September 2010

I missed Chicago's infamous Lollapalooza, choosing instead to hide out in southern Colorado this summer where I could conveniently follow the music festival's madness through social networking sites. Thank God for technology.

I think it's safe to say that Lollapalooza is the only music festival I actually find exciting, and only partially because of the many musicians performing there that I am fond of - the food, and more importantly the coffee, are equal components in my interest. World-renowned Metropolis Coffee runs a full espresso bar at the festival, rain or shine, serving what is arguably the best coffee available in the Midwest - coffee good enough to convince even my hermit self to leave my secluded ranch and surround myself with scenesters, heat, and insects.

Still, I passed.

And on to something more local: last month, on the 19th of August Listener played The Senate. This is not the first time Dan Smith has spoken/shouted his poetry at a crowd of (mostly) hip hop fans. The last time he came through, I actually ran into him downtown by accident.

Back then I was only partially familiar with his work, understanding that it was very influential to a lot of local MCs that I had spoken with but not having given his 'talk music' an honest listen. These days I can say I am a very serious fan.

Listener's music is conceptually very simple and never over-produced, which almost always guarantees that a musician's live performance is more fulfilling. Listener is talk music, and the poetry that Dan Smith (Listener) writes is always stunningly intuitive yet never lacking punch.

Songs like "Train Song" mercilessly provoke the humanity of the listener while painting a colorful image of what America's untouchable caste looks like and how close we might be to them. Smith has that special gift for forcing you to not just hear his words, but feel his convictions and recognize that you are not separated in any way from what he is saying. You are a part of this.

Listener hit several venues through Colorado, including Colorado Springs August 21st at the Triple Nickel Tavern, Woodland Park the 22nd at Tony's, Denver the 25th at Summit Music Hall, and finally Greeley on the 26th at Zoe's. In September Listener plays both Chicago (TBA) and Pittsburgh at the Hot Metal Bridge. Dude gets around, and is worth witnessing, by whatever means.

For more on Listener, check out www.iamlistener.com

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Photo: Listener at The Senate. Photo by Adam Gazzola