By Gilliana Hope
When I entered the Art House on April 7th, I was met with a space that held an array of crafting and coloring options. From doodling and drawing to jewelry making and frog stuffing/sewing, many chose to take part in bringing their artistic visions to life while listening to Finn Frawley’s tunes In conversation with Finn, he reflected, “I love being at shows– especially small ones– where there are things to do. Having something to do with your hands is helpful to staying grounded.” The choice to infuse art into the concert space was also inspired by TCC founder Avery Riel’s concert at the beginning of the year. Although there was no pressure to take part, making it easy to sit back and relax as an observer of this intimate space.
Growing up, Finn was a multi-hyphenate instrumentalist; they started piano and upright bass in elementary school, before moving onto the guitar, throwing in a bit of ukulele and cello for good measure. Music was both a tool to express the experiences he went through and process them, which was helpful to his personal growth as an artist and human. This tactic is visible in the work Finn shared especially on pieces that related to his queer and trans identities. Some of the original songs included My God Is Pretty– a “campy expression of that queerness”, as he described it, that sought to ‘queer Catholicism” cheekily and playfully– and A Letter To Me, a poignant ode to the self that articulates “the hope that comes with being trans and the evolution in progress.” The latter, in particular, was therapeutic to perform, as it crescendoed in a visceral scream of ‘it feels so good to feel so good!’ which felt “really good!” to shout at the top of his lungs, Finn said, both truthfully and jokingly.
Without his collaborator MJ Corum, this event might have never seen the light of day. The duo– who are friends and roommates– had messed around a bit in the student-run SOL Studios and swore they’d do it again sometime, but that rain check was never cashed… until TCC was founded. Not wanting to do it alone, Finn asked MJ to join them, who he described as “super down and super supportive.” The feeling was mutual, as “writing with Finn was really fun and healing for me,” MJ explained. Having known each other for a few years now, they noted how much they’ve seen Finn develop in those years: “It was really satisfying to watch him play his songs.” Both artists also conveyed their gratitude to TCC for providing them with a space and platform to share music in.
Post-show, Finn took away several artistic mementos from this experience of what his friends think his music sounds like in visual form and their interpretation of him performing; getting a snapshot into their minds while he was musicking is something I am certain he does not take for granted. He is excited to bring more community-driven events like this into their artistic abode.
You can find Finn on Instagram or Tiktok @finneas.mf and watch his TCC set on Youtube.
(Some quotes have been edited for clarity and conciseness)