Homer's Travels: Music: Tempo Of Twilight Series: Orenda Fink, Adrianne Verhoeven & Brad Hoshaw

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Music: Tempo Of Twilight Series: Orenda Fink, Adrianne Verhoeven & Brad Hoshaw

Tuesday evening I decided it was time to leave the house and try, once again, to experience some new music.  This time I went to Lauritzen Gardens to listen to some local Omaha performers.

I set up my chair on the grass thinking that the concrete patio area, where the stage was set up, was off limits.  Turns out I was wrong and before you know it my view, not good to begin with, was obscured.  Can't say this was the best venue.  Being a botanical garden, there were several stands of tall plants that blocked the view for a large chunk of listeners.

The concert started early at 6:00 PM with Brad Hoshaw, lead singer for Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies.  Hoshaw was alone on the stage with an acoustic guitar and gave us a very mellow set.  He has a great, soft voice with lots of potential.  I may check out his band's CD when it comes out in November.  The music was a little too soporific for my tastes though.  A little more umph would have helped.

It may be that he chose the type of music for the crowd.  The age range in the crowd was to the older side - 50s, 60s, 70s - with a smattering of middle aged and younger.  I kind of felt out of place. 

After Hoshaw finished his set, I moved my chair onto the concrete to a place with an unobstructed view.  It also got me away from most of the talkative and annoying crowds back on the grass.  I think the crowd, with had a very red state feel to them, were more interested in smoosing then listening to music.  During Hoshaw's set there was this constant murmuring of people talking including two ladies who were talking loudly and cackling.  I finally caught the eye of one of the annoying ladies and said "Thank you for being rude."  I know what I said was rude and two rudes do not make a polite but other people had asked them to be quiet more politely and they didn't stop talking until after my blurt.

Away from the murmur, I was able to enjoy the main act, Orenda Fink accompanied by Adrianne Verhoeven.  Both have solo albums out and they are both members of Art in Manila and several other local bands.  Fink played an electric guitar and Verhoeven was on keyboard.  I liked Fink.  Nice singing voice.  Interesting music - though once again a little too mellow.  Definitely not toe tapping dance music.  A little girl, 2 or 3 years old, walked up to Fink and twirled a little but but I'm not sure she was twirling to the Fink's music or the music in her cute little head.  Fink apologized to the little girl saying that her music isn't the best to dance to.  I would be tempted by her music if she had something a little more upbeat.

The concert ended rather early before 8:00 PM.  I would have chopped a couple songs off Hoshaw's set and added three or four more songs from Fink and Verhoeven.  But that's just me.  Still, after the unsuccessful attempts to attend concerts in the area, I had a nice time finally getting to hear some music.

3 comments:

  1. Maybe the venue dictated what they played and they kept their raucous music for dimly lit pubs. Flowers don't appreciate rawk.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Heh - Just A Girl said exactly what I was going to say! LOL Anyway, great that you finally, successfully, made a concert!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JaG: I would have to agree. The audience was full of blue haired little old talkative ladies which probably frown on anything remotely related to Rawk.

    GH: JAG is as swift with her comments as she is on her feet. Yeas it was. I have another chance at the concert I missed this Friday in the same park. Wish me luck.

    ReplyDelete