Gimmee a 6, gimmee a 3, gimmee a 1 !

Another appealing night at the Acoustic Showcase. This post's cryptic title springs from the experience of listening to a sextet, a trio, and a solo performer -- all in one evening (Haydn's 45th, anyone?). 


We began with the always appealing Arl-Lex Five & Dime.

Here's the Five: Jack Donahue (bass, harmonica), Mike Barrett (guitar, vocals), Paul Hatem (guitar, vocals), Kate Donahue (guitar, vocals), and Chris Eastburn (guitar, mandolin, vocals). 

And here's the Dime: (smaller, brighter and particularly valuable) six year old Quinn Eastburn on violin and vocals.


This band is an Acoustic Showcase staple, and they always bring in an enthusiastic audience. Their blend of American Songbook, country-western, pop-rock, and Celtic (to name only a few) never fails to disappoint. Nice vocal harmonies, some really pleasing musicianship, and a warm/welcoming feel all combine to make a deeply satisfying musical experience.


Here's the Showcase version of a big, happy audience.

They had people dancing in the aisles!  Really!


Then we pulled all the chairs off the stage, folded up some mic stands, and welcomed Showcase "house band" Laughing Boy.  

[the photographer was busy playing, so we're using this studio shot]

These guys get incrementally smoother each time we hear them. A rousing version of "I Need A Rock" was a lot of fun. A few tourists appeared to be filming and uploading the performance; look for us on Russian Youtube!


After Laughing Boy blasted out with a fastest-ever version of "Tumble and Swerve," we brought on singer/songwriter Nathan Thompson.

Nathan's a Berklee grad with a folksy, humorously off-beat presentation. His songs often point back to his Minnesota youth -- he's got a nice feel for people, land, and history. Folk, country-western, blues, with some nifty guitar lines throughout. He's performed at the Showcase three times now, and each time I get a little deeper into his music. It's a rewarding journey.

Some very satisfying songs last night. If you were there, thanks for being a part of it. If not, we hope you can make it to the next one. In any case, keep singing!