VOCAL Showcase March 2009

What a night for music!  Despite the dose of cold, wet, nasty weather outside, everything inside was as hot as a Richmond summer day!  A fantastic crowd gathered on March 16, 2009 to witness an outstanding performance for showcase number 212.  Drew Routh gave a fantastic solo performance, followed up by the team of Larry Cody, Eddy Kitchen and Doug Patrick.

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Thanks to Richbrau’s TapHouse for three years of hosting the showcase.  Each month our members, fans and friends gather with the songwriters to enjoy live performances of their original music.  Come down to Shockoe Slip and enjoy freshly prepared meals, at an original micro-brew as you enjoy original music performed by the song’s writer.

Drew Routh started the evening with his fine fingerwork and his unique songwriting style.  In fact, the first song wasn’t a song at all, but basically a finger excercise to get the hands going – it was impressive none the less!  Next Drew moved into ‘Dream Me Out of Here’, which is somewhat of a ballad, at least in feeling if not lyrical content.  ‘Little Better Light’ is an evocative song, that inspired emotions of hope in my mind.  Drew then introduced the song ‘No Place to Run’ as a poem, that inspired the music to accompany the words one year after its creation – sometimes good ideas take time to ferment.  Drew concluded the first set of the evening with ‘Take a Little Time’, ‘Am I Crazy?’ and ‘Right Now’.  Thanks to Drew for a varied and entertaining performance.

For the second half of the evening VOCAL presented a tag-team match – Larry Cody, Eddy Kitchen and Doug Patrick were on the card for an outstanding set of country, blue-grass(ish) and a touch of rock.  Each gentleman had a guitar in hand for each song, trading off lead or rhythm parts, with Larry Cody taking guitar solo’s in many songs.  Larry Cody took the mic first to kick off the set with ‘Ready for the Road’, an appopriate beginning for this musical journey.  The trio stopped along the way for a quick game with Doug Patrick pitching vocals on ‘Put Him in the Lineup’ – a fun song.  Eddy Kitchen stepped up to the microphone next and said hold on…we should ‘Drink This Thing Through’ – Larry Cody chimed in with some good lead guitar during the solo break.  It was great to hear Eddy’s extraordinary voice again on the showcase stage.  After this time of reflection, the trio crossed a cool running stream, passed through the valley up the hillside to visit ‘Mountain Girl’ – this song had a moving melody and the lyrics seemed to captivate the crowd who responded with a great cheer for Larry’s lead vocal and guitar solo.  While on the mountain top, Eddy again told the story in song about how ‘Good Loves Can Die’.  A tribute was also paid to ‘Molly’ in a somber, but eloquent and poetic song by Doug Patrick about a soldiers’ dying thoughts.  On the way back down the mountain, Eddy shared more thoughts with ‘If These Walls Could Talk’, Doug proclaimed ‘Think I’ve Really Done It’ and Larry sent the crowd home with a rockin’ little number and a wish for the road ‘Keep On’.  These three gentlemen put on an outstanding show that kept fellow songwriters and other attendees in awe as they presented one great song after another.

Thanks to all of those who attended and supported our performers.  A great big thanks to VOCAL volunteers, Matt Manion for sound assistance, Larry Cody for the table tent cards, Matthew Costello for web development and photography.  We’ll see you next month!