The Best Kept Secret Listening Room in Asheville
Who would have thunk it? Bringing my gear into the Odditorium last night I had my doubts. Sure, the space is great. Pickled specimens in jars line the black walls. The floors are sticky. There is free popcorn in a vintage movie theater popcorn maker. PBR and Natty Bo a flowin'. Thrift store couches and a TV that plays films on mute from the golden age of cinema. It's a dive bar. A great dive bar. A great dive bar that hosts some of the premier punk, post-punk, crank-metal, loud, and adrenaline fueled acts in the area. Not a space many acoustic singer-songwriters would venture. I ventured.
Invited by Matt Townsend and The Wonder of The World, I stumbled through the side entrance with my guitar case in tow. The crowd was medium sized and loyal. They hung on every note and word. The sound was crisp and clear. It was better than any coffee shop or "listening room" I have played. There were even moments when audience members quieted nearby patrons who were engaging in banter. It was as perfect as show can get. After my set I was approached by multiple people who shared similar sentiments. "This was your best show", "It sounded great", "Powerful stuff". I'm not sure if it was a fluke or if the Odditorium is just one of those rare venues that allows the artist to be an artist. Either way, I don't care. The room was perfect. Perfect for drawing listeners into my world. I felt like a was playing my songs for the first time and small group of strangers were secretly watching me through my window. I can't say enough of how wonderful the evening, the show, the staff, and the audience were and how truly magical and inspiring it was to stumble in last night.
A woman came up to me after my show and said "I just wanted to tell you how much I loved your songs. They were so raw and honest. In fact at some points it was even uncomfortable. Like I was watching something that was meant to be private. Thank you."
I can only take partial credit for her accolades. Most are owed to the space. A dive bar that for an hour and fifteen minutes became a sacred space for listening. A space for connection, uncomfortable closeness, and story. Cheers to you Odditorium. I would play again in a heartbeat. The corner you have carved out for the songwriter is important and powerful. My battery has been re-charged and my faith restored in the all mighty venue gods of Asheville's competitive, sometimes bland, and overcrowded music scene.
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