Enter the Rooms, Grape Street Pub, Manayunk, 12/28/07

I saw them play a set of about six songs at ten o'clock last night. The lead singer's voice was amazing and the songs were both lush and brooding and angry and tinged with hope. Quite a mood. Other people in the crowd were also obviously enjoying themselves. I was lucky enough to pick up a two song CD from the band. It includes their songs "Part of Me" and "Without You". Of those two, I prefer the latter. But I liked the music on stage the best. I have been really disappointed over the past decade or so with the lack of really strong voices in the industry. I think that the best bands are always built around the sound of the lead singer's voice. That has always been true and its also nice when the band members are able to modulate their sound and volume from night to night to support the singer's voice. Some nights the voice (a human fragile instrument), is stronger than others.

Singers also have to take such good care of their voices and it's difficult this time of year. I suggest lots of tea. In any case, it sounded great last night, the Voice. I think I was most impressed by the pain in his voice coupled with the wonderful sense of having loved and lost and regained one's footing that everyone experiences after a break up. Every good and normal person that is. I try to be that myself. I also applaud the audience for drinking and paying attention and having fun with each other and circulating the room in a manner that was respectful to the musicians.

I would guess that it means alot to them. They have to really concentrate while performing and I don't know if all bar patrons understand that the audience can ruin of support a set quite literally from night to night. Anyway, I liked the band and I really loved the space. There were several rooms each with their own feel and it seemed like a place where several things could be going on at once and not have the sound spill over from one area to the next. It's not easy to set that up. It takes an sound engineer and a management team that really care about the experience for the patrons.

My favorite thing is when establishments show care in the evenings and experiences they produce. We pay money for that after all. Sometimes, its a restaurant (I had yummy ribs at Thomas' just down the way at 4201 Main Street). Sometimes, its a tap room and sometimes its a fancy fancy place. I avoid those because I just don't feel like getting dressed up and wearing heels all the time. Sometimes that's fun too. But most nights it better just to hang out and be cool.