The Stell & Snuggs duo is Christel Astin on flute, uke and vocals and Jarad Astin on the accordion, stompbox and vocals. Their mode of touring is not similar to other bands; their 43-foot sailboat has given them the opportunity to perform in a wide variety of venues, from the crème de la crème to their favourite local hangouts.
The band’s musical mission is to take whoever attends their shows on an enticing journey of highs and lows, vocals and instrumentals that bind together, and enclose musical elements of Colombian Cumbia, Gypsy, Country, and Brazilian Choro!
Tonight at Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Stell & Snuggs meets Sound Citizens and will bring St. Maarten nothing short of raw funk and soul all night long! Before you start stomping your feet and swaying your hips at Lagoonies, learn a bit more about this adventurous sailing band below.
How did you two meet?
We met at Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, a music conservatory in Downtown Philadelphia in 1994. We had separate musical careers for 19 years before we joined forces four years ago!
How did you become a sailing band?
We did a story with The New York Times that I believe says it all: “It has meant a strengthening of our souls…and replacing substance with sustenance.” You see; we made it our mission to sail to shows after we lost all our belongings to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. It was time for a change, and when you have nothing to lose, this exposure leaves you open.
What does a day in the life of a travelling band look like?
It's different for any touring band, at least the free time is. For us, it's home-schooling our girls, rehearsing, finding Wi-Fi to book shows and festivals, sailing to the show, loading the dinghy and getting to work on stage. It's very organic how we live honestly. Sometimes we sail in bad conditions; but we have the experience to keep safe and not break our touring vessel!
Tell us about a memorable sailing and/or musical adventure!
Okay, we were sailing from Salinas, Puerto Rico, back to the United States for our upcoming Stell and Snuggs 2014 US tour, and sure enough, a venue from North Carolina contacted us on our satellite communicator and asked us to do a show before we made port for Brooklyn, NY. We did one tack just in time, accepted the offer and wrote one of our songs – "Hey lil Bird" – in the process!
What are some of your favourite venues to have played at?
Aside from festivals, which are generally always good sound and overall management is really professional, it's the things that come up off the beaten path that really make it for us. Places like Rogers Barefoot Bar on Hog Island, Grenada, Dinghy's on Water Island, St. Thomas, gigs we do in Rockaway Beach, NYC, Lagoonies on Sint Maarten and our stints with Marina Cay in the BVI’s; those are the ones where we meet new people and have the opportunity to share our sound with a new and eager crowd. The feedback energy forms a loop that grows and pulls out our best.
What can people expect from a Stell & Snuggs show?
First off, a unique sound –an exotic sound. Our instrumentation has developed out of the necessities of touring via sail and just isn't used by any other group that we've seen. You can also expect dynamic song writing and musical composition, and a visceral connection with every person in the audience. At the end of it, the thought of "Wow, I was just dancing to the accordion and flute!" It's not just a first time seeing a group, but seeing something brand new that makes you move, makes you think and feel. That's what we want for ourselves, and that always translates to our audiences.
Has Sint Maarten been one of your destinations in the past?
We landed here from Bermuda in 2014 for the first time. It was just after Gonzalo, so the scene was pretty serious – vessels beached in Marigot, talk of many lost. When we came ashore, the international vibe was truly amazing – like NYC with better weather – everyone smiling and giving a welcoming vibe. We got called to Antigua shortly after, and our first show was not until spring 2016. The vibe we got from the venue and the crowd really blew us away. In short, we LOVE this island!
What are some of your future plans for Stell & Snuggs?
We've got a huge lot of new material; so a new recording is in the works for this coming summer at our partner studio in Red Hook, New York, part of our production company CueBro. It's a larger project and it will incorporate a bunch of salseros we work with in NY. Another tour in the US this summer aboard our land-yacht, and some video work while there as well, and, as always, miles and miles of sailing.
See both Stell and Snuggs & Sound Citizens perform at Lagoonies in Cole Bay this evening at 9:00! Be prepared to dance until you drop!
Check out their music and upcoming performance dates at www.stellandsnuggs.com
