Category Archives: Live Music

The Best in Show: 5 Concerts that rocked my world

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Reminiscing over some of my favorite shows in the past five years, I began to see a pattern in what made me truly connect to them and think of them fondly.  I came to the conclusion that it was summed up in two words- atmosphere and heart.  True, it was the music and the people and the hype and the crowd singing along and moving to the beat, but at the core of it all- an incredible atmosphere and the realization that the artist or band truly loved what they were doing resonated deep within me.  Memories are built on pictures, and pictures come to my mind when I float back to some of my favorite music performances of all times with some of my favorite people of all time.  Below is a list of my top 5 in the last 5 years and why:

 1.  Railroad Revival Tour– This show was hands- down one of the greatest concert experiences of my life so far.  My brother and I had tried to get tickets to see them where I lived in Austin, but it sold out insanely fast.  So, we quickly decided a road trip out to the west Texas town of Marfa would be our destination to see Mumford and Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes.  I could gush, but I’ll save it.  First, my undeniable obsession with vintage trains was met with sheer excitement when I discovered that they would travel by them to each stop on the tour.  As if that wasn’t perfect enough, they performed in Marfa at an airstream trailer Hotel called El Cosmico, where you could stay for the night in any one of the airstreams, Indian Tepees or campsites.  Nothing can compare to bouncing and singing and smiling with my younger brother as our favorite band played an incredible show on the eve of Easter Sunday.  In this West Texas heaven, as a crowd of people moved to the music, an ethereal cloud of dust rose above it all, making the atmosphere completely magical, albeit probably terrible for our lungs.  To top the perfect evening, my brother and I sneaked backstage and met Marcus Mumford, Jade from Edwarde Sharpe and Willy Watson from OCMS.  I’ll never forget it.  I don’t want to, and I’ll tell my kids the story of me and their uncle travelling to see one of our favorite bands and the music that will live on forever in our hearts and on our stereos

2.  The Head and the Heart at Cannery Ballroom in Nashville this spring.  This show was a breath of fresh air for me.  The atmosphere was not so much of the pull as the genuine love of music that seemed to exude from every player onstage.  They just seem to be a group of kids hanging out in the park, dancing to the beat of their own drum and playing with more passion and heart than I see in most bands today.  With Charity (who I might add used to attend church with one of my gal pals back in Seattle) belting it out on Rivers and Roads, the crowd was in awe.  It made me remember why I want to be involved in music.  No matter how old I am or where I may be in life, I will always be a songwriter.  And that means even if the world never hears a single note or word- you are who you are.  It doesn’t make you any less of an artist someone told me just because the world doesn’t know who you are.  Meeting Terry, the keys player outside, was awesome.  And then, several days later, while en route to my then restaurant job in Brentwood, I saw two members of the Head and the Heart crossing the street.  I rolled down my window and said “I love the head and the heart.”  They turned around and smiled thankfully.  I’ll never forget it.

3.  The Belle Brigade–  This brother/sister duo became one of my favorite finds of South by Southwest 2011.  My best friend, Kayla, and I, saw them perform several times.  One was at Cedarstreet, in which I was nearly capped in the jugular by a security man because I wasn’t wearing a wristband for the event.  We also saw them at South by San Jose down on South Congress, where the most raw and natural happenstance occurred.  Something went wrong at the end of their set regarding the power, so Barbara, Ethan and their band came down off the stage and into the small crowd.  Donning guitars and genuine smiles, they did an incredible acapella version of Losers, which is one of my brigade favorites. Oh, and just a little tidbit of interest for you- not only are these two related, they are also fortunately the grandchildren of great composer, John Williams.  The icing on top of this is that Barbara used to drum for Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley.  Words cannot express how much punch mingled with heart the Belle Brigade packs behind their awesome indie/folk/pop sound. Not only did they have a killer performance, the joy and energy they project in a performance is flung off the stage right into your heart.  Kayla and I had met Barbara the day before.  And when she saw us standing near the stage at our 3rd and final experience of them at South by SouthwestKGSR morning broadcast, she did something quite endearing.  She looked at us and made this really hysterical awkward face and started waving.  Kayla turned around, unsure to whom she was directing the wave.  When she realized it was to us, we both waved back, and I threw back my own crazy face for her enjoyment.  She was so real, so genuine, so happy to be herself.  When we talked to her afterward, she put us on the list for their upcoming show back in Austin.  Though we weren’t able to attend, we sent cookies to the venue for them.  We even heard from them on facebook about it.  They love their fans and show it, and who can’t help but love a genuinely appreciative artist.

4.  KGSR morning broadcast during South by Southwest 2010-Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Grace Potter is a female rockstar. End of story.  But when she walked into the lobby of the Four Seasons that morning bright and early in her vintage pink frilly pajama nightgown, I fell madly in musical love.  Her amazing voluminous hair and pipes to boot, combined with Catherine Popper (previously the bassist for Ryan Adams and the Cardinals) and her dapper dudes clad in vintage robes, were picturesque.  This girl strutted her stuff and rocked the crowd surrounding her in this living room setting in the Four Seasons lobby.  Sadly, the next year, they moved this broadcast into one of the event rooms, so it no longer has that same feel.  Should you have the itch to see this rock princess, she (and I) will be at the Ryman Auditorium October 12-13 for a two-night stint.  Be ready to have your world rocked, because you can expect it from the illustrious Miss Potter.

