CHRVNS sits down with Simon Llewelyn Evans and discuss a seed that sprouts a beautiful friendship, playing music to slow down time, drawing a straight line to inspiration, and more!

Simon Llewelyn Evans is a singer-songwriter originally from Australia, now based in the Pacific Northwest. His work blends a folk-soul sound with lyrics that open the door to the heart – gentle, searching, and honest. His latest album, Something Real, was recorded live to tape in Seattle and features lush string arrangements and sparse acoustic production from Dave Steel in Australia. Whether live or recorded, Simon’s music is designed to slow the moment down and let something true rise to the surface.

Shut Up & Listen headed to NW Tune-Up Festival this year and talked to the sponsors and the cofounder about bringing a local community together to celebrate what they love most, we also talked to touring bands like Harbour and The 4411 about what it means to them to get to play events like Tune-Up, we also talked to locals about what they love about the festival, and a few local bands about getting to play a local music festival.

CHRVNS and Tim Mechling sit down with City of Pines and discuss turning a catastrophe into a core memory, winning over a hostile crowd, recording in Sweden, how much running is involved in making a music video, Backflips > Frontflips, and Tim tries to start a true crime podcast.

City of Pines was founded by Nick Clack in 2017, built on a foundation of honest songwriting inspired by the human experience. Drawing from a love for the outdoors and deep human connection, Nick crafts music that is both meaningful and uplifting. The project began with original recordings in a friend’s cabin on Camano Island, and the first EP—along with six additional releases—was recorded in Kyiv, Ukraine, where Nick previously lived and worked.

In 2021, Tyler Cutforth joined as lead guitarist and backing vocalist. His role expanded on the latest record, contributing to songwriting and taking lead vocals on the track Wandering Pines. In 2025, the lineup was completed with Andrew Sweeting on bass and Justin Dobbelaar on drums.

With a full band, a busy year of shows, and multiple video productions, City of Pines is just getting started.