Shapiro formed in the early aughts with a piano-fronted sound that quickly established them in the DC indie scene. Shapiro’s practice regiment was something of an indie rock Suzuki method, with many hours a week spent drilling songs and technical exercises. Yet they were best known for their “full tilt” live shows and a stage energy that danced along the edge of chaos without losing complete control. Their classical training and knack for memorable hooks caught the attention of Nashville producer John Mark Painter (Ben Folds Five, Sixpence None the Richer), who recorded and produced Shapiro's self-titled album in 2010. The album merges 70s glam with stadium rock, swinging from Brian May-esque solos to full-band choruses of solfege. Shapiro toured the album relentlessly, sharing stages with bands like Cage the Elephant, The Walkmen, The Antlers, and Wild Nothing. In 2024, Shapiro released two unheard live recordings. The first, from the 2008 MACRoCk festival, is a high-energy set primarily featuring songs from their full-length album, while the final two songs highlight Shapiro's evolution towards more experimental and prog-rock influences like Yes and King Crimson. Live at Silk City, a 25-minute set from a 2010 Philadelphia show, features unreleased material recorded at the end of a grueling nationwide tour. Despite exhaustion and “tour psychosis,” the handful of people in the audience got to witness the undeniable live chemistry of a band at their peak musical intuition.