Young Singers

I like music. To me it's fun to discover young, talented musicians before the rest of the world does (if the world ever does). It doesn't really matter I guess but it's kind of analogous to finding a really cool local food purveyor, just adds to the experience. Anyway, some friends of mine and I headed down to the Blind Pig last Monday to see local up and coming Alex Winston and somewhat further along Kate Voegele. Alex is 19 year old singer/songwriter/guitarist from the metro Detroit who fronts an excellent band (that includes the 40 Oz. Sound guys and the former Electric Six bassist "John R. Dequindre" (always liked that stage name)). I've been intrigued since last year when I found her online and bought her EP off of her website. The CD arrived in the mail and I was charmed to find it in a hand addressed envelope. At the end of December some of us caught her semi-acoustic show in Ferndale. When we arrived it was pretty empty and Alex was just standing by the door inviting people to stick around for the show. We told her we were actually there for the show and then proceeded to ask her for food recommendations. I guess one of the reasons I like regional music as well is that you can pretty much interact with the musicians on a regular person level. My best wishes to all of the local musicians I've met, I want them to do well and sell records, but I also hope they are able to maintain their sanity as bigger record labels discover them.

Anyway, last Monday 2/11 was a pretty good concert. I never been a big fan of the sound at the Blind Pig. I don't know what it is exactly, perhaps a combination of things, but the sound is not the greatest and everyone knows it. But a good show nonetheless. Definitely like a couple of the newer tunes Alex and her band have been working on. And my friend Nicole is so right to describe Alex Winston's music as the kind "girls love to sing aloud while driving in their cars"... although I think everyone loves to sing it probably, perhaps only girls admit to it. One highlight of the evening was Nicole actually provided a flexible bandage (to not use the brand name) to the lead guitarist of the Whitest Light who had somehow cut himself and was bleeding all over a rather nice guitar. He later announced that "this beautiful young lady up front can help you with all of your first aid needs." So great sets by Alex Winston, Whitest Light (we weren't really in the mood for a third band but they are pretty tight nonetheless), and Kate Voegele. Kate, who was the elder female lead of the night at 20 years of age, hails from the Cleveland area I guess and has a great voice - she came through Ann Arbor last summer during the Art Fair. As some friends and I discussed, something about her voice suggests that she could turn country in a heartbeat and probably sell a gazillion more records but she seems to be into the rock which is fine by me.

You can see Alex for yourself 3/16 in Detroit when they open for Blind Melon or 3/27 again in Ann Arbor when they open for Electric Six.