With a summer tour progressing steadily along, and each subsequent venue seemingly raising the bar higher at each stop, expectations for the upcoming set of Phish shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center were at a fever pitch. The band never seems to disappoint at this classic Upstate NY shed, showing us this is what SPAC sounds like when the boys from Vermont come to town. Coming off of three stellar shows in Camden, marked with a notably missing “Tweezer Reprise” from the final night, expectations about the SPAC opener (and rest of the show) were rampant and lofty.
In vintage Phish fashion, the band bypassed the “Tweezer Reprise” opener many expected to happen as a nod to the unfinished business in Camden and replaced it with a first-time-played cover of The Everly Brothers’ “Cathy’s Clown,” leading to a confusing and somewhat mellow start. Afterwards, the expected “Reprise” was delivered in full force which fired up the crowd instantly and began a long stretch of high energy rock anthems, including “Carini,” a song that’s already opened two previous shows this tour. A silky smooth transition of funk from “AC/DC Bag” to “The Moma Dance” then followed before a mid set “Theme From the Bottom” that served as a respite of sorts. A rare performance of “Home” was a welcome surprise in the first set and set the waves in motion for the powerful “Bathtub Gin” that followed. That would have been more than sufficient for a complete first set, but Phish had other ideas and tacked on the perennial “Walls of the Cave” set closer in typical high octane, raucous fashion.
After a brief “Cool Amber and Mercury” to open Set 2, Mike Gordon provided the opening bass slaps to “Down with Disease” and with that we were off and running with a 21 minute gem of a jam. This instant classic found its way into the full “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” complete with intro which was soundchecked earlier that night, then dipped into “Twist” to continue a set of deep exploration. From there, the energy was sustained with “Wilson” > “Scent of a Mule” and “Fuck Your Face,” before a mild breather in the form of “Halley’s Comet.” The set closed out with a “Harry Hood” that closed out yet another Phish set that sustained the all killer/no filler trend that has been steady since Camden.
For the encore, much discussion led to Fishman tapping the kick drum to signal the start of “Fee,” which found Trey having megaphone issues but still pushed through with the help of the audience. “A Life Beyond a Dream” from Ghosts of the Forest, built up towards a pleasant landing ground, and after slight discussion, Phish wrapped up their second 3-song encore in a row with “First Tube.” Trey ran around the and marched from stage left to stage right hamming it up with the fans as he burned through the pinnacle show closer.
Joywave made their triumphant return to the Bug Jar on June 29, their first headlining show there in four years. The performance, the first in their intimate The Possession Sessions series, sold out in 45 minutes. A second set was added later in the evening, which also sold out.
The excitement was palpable on Saturday evening as fans lined up around the corner to get inside. Most were die-hard fans, longtime supporters of their hometown heroes, with a light sprinkling of first-time show goers.
There were no support acts on this show. Joywave took to the stage and started off the night with the live debut of their new release “Like A Kennedy.” The audience stood in rapt attention during the heartfelt anthem. “My TV’s talking to itself again. Do we shoot ‘em all dead? Or should we let ‘em all in?” Daniel Armbruster pondered in this poignant, introspective song about media burnout.
The crowd went wild when they launched into “Blastoffff.” Despite the heat of the midsummer day and the sweltering stagnant air in the venue, the band was wearing coordinating track suits – all in white except Daniel’s red pants. Drummer Paul Brenner went at the kit so hard that he cut his thumb, splattering blood onto his outfit. Rounding out the alt rock quintet were Joseph Morinelli (guitar), Kevin Mahoney (bass) and Benjamin Bailey (keyboards and guitar).
Armbruster used every inch available of the stage (even when the corners made his mic squeak). His hand movements and sweeping arm gestures whipped the audience into a frenzy as he worked the crowd the way a conductor leads an orchestra. Mid-set, they shared another new song – never before heard by fans. “Obsession” is aptly named. Immediately, we were infatuated with the song’s fixating beat and twinkly synth interlude.
