A band with no name ...

It was close to midnight before I returned home from the DAAC (Division Avenue Arts Cooperative) last night after listening to Dylan's band play. They were following two other bands playing downtown last night and Dylan thought it would be about 9:00 or 9:30 before they would be on. I was meeting a friend of mine there, and we decided it might be fun to hear all three groups. The DAAC is just an old store-front turned musical venue ... a long narrow standing-only dimly-lit kind of place ... no alcohol ... no food or drink of any kind ... small cover charge.

The first group, The Crooked Saints ... whew ... they were LOUD. I liked some of their sound, but I could distinguish very few lyrics; and the next band, Karl and I, was completely incompatible with anything I could figure out musically or otherwise ~ and so since I can't think of anything positive to say about it, I will just let it go! We decided to walk around downtown a little bit while those bands were playing ... otherwise, I'm not certain but what our hearing would have been forever impaired!
It was actually 10:20 (you can't trust musicians with time constraints) before Dylan's band played ... it's not actually Dylan's band ... he is just one member of this delightfully talented group of young folk ... who have NO NAME for their band! If you go back to the picture of the sign that was in front of the DAAC, you'll notice the two bands listed and then a blank line ... the blank line is Dylan's band. A few weeks ago, there was a talent type of contest at Calvin College, and this no-named band came in first place! They were awarded studio time to cut a demo-CD of one of their songs. I heard that cut last week and really liked it. But after listening to a few numbers from the first two groups, I was beginning to feel somewhat nervous about Dylan's band. One of the guys in Dylan's band actually played in the first two bands as well ...
This is Kelli, the lead female vocalist. I hope I spelled her name correctly. If she spells her name with a "y" at the end, it doesn't fit her personality at all. She needs an "i" at the end of her name! I'll try to describe her voice to you ... it floats ... and sometimes it's flittery ... and it reminds me of a beautiful butterfly dancing about ... completely enchanting. Kelli has a wonderful presence on stage and she really engages the audience. But then the entire group was that way! And so many instruments: trumpet, violin, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, tambourine, guitar, drums ... and they write this wonderful stuff ... I thought the whole thing rather bohemian (in the positive sense of that word).
Dylan plays bass guitar and claims he is the least talented member of the band. After observing Dylan last night, he appears to be a natural on the bass guitar ~ he has great rhythm and confidence on this instrument. And it's obvious to me that this group enjoys a special musical and personal comraderie ... they had such a great time performing together.
One fellow played guitar, sang lead, alternated between singing and playing the harmonica, while another guy played the guitar and tapped on the tambourine with his feet! There was even a number entitled, "The Train Song" and the audience was invited to make various train noises throughout. And during one number, we were shown how to rub our hands together to simulate the sound of lightly falling rain! The place was completely packed out last night and the crowd was so full of joy! I stood and watched it all and soaked in the happiness! It was a late night for me, but so worth it!

"Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his heavenly dwelling;
praise Him in his mighty heaven!
Praise Him for his mighty works;
praise His unequaled greatness!
Praise Him with a blast of the trumpet;
praise Him with the lyre and harp!
Praise Him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with a clash of cymbals;

praise Him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that lives sing praises to the LORD!

Praise the LORD!" PSALM 150