SPIRE LOBBY SERIES: WILL DAILEY

Presented by The Antonia and Vladimir Kulaev Cultural Heritage Fund.

This series showcases local and regional musicians in a relaxed and intimate setting. The lobby is transformed into a 70-seat showcase lounge!

Will Dailey’s seventh album, BOYS TALKING, is his most personal—and paradoxically, the one he’s “not releasing.” Eschewing digital streaming, the album is only available via vinyl, CD, or direct download. This deliberate move is meant to restore joy and intimacy to music sharing. “Music is supposed to be a joyful expression of self that connects us to other people,” Dailey says. By bypassing the flood of streaming releases, he aims to create a more meaningful exchange between artist and listener.

Dailey has long followed his own path in the music world. Over the past 15 years, he’s crafted a unique brand of Americana psychedelia and indie songwriter that refuses to conform to genre expectations or marketing formulas. Instead of molding his sound for mass appeal, he lets the songs shape themselves. This freeform ethos has earned him the respect of artists like Eddie Vedder and Peter Buck, and led to opening slots for The Wallflowers and a 2024 tribute to Richie Havens. BOYS TALKING is a culmination of this journey—an album that showcases his strengths as a visionary writer, performer, and independent spirit.

Central to the album’s creation was Dailey’s insistence on recording live with a stellar cast of musicians, including Juliana Hatfield, Alisa Amador, and Dave Brophy. Across ten days, they gathered in the studio to build the record together—capturing the energy of real-time collaboration. This camaraderie lies at the heart of the album’s concept, as BOYS TALKING explores how men communicate, or fail to, with vulnerability, humor, and depth. Despite the title, the inclusion of women’s voices is essential to the music’s emotional landscape.