| Laker Week Brings Mark Croft to Galley |
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| Written by Kayla Robertson | ||||
| Friday, 14 September 2007 | ||||
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Saturday night, LSSU’s The Galley featured its first OPeN LaTe event of the year with the help of a unique musical duo out of Madison, Wisconsin. Mark Croft and Julia McConahay brought a unique blend of bluegrass, Celtic, country, pop, and even funk, with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a violin. Entertaining between thirty and forty students, the duo told stories about life on the road, in the dorm, and back at home. “One of the coolest things about Mark Croft’s performance,” says Sarah Prall, a freshman in attendance, “was his humor.”
Croft managed to set aside the preconceived notion that all acoustic guitar sets must have powerful overtones conveying a sense of heartbreak and loneliness. All of his songs were upbeat, including a crowd favorite about a particularly “out-going” girl in Ireland who stole a poor country boy’s heart and left him with some new health concerns. Each song had an underlying positive message. In fact, Croft’s manager once wrote that “If Jimi Hendrix and Buddha had a funky nephew” he would have a sound very similar to the duo’s music. Songs like “Don’t it Make You Feel like Coming Home” and “The Highway” showcased Croft’s trouble finding a place to call home, a shared feeling among many college students. He said the songs were written shortly after his graduation from University of Wisconsin-Madison when, on a trip from Denver, he needed a little guidance to decide where it was that he was meant to be, to find home. Along with the feel-good quality of his lyrics, Croft has a very unique voice. His vocals can be described as less harsh than those of the Dave Matthews Band and just as easy as (though younger than) Ben Harper. The set featured a beautiful blend of bluesy music with varied country and Celtic touches. With some folk-like qualities to their music, the two present a modern genre: an eclectic display of clean, confident vocals, expressive guitar and soul-piercing violin riffs. One of the most attractive points was Croft’s non-abrasive, acrobatic vocals that set him apart from the vast majority of today’s popular male artists. The violin was enough to leave the audience feeling that any song can be improved with a little violin. The two covered such works as “Ain’t no Sunshine” by Bill Withers and “Play that Funky Music” by Wild Cherry. Although the two have only been playing together for about two years after meeting at an open mic night, they play incredibly well off of one another. Not only did they depend on each other for stage presence, several songs were synced so well that it seemed the violin answered the guitar’s call. If you’re interested in checking out the duo, their MySpace has a few songs off their latest EP, Permanent Ink. www.myspace.com/markcroftmusic. If you missed the first OPeN LaTe event at The Galley there are several more to come with food specials and free entertainment. Keep your eyes open for posters and announcements on my.lssu.  Add as favourites (0)
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