and 5.27.12 - Memorial Weekend Concert: Poi dog Pondering Double Header at the Double Door. Frank Orrall solo record official release of Never Trade These Days.
5.20.12 – Susan Voelz and Paul Weitz lead a 3 hour ruesri daton class at Thai Bodywork School of Thai Massage, 537 Custer Ave., Evanston. Theory, philosophy, breathing technique, 26 poses, culminating in a group performance of the Pali Chant Suite.
4.21.12 - Performed acoustic set and full rock set with Alejandro Escovedo Prairie Centre for the Arts, Schaumburg IL
4.17.12 – SMV and Liam Davis performed at the Cavalcade of Songwriters Show at the Hideout along with Thymme Jones from Cheer Accident and Dag Juhlin.
3.16.12 – Miss V created and recorded music for University of Illinois – Chicago MFA performance of Hansel & Gretel
3.10.12 – Miss V played solo violin at the wedding of Coach Brett Buelma and Jennifer Heilsburg in Madison, Wisconsin.
1.14.12 – Poi played at the gorgeous art deco Paramount Theater in Aurora.
1.5.12 – 1.8.12 Pali Chant Suite traveled to Seattle to perform 8 shows at West of Lenin. Yes, that’s Anne Harris performing with us!
12.17.11 - Pali Chant Suite for Strings and Thai Yoga – Moksha Yoga Riverwest Holiday Party. Best performance yet with Anne Harris and Vannia Phillips playing violin and room full of yogis.
12.2.11 - Poi dog Pondering Tale of Two Cities – the Austin years and the Chicago years – Metro. Both nights were filmed for live DVD.
11. 18.11 - Susan performs with Alejandro Escovedo in NYC at the Rubin Art Museum.
11.10.11 - Poi performs in San Francisco at Swedish American Music Hall.
11.3.11 - Pali Chant Suite for Strings and Thai Yoga special filming event at Moksha Logan Square.
7.24.11 – Poi dog Pondering performs at the Sheffield Garden Walk in Chicago at 7:30.
6.18.11 – United Sounds of America – Austin, Texas arrived at the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and transformed the magnificent space of Symphony Hall into a roadhouse, a gospel church, a front porch and a rock club with Alejandro Escovedo, Susan Voelz, Butch Hancock, Roky Erickson, Rosie Flores and others.
4.20.11 – Thailand. Susan studied thai massage with Homprang, met with various Thai healers, and concluded her trip playing solo at a club called Sudsanan in Chiang Mai.
2.15.11 – SMV and Liam Davis team up to sing at the 2nd Annual Love Hangover show at the Dark Room.
2.4.11 and 2.5.11 - Poi dog Pondering rocked the soul of the Vic Theatre.
12.2.10 - Grammy Nomination Announcement! SMV and Alison Chesley recorded strings on the Grammy nominated Justin Robert's children's record entitled 'Jungle Gym'.
12.2.10 - SMV and Liam Davis perform at the Feast or Famine Hoot Night at Schubas. SMV brought hoot night up from Austin in the mid 90’s. Chicago embraced it with fun and flair. After a few years, she handed the reigns over to Sir Thomas Dunning who carries on the tradition from Dublin, Ireland.
10.14.10 - SMV and Liam Davis perform at the Primitive Gallery for Mindful Medicine Worldwide.
10.11.10 - SMV performs onstage with Belle & Sebastian at the Chicago Theatre. They are my new favorite band.
10.03.10 - SMV performs on stage with Broken Social Scene at the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee.
10.02.10 - SMV performs on stage with Broken Social Scene at the Riviera in Chicago.
8.26.10 - Poi dog Pondering returns to Ravinia with a big big show of horns, strings, House-o-Matic Dancers, and guests.
8.16.10 - Intimate performance at the Temple Gallery in Pilsen with Anne Harris.
8.03.10 - Caught the Seu George show at the Logan Square Auditorium and loved it.
7.23.10 - Performed for the Chicago School of Thai Massage open house at the Board of Trade Bldg.
7.17.10 - Pitchfork TV taping with Broken Social Scene at Lincoln Hall.
7.16.10 - Pitchfork Music Festival playing violin with Broken Social Scene.
7.10.10 - Performed at the Morseland Café: “…like watching Jean luc Ponty on mescaline….”
6.26.10 - Performed on a co-bill with Anne Harris at the Acorn Theatre in Three Oaks, MI.
6.23.10 - Opened up the Amy Cook show at Schubas. “Susan Voelz reminded us why we love to listen to music.” Chris Searle, drummer, facebook post.
5.29.10 - Opened for the Bo Deans at the Acorn Theatre in Three Oaks Michigan.
5.21.10 - Timeout Chicago recommended concert of the weekend: Sister Triple Happiness at the Hideout (triple bill of Susan Voelz, Helen Money and Peg Simone) .
5.04.10 - Broken Social Scene Forgiveness Rock Record featuring Susan Voelz (often cited as Susan Belle in the press) on violin is released.
4.08 - 4.10.10 - Poi dog Pondering and 8fat fat 8 travel to Texas to perform in Austin and Fort Worth.
3.27.10 - Poi dog Pondering performance on the south side at the Beverly Arts Center with our new best friends The Old Ceremony from North Carolina.
3.26.10 - Poi dog Pondering in Milwaukee at Shank Hall. Frank and Susan play on WMSE and talk Hawaii with Sonya. Opening act is The Old Ceremony whom Frank mis-identifies as The Old Cemetery. He blames the Mescal.
3.11.10 - Watched the band Skybox at Lincoln Hall and shared a beer with my long lost niece.
3.10.10 - The Poi trio performed a Living Room Set in St. Louis on the 16th floor of a renovated brick warehouse. The president was in town and we watched Obama supporters and protestors yell at each other, and bomb sniffing dogs search cars going into the hotel
3.6.10 - Juicy Wine Company (site of my book release) has changed hands but first we must have a party. Deep Blue Field performed, El Dandy dj’ed. We drank red wine from big goblets outside on the 30 degree deck.
2.26 and 2.27.10 - Poi dog Pondering at the Metropolis in Arlington Heights.
2.22.10 - Alison Chesley and I recorded strings at a new studio on Campbell for a country artist named?
2.15.10 - The first Love Hangover Show in Chicago with Liam Davis at the Double Door. Our songs: Die 4 U, Let my Love Open the Door, Stop Draggin’ My heart Around.
2.11.10 - The Octavia String Quartet performed with Sleeping at Last at Lincoln Hall.
2.2.10 - I was pleased to be a guest dj on WXRT’s Eclectic Company with Nick Tremulis. Theme: “soundtrack of the road” songs.
1.2.10 - Poi dog Pondering at Lincoln Hall.
