Starnes&Shah

BIOGRAPHY

Starnes&Shah is a vocal duo comprised of Zilpha Starnes (keyboards and vocals) and Dania Abu-Shaheen (guitar and vocals). The group was formed in Astoria NY in 2005. Dania (Shah) writes the music and Zilpha (Starnes) sings the harmony. The songs reflect Dania's interest in rock'n'roll, poetry, and storytelling and Zilpha's harmonies add elements of exchange and sometimes tension to make Starnes&Shah what it is: An unlikely pairing of a formally trained choir girl from Dallas, Texas and a self taught Lebanese rabble-rouser. Described as psychedelic folk, the music ranges from paired down acoustic ditties to rock anthems complete with choral arrangements and layered guitar effects. As a live act, Starnes&Shah believe that it only gets better with time and experience. They have played shows in Northeastern cities including Burlington, Portland, Boston, Philadelphia, and their current home city, New York. Starnes&Shah have released an acoustic EP titled "Here Again on the Island" (2006) and two full length albums "Summer in the Woodshed" (2007) and "Pink White Blue Green" (2009) featuring full band arrangements. On November 12, 2011 Starnes&Shah's third record "Red Brick Tide" will be released. "Red Brick Tide" packs a rock'n'roll punch along with the vocal and compositional delicacy that make this band a listener's treat. Quirky synthesizers and hard-driving guitars augment the duo's trademark harmonies to conjure up nuanced narratives that evolve with every play. Starnes&Shah continue to play regular shows in New England and New York, and they will be touring to promote "Red Brick Tide" in the spring and summer of 2012.