5.  The last one, like a good record, is a repeat.  Mumford and Sons at the Ryman Auditorium with Dawes opening.  Dawes is one of my new favorite bands. Why? Because the lead singer has the gift of being a thought-provoking lyricist as well as writing perfect melodies to match.  Since they only sold 2 tickets max in pre-sale and regular sale, we had to get creative with seating. Being down on the Ryman floor singing Dawes at the top of my lungs with Bradford and rocking our harmonies will not soon be forgotten.  Nothing compares to shows at the Ryman, and any musician is fortunate to play that stage.  If you’ve never seen Mumford, I highly encourage you to take the opportunity.  Their lyrics and anthems are truly larger than life, and they play with a world of heart and enthusiasm.  At one point they played the famous Paul Simon cover, The Boxer, which was completely intoxicating.  That song has graced Jerry Douglas’s new album, because Douglas plays on the tune as well.  Much like Douglas, anything Mumford touches is pure gold.  He is currently the king in my eyes of the folk/Americana music world.

cheers and happy wens-day,

leah marie

Scene it?

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The people begin to slowly amble inside, mingling with newcomers and hugging old friends.  There is food on the table and smiles appear on faces as they pass through the entrance.  The sound guy is checking the gear and there are various instruments pleasantly poised around the room anticipating their moment to be played and appreciated.  The once average living room has now been transformed for the anticipated music event, complete with couch and chairs facing the same direction, lights strung in organized direction above the stage area, and a backdrop to highlight the performer.  Musicians are casually chatting with other performers as well as audience members.  As a newcomer, I am initially invited into conversation by another newcomer and we discuss our musical endeavors while living in Music City.  A love of creativity and awe for the production of music and song fills the room with a warmth unmatched at small downtown venues and big arenas.  As the time draws near, the jovial audience is quieted, the performer properly introduced and a group of music lovers partake in a feast for hungry ears.

I recently attended my first house show in the greater Nashville area, and honestly, it was one of the best musical experiences of which I have been a part in Music City so far.  As opposed to a show at a downtown venue or an open-air park, the house scene had a much more intimate and organic vibe.  More intimate and focused on active listening by the audience, there was an undeniable sense of respect for those performing.  The people who attended were incredibly friendly and welcoming, what everyone would like when flying solo, as I did that night, to this show.  I was actually invited to sit with several girls I had not previously known, but they quickly made me feel like part of their group.  I was pretty excited when local talents, the Vespers, entered from the backdoor and were also listening and enjoying the great local music.   And to brag on them a little, Callie, a member of local musical group, the Vespers, was a complete delight when I suddenly engaged her in conversation.  She even went out of her way to introduce me to Larry Kloess, the creative founder behind Cause a Scene house shows, as a gesture of helping a musician make a good music connection.  On this particular night, the lineup included Marc Scibilia (http://marcscibilia.com), Kevin Heider (www.kevinheider.com), and Afterlife Parade, all three very talented songwriters and performers. The genre of music at these shows spans from Americana to Indie pop and even some country, bluegrass and folk tinged with blues, hip-hop and soul.  I am sure as time goes on, a variety of music will grace the stage.

Cause a Scene House Shows is a new venture in which Kloess has revamped a typical house show scene into a legitimate venue in his living room, fashioning his own style of house show.  In an effort to create an even more comfortable experience, volunteers contribute food to share with the listening party and performing artists.  As a musician myself, I realized the great opportunity for networking at such an intimate and relaxed environment.  Since I moved to Nashville in August, it has been difficult to meet and connect with musicians that aren’t necessarily playing a specific type of music in the Nashville scene.  The open mic scene is nice, but it doesn’t always deliver the results of connection, networking and fostering of local music colleagues that most independent artists and fans want.  Hence, the beauty of Cause a Scene music. This is where the house show scene has begun to change the live music arena.  This house show I attended was not only an enjoyable but also a beneficial experience for me as well as everyone involved.  It felt more like a group gathering, a meet and greet and even a place to connect with old friends as well as create new friendships.

The benefits of Cause a Scene Music in regards to those in the music industry are obvious.  Musicians who perform benefit in a small atmosphere where people are genuinely interested in listening to music and later purchasing music from the performers they hear.  Musicians attending benefit through networking and gaining prospective gigs with those who organize the shows as well as those who have other connections in such a musically-saturated city.  Networking occurs at various levels depending on what fields and organizations may be represented on any given night at any given show.  Thinking you should maybe attend one of these?  I concur.  But not only is it great from a networking perspective, it is an all around enjoyable way to spend one of your very precious weekday or weekend evenings.

In a day when technology and life seem to continually be disengaged and increasingly moving away from interpersonal connection, the house show scene seems to have breathed new life into listening to live music.  Kloess has stepped actively onto the house venue scene, and I think he may just be carving his own niche in it as well.  In connection to creating a performance space, he is now fostering a creative community.  It is one which attracts welcoming people as well as creatives who possess a love for things beyond the here and now.  I was struck by the character that exuded from the souls I met that night.  I recently watched a video interview/blog with Keith Posehn, Zorz president, in which he stated, “Find a small market- and then take it over.”  This made me think a lot about what Kloess is trying to do.  He is in a specific niche, the house market, but he is also fostering local talent as well as providing a place for that to become a musical community of creators, appreciators and dream-instigators. If you haven’t been to one of these shows, I would encourage you to come out and see for yourself.  Even more commendable is the fact that Kloess charges anywhere from 5-10 depending on the show, and then turns around and gives it right back to the performers.  His love of music and those who create it is evident in the way he gives back and respects his performers.

Check out the summer lineups at Larry’s blog, www.causeascenemusic.com and for up-to-dates, add Cause a Scene house shows on Facebook.  The next show is scheduled for this Thursday, June 7, featuring Act of Congress and The Westbound Rangers. If you haven’t experienced this yet, you should definitely check this out.