Between songs, Armbruster filled in the audience on recent events, announcing that they just flew in late the night before from filming a new video, dropping the bomb that The Possession Sessions is so named because it’s a reference to the name of an LP, and that the full length album would be out next year. To this last bit of info, some impatient fans expressed their discontent, in the Bug Jar tradition of good-natured heckling. “Are you booing me?” Armbruster shot back incredulously.
Everyone was singing along to crowd favorites like “Parade” and “Traveling at the Speed of Light,” but not as many people were familiar with the words to “True Grit.” The song from their 2012 EP Koda Vista hasn’t been played live often in the past few years. Just before starting “Content,” Armbruster asked the guys in the booth to make the next one “extra spooky.” They delivered an amazing light show, cranking the strobes during the breakdown. It feel like we were in the midst of a stop-motion video.
An avid supporter of the hometown music scene, Armbruster encouraged the crowd to continue to come out to see live music and to support other local musicians and acts, like Ishmael Raps, The Demos, Mikaela Davis, and Maybird. (Fun fact: Armbruster recently produced The Demos’ latest EP If You Only Knew.)
The rest of the show ran together as the adrenaline hit full force. The camera got packed away, and I let myself get swept up in the waves of euphoria. Fellow Rochesterians, friends old and new, jumped up and down and sang along to beloved Joywave hits in unison. The show culminated in a finale featuring “Tongues” and “Destruction.” With a final wave, they made their exit.
The outro playing as people reluctantly shuffled out was the recorded version of two of the songs off the new album, including “Obsession.” Remnants of items from their last album Content were on sale by the door and people were glad to help clear out the inventory to make way for merch promoting the new album.
A second set (also sold out) was slated to start later that evening. The Possession Sessions will also be held in LA on July 9 (sold out), July 11 in Brooklyn (sold out), and November 20 in London. Joywave is also on the bill for several summer festivals throughout the US. Information and tickets are available at JoywaveMusic.com.
Setlist: Like A Kennedy, Blastofff, Somebody New, It’s A Trip, Obsession, Parade, Traveling at the Speed of Light, True Grit, Now, Content, Shutdown, Doubt, Nice House, Tongues, Destruction
The veteran band treated the loyal Mule faithful to a perfect first set with a vibe and energy feeding off that relaxing beach feeling, on a traditional late June summer evening. Fan favorites “Hammer and Nails,” “Beautifully Broken” and “Birth of The Mule”filled the first set, leaving fans only wanting more. Sadly, after the first two songs of the second set, the show was canceled dues to inclement weather, just about the only thing dampening the spirits of the amazing Gov’t Mule fan base.
Bring On The Music-Live At The Capitol Theatre, a live album and concert film directed by Danny Clinch, was recorded at The Capitol Theatre on April 27 and 28, in 2018. It comes in a multiple variety of digital, CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, and vinyl Packages. It features over two hours of live music, interviews with members of Mule, behind-the-scenes footage, photos shot by Clinch over the years and much more.
Set One: Hammer & Nails, Rocking Horse, Game Face > Mountain Jam > Game Face, Beautifully Broken, Birth of a Mule, I’m A Ram, Broke Down On The Brazos > Tributary Jam
Set Two: Stone Cold Rage, Kind Of A Bird, (Show ended due to inclement weather)
Next year will see a new Bonnaroo as the festival changes hands from Superfly, who founded the festival back in 2002, to Live Nation. Back in 2015, Live Nation bought a controlling stake in the festival, and Superfly’s influence in the festival has since dwindled. According to Billboard, Live Nation told minority owners in Bonnaroo that it plans to exercise a buyout clause in the 2015 agreement to purchase the rest of the festival, effectively ending Superfly’s role as the festival’s producer.
When the festival started, the lineup mainly consisted of jam bands, but eventually started expanding into a variety of genres. Bonnaroo took place on June 13-16 this year, and headliners of the sold out festival included Phish, Childish Gambino, Post Malone, Odesza, and The Lumineers.
