Get to Know: Willowfair

Big boys don’t cry, but you just might get a little emotional.

When Willowfair walks into a room, it’s not the same set-up as other bands. Imagine sitting there with you beer and the previous band has just finished, mohawks flying and B.C. Rich guitars in tow. Then Willowfair comes up with a piano, cello and a violin. What’s a semi-drunk man to think? That he’s going to hear “Pachelbel’s Canon” all night? But this Aurora, Illinois band has the ability to change the mood in a room with one key stroke. Their haunting vocals, soft yet emotional arrangements, and gorgeous strings can make even hardened barmen shed a tear or two. Willowfair started in 2004 when the husband-wife duo Ryan and Mandy Bibza received a piano for their wedding present. The Bibzas wrote and collaborated alone before adding twins Priscilla Dean and Joy Deen on cello and violin respectively to make their final live act. Working together with a studio rhythm section Willowfair recorded their debut album The Lie Within and released it January 13th of this year. 

The Lie Within solidifies Willowfair’s talent for music composition and knack for beautiful melodies and vocals. Ryan and Mandy work beautifully together, sharing singing responsibilities in the band and collaborating on the songwriting. This isn’t your high school orchestra’s classical music. This isn’t even classical music really. Looking past the string section, Willowfair’s music is more about meaningful lyrics and inspiring something more than fleeting interest. It is a labor of love, a collaboration between two people willing to lay their hearts on the line. Willowfair’s musical arrangements to carry some classical backbone but the band has changed it so people who haven’t even heard of Handel can enjoy it. They carry a similar nostalgic quality that other musical powerhouses like Radiohead have, where creating a marketable album is obsolete to the band. The desire for a pop hit gets thrown out the window for actual music and poetic lyrics. 

“Devil’s Armada” is the first song the Bibzas wrote together and one of the best on The Lie Within. Mandy Bibza’s soft piano in the beginning plays under Ryan’s forceful yet gossamer vocals. The cello has always been an instrument that strikes my heart and Priscilla Dean on this track is right there making every bowing count. There’s something for everyone on The Lie Within. I like to think that even people who enjoy harder music can appreciate the beauty and care that goes into Willowfair’s music and perhaps even quietly head bang along to their classical rock. 

Posted by Amy Dittmeier on Mar 13, 2009 @ 11:00 am

the lie within, willowfair, devil's armada