If the wish of becoming a performer is truly burning deep down inside you, prepare to do a lot of talking! In fact, there will likely be more talking than singing, acting, juggling, etc. You’ll need it when trying to earn gigs, looking to establish connections, and especially when trying to convince an audience to stop and give you their attention.
That is why, from Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to Tom Waits’ Nighthawks, to even the black metal singer promising audiences relentless gore, great live singers are great entertainers. Sure, Bob Dylan doesn’t utter a word on stage, but the silence is also communicating the songwriter’s ideas.
On his live album, Mike Stocksdale takes the opportunity to properly meet the crowd, share stories and crack jokes. It’s an anti-corporate concert event. That’s why “Settle Down! Live at the Hotel Cafe 12.11.24” sounds intimate and friendly. You can almost imagine that Stocksdale might remember the faces of the people in the first row.
What really helps Stocksdale out of any jam with a potentially unresponsive audience is that he’s charming and good-natured. So is the music. Songs like “Who Am I?” sounds like Laurel Canyon acoustic folk minus the ego trips. Stocksdale sings about travelling the world, teaching classes, and playing music. It’s a diary entry set to the tune of an unplugged guitar.
The in-between song chatter works well as a comedy bit. It’s pulled off relatively effortlessly. And it gives the audience a 2-for-1, observational comedy and socially conscious modern folk music.
But that’s not to say that Stocksdale is naive or simply happy-go-lucky. He knows how terrible things can be on the outside of the concert halls. But he sees the benefit in drowning that noise out. “Bad Bad World” is about refusing to quit in spite of your instincts telling you to do so. “Times Goes By, So…” is about filling up one’s life with worthwhile memories instead of empty words and garbled broadcasts. And, on the inspired “Wishes and Wants,” the author of a safe escape.
Still, before all of this bums you out too much, know that Stocksdale inevitably returns to his true nature in the end. Towards the end of the set, the songwriter picks on celebrity culture for “Matador” and delivers the playful blues of “Dirty Bar of Soap.”
Where does it all leave us? Hopefully, floating a little bit above the muck and the mire. Folk songwriters like Mike Stocksdale take on the difficult duty of bringing songs about the real world in front of real people, not just computer screens. And if listening to all of that felt nice, why not support your local folkie today?
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