With a March 13 performance at The Lost Church and a return to the iconic Tiny Telephone on the horizon, Frances8 is leaning fully into creative risk and emotional depth. New songs rooted in metamorphosis, grief, and resilience signal a band unafraid of vulnerability, while a deeply aligned lineup brings renewed energy and trust to both the stage and the studio. The result is music that feels immersive and cinematic—subtle yet radiant—pulling listeners into a sonic world that’s evolving, expansive, and unmistakably alive.
Frances8, you have an upcoming performance on March 13 at The Lost Church — what can audiences expect from this show, and how does it reflect where the band is creatively right now?
We’re really looking forward to our March 13th show at The Lost Church! The venue itself is beautiful and located in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach/Little Italy district. We’re playing two new songs that I just shared with the band. “Cicada”, one of the new songs, is about my metamorphosis into a Cicada who, after living underground for 17 years, as Cicadas do, emerges and finds her long sought after home. The other new song, “Something to hold onto” is about a friend of mine who lost her younger brother to Cancer, and how she hopes she gave him something to hold onto when he was alive. It’s a little nerve wracking to play brand new music at a show, but the songs are powerful and I look forward to the challenge! Here’s a link to The Lost Church where there’s more show information: https://thelostchurch.org/
This summer you’ll be heading into Tiny Telephone to record a new record. What makes this studio the right place for this next chapter, and how does this project feel different from past recordings?
I hate to use the much overused abbreviation “OMG”, but OMG! We are so excited to return to John Vanderslice’s iconic recording studio, Tiny Telephone. I recorded there in the 90’s with an old band, and then again in 2024 with Frances8. The space is amazing and our female engineer (that’s right! FEMALE!) Danielle is so creative and skilled. It feels different from the recording in 2024 as our band is both emotionally and musically compatible. There’s no drama, and we truly enjoy each others’ company. We play really well together and inspire each other creatively. Three of us have played together for decades, and our two new members are, as our drummer says, sick!
You’ll be recording with newer band members Gal Cohen and Steven Trevathan, who joined about a year ago. How has their presence shaped the band’s sound and dynamic?
They are both so instrumental to our sound. Gal approaches the upright bass with a combination of elegance and raw emotion. He thrives on pushing his limits and encourages the rest of us to step outside of our comfort zones. Steven creates textures and layers of sound that can be fierce and attacking or lush and ethereal. His use of both percussion and elements of a traditional kit add a lot of depth that I don’t typically experience in our genre of music. Revi, Mark and I are so grateful for these guys and it took a long time to find them.
Looking back over the past year of performances and growth, what moments have felt most pivotal for Frances8 as a live band?
Our most pivotal moment was in November of 2025 when we coproduced a multimedia show with Amelia Rudolph, founder of the vertical dance company, Bandaloop. We had an incredible opportunity to work with modern dancers from Amelia’s new company, A.R.M.A, as well as artist and filmmaker, Andrew Lyndon, and a fantastic artist who created futuristic sculptures that moved and communicated to the audience through sounds, Todd Laby. Mark Fassett, our lead guitarist, designed a surround sound immersive live audio experience for the show. So, the audience moved through the sound (in the interior) while we/the band surrounded them in a large, spacious circle (forming the exterior). It was both surreal and grounding!
As you prepare for both this show and the upcoming record, what themes, emotions, or sonic directions are you most excited for listeners to experience next?
What a great question! Sonic direction—well the only thing that comes to mind is an oil slick on the road. You know when you’re driving late at night and the bright lights from your car reflect against a swath of oil collected on the asphalt? The colors are subdued yet so rich and glossy—the site of it can pull you in like the swirling sugar patterns on an old fashioned lollipop. This is the sonic direction we’re headed in!
Link:
- Website: https://frances8.com/
