Saturday February 5, 2011
Hungry Ear Coffeehouse
Sandy Springs, GA
So just how folked up can a bunch of Unitarians get? Well, more than you’d think. I’ll be honest. When I first got booked at this Univeralist Unitarian Coffeehouse, I was a bit nervous. Here’s me, an athiest folksinger with a potty mouth performing for some church folk. Well, in all honesty, it couldn’t have gone better. Right off the bat I was blown away by how many people were there and just how attentive they were.
Opening with “Wish For Rain” was comfortable to me and got a chuckle out of the audience as it has been the “winter of rain and snow.” They listened so attentively that it literally made me feel a bit uneasy. I am not used to playing to a room full of people focusing and attentively listening to my songs. It was such a pleasant surprise and they really reacted to each and every song. Some songs got a better reaction than others but what I loved so much was playing to an audience of people that truly had an interest in what I was singing. This wasn’t a trendy place full of trendsters and college students. This was a roomful of people who came out to hear an evening of music. I was both honored and pleased to have had such a great audience.
I closed the night out with “Fart Proudly” which I was a bit nervous about. I knew this crowd had been a great one but just how would they take to my ode to flatulence? Well, they took to it with smiles, laughs, clapping in time and even singing along. I was so floored. After my set, many people came up to me thanking me for performing and that they really liked my songs. Ya know, I was loving it and it’s shows like this that remind me just why I love playing music. All I ever want to be for my listeners is what my favorite musicians are for me. A temporary escape from all the bullshit of the world and life for just 45 minutes. I want to take them on journeys, tell them stories, make them laugh and engage them. I feel like I am still growing with every show even after doing this for nearly 15 years. How exciting is it to feel that there is always someplace to grow into as an artist? This night was a truly great night for me and a much needed boost and reminder of just why I do what I do.
