He’s a modern-day wandering troubadour, traveling to different communities, cultures and countries to perform original songs, shares stories and gain inspiration from those he meets.
“Music is essentially a passport into different communities and cultures,“ said Eli Lev, 43, who is based in Maryland. „It’s a way to see the world, a way to share my talents. And it’s my therapy. It’s my way of expressing myself. It makes me feel like I have a place in the world and that I am helping people cope.”
Lev, who spent the early part of this year touring Europe, will stop by The Backyard at Firefly’s BBQ, 350 East Main St. (Route 20), Marlborough on Sunday, June 1. He’ll perform from 4-7 p.m.
“I really don’t have a setlist, it’s usually based on the feel of the crowd,” Lev said. “It’s very flexible. I play a lot of different types of venues, each with a different vibe, but I always play original songs.”
Lev releases an EP, which contains about five songs, every year. His next one is called “Past Lives,” and was inspired by tracing his parents’ ancestry.
“It’s one of my favorite things that I’ve done,” Lev said. “It uses the actual audio from interviews with my great-grandparents and great-aunts and uncles talking about their lives and sharing their stories.”
Lev often gains inspiration from his life experiences — his travels, nature, spirituality, love.
“There’s a lot of inspiration out there,” he said.
Lev mostly travels alone, although he will occasionally meet up with others at certain destinations. He said it „makes the world smaller.“
“It makes it feel like there is not all this division and people are not out to get me, and if people think differently than me it doesn’t mean they’re my enemy,” Lev said. “We tend to take everybody else’s word on how the rest of the world is. Only by actually going to these other countries and cultures and experiencing things for myself do I get a better understanding of things.“
Though it’s hard for him to pick a favorite place, everywhere he has visited offers its own unique experience, culture, and people. Lev said a recent trip to Austria does rank high on the list.
“I was the touring American in this ski village,” he said. “It was a really cool place called Obertauern. I was a local celebrity for a few days. I got to snowboard and had the spa treatment.”
Another highlight was a visit to Leeds, England, as part of his tour.
“Very friendly people there, and I played at some awesome town halls where people came to hear some original music,” Lev said.
Lev has a staunch group of about 5,000 international followers called the “Levitators” with whom he interacts through social media and texting.
“My fans came up with the name, which is so cool,” he said. “They formed during the pandemic, when all my tours were canceled, and I started streaming. It’s a group of people who resonate with my music and feel like sharing that positivity and sense of community. We’ve been ‘levitating’ ever since.”
Lev’s music can be found on almost all streaming platforms. For music updates, tour information, merchandise and more, he suggests checking out his website at eli-lev.com and signing up for the Levitators. He can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.
He hopes people walk away from his June 1 show in Marlborough with “smiles.”
“I’d like them to feel like the world isn’t as dangerous and scary as people want us to believe, that our neighbors are our friends, and that we have a lot more in common with each other than we think,” Lev said. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to share an afternoon with folks and share my songs and stories.”