“Making the World Smaller, One Song at a Time:” Eli Lev Comes to Bar Harbor
Ivy Manor’s Musical Season Has Begun
BAR HARBOR—Slowly and steadily the Ivy Manor Inn’s lawn has been hosting one musician after another.
Walk by in the afternoon and you’ll see tourists and locals hanging out in red chairs, around fire pits, chatting, talking, sipping their drinks.
And much of the time? They’ll be listening to music.
Last Sunday, American Idol contestant Julia Gagnon serenaded those attending. This week’s line up included locals Kip and Emily Young, Brandon Stallard, Ethan Grillo, Matt Henley, Rob Reid, and more.
Ivy Manor is committed to music and its musicians.
The inn’s Brian Goff, the Henry Hotel’s bar manager, even hosts The Ivy Manor Music Show where he interviews musicians.
That passion for music is pretty evident.
One of the upcoming musicians is Eli Lev, an Indie pop-folk singer/songwriter who’ll be playing May 21. His music is full of uplift, often with beats that catch you moving to them unconsciously. There’s a melodic hum that happens here that’s simultaneously uplifting and poignant. But that might be because Eli also leans into the silences, the spaces between the notes to create movement between them in ways that allure.
THE INTERVIEW
Eli was kind enough to quickly hang out with us and answer a couple of questions. There will be some links below so you can peruse his music and maybe support him before he heads up to Bar Harbor.
“I’m really looking forward to coming to Bar Harbor because it’ll be my first time there, and I’ve heard great things about Ivy Manor! I love that it’s an outdoor space and some of my best shows have been performances outdoors,” he said.
Eli, you call yourself a "middle-aged, full-time, independent musician who is a mobile lifestyle pioneer and international touring artist.” What’s cool about being that?
Nothing is very cool about being a middle-aged, full-time, independent musician who tours all the time ha ha and that’s kind of the point! My music isn’t really about being cool, which implies that if you listen to it, you are better than someone else, my music is about inclusivity, coming as you are, and embracing the entire diversity of the human race.
How you made that transition and if you’ve done things before music (and middle age). Just kidding! Just kidding!
Yes, transitioning into music was quite the leak! I completed my masters in education from Indiana University, and had kind of like a gap year, I just started performing and shows around the Maryland, DC and Virginia area and folks kept asking when my next show was and if I had new songs coming out. And I’ve been following the breadcrumbs ever since.
You have so much light coming out of your songs is that something you intentionally do?
I am glad you can hear the lights coming from my songs! It’s not always intentional, but there is a positivity and optimism, and hope in my songs, but I would like to think people can take with them and apply to their lives whenever they feel like smiling.
Have you played on Mount Desert Island before?
I have not played on Mount Desert Island before but now it’s on my list!
Your email signature says, “making the world a smaller place, one song at a time.” Can you tell me a little more about what that means to you?
Music to me breaks down the barriers and perceived divisions between us, it makes the world feel smaller, and that we are all part of our local, regional, national, and worldwide community. To me each song has the power of bringing people together and making the world feel a little less overwhelming and scary then it really needs to be.
Have you had any big, transformative moments in your life and music that you think have impacted your choices and could help others live with more positive connections?
I think a big transformative time in my life was the three years that I was an eighth grade middle school teacher on the Navajo Indian reservation in Northern Arizona. That’s where the inspiration came from for my four-album series, and it taught me a lot about being a leader, being involved with community, and being connected and balanced with our natural world.
Can you talk about the role of music within community?
Yeah, when you think about it, sports and music festivals are our main events when it comes to how we see ourselves as a city or a country or a group of individuals with shared interests and beliefs. Music is at the root of ceremony, that has been bringing community together and giving them identity for as long as there have been human communities!
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Where you can learn more about Eli
A place you can check out Eli’s music ahead of time.
And a Spotify list of top tracks:
DETAILS ABOUT ELI’S PERFORMANCE
May 21, 2025, 12 P.M.
Ivy Manor Inn - Village Center - 194 Main St
Bar Harbor, Maine
BRIAN’S IVY MANOR MUSIC SHOW
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