2008 Woodie Awards
Folk artists unite for tour
Concert entices folk music enthusiasts, Spokane community
Dani King, Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/14/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
Experimental folk band Mt. Eerie, and musicians Karl Blau and Jason Anderson came to campus last Tuesday on their collaborative tour to bring the world of indie folk to Whitworth.
Unfortunately, the band D+ cancelled, but Mt. Eerie and folk legend Karl Blau performed several covers of D+ songs. Beginning in Anacortes, Wash., this group of artistically inclined musicians banded together at K Records and have been spreading the gospel of indie folk, music that's both mellow and danceable.
Approximately 75 people showed up for the event, with half of those being indie folk enthusiasts from the Spokane community. The show had been hyped by the both the "Inlander" and Spokane7.com, which applauded Whitworth's student activities coordinator Thomas Ruble for his contribution of indie musical exposure to the Whitworth campus. The Inlander said in anticipation of the show, "Whitworth will be a test site for the folk carnage," bringing a new taste of this experimental style to the realm of college student musical circles.
The show began with Mt. Eerie, getting the crowd up and dancing around the HUB with a cover of "What I like About You." The charismatic lead singer periodically gave passionate speeches between and even during songs about the mission and purpose of indie rock shows, promising to make that night a memorable one students would not forget.
Next was the highly revered experimental folk legend Karl Blau of Anacordes, Wash. His one-man act mesmerized attendees with his deep, calm voice. The feeling of the performance was intimate, as if students were getting an insider's view of how Blau would practice music in his basement or just casually play a few songs for his close friends. He took requests from the crowd and even stopped partway through a song to suddenly say, "sorry guys I'm just not feeling that one," and went on to play something else.
What was most unique about Blau's music was his use of the looping technique in which he recorded his own voice and played it back. The result was a layering of various vocal sounds with a simple, minimalist melody of his electric guitar. The mood of the music was soft, ethereal, mellow and distinctly creative.
Unfortunately, the band D+ cancelled, but Mt. Eerie and folk legend Karl Blau performed several covers of D+ songs. Beginning in Anacortes, Wash., this group of artistically inclined musicians banded together at K Records and have been spreading the gospel of indie folk, music that's both mellow and danceable.
Approximately 75 people showed up for the event, with half of those being indie folk enthusiasts from the Spokane community. The show had been hyped by the both the "Inlander" and Spokane7.com, which applauded Whitworth's student activities coordinator Thomas Ruble for his contribution of indie musical exposure to the Whitworth campus. The Inlander said in anticipation of the show, "Whitworth will be a test site for the folk carnage," bringing a new taste of this experimental style to the realm of college student musical circles.
The show began with Mt. Eerie, getting the crowd up and dancing around the HUB with a cover of "What I like About You." The charismatic lead singer periodically gave passionate speeches between and even during songs about the mission and purpose of indie rock shows, promising to make that night a memorable one students would not forget.
Next was the highly revered experimental folk legend Karl Blau of Anacordes, Wash. His one-man act mesmerized attendees with his deep, calm voice. The feeling of the performance was intimate, as if students were getting an insider's view of how Blau would practice music in his basement or just casually play a few songs for his close friends. He took requests from the crowd and even stopped partway through a song to suddenly say, "sorry guys I'm just not feeling that one," and went on to play something else.
What was most unique about Blau's music was his use of the looping technique in which he recorded his own voice and played it back. The result was a layering of various vocal sounds with a simple, minimalist melody of his electric guitar. The mood of the music was soft, ethereal, mellow and distinctly creative.
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