The Where?house is going strong and here’s some proof. Another great lineup of music echoed in the huge art space on the 18th.
Douglas Kramer Nye started the show with a series of gritty, heartfelt songs that range from hard and menacing to sweet and tear-jerking. His classic opening a capella song “My Brother and His Wife” usually stops the din of a room almost immediately. In the style of traditional blues musicians of yesteryear, his voice booms with conviction and forces audiences to pay attention. His range of styles, powerful songwriting and equally-as-powerful voice make him a performer not to be missed. Doug is finishing up an album that he will unleash upon us all at some point in the near future (fingers crossed..soon? please?) This one is going to be worth passing around to your music-junkie friends.
Zachary Cale, who is touring behind his new album “Noise of Welcome”, played an uber long set for us. His guitar playing served a variety of roles, from mellowing things out and making me sway to hopping things up and making me dance a little (which is a rarity) I pulled from his music a little Neil Young, some Bob Dylan and even a little Tom Petty. It’s like a buffet of all my favorite country-rock influences in a fresh presentation. Check him out for yourself, play his music as you swing on your porch swing and soak up these late spring days.
D. Charles Speer and the Helix were certainly the crescendo of the night. They are just about to wrap up the tour they’ve been on (with Zachary Cale in tow). Speer and the Helix have definitely perfected the country rock sound. I’m not a big country fan, at least not modern country, but the pedal steel played with Speer’s Jim-Morrison-if-he-sang-country vocals was perfect. A trio of my female friends couldn’t resist and danced playfully, hand in hand, during the second half of their set. It was THAT kind of music. I was surprised and thrilled when Marc Orleans, their pedal steel player, leaped from his seat and ripped out a tremendous guitar solo. Now, that’s how you end a set.
Afterwards, we were all outside smoking and talking when Skye joked “Everyone’s out here, I should just play outside.” Then, realizing how great what she just said was, she exclaimed “I should just play outside!” Before I knew it, someone had grabbed a small spotlight, Skye had her ukulele, and we were all being serenaded beneath a nearly full moon. It was nothing less than enchanting. It was taken to a new level of sweet, sappy and perfect when we all clumsily tried to remember the words to “Over the Rainbow”, singing along with bold uncertainty. Skye has a new album that will, hopefully, be available sooner rather than later. I’ve heard it and I am nearly bursting, waiting for her to share it with the world.
