Maia + ODi+ Nick Edward Harris @ The Green Note Café - April 22, 2013
Line-up: Nick Edward Harris - http://www.nickedwardharris.com Maia - http://maiatheband.com ODi - http://www.odimusic.co.uk
Upon entrance, I was quite taken aback. The names of ticket holders were actually hand written on a piece of paper, and the band was still sound checking. There were less than 10 individuals inside, many of which I assumed to be close friends or family to the band. Surrounded by dark wood and brick walls, the one room that comprised the Green Note was very small, cozily fitting the band, a couple of tables, a bar, and hardly any place for standing. Stepping over guitar cases and denim jackets, I made my way to the back to find a place to discreetly stand while the bearded men completed sound check. Along the way, about 10 more people turned up.
Finally, Nick stepped up to the stage accompanied by his acoustic guitar and a female violinist. Opening with a lovely, folk cover song, Nick demonstrated true folk elements with his somehow soft but drastic shifts in pitch with his vocals, finger picking guitar, and foot stomping beats accompanied by the sweet violin. Just as Nick described, he sang songs of 'bad love' and 'good love'. Keeping beat with the stomp of his foot and adding in the harmonica, Nick ensured in us the personal, united feeling that the nature of folk ensues while also later adding his 'weird angst' that gives him his unique and lovely style.
Then it was the Irish duo ODi's turn who stepped on stage with just a guitarist by her side and another acoustic guitar slung across her (sometimes trading off with an piano accordion). ODi, with their soothing, but rich & powerful vocals, sang lyric filled songs of love, emotions, and 'tears & wine' while radiating sincere feeling as well as a sense of humbleness within her. From playful sing-along choruses to homemade Easter egg & rice shaking ballads, everyone took part in the seemingly personal, yet playful songs, describing feelings we all know too well with "we all want something beautiful to hold onto".
There to finish the evening was Maia, armed with a plethora of instruments - guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, drums, ukulele, trumpet, electronic keyboard, and four young men who sang, harmonized, whistled, clapped, and stomped their way through this brilliant show. With sounds that seem like they should be coming from an old vinyl, Maia dance within the realm of folk, while marvelously providing it with something all their own.
They encompass the traditional aspects of folk while also integrating their self-described ‘sci-fi, disco’ genre with their keyboard-created folk beat running alongside their acoustic, lively instrumentals with one of the guys switching from mandolin, bass, to guitar all within one minute. The Cat Stevens-esque vocals told joyful tales of ‘tiny men’ ‘living in an alligator’ accompanied by scenes of meadows, nature, and sometimes outer space. At one point, declaring it was 'time for a hoedown', the audience quickly took to their infectious happiness and playfulness and was up out of their seats singing and stomping along.
With a spirited and friendly stage presence that made me feel like I should have been sitting on an upside down bucket on the back porch, these four guys successfully take folk music and bestow it with the funky edge that makes Maia so brilliant, and subsequently makes me want to use the word ‘groovy’ again.