biography
Based on a concept of flexibility and interchangeability, the displayers can be anything from one to five players at any given show. With damian israel shiner (dis) as the core figure, anyone who joins in can be a displayer...
damian israel shiner’s musical journey began with a cardboard guitar, lip-synching Beatles songs for his neighborhood as a kid. By his twenties, this passion became an obsession, leading him to teach himself guitar and dive headfirst into songwriting. In the mid-’90s, he jumped into the Boston singer-songwriter scene, performing originals and covers of The Cure, U2, and other influences. He spent eight years with folk-rock act shiner.jones, gaining regional recognition through Emerson College’s broad-reaching radio station WERS (88.9FM). In 2006, he launched the displayers, a rotating collective of musicians performing on both U.S. coasts.
A prolific composer and performer, shiner has written, toured, and played alongside Grammy-winning artists. The pandemic halted his in-person shows, but he pivoted to a weekly livestream, the #SaturdayShortSet, raising over $12K for 130+ charities across 150 shows. Now, he’s actively gigging again, with several performances at LA’s historic Whisky a Go Go and London’s legendary Fiddler’s Elbow.
Currently fronting the Boston-based displayers, shiner is also hard at work in the studio, with new releases planned throughout 2026—hoping to extend the list of songwriting awards to his recent achievements with the New England Songwriting Competition. His signature vocal harmonies and dynamic performances make him an artist not to be missed. His music can be found on iTunes, Spotify, and beyond.
Chris Harris has his own story to tell, and for sure his musical journey began at an early age — his talent suggests that whole-heartedly.
He met shiner in the same Boston area open mic circuit where a lot of local musicians found each other in the late 90s. Initially, they shared gigs while in their own bands within the same lineup. Gradually, Chris ended up joining shinerjones as full-time percussionist and he remained the rhythmic backbone until their split in 2006. Chris and damian then formed a new group, the displayers, with a new concept in mind. Friends first, it was paramount that everything they do together be about fun. Recording, gigging, and even rehearsing have been built around maximizing the joy one can have while making music.
Chris and shiner recorded the basement sessions in 2007, and have toured together since 2008. They have vastly entertaining stories to share. Ask either of them about “that time in the Capital Records parking lot in LA at 1:00 AM” or when they rocked out on the massive stage as a duo in the Boston Opera House. Their stories are lively and they may even put them to music someday. Other projects of his include goh, Dave Charles, and Mercy James.
Mike Stark met Chris in college, where they played in a band together. Fast forward a few years, and as they remained friends, often jammed together through an annual gathering known as HopJam — started by Chris and their mutual friend, Jay Hagenbuch (goh). Mike also met damian through this event, which began their long-standing acquaintance.
Fast forward MANY years later, while damian was performing solo at the Maynard Porchfest in 2024, Mike and his wife stopped by for the set, as it was coincidentally taking place on the porch of good friends of theirs. They got to chatting, and as the displayers were without a regular bassist at that time, damian asked Chris if he thought Mike would consider learning a few songs to sit in on an upcoming big show. Not only did Mike fill in, he fit so well that the boys insisted he stay on as long as he was willing. Fortunate for the displayers, this multi-instrumentalist also brings a natural harmonic voice to the mix, as well.
There is more to Mike’s story — stay tuned...
Soon to come: Meet other displayers! Robyn Priest, Wes Switzer, Anne Marie David, Tom Atkins, Daigo Fujiwara
© 2026 by the displayers.