Virelie

Virelie started with a conversation at the Castle in Ybor City. I had seen Kimberly Quinn sing in Shadowcraft, and after that band broke up we talked about making something like a more pop Dead Can Dance. Kim loved Ofra Haza and darker folk music, and she brought in Sean Tracy, Bob Moore and Debrah Moore. Bob played cello with the Florida Orchestra. Debrah played concert harp.

I played guitar, bouzouki and a hammered dulcimer I built myself. The name is a play on the virelai, a medieval French song form. We were gothic, but more Gypsy than Victorian.

We put out a self-titled EP in 1999, played live on WMNF 88.5 FM, and opened for Faith and the Muse several times, including at the Ritz in Ybor City. William Faith and DJ Spooky Sarah were fans, and they stayed in touch long after.

We shopped the EP to labels and never heard back. After Sean left, the rest of us kept going for a while, but the band never found its audience. I still count this music among the best I’ve ever made.