"These are not normal people, and that's why it works so well." -Charlie Shafer, Fire in the Kitchen Concerts 

Youth in a Roman Field is the surrealist folk project of musician, writer, teacher, and advocate Claire Wellin. The band’s progressive sound (described as a combination of ‘Appalachia, cayenne pepper, and ghosts' and ‘like Radiohead but also folk music’) is reflected both in their inventive recordings and intimate, endearing live performances. Sweeping vocals, dynamic string loops, woven, textured guitars, and percussive bass come together to create music that gives the audience space and time to feel, reflect, or just take a breather. Their new album Get Caught Trying explores self-worth, power, loss of faith, care, and collective healing; a timely release as we emerge into a new era of American life. Their unique ability to transform their training in traditional folk, jazz, and classical music has seen the band successfully grow a fan base from the ground up, forging deep bonds over the past ten years through touring in multiple formations.

The band includes Claire Wellin (vocals, violin, ukes) Tiffany Topol (vocals, ukes, keys) Scott Stangland (guitars, vocals, keys) Cassidy Stirtz (viola, vocals) and Jamie Mohamdein (upright bass, vocals). They started in Chicago, moved to and reconvened in New York, and are currently based in Queens with cameo appearances in upstate NY, Eastern PA, and Northern California. The band performs in multiple formations, adapting show-to-show from solo to trio to full band. They recorded ‘Get Caught Trying’ in Brooklyn, NY and remotely with Allen Tate (co-producer), Kyle Joseph (engineer) and Carter Stirtz (remote engineer).