Ivy and the Wicker Suitcase is a project years in the making. The brainchild of Austin's Brian Beattie, Ivy isn't just an album and isn't just a book. It's a full-scale "audio movie" that tells the story of young Ivy Wire's adventures in the underworld through songs, sound effects, narration, and dozens of illustrations; the physical version of Ivy includes a CD and a hardcover book.
Beattie cast a who's who of Austin singers for the album, including his former Glass Eye bandmates Kathy McCarty and Scott Marcus, Bill Callahan, James Hand, Will Sheff, and Daniel Johnston; young Grace London plays the title role.
With the exception of Johnston (who will be replaced by Gary Chester), the entire cast will be onstage for a one-night only live version of Ivy and the Wicker Suitcase on Saturday, November 8, at Stateside at the Paramount Theater.
