Rock Ahn

This summer I went to the Ark in Ann Arbor to see Priscilla Ahn with a friend of mine. Talk about an awesome night. First of all, the Ark is really cool. It's small enough to talk to the performers and it's run by volunteers. And then Priscilla Ahn walks out on stage? Even better.

I have a hard time getting my mind to wrap around Ahn. She is tiny and beautiful with this light, airy voice that floats over the music. She's also a little crude and hilarious. She might pull out a kazoo or a ukulele, tell stories about being awkward, high and drunk at parties in L.A., or maybe sing a song she wrote about boobs. That is one entertaining show.

Ahn used loop pedal a lot through her performance. She'd harmonize with herself, producing whimsical melodies that are impossible to not love just a little bit.

Definitely check out Ahn's album "A Good Day."

Old Town Bluesfest!

I only made it out to Bluesfest for Saturday night, but it was great. I caught Stan Budzynski & 3rd Degree, Biscuit Miller & the Mix and Kenny Neal.

Biscuit Miller & the Mix really did it for me. The sound was a mix of funk, blues and rock and the band's energy was so tangible I put some in my pocket and brought it home with me. They had a huge crowd in front of the stage dancing and shouting every time Miller asked "is it all right if I get my party on?" And he definitely did get his party on; the band threw beads in the audience and sold light-up sunglasses at their merchandise stand.

Every musician got a chance to solo during the set and they were all great. Tyler, a younger guy playing electric guitar, really stood out. He's got a voice like honey and solos to match.

Kenny Neal played next, and I ended up standing stage right and watching the drummer the whole time. He was great. His rhythms were technical, complicated and they fit the tunes perfectly.

Every one of Neal's songs were solid and it was clear that this band really enjoys playing together. That may come from them all pretty much being related, but it's refreshing nonetheless.

Overall, it was a great time and you should try to make it to the next Oldtown music event. Pictures will be up once I find the cord.

Stuff I'm excited about

Just a few upcoming music events I'm hoping to get to:

September 18-19, 2009 Old Town Bluesfest in Lansing

This should be a good one. I love any kind of outdoor festival scene, big or small. Bluesfest is free and has lately been drawing a big crowd. I'll be at this for sure, at least on Saturday if not both days. Look for pictures!

Thursday October 8, The Macpodz at Macs Bar in Lansing

The Macpodz are a jam band out of Ann Arbor. They released their first album in 2007 and have played at some festivals like Dunegrass and Wakarusa. I've never seen the band, but I love what I've heard (listen to some of their tunes on the site) and am expecting a great show.

Saturday October 10, an Acoustic Evening with The Verve Pipe at The Ark in Ann Arbor

I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to make it out to this one, but who can pass up the promise of some 90's throwbacks?

Saturday October 24, Mason Jennings at Magic Bag in Ferndale

I happened to pick up the album Boneclouds by Mason Jennings at the library about a year ago and love it. The lyrics are poetic, his sound is unique and he looks like the kind of guy I could hang out with. I can't wait to see this one.

First Post

Welcome to the first post of my first blog. Do I expect it to be documented in future anthologies of literary works? Maybe. But will it give me an excuse to spend time learning and writing about what I love? Oh, absolutely.

What I love. Music, in this case. I love to listen to it, learn about it, see it played live, listen to it some more, even to play it once in a while. I'll be writing about new albums, concerts I attend, the East Lansing music scene and anything else that happens to strike a chord (pun intended).

So I hope you like it, and maybe even choose to give me a little feedback. Go forth, listen up and check back later.