Strum Diesel @ The Roof – February 20, 2013

Of all the musicians in SL, Strum is my favorite.  He’s the second musician I ever saw, having stumbled upon one of his concerts on February 27, 2010.  I only saw a few minutes of his concert that day, but those few minutes made me an instant fan.  I became good friends with him as well.

Strum has the highest energy out of all the musicians in SL, or at least he’s the most enthusiastic.  He pays attention to local chat, greets people as they come in, and is appreciative of every single tip he receives.  His songs are thought provoking and inspiring not because of the subjects he writes about, but because they inspire me and every single person who attends his concerts.

Strum’s concert at The Roof tonight was absolutely fantastic.  The highlight of the concert for me was a bluesy rendition of “Mother Earth”.  You could hear the sincerity in his voice and the energy he gave to the song.  He puts every single bit of emotion he has into each song.  The Roof is owned by Lingual Markus, who brings awesome musicians to the venue twice a week on Monday and Wednesday nights.  There’s also an art gallery below the venue that you should check out.

If you want to catch one of Strum’s concerts, check out his calendar at https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=f3mipth9660tf2m8qrh5ik3qms@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York&gsessionid=OK .  You won’t be disappointed!

Mulder Watts @ Key West - February 19, 2013

Mulder Watts played a beautiful concert tonight with a guitar he hadn’t used in awhile.  You could just hear the guitar singing in appreciation—the rich tones lit up the seas that the venue is on.  

Mulder is a very gifted musician and an amazing songwriter—songs like “Light of Love”, “Minstrel Without A Face, and “Higher Ground” are songs that will warm anyone’s heart.  Mulder sometimes duals with Voodoo Shilton, which is truly an achievement beyond my understanding—one cannot hear the other but they are perfectly synched--but he shines in his solo concerts.

Key West is a lovely venue run by Liz Harley, who brings in so many musicians to make sure there is a variety of music all will love.  I hope it will continue to be a gathering place for friends and musicians for many years to come.

If you’ve never heard Mulder Watts, make sure to check out his calendar at https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=mulder.watts%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Chicago

 and get yourself to a show—you won’t be sorry!

CQ Bravin At Rhia's Poem - February 18, 2013

CQ Bravin, up until about a month ago, hadn’t played in SL for about two years, having left SL completely.  Then, a month ago, he returned to SL and played at The Roof, which is owned by Lingual Markus.  “It’s really good to be back,” he said tonight at Rhia’s Poem, which is owned by Meegan Danitz and Rhi Zane.  February Jinx is the music manager for the venue and books some of the best musicians in SL.

Rhia’s Poem is situated on a beach and has a very relaxed atmosphere.  Some musicians sense this relaxed atmosphere and sit on the edge of the stage.  It’s the type of place where you’ll see other musicians like Lyrica Acoustic and Beamer Lowtide hanging out to listen to CQ play.  February and Meegan welcome each and every person to the venue with open arms and encourage them to dance or pull up one of the comfy pillows and stay awhile.

CQ has a voice unlike any I’ve heard in SL.  His smoky voice cuts through each word and creates a haunting lilt to each sad song he plays and a joyful tone to every happy song he sings.  He interacts with the audience and pays attention to local—which not every singer does.  He makes you truly feel like you’re sitting there in his living room listening.

If you’ve never heard CQ, please make sure you check his calendar at https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=thecolorfulquiet%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles and attend one of his upcoming shows—you won’t be disappointed.  J