Discovering Music

Ok, so this entry is a step away from the political musings I've been submitting for the past year, but I thought it was worth publishing anyway. Last week, I went to the El Rey Theater on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles to see one of my favorite solo musicians perform. Now, keep in mind that I've seen Regina Spektor twice before, once opening for the Kings of Leon and the Strokes at the Paladium in Los Angeles, and once at a small venue (also in Los Angeles) called Spaceland. Unlike the Paladium show, there weren't many celebrities I ran into, unless you think Josh, the winner of Beauty and the Geek II, is anything special. I would guess not so much. Still, my eyes wandered the room searching for another Beck sighting, maybe Drew Barrymore, both who were gracious enough to allow Kari and I into their fold a couple of years ago at the Strokes concert. But, to no avail, there were none, so I turned my attention to the opening act, Only Son, a New York based one-man-band complete with a drum machine, pre-recorded background music, and a looping machine, something not unfamiliar to me. I've seen Keller Williams a couple of times, and no one does it quite as well. By the way, like Keller and Regina, I have a soft spot in my heart for the one-man-band. I too am a solo artist (guitar, harmonica, mandoline and vocals) who was inspired by the greatest of them all, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young.

However, the benefit of opening acts is that one gets exposed to yet another possibility of the discovery of new diverse sounds, fresh music that isn't pumped over and over and over through the airwaves on crappy ad-filled radio, which is one of the reasons I like Regina so much.

I've seen my share of opening acts, trust me, but never have I seen someone whose lyrics, melodies, and genuine form impress me as much as Jack Dishel, aka Only Son. The only connection I could make between Dishel and Regina, however, is the Strokes. He has opened for them a few times as well. Apparently, the music pool in New York is rather small. Still, it's a pool teaming with talent and one that I will be diving into for years to come, should it last. Anyway, I guess this blog is, in a sense, a plug for Only Son. I have yet to buy his current album the Drop to the Top, but rest assure, I will be getting it soon! For now, I will be sampling his music at www.myspace.com/only_son and at www.onlysonmusic.com .