Superfly will continue to be owners and operators of other events like Clusterfest and Outside Lands, both taking place in California. A joint venture with Comedy Central, Clusterfest, brings together music and comedy. With three nights of live comedy acts, live music with ridiculous themed dance parties, recreations of iconic television sets, and hilariously themed food and drink, the festival creates a new way to experience comedy. Outside Lands is a San Fransisco cultural experience featuring an eclectic line up of live music, show cases of the Bay Area’s finest artists, and a unique GastroMagic experience where chefs pair up with musicians and comedians to put on whimsical and unpredictable performances.
Kris Kelly has released his newest single “Cracked Porcelain,” featuring an all-star team of musicians, including” Todd Sickafoose (“Hadestown”, Ani DiFranco) on bass and arrangements by John Philip Shenale (Tori Amos). The track will appear on his forthcoming album, Runaways, due out on August 29, which also features previously released singles “Birthplace” and “We Flew.”
Kris Kelly is a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from Austin, TX, he moved to New York City to attend NYU, where he studied classical vocal performance and music composition. For years he performed his original compositions for guitar, vocals, flute, violin, bass, and percussion at many popular NYC venues. He then spent five years traveling through South America with just his guitar and a suitcase. Living mostly in Argentina and Brazil, Kelly met his husband, and his travel experiences inspired the core of Kelly’s album – pure love, loss, discovery, and growth.
Kris shares some insight into ‘Cracked Porcelain:’ “This is a story about two gay men who find freedom in defining their relationship in an unconventional, ‘open’ way but who end up getting lost in the revelry and ultimately drive each other apart. I think the LGBTQ community has a unique opportunity to redefine our relationship with sex within our partnerships. Not having forced onto us the traditional ways of defining a healthy partnership gives us the freedom to discover it for ourselves, but it also comes with a great responsibility, and I think we often fail. I failed at least. And that’s OK, because I realized if I wanted to be happy, I had to make a change. I’ve been forced to reevaluate constantly my relationship with my partner and to figure out how to respect each other while maintaining a healthy individuality, and we’re still navigating it to this day.”
“It’s easy to go unconscious and do whatever feels good in the moment, but without consciously, intentionally taking care of the relationship, it falls apart. There has to be a balance in order to nurture both carnal desires and the spiritual connection with another human being (if that’s something that you value). And when things are out of balance, suffering is inevitable. That’s what happens in ‘Cracked Porcelain’.”
Glens Falls will become a mecca for the arts, with the return of the 4th annual GEM Fest on July 26 and 27. The Glens Falls Entertainment and Music Festival brings together bands from across the greater Glens Falls area, as well as national acts, and combines comedy, live art, film, theater, photography and more at venues around Glens Falls for a FREE two-day event.
The focus on the arts started when Brian Michael visited Gugs in April of 2016. “Gugs is the central venue in Glens Falls where a ton of bands were just starting to cut their teeth at the time – Candy Ambulance, Joe Mansman, William Hale, Asa Morris and The Mess, among others. Mike Rios put together an open mic night on Thursdays, but Gugs was only open from Thanksgiving Eve until April 20,” said Michael, GEM Fest Director. So with the venue closing for the season, and there being very few places in the city of Glens Falls for live music, Brian and Joe Mansman had an idea to hold a Venue Festival in Glens Falls, where venues would host music throughout the day.
The organizers went to the owner of Mean Max Brewing and asked to back him on the festival concept. That led to the owner of 190 Grill and Cinema (now the Downtown Social) getting on board as well. From there, GEM Fest was born and the event became a one-day street fest in the Summer of 2016, which was entirely free to the public. It featured a art gallery presentation at the two venues, and several local bands.
From there, a team effort has helped bring GEM Fest for four consecutive years. Local venues are on board, and local businesses see better business on the day of GEM Fest than they do any other day of the year, according to Michael. With the help of Candice Frye, the Executive Director of LARAC (Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council), which supports the in Warren and Washington counties, Brian was able to secure grant funding. The ever growing event received maximum funding for this year, and with sponsors on board, the fest remains free for the fourth year in a row, accessible for everyone who wants to attend.
