Jilted Brides: From Australia to Pittsburgh

The most common question Nicole Skeltys and Tanya Andrea Stadelmann find themselves answering these days—“What are you doing here?”

It’s not just that they’re young, talented artists who have chosen to move to Pittsburgh--we get that part-- but they're from Australia. It's quite a move.

Pittsburgh, insist the psych-folk duo called Jilted Brides, is full of possibilities. Their adopted home since October 2008, Pittsburgh is something of a mecca for the globetrotters who were ready to root. Rent is cheap, rehearsal space is for the taking and the rest of the U.S. is easily accessible. But most importantly, as far as the Brides are concerned, the arts community here is so friendly, generous and innovative it almost makes up for America’s lack of universal healthcare.

“We just fell in love with Pittsburgh. The architecture, the culture, the people,” says Tanya, who sings and plays harmonium while Nicole sings and plays the keyboard.

The Jilted Brides formed in Australia in December 2007. Nicole, a petite, redheaded electronic musician, had just broken up with her partner, dealt with her mother’s death, and been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer (she’s now in remission). Nicole found a creative and emotional core in her longtime friend Tanya—an Amazonian blonde video artist who has lived and worked around the world.

“We both just reached a point where we decided we had to do something dramatic to give ourselves renewed hope and optimism, and put some adventure back into our lives,” says Nicole. “We thought that if we’re going to do something dramatic, let’s slam together a record and see what happens.”

They siphoned their heartache, temporary joblessness and despair into Larceny of Love, a sinewy but gauzy album for the neon hippie set that howls at the digital moon and drinks deep from the synthetic creek. Released on Pittsburgh’s Uh Oh Records (pet project of PCA/Filmmakers director Charlie Humphrey), Larceny of Love can be ordered through the Jilted Brides’ MySpace page, and will soon be available through iTunes and at local shops.

With traces of the Carpenters, Mazzy Star, Animal Collective protégée Tickley Feather, and Sub Pop depressive Tiny Vipers, Larceny of Love wallows through the muck of loss, and into the light of reclamation. “Rescue” comforts listeners “it’s dark where you’ve been, it’s hard what you’ve seen”; “Love is Everywhere” reassures us “there is a future where love is everywhere”; and “Road to Freedom”—a twangy, seductive track about finding power in the let-go—could very well be the Jilted Brides’ theme song. Since uniting two years ago, Nicole and Tanya have set out on their very own road to freedom. After recording Larceny of Love in just six weeks in a shed behind Nicole’s Melbourne home, the Jilted Brides decided to leave Australia behind, and set off on an American adventure that is still in unveiling itself.

Seeking Greener Pastures
The Jilted Brides explain that to be successful in their homeland, Aussie artists often have to make it overseas first. “It’s almost like people don’t have enough confidence to decide for themselves what’s good, like other countries have to give it the OK,” says Tanya. “Besides, we weren’t getting much support. It felt like it’s got to be better trying this somewhere else. Only better things could happen.”

Nicole agreed. “As soon as we hit this continent, our spirits just started to lift and we were welcomed with open arms.”

The Jilted Brides applied to and secured residencies at artist colonies in Montana, Washington state and Woodstock, N.Y., and documented their travels through films and blog posts. When the funded residencies dried up, the Brides spent some time in New York City, but after paying the high rents and playing a few shows with a hastily assembled Craigslist band, Nicole and Tanya were ready for a change. After a perfectly timed invitation from a Pittsburgh-based writer friend, Nicole and Tanya moved to Pittsburgh in the autumn.

And now—before spring has even sprung—their PA lives have sorted themselves out better than either ever expected. Artist visas have been granted; a Lawrenceville flat has been rented; studio space has been obtained; Tanya has found work teaching film at Point Park University and doing video production for Squonk Opera; a three-piece backing band of “jilted grooms” has been assembled; and a record release party is going down Fri., Feb. 13 at the Andy Warhol Museum.

A Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force fundraiser—featuring burlesque, cocktails and a dessert reception—will rage upstairs, and the Jilted Brides’ dreamy, psychedelic ballads will greet event-goers in the lobby. Cover to the downstairs CD release show is just $5, which includes access to the museum’s galleries and plenty of opportunities to ogle follow jilted brides and grooms on the Friday the 13th of Valentine’s weekend.

Fri., Feb. 13, performance 7-8 p.m. followed by DJ Soy Sos; doors at 6 p.m.
$5 admission
Andy Warhol Museum
117 Sandusky St., North Side

For more information on the Jilted Brides, visit their MySpace page.

For information on PATF’s VIP Kiss of The Spider Woman fundraiser visit www.patf.org.

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Caralyn Green is a writer, editor and publicist who has contributed to Glamour, Rolling Stone, Venus Zine and Philadelphia Weekly. She grew up in Squirrel Hill and recently achieved her masters degree in communication from the University of Pennsylvania


Main picture Tanya (left) and Nicole (right).
Images courtesy Jilted Brides