“Does this place smell permanently like chocolate chip cookies?”
Everyone nestled in the comfy confines of the Rooted Cafe at Arts at the Armory was sort of thinking the same thing. The air was redolent (redolent, I say!) with the warm aromas of chocolatey confections spilling out of the kitchen. But the moment required singer-songwriter Erin Ash Sullivan to put words to a thought that lingered at the doorstep of recognition, not yet invited into full view.
Singer-songwriters do that sort of thing: Put words to thoughts and feelings that we share in common, but not all of us possess the perspicacity (perspicacity, I say!) to express on our own.
Three singer-songwriters – Sullivan, Colette O’Connor and Beth DeSombre – did just that on Saturday at the Somerville Songwriter Sessions. The event was part of a regular musical series that is scheduled through the fall, winter and spring.
The structure of the evenings can vary. Saturday’s schedule included three “mini-sets,” in which each musician played a three-song medley. Opener O’Connor was joined onstage by a bodhrán player. A bodhrán is a drum, shaped like an oversized tambourine, struck with a soft-headed mallet. Good for traditional Irish folk songs, but works just fine with Johnny Cash covers too.
At the conclusion of the mini-sets, the night was turned over to a songwriter’s round. The format allows the discursive (discursive, I say!) heart and soul of folky storytelling to roam free, joining the artists on stage to find the words on the tip of your tongue.
Words such as “How much is a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie?” and “Damn, that much?” and “Well, it’s not as expensive as the lobster bisque, so I’m actually saving money if I buy a cookie instead, if you really think about it” and “Mmmmmm, that’s good.”
Hit this
Saturday: The Folk Collective: Indigenous Peoples Day (Club Passim, Cambridge)
Some people call it Columbus Day. Some people call it Indigenous Peoples Day. Whatever you call it, unless you’ve got a government job, you’re probably still working the federal holiday on Monday. So it’s just as well that Club Passim is celebrating early. Members of the in-house Folk Collective curated a bill Saturday to honor the contribution of indigenous peoples to the landscape of contemporary folk music. Singer-songwriter and member of Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe Thea Hopkins will play her Red Roots Americana, along with Kim Moberg, Maxfield Anderson, Mwalim Daphunkee Professor and the Wampanoag Singers & Dancers.
Wednesday: Rosier, Kit Orion (Lizard Lounge, Cambridge)
Montreal’s Rosier tours through the red-lit chamber in advance of its forthcoming full-length album “Elle Veille Encore.” You don’t need to speak French to grok the dreamy, medium-tempo indie folk rhythms of standout single “other forms.” And when they trot out “n’as-tu jamais vu d’oiseaux?” just sit back, have a sip of your Kir Royale and go with the flow. Electro popper Kit Orion opens.
Oct. 18-19: Fuzzstival (Arts at the Armory, Somerville)
The almost-annual music fest returns with another stellar lineup of underground music at everyone’s favorite former army barracks. It’s a two-day affair, so free up your weekend. The aroma of local music will be thicker than patchouli in the parking lot of a Goose show, though the booking outfit Illegally Blind always stocks the cupboard with enough out-of-town acts to make the festival feel like a special event. Don’t miss postpunkers Sweeping Promises, out of Kansas; Northampton’s Prewn; Providence’s babybaby_explores; and a laundry list of artists you don’t know about … but should!
Live: Hot singles looking for love at The Jungle
Per TimeOut Boston, Union Square was recently ranked among the coolest neighborhoods in the world, which is bait for locals so tasty that you probably clicked it. Hard to say exactly what makes a neighborhood “cool.” (Midi-chlorians? Ax-throwing?) But it can only be a good thing if Somerville draws some global foot traffic away from Machu Picchu, La Rambla, the City of Love. Who knows, maybe The Jungle will become a Unesco World Heritage site?
The four-band bill on Saturday night boasted plenty of authentic “American” cultural significance for world travelers to enjoy. Ruby Grove, The Daylilies, Happy Little Clouds and Music Farm will gladly accept your international tourist dollars. PayPal accepted.
Trip-funkers Ruby Grove performed their latest single “Crystal Land” in the opening slot. Available for streaming everywhere, and have a listen, because it’s one of those songs that leads two lives in the studio and live versions. The recorded version massively foregrounds the synth motif, a kind of warbling proggy drone, whereas the live version highlights the rhythm section.
Maybe the difference is unintentional, but here’s a theory. When you’re playing to a “virtual” audience at the other end of a streaming service, you’re operating in a much cleaner environment (earbuds, living room, home office) in which ear candy motifs such as the synth warble of “Crystal Land” have more freedom of movement. But when you’re performing live, and the music has to cut through clinking glasses, chattering crowds and printing receipts, you need a sound that’s going to communicate as much to the hips and the hairs on your skin as much as the ears.
Not to be outdone, The Daylilies debuted their new single “Pétillant,” a shimmering pop anthem with dreamy vocals, pert rhythms and whip-smart guitar fills. Extra points for the Francophic song title. Union Square, the coolest neighborhood in the world, welcomes the world with open arms.
Michael Gutierrez is an author, educator, activist and editor-in-chief at Hump Day News.
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