The impact of GEM Fest can be seen already. In 2016, there was one venue in town with regular music, plus Gugs was only open part of the year. Now, in 2019, there are four venues that book bands on a regular basis, with a fifth soon to open. Michael says of this development, “GEM Fest helped clue the local businesses in on the music in the region, and certain niche markets – Helping to elevate the visibility of the music & arts in our city. The integration of this festival into an organization called Art in the Public Eye has also further solidified our commitment to creating platforms for local / and now regional musicians – as well as many other forms of art – to be seen and heard in the heart of Hometown USA.”
Since 2016, GEM Fest brings an immense crowd out in support of the arts, with a benefit to local businesses, who are patronized by those who attend. The direct support of local businesses is supplemented by the careful selection of craft vendors – while encouraging patrons to eat and drink at local businesses, due to a markedly low acceptance of food type vending.
Thanks to grants and sponsors, GEM Fest is 99% free, with a fee charged only for the comedy shows each day. Since events are free, venues don’t sell out, although last year three venues reached capacity, a sign of growth after only three years of GEM Fest. In order to bring fans out, Michael says GEM Fest “keeps a high level of integrity, adding the best local musicians and a few national headliners. Getting the local support and financial backing is key to maintaining the fest, and we’re glad to have that for four years now. We are a destination event and it helps grow the scene and throws art in the public eye.”
There is history in the area as well, as plenty of art to be found that GEM Fest has brought greater attention to. The Hyde Collection, which includes work by Rembrandt, Picasso and Edward Hopper, is one of the greatest collections of art in the 518. The Park Theater has recently undergone a $13 million dollar renovation, and the Charles R. Wood Theater in downtown Glens Falls plays host to a wide variety of arts, from plays to concerts to comedians.
With the support of LARAC, Glens Falls can be viewed as always having been an artistic town, with a great deal of artists and painters emerging from the Lower Adirondack area. “There might be five different artistic communities within the city and we want everyone to work together on that day to exhibit what we’ve got as a community.”
GEM Fest is designed so that everything is going on at once, making it a challenge to decide what to see. “What we are encouraging people to do is to come out and see art they may not see otherwise. The music draws them out – if they like comedy, they can check that out, and maybe they see more comedy that year. Some kids might walk by a live painter and be inspired to become a painter. Everywhere you look, there’s something else going on. Walk about the whole city because for the two days, it’s an artistic showcase of Glens Falls.”
In just a few short years, GEM Fest has established itself as a destination event where music and art collide. Find out more at the official website for the festival and check out the music artists who will be performing around town July 26-27.
New York City based duo, Silver Relics, is Alex Sepassi and Justin Alvis. Their latest release, Generic., is anything but what the title suggests. Sepassi started writing songs and singing at the age of ten, and over the years his craft has been incorporating elements of the influences he listens to. This runs anywhere from 80’s indie rock and post-punk, to 90’s grunge. The duo’s songwriting first philosophy lends itself to this easy-listening album. The familiar song structures and melodic phrases give heed to pop-punk, while the instrumentation is rich and intriguing, with aspects of countless genres woven throughout the songs. Each tune brandishes a fun chorus, while the verses and intermittent instrumental parts hash out the soundscapes that Silver Relics build.
The production on this album is a bright spot. Sepassi has worked with New York producer, Howie Beno, since meeting him in 2016. The skills he’s honed in those years, evinced by the loaded yet not bloated instrumentals. The second song, “Generic,” opens with a cinematic string intro that eventually turns into an quasi-prog rock song with shoegaze elements interspersed throughout. Here, the verse and chorus are well defined apart from each other, and flow well in and out. While the songs are not structurally challenging or progressive, the way the atmosphere changes between these parts is noted and appreciated as a transition mechanism.
