There are common threads throughout his music, though: Clever wordplay, a biting wit, and cogent narratives distilled somehow into poetry. Reilly's a raconteur; to be sure, his songs ache and explode with a gritty realism that everyone can relate to on some level. Reilly’s latest solo offering, Hard Luck Stories, is perhaps his most accessible record to date. The tales, while unique to Reilly in the telling, paint a darkly humorous yet accurate picture of the universal compromise and struggle felt by many folks in America right now — people like the frazzled high school kid who's competing for summer jobs and girls with his ex-coach, the compromising single father who loses custody of his little girl as he goes down for growing weed in their home, the young woman doing the best she can for her war veteran brother as he inadvertently terrorizes their community, and the indie rocker trying to sing a song that finally makes a little money.

In 2003 Reilly and bandmates Tommy O’Donnell, Ed Tinley, Dave Cottini, and Phil assumed the name The Ike Reilly Assassination (IRA for short), and in their live shows they tear. it. up. Reilly appears solo at the Tree House, so we’re not likely to engage in our usual IRA show antics (sweaty dancing, screaming out lyrics, etc.), but we are very excited about hearing some of our all-time favorite songs up close and personal, as it were, as well as new material from Reilly’s forthcoming album. Join us!