September 2016 VOCAL Showcase
The September 2016 VOCAL Songwriter Showcase took place on Monday, September 19th at O’Toole’s Irish Pub. This was the first showcase to also feature an open mic for non-members.
Norm Roscher was the MC for the evening, and kicked off the show with one of his signature tunes I Don’t Play Doctor Any More. Why play with boys when you can hang out under the porch with some young girls playing with your favorite toys?
Glenda Creamer then took the stage with I Get Dumb in the Sun, a mixture of the summer heat/humidity and a relationship heading south. She then delivered the timely September Wind, saying goodbye to the summer and welcoming the winds of autumn.
Markiss Blowfish then brought us a triad of blues numbers, Engine # 9, Bad News Blues, and I’ve Been Around so Long. You definitely feel like you’ve heard/lived the blues after hearing what Mark has to say!
Newcomer Wayne Williams then arrived on the scene in dropped-D tuning with Going Down to the River, a rocky “Chris Knight-ish” number that had us moving to the beat. He had some cool metaphors like “lightning bugs were my candlelight”. Another Night in Memphis took us for a tour of the city with Elvis, BB King and everything in between.
Norman re-appeared on stage with his newest tune Mr. Johnson’s Sticky Substance, just oozing with adjectives only familiar to Richmonders. You and Me Baby describes making a getaway with the one you love, with no one else around.
Steve Nuckolls then performed Gibson Guitar in a Furniture Store, followed by his newest work-in-progress Vacation in Your Photo Stream. He then played his “African hymn” Simunye, with Gary Shaver on stellar harmony.
Gary Shaver delivered a heartbreaker There Must be Someone Else, followed by a poignant If I Could Go Back Home, where the highway was always calling him home.
Norman took the stage again to close out the evening with a couple of works-in-progress. The Sky is Falling is a really cool “political paranoia” number most of us can relate to. Within Your Eyes reflects the many feelings/emotions he experienced while looking into the eyes of his lover. He ended the set with the quintessential Boobs, which the audience graciously participated in.
Yet another wonderful evening with a quality showcase!