A standout song with a lot of grit, ‘Timebomb’, offers an edgier look at the band. Much of the song is unrelenting; its furious intro leads the listener into an anthemic chorus, as a beautifully effected shoegazuing guitar outlines the nuances in the chord progression. For fans of shoegaze like My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive, this album provides a shmorgishborg of tried-and-true shoegaze guitar tones that sit well on top of vintage synths and spry drums. The tenth track, “Yellow Master Motive” opens with a very intricate vocal part, performed to great effect. The opening instrumental that follows is lush and sits well behind the spotlighted vocals. There’s a lot of moving parts here, as the song slowly builds up into a rock anthem.
Overall, Generic. was an exciting listen. The energy is kept up, as Silver Relics blast out earworm after earworm while leaving traces of their influences hidden underneath the solid base of the song. The songwriting first philosophy the group took in recording this record really shows. What the songs lack in compositional variety, they make up with instrumental diversity. Huge ranges of tonality come together as a woven basket, with each influence offering an essential purpose to the whole product. Generic.is streaming now!
Key Tracks: Time Bomb, Yellow Master Motive, Wanderlust
Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards is set to host The Wood Brothers and Lake Street Dive with an incredible night of music on July 26 in the rolling hills of Central NY. Lake Street Dive is touring behind their 2018 album Free Yourself Up. The Wood Brothers, fresh off a Grammy nomination for “One Drop Of Truth,” will share the bill. Oliver Wood took time to speak to NYS Music to share the news on two new upcoming Wood Brothers albums, their new studio in Nashville, life on the road, his love for cookies and much more.
Dan Smalls Presents
Sean Nevison: So tell me about the tour with Lake Street Dive?
Oliver Wood: Oh it was awesome, and it’s not completely over. We have a few more shows left and it’s a really good pairing….if I was going to a show I’d love to go to that show!
SN: We are stoked to see you guys up here at Beak And Skiff.
OW: What a beautiful spot, we’ve done that show a couple of times and just love playing there!
SN: Are there future tour plans after these shows with LSD?
OW: We’ve got tour with Colter Wall which is in August. He’s a singer songwriter from Canada who is amazing. We have our first headlining show at Red Rocks, Colorado in September which we are very excited about.
SN: Who else is on the bill for RR?
OW: Two incredible bands are opening, Fruition and Steep Canyon Rangers. We have played RR as a support act several times over the years and we are so excited to headline. Chris and I grew up in Boulder, so that was where I saw my first concerts.
SN: So changing gears, how did you feel about the grammy nomination this year for “One Drop of Truth” as Best Americana Album?
OW: Well it was quite cool, we’ve been doing this for a long time. Sometimes you can get kinda jaded and think that stuff is rigged, which it most likely is. But it is so rewarding because this is the first album that is self produced and on our own label (Honey Jar Records). So I feel like we made the right decision, we wanted to be more independent, creatively and financially, but especially the creative part, to be able to go into your own bubble and not have anyone mess with it.
SN: Where was “One Drop Of Truth” recorded?
OW: It was recorded in two studios in Nashville, and mixed four times by different people. We recorded mostly at Studio Nashville with our buddy Brooks Sutton. We have now actually opened our own studio with Brooks, we liked working with him so much! Now we have our own production facility and it’s awesome, we’re working on a new record right now. Anyhow, it was kinda cool when we were at our most independent state and made all our own choices that we got that recognition, I think it’s a good record and I’m proud of it, I mean I think we’ve made good ones before… but man I’m really proud of that.
SN: So your new space is in Nashville?
OW: Yeah man, it’s run by our buddy Brooks, but as partners we can go in and record, rehearse and write whenever. It’s a huge luxury and it’s making these new sessions so much fun. It’s like we are our own independent artist with a little playground.
SN: This new record will be done in the new space?
OW: Yes, it will be the first one 100% in there and comes out right after the first of the new year. And we’re finishing up a live album that comes out this fall.
SN: That’s the Fillmore album?
