Musician Shanna In Dress On Bike Riding To Wayland

WAYLAND, MA It’s not uncommon for musicians on tour to stop at Wayland, and even less often they roll around on bicycles.

On Tuesday, Gallery W will host a show by Colorado-based singer-songwriter Shanna In A Dress. He toured the country this summer mostly on his bicycle, played dozens of shows from Astoria, Ore., to Wayland, and also raised money for Pangea World Foundation.

Shanna chose the persona in her dress because she is a “dress lover” and she thought her real name, Shanna Hoar, might not be liked by some audiences. The name also underscores the idiosyncrasies of his folk songs, which he describes as “Jason Mraz mixed with Ingrid Michaelson with a touch of Phoebe Buffay from ‘Friends.'”

“My little tag line is, ‘unique pop folk from quirky millennials who suck at dating,'” she said recently during a bike break in Missouri.

Shanna, 32, got her start as a musician while a student at the University of Virginia, which has a history of giving birth to alternative musicians such as Pavement founders Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich, David Berman of Silver Jewish and Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew.

Her first appearance was just walking around her dorm singing a song about how she would be the perfect boyfriend. He continued to write songs for friends, but didn’t have live shows until his freshman year.

“I didn’t even think I was going to be a folk singer,” he said. “But I felt completely at home on stage. That was at least the initial spark, ‘I need to do this.’ Since then the feeling has only gotten stronger.”

He has now found a home in Boulder, Colorado, but has also found an online connection via his YouTube channel. Through her online network, she connects with fans who have helped her prepare for the show. In addition to Wayland, he also played at venues in Lawrence, Westford, Dedham and Somerville in September.

The bicycle tour will also precede the release of his debut album, “Robot.” And don’t be surprised if you see Shanna get off her bike and head straight for the show, which has happened several times over the course of the tour.

“I wanted to do something interesting to celebrate and spread it, and I thought how cool would it be if I cycled across the US?” he says.

If you go…

Shanna in Dress
with Erin Ash Sullivan
August 31, 7:30 p.m., $15
Gallery W, 57 Andrew Ave., Wayland