Singer-songwriter Andi Fawcett celebrates 30 years in Portland’s music scene
Andi Fawcett. (Photo by Declan Sutton)
For decades, Portland singer-songwriter Andi Fawcett has been something of a North Star in Portland’s local music scene.
She is celebrating her 30th year as a performer with a huge outdoor show Aug. 22 at the Porthole, where they’re pulling out all the stops with a special stage and sound system.
Fawcett, 50, was born in Selma, Alabama, and moved to Portland when she was 20. She started singing when she was about 5.
Once in Maine, she learned how to play guitar from a friend, because, she said with a chuckle, “I was singing in a band and when people would take solos, I would sit there and be like ‘what am I gonna do this whole time?'”
Fawcett often plays five or six nights a week on stages around Greater Portland. Her solo and band shows range from charity events to corporate gigs and slots at bars and restaurants.
Music has been her full-time job for about four years. Prior to that, she juggled shows with jobs bartending and waiting tables.
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“For me to be able to do this continually for 30 years is attributed to how much Portland supports local music,” she said. “I’m forever grateful for all the people that come out and have been there since day one.”
Fawcett maintains her foothold in the scene by offering fans plenty of covers by artists like Ani DiFranco, Miranda Lambert and Stevie Nicks, while also performing original songs.
All of them are anchored by her vibrato voice that carries enough emotional edge to stand out in any room.
Fawcett’s first band was Velvis, which released an alternative rock album around 2001. Relish Gruv came next, which morphed into Doubting Gravity, which still exists.
She was also a backup singer in the soul and funk band Inside Straight, and spent about four years singing with funk act Sly-Chi.
In 2010, Fawcett released the solo album “Say it Anyway,” which she made with multi-instrumentalist Justin Maxwell.
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In 2013, Fawcett was invited by The Fogcutters to be part of its Big Band Syndrome show at the State Theatre in Portland. Fawcett, backed by the 19-piece band, performed her original tune “Angel Down.”
More recently, she’s been performing as Andi Fawcett with After Dark. The singles “Nothing To Me” and “Cherry Red” were released last year.
Andi Fawcett (Photo by Kate Strait)
Fawcett said she would send a message to her younger self to not stress out, and to savor the feeling of walking out on stage to sing. “A lot of people don’t get to do what I do. I would tell myself to enjoy the fact that you get to do this for a living,” she said.
The show at The Porthole will feature members of Doubting Gravity, After Dark and a few other musician friends.
When Fawcett and her bandmates leave the stage, funk-rock outfit Skosh will close out the night. The lineup is intentional, giving Fawcett the chance to step away from the spotlight and celebrate 30 years as a musician surrounded by friends, fellow musicians and fans.
IF YOU GO
7 p.m. Aug. 22. The Porthole, 20 Custom House Wharf, Portland, $28.29-$81.80. portholemaine.com. For a deal, use the discount code ANDI2026.
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Aimsel Ponti is a music writer and content producer for the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with – and inspired by – music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town. More by Aimsel Ponti