OW: Yeah, that’s the Fillmore in San Fransisco.
SN: So you started just with your brother, tell me about your progression as a band?
OW: Well it just started as my brother and I, him on upright bass and me on steel guitar and we toured around in a little mini van. Both of us had been on other projects and this was our chance to play together which we had never done besides jamming as teenagers at our parents house. So we started doing that, made a record, got a deal and we were lucky that Chris was established with Medeski Martin and Wood so we were taken on by his management and booking.
What I brought was the songs I had from all these years of playing in other bands that I took and added some new tunes to and we did that first Wood Brothers album. A few years later, we started playing bigger stages and we said we need a third person to round this out and rock a bit more to get some sonic variety. So we hired Jano on percussion, not knowing what an amazing keys player and singer he was. He could just throw these third harmonies like it was nothing. He can drum, play keys and harmonize all at the same time, it’s like having two musicians with us. He is also just a great dude and has become part of our family.
SN: Can you tell me about your writing process?
OW: Oh man, it’s all over the place. Chris and I both have notebooks. Our favorite way to compile music is to just jam with the three of us, record it, listen to the grooves. We like to play spontaneously with each other and not worry about the song and just play. That’s been a really fruitful way to come up with music. So we cut those recordings up and we can sometimes use them for a master track or to help the writing progress.
SN: Your last live recording (Live At The Barn), I was fortunate to attend, could you talk about playing Levon Helm Studios and playing venues in Upstate NY?
OW: Boy that was amazing. Well when we started The Wood Brothers Chris actually liveed in Saugerties while I lived in Atlanta. In those early days, my brother lived not far from the barn and he got to know Amy Helm and we got very close with those folks and got invited to those rambles. I have very fond memories of playing all over the place up there: Syracuse, Buffalo, Ithaca, Saratoga, Albany, all those places are awesome! I feel like the people of Upstate are just so passionate about their music.
SN: Who do you listen to when you create and who influences you?
OW: Man there are so many of them. We get inspiration from everything like Jimmy Reed, J.B.Lenoir that’s been huge Louisiana blues guy, his record Passionate Blues we always go back to and get cool drumbeat ideas. Then there is Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Sly Stone, The Pointer Sisters and all kinds of things we play and listen to when we set up our gear or get ready to record. A lot of cool old gospel music. Los Lobos, I’m crazy about, we are all crazy about. We run into them at festivals sometimes, but we’re huge fans. They are an American treasure, they are the best American band out there I think.
SN: So you’ve met some of your heroes and some people look up to you. What is the best wisdom you’ve received about balancing life on the road, family and your art?
OW: I’m glad you said balance. Some of these folks live the music life to the extreme and the rest of their life can fall apart. I’m not that guy, I have a family that I take so much inspiration from. So I try to keep it connected, and it is a challenge, being away is a challenge. But the wisdom I’ve garnered the last few years in being a musician, a touring one, is that creating music and performing is about connecting with people and connecting people. It is not about money or fame or accolades, it’s not about that stuff.
It’s a a huge sacrifice to be out on he road and be away from your family and you go out and you’re like what the hell I am doing, its like I’m floating. But then someone will walk up, or send an email or write a letter and say hey your music really got me through some hard times, thank you. Something like that happens and I say man it really is worth it, this really is important.
As far as words of wisdom, when a room full of people are singing together, not for me or my pleasure, but the feeling of everyone singing and being connected. It’s such a moment where we are all one and equal and joyous, that’s what it’s all about. It’s not that other stuff. I mean the other stuff can be fun but traveling loses it’s charm and money only goes so far if you even make any. People applauding you is awesome, but it’s not the ultimate part of this job.
SN: In the end you only have memories you create with people; you connected and connect with, right?
OW: Exactly, you can leave something healthy for them, to warm their hearts or connect them or if it’s a song people listen to when they are down…that is a huge thing!
SN: So just to finish with two fun questions, my friend Aurora who does marketing for Ray Brothers BBQ another Upstate venue…
OW: Oh yeah man, they wrote us the sweetest letter and we hope we can stop by there sometime!
