Light Treason

Hugh Manchester Quinn and Guy “Nitro” Gaspar met in the unassuming halls of Western Oregon University in 2010, where a campus singer-songwriter combo sparked the Promethean fire that would become one of indie folk’s most mythologized powerhouses. Described as the “nu wave Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel” and credited with pioneering the genre some affectionately (and others confusedly) call Impressionistic Emo-Folk—or simply Emolk—Hugh & Guy quickly rose to cult acclaim.

Their poetic lyricism and raw harmonies caught the attention of Bridle Brook Records’ enigmatic Gibson Silverstein, who plucked them from the open mic circuit and dropped them into a national tour to cut their teeth as both opening act and backing band for Griffin Mooney & Dark Oculus. What soon followed were two critically adored EPs and a full-length LP that left listeners swooning, lovers yearning for more and critics scrambling for new adjectives.

Then, in 2016, the music stopped.

Citing “creative differences,” the duo disbanded, leaving behind a silence fans would reel in and feel for years. Guy Nitro reemerged with the Feux Fighters (feux the French for fire or lights) and a reverb-drenched cover of Dawes’ “Who Do You Think You’re Talking To?” that climbed many charts. Hugh took a more experimental turn, releasing the underappreciated (or rather underperforming) solo album Light Treasons before trading the stage for the director’s chair in indie mumblecore film.

Now, nearly a decade later, Omertà is finally breaking.

 Hugh & Guy are back—with harmonies, heartbreak, and the same offbeat charm that made them fan favorites in the first place. Their long-awaited reunion, dubbed “The Sell Out Tour” 2025, promises to deliver the Emolk renaissance fans have been dreaming of (and arguing about on forums) for years.