Phase Two

Now happily married, but still channeling sweet sorrow in her lovely lyrics, one of Houston’s coolest crooners is ready for a big year.

Julie Soefer
For-Web
For-Web

THE PAST FEW MONTHS have been busy — and happy — ones for Haley Lynch née Barnes, 26, who’s destined to be a major player in the local music scene in 2017. Her first full-length album under the moniker of Dollie Barnes, a ’60s- and ’70s-inspired indie-rock band, dropped this January. And that’s just the beginning.


The former Buxton member has also gotten hitched to her longtime bandmate Tom Lynch — who plays guitar in Dollie Barnes alongside a rotating cast of top-tier local musicians that includes members of Robert Ellis’ backing band — and helped finish recording an album for Vodi, a new indie-rock band her husband fronts. In the latter, she plays guitar and provides background vocals.

“It’s really awesome because if we weren’t playing in each other’s bands we wouldn’t really get to see each other,” says the Houston native of her new work/life situation.

But before she coupled up with Tom, the quirky singer was in another relationship that didn’t have such a cheery ending — although it did provide ample material for her sweetly melancholy album for Dollie Barnes. “The record is titled Caught in a Phase, and it’s simply about that — being stuck in a certain part of your life, but knowing there’s more to come after you get through it,” she says.

In “Taking All Day,” one of the standouts on the 11-track album, Lynch sings in her honeyed voice: “Losin’ track of the days/there’s nothing left that wasn’t blown away/so go and take all you need.” The lyrics are heartbreaking, but her lullaby voice provides a comforting feeling. “It’s pretty moody,” she says of the new record, “but I would hope that there’s at least a little bit of hopefulness in it.”

Art+Culture
Chapman & Kirby Launches Free Concert Series for Spring

Danny Ray and the Atlantic Street Band performs May 31 (photo from dannyrayatlanticstreetband.com)

CHAPMAN & KIRBY, THE premier event destination in Houston’s East Village, is thrilled to announce the launch of its Spring Music Series, kicking off on Friday, April 12. Chapman & Kirby has become synonymous with top-tier events and unforgettable experiences, many attended by celebrities both local and worldwide. With concert ticket prices soaring to hundreds and even thousands of dollars in the last year, this eight-week music series promises to be a welcomed opportunity to engage with live music for free, showcasing an eclectic lineup of talented acts.

Keep Reading Show less

THE POCKET OF Montrose near Midtown has long been a favorite destination for under-the-radar neighborhood nightlife. Now open, Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge is located across from Elro at 95 Tuam St., offering purposely curated food and cocktail lists.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Inside 'Space Explorers: The Infinite'

THE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD virtual-reality experience based on the International Space Station, which originally touched down in Houston in 2021, returns this month for a limited engagement in Sawyer Yards.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment