october 9, 2004- crosswicks cosmic coffeehouse 7

The Cosmic Coffeehouse was thrilled to present another evening of unique, genre-busting live music.
We continued to push the boundaries this evening with two smaller groups that still managed to fill the room with an enormous variety of sonic treats!

Joined by his son Colin on drums, Peter surrounded himself with an array of guitars and effects pedals, and unleashed a very diverse set of music on an unsuspecting (and mostly late-arriving) audience. He used his tools masterfully, subtly weaving technology into his live performance. These "toys" never dominated though, and served to build layers of sound that enhanced the music in surprisingly organic ways. It often sounded as if more than two people were playing, as Peter looped his live guitar playing, and then soloed on top of it as his original riff repeated. Colin's drum technique was incredibly refined and precise, and was the perfect complement to his father's guitar playing.

BONUS: Watch these short QuickTime movie clips of the performers
here (1.3Mb) and here (1.6Mb).

This was a last-minute fill-in for the evening's second act. If this group looked familiar to some, it was because its three members have played in Crosswicks before in the various incarnations of Brainstatik. However, this particular combination of musicians had NEVER played together without the band's two guitarists. So armed with synths, bass and drums, and no previous rehearsal or planning to guide the performance, the trio-- in a one-time live collaboration-- improvised an hour's worth of music on-the-fly. With the audience's encouragement, the "fluxers" managed to create some interesting new cosmic sounds, all of which was digitally recorded for an anticipated Live from the Cosmic Coffeehouse CD.

BONUS: Watch these short QuickTime movie clips of the performers
here (1.4Mb) and here (1.6Mb).

Thanks again to those who came to see this evening's performers... the series seems to be building some momentum lately! We hope our audience will continue to spread the word: that live original music is a rare and wonderful gift to be offered here in the heart of New Jersey. There are many talented local artists who never had a place to play, and the Cosmic Coffeehouse has tried to fill that void with a comfortable and smoke-free venue. It was encouraging for me to see some familiar faces at this show, and I thank everyone-- regulars and first-timers alike-- for their continued support and encouragement to keep this little experiment going.

For those of you who complain that there's no alternative to bland corporate rock, you need to get out more often 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!

But the most important first step is this: you need to show up! You may not always "get" it immediately or even like everything every performer does (I guarantee each show will be different!), 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 to come to the November 13th show! 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!