Hear how 'Things Change' for American Aquarium at Songbirds

American Aquarium / Facebook.com
American Aquarium / Facebook.com

If you go

› Where: Songbirds Guitar Museum, 35 Station St., North Stage; 41 Station St., South StageDALLAS WALKER WITH ABIGAIL BLAKE› When: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7› Admission: $15WHO’S BAD: THE ULTIMATE MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE› When: 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7› Admission: $15 in advance, $18 day of showRUMORS: A FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE› When: 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8› Admission: $18 in advance, $20 at doorROCK SKOOL CHATTANOOGA CHARITY CONCERT› When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9› Admission: $10AMERICAN AQUARIUM› When: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10› Admission: $15AN EVENING WITH LEO KOTTKE› When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12› Admission: $45› For more information: 423-531-2473

In the past three years, B.J. Barham has gotten sober, gotten married, become a dad, toured the world and replaced his entire band. In spring 2017, every member of American Aquarium quit the group. Disappointed over the band's breakup, but not deterred, founder Barham put together a new lineup by August.

Is it any wonder the band's new album is titled "Things Change"?

On tour in support of "Things Change," American Aquarium will stop in Songbirds Guitar Museum on Monday, Sept. 10, for an 8 p.m. show. Fans will find the one thing that hasn't changed about American Aquarium is the storytelling prowess of Barham.

"Things Change" is a powerful narrative chronicling the last two years as seen through the eyes of Barham; tracks stacked with his personal, relatable storytelling. The record also touches on the current social climate of this country and the feelings that stirs in him.

Barham was raised in tobacco-growing country of Reidsville, North Carolina. While he left to pursue music, he never left the storytelling and lessons learned in rural America behind him.

"I moved to the big city to go to college and fell in love with music," Barham says in a news release. "Half the songs on our record are about small towns - little pieces of my childhood. I've had moments where it turns out a piece of broken English my father repeated twice a week is the most accurate way to say something. So I put it in a song."

The new band lineup also includes Shane Boeker on lead guitar, drummer Joey Bybee, bassist Ben Hussey and Adam Kurtz on pedal steel and electric guitar.

American Aquarium's set at Songbirds will feature their new music, including two of Barham's favorite tracks, "When We Were Younger Men" and "One Day at a Time."

"When We Were Younger Men" addresses the breakup of American Aquarium.

"It's an open letter to five guys who I spent eight years of my life with seeing the entire world," he says. "I think anyone who has ever had to walk away from a friendship or has had somebody walk away from them will relate to the song."

"One Day at a Time" details Barham's battles with himself.

"At the end of the day, if you're not writing songs to affect other people's lives, you're in it for the wrong reasons," Barham says. "Money may come and go. You may never get fame. But if you sit down and write songs to affect people, you can do it your whole life and be happy."

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