september 11, 2004- crosswicks cosmic coffeehouse 6

The Cosmic Coffeehouse was thrilled to present another evening of unique, genre-busting live music.
This was the first time the event featured live vocals, and guitars actually outnumbered keyboards!
It was still an out of the ordinary night, and definitely "cosmic."

Matt bravely took the "singer-songwriter" label and crushed it under his tapping foot. Inventive playing invoked the spirit of Michael Hedges, and combined with passionate vocals and complex songs that hint of an influence by Tool, he surprised a lot of the audience with a unique and energetic performance.

BONUS: Watch these short QuickTime movie clips of the performer
here (1.9Mb), here (1.5Mb), and here (1.6Mb) .

We've been looking forward to having this band come play and the Cosmic Coffeehouse, and the audience was not disappointed. The Red Masque's powerful long-form compositions ranged from epic to intimate in feeling, and each member's diverse musical influences and talents meshed together well. Everyone went home (later than usual!) pleased with the band's performance!

A good crowd came to see and hear this evening's performance. We hope you who were there will continue spread the word that live original music is a rare and wonderful gift when it's presented here in the heart of New Jersey. There are many talented local artists who never rarely get an opportunity to play a live show, and the Cosmic Coffeehouse has tried to fill that void with a comfortable and smoke-free venue. It was encouraging for me to see a full house for this show, and I thank everyone who came for their continued support and encouragement.

For those of you who have yet to attend one of these shows, and who complain that there's no alternative to bland corporate rock, you need to come out to support these unsigned musicians' passions and efforts. If you can open your minds and your ears to these incredibly talented and underappreciated artists, then this music-- and venues like the Cosmic Coffeehouse-- can continue to entertain you, delight you... and sometimes even challenge you!

You may not always "get" it immediately or even like everything each performer does, but consider the alternatives. You are our audience-- and our reason for being-- so please help us. If you want the Cosmic Coffeehouse series to continue to grow, tell your friends! Spread the word!

-Ken Palmer

Postlude

Thanks (as always) to all of the volunteers who served the coffee and snacks, and to the audience. Your contributions help to support the Crosswicks Community Association and the upkeep of the Crosswicks Community House, and encourage us to keep the Cosmic Coffeehouse going and growing. We hope you'll join us here again next time!