Indie folk trio Good Old War to perform on campus

The Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College presents the indie-folk trio Good Old War in concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21. 

Good Old War, whose members are Keith Goodwin (vocals/guitar/keys), Daniel Schwartz (guitar/vocals), and Tim Arnold (drums/vocals/keys/accordion), hails from Philadelphia, Penn. The trio had its genesis in the rock band Days Away. After the break-up of Days Away, Goodwin and Arnold joined forces with Schwartz to create Good Old War in 2008. The band's name combines elements of the last names of all three group members: Good from Goodwin, Old from Arnold, and War from Schwartz.

Good Old War's multipart vocal harmonies are original and beautifully layered, giving their songs an upbeat and inspiring tone. Their songs are natural, creating an energetic story-telling experience. Even though their lyrics contain some underlying serious themes, the music is always delivered in a festive manner.

The combination of an optimistic tone and extraordinary harmonies is both unassuming and masterfully done.

The trio's record label, Sargent House, also manages artists such as RX Bandits,Omar Alfredo Rodr guez-L pez, These Arms Are Snakes, Maps & Atlases, Daughters, Love You Moon, Red Sparowes, Tera Melos, and Russian Circles.

Good Old War's debut album, Only Way To Be Alone, came out in May 2008 in Los Angeles, with producer Rick Parker, who produced the final EP for their former band Days Away. The most popular songs on their debut album include "Coney Island," "Looking For Shelter," "Tell Me," and "Weak Man," featuring Anthony Green and Dave Davison.

The band's second album, Good Old War, was released June 1, 2010, and features the songs "My Own Sinking Ship" and "Here Are the Problems." Their most recent album, Come Back as Rain, came out last March. Good Old War has been on a U.S. tour to promote its new release, Come Back as Rain, and has recently preformed on the Conan show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Admission for Sept. 21, 8 p.m. Good Old War performance is $10 general admission and $5 for Skidmore students. For reservations visit http://cms.skidmore.edu/zankel/ or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-5321 for more information. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired.