Quiet for Sue is a Bar Harbor duo made up of Travis Patterson and Molly Moon, combining guitar, trumpet, looping pedals, and harmonized vocals into energetic live performances. Formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair quickly built a following through their mix of classic rock, pop, folk, and modern covers. Regular performers at the Ivy Manor Inn, they’re known for their relaxed chemistry, crowd-friendly song choices, and authentic live sound. Their performances blend technical creativity with a fun, approachable atmosphere that connects with both locals and visitors. 

Bar Harbor Live Music Molly Moon and Travis Patterson of Quiet for Sue

Quiet for Sue is a Bar Harbor-based duo made up of musicians Travis Patterson and Molly Moon, whose energetic live performances combine looping pedals, layered instrumentation, and a shared love of crowd-pleasing songs. Though the group has only been playing together for a relatively short time, they’ve quickly become a familiar part of the local music scene, especially through their performances at the Ivy Manor Inn. Mixing songs from the 1960s through today, their shows blend classic rock, pop, folk, and modern hits into a style that feels both polished and relaxed.

The duo came together during the COVID-19 pandemic through a mutual friend who thought the two musicians might click creatively. At the time, Travis was getting back into music after a long break. He had played guitar for years growing up, but stepped away from it between high school and the pandemic. When COVID slowed everything down, he found himself returning to music more seriously. 

Molly also brought years of experience playing trumpet, having studied while growing up. For Molly, singing was a newer experience. She had performed only a little in high school and college before reconnecting with music later on. Initially nervous about singing in front of people, she gradually found confidence through performing live. She describes singing as much more vulnerable than playing an instrument because there’s nothing to hide behind—just the performer and the audience. Over time, though, that vulnerability became part of what she enjoys most about performing.

Together, Travis and Molly built Quiet for Sue from the ground up. Their early rehearsals were simple: a small amp, an old microphone, a guitar, and not much else. As they grew, Travis invested heavily in equipment and learned how to use looping pedals, synthesizers, and expanded sound systems to create a fuller, more layered performance. Their shows now incorporate guitar, harmonized vocals, trumpet, synthesized sounds, and live looping that allows the two musicians to create the sound of a much larger group.

The band’s name came from a running joke with Travis’s neighbor, Sue, who would occasionally ask them to quiet down during rehearsals. Every evening around 7:30, rehearsals would wrap up with the phrase “quiet for Sue,” and eventually the joke became too perfect not to use as the band’s official name. Thankfully, Sue embraced the humor and has since become something of the band’s unofficial mascot, even showing up at performances to support them.

Quiet for Sue is now in its second season performing at the Ivy Manor Inn, where the outdoor atmosphere and lively Bar Harbor crowds have become a major part of their identity as performers. Both Travis and Molly enjoy the energy of the setting—the open air, the passing tourists and locals, and the feeling that the music spreads throughout downtown. They often watch people walking down Main Street hear the music from a distance, slowly wander closer, and end up staying for part of the show. Molly describes it as feeling like they are performing not just for the audience seated in front of them, but for an entire section of town.

Outside of music, both members balance busy professional lives. Molly works as the public affairs coordinator at MDI Hospital while also bartending and serving at Side Street Cafe. Travis works in Bar Harbor as well, and together they continue to fit music into evenings, weekends, and summers whenever they can.

What makes Quiet for Sue stand out most is their chemistry and authenticity onstage. They openly acknowledge that live music is imperfect, and rather than hiding mistakes, they embrace the spontaneity of performing in the moment. If a vocal cracks or a loop pedal misfires, they adjust and keep moving. That resilience—and the sense that everything happening onstage is genuinely live and human—is a big part of what audiences connect with. Whether they’re playing for a packed lawn at the Ivy or experimenting in a new venue out of state, Travis Patterson and Molly Moon bring a sense of fun, honesty, and collaboration that continues to define Quiet for Sue.

More from Quiet for Sue

• https://www.instagram.com/quietforsue/
• Molly Moon 🎤🎺 @mollymoon8856 &
• Travis Patterson 🎸🥁 @the_pattersons4

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