This is actually a long overdue post. A few weeks ago, I had stopped by one of my favorite coffee spots to use the internet and get my blog on. Austin has plenty of music constantly going, and I am always a fan of as many distractions as I can get while writing, so I was stoked to see someone setting up in the corner to perform. Not only is it good to have some live music playing, it keeps me from having to wear the uncomfortable headphones that I am wearing now. Ironically, I haven’t been back to the coffee shop since that night a few weeks ago, but I find myself sitting in the same chair again tonight for the first time.
I don’t recall the name of the guy who “opened” that night, it seemed he was more interested in telling jokes than playing music. He was definitely skilled but with little to nobody in the place, his jokes fell upon the dirty floors faster than he could churn them out. The few people that actually followed along with his jokes were the performers to follow, and friends of theirs.
It only took a song or two for me to be completely infatuated with the sounds of the second group. Claire Small, and her bassist (sorry I forgot his name), had an incredible chemistry. Her voice had my attention from the start, and her lyrics were poignant. After a few songs, I found myself following the often familiar words of her songs (some strikingly similar to some of my past writings), which annotated the experiences of her relationships throughout the path of her life.
It seemed as if somehow she had experienced many of the same trials and tribulations of love that I had. Being on the emotional roller coaster that continues to never stop, listening to the words, and combined with her beautiful voice, had tears swelling in my eyes. I was in fact, so taken back, that I was unable to even introduce myself, something that is normally a simple task. It was one of the most unexpected experiences of my time here in Austin. She is by far the most talented voices I have heard while being here, and I would definitely suggest seeing her live. The simple combination of an acoustic guitar and her voice is the most incredible music I have heard in this “Live Music Capital of the World”.
You can find her music on iTunes here.