SN: They are great folks. Her question is: what is your favorite road trip snack?
OW: Oh wow. Hmmm. That’s a great question. I’m kind of a sweet tooth guy, so I’d say just an amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie. That’s tough to beat, haha.
SN: Everyone on earth could get on board with that! Final question, do you like puppets and which is your favorite if so?
OW: Oh man, that’s so tough. I love the muppets, my whole family does. I’m actually looking at cookie monster so we will tie it in to the cookie concept and say that. Man I’m not sure why, but there is literally a blue cookie monster looking at me on my kitchen table right now. It’s meant to be!
Phish returned to Maine this week for the first time since 2013 for two shows at Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion in Bangor, Maine. The first night saw intense rain descend upon the crowd, with two nearly 20 minute jams from “Down with Disease” and “Simple” in the second set. Night two brought less rain and a hot set 2 trio of “Fuego” -> “Cities” -> “Final Hurrah,” standouts on a summer tour that has nearly reached its midpoint.
Erin McKeown had confidence that seemed unshakable on the stage at Caffè Lena Thursday night, June 20. Erin began her set speaking about how she has to do a lot of self-work and self-building to get where she is. She spoke of how she had been outed at a young age, and her parents weren’t accepting of her lifestyle. It was a relief to hear that someone who was so strong could have moments of self-doubt.
“Sometimes,” she explained, “It is hard to look in the mirror and like what you see. Mirrors can break you back.” This led into her first song of the evening, “Mirrors Break Back,” off her album of the same name released in 2017. She changed her performance by treating the song as a poem, a spoken word piece. When she was finished, she was met with loud applause from the audience.
Erin performing a spoken word version of “Mirrors Break Back” at Caffè Lena on June 20.
The room was filled with joy, a crowd who could appreciate who Erin was and understand her background. Caffè Lena had given the LGBTQ community a safe space to listen to an out and proud lesbian performer and activist. Erin spoke openly about her life. She talked about the struggles she has had, and how she has overcome it.
Witty and charming, Erin stated that she felt like she should play songs for the Pride event that were gay, but then commented that all of her songs were. She did include an “especially gay set” for the crowd. These included songs like “Sugar in a Pie” and “Jenny.”
She also chose a song, “28,” which was about a particular time in her life – when she was 28. Erin relates it to the orbit of Saturn, which takes 28 years, and when it rolls around there is a time of upheaval and huge changes take place. “It’s not especially gay, but I am,” she said with a playful shrug as she began.
Erin switched to the piano to continue her set with the song “The Lions” which contains the lyrics, “There’s a risk, there’s a twist, to anything worth doing.” This seems to be a philosophy that Erin has carried with her through life. She has successfully produced the musical Miss You Like Hell which has won five Drama Desk awards and was named the “Best Musical of 2018” by Wall Street Journal. At the age of 40, Erin published a song book, Some of My Better Songs (But Not All of Them). She is currently working on another musical and perhaps a singer/songwriter record. Erin is someone who is constantly busy, and she seems to thrive when she has many creative endeavors going on at once.
Erin does nothing by halves. In geographic areas where there has been tension about gay rights, Erin has chosen to not avoid them as some artists have, but has made it a point to play there. She wanted to see how things were on the ground level and encourage the people fighting the good fight. For them, she wrote the song “Queer Gospel” to encourage them to persist despite the difficulties they faced.
The audience gave Erin a standing ovation, and when she returned for her encore she chose to play a song that required audience participation. Together Erin and the audience sang “Where Did I Go” with the audience filling in the chorus and Erin singing the solo verses. The Caffè was filled with voices brought together to rejoice in who they were, in whom they had bravely chosen to be despite adversities. Hands clapped in unison. On a night when it was important to come together, Erin ended with the right song.
Caffe Lena will continue the pride series next month with a performance by Jonatha Brooke on July 17th at 7 p.m. For tickets go here.
