Rachel Ann Weiss (Blues/Soul) Announces EP Release Show at Rockwood Music Hall on Sept. 8th

According to TheReelSpin.com, Rachel Ann Weiss features “breathtaking lyrics, soulful vocals, and a debut album that demands to be an instant favorite.” Her method of personalized songwriting is indicative of Weiss’s desire to connect with audiences who long for vulnerability and sincerity. Inspired by the heart-on-his-sleeve styling of the late Jeff Buckley, Weiss seeks to “express in my music what is difficult to express in real life.”

Regarding the track streaming above, Weiss proudly acknowledges in her interview with American Songwriter that she wrote “Dark Is Coming Soon” with Jeff Buckley very much in mind: “I decided to use a few chords from Jeff Buckley’s “Lover, You Should Have Come Over” in the chorus and that inspired me to finish the song with him in mind. So, ultimately, it’s about two men that have influenced me greatly: Jeff Buckley and a former love of mine.”

Rachel will release her next EP, Always, on September 9, 2014 and she is playing an EP release show on September 8th at Rockwood Music Hall. Weiss is scheduled to take the stage at 9:30PM and 'cover' is the usual 'one drink per set'.



Inspired by the work ethic of her mother, the famed actress Kathleen Turner, Weiss has worked tirelessly over the past year and a half. She is now capping off a successful first half of 2014 in which she performed a number of enthusiastically received shows. She kicked off the spring with sold-out shows in New York City and a March showcase at The Heart of Austin, presented by Sony. Weiss then made her London debut at The Match Bar in June. The Always EP release will include “Dark Is Coming Soon” as an ‘instant gratification’ track. With a pre-release purchase of the EP the fan will collect “Dark Is Coming Soon” immediately. The rest of the EP will be delivered on release date: September 9th, 2014. Weiss is now preparing to go back on the road in September in support of Always.

Links:
Rachel Ann Weiss

Joan Osborne - City Winery, NYC 4-14-10

I made my first visit to City Winery earlier this week to catch the second of two sold-out shows by Joan Osborne.

I haven't seen Joan Osborne live since an early club show when Relish was first released (and "One of Us" was getting played to death on the local 'modern rock' station). In watching Joan's live show now fifteen years later, the radio stations back in the 90's may have latched onto the 'wrong' song. Joan's set on Wednesday night featured more roots/blues oriented songs which were closer in comparison to artists like Bonnie Raitt than anything 'modern rock'. If anything, Joan's voice has gotten stronger over the years and she has a solid band that complements her vocal stylings well.



I didn't keep a set list during the 90+ minute set but noted some of the highlights:
- "Brokedown Palace"; a Grateful Dead cover which Joan introduced as a song she rehearsed with the Dead but never sang live
- "Long Black Coat"; a Bob Dylan cover which is back in the setlist after a multi-year absence
- "St. Theresa"; one of my favorites from Relish
- "Spiderweb"; played as a slow, funky jam
- "Hallelujah in the City"; incredible vocals
- "What Became of the Brokenhearted"; a Jimmy Ruffin/Motown cover from the mid-60's

Joan also road-testing some new material and had two new songs in the set.

I really enjoyed City Winery as well as both the sound and the sight lines were great. What I especially appreciated is that the service was attentive without being intrusive. As such, I've subsequently joined City Winery's Vinofile club (which gets you no service fees on tickets) and have bought tickets for the upcoming Suzanne Vega/Lloyd Cole show next month.

Joan Osborne is playing a limited set of shows over the next few months and here are the upcoming tour dates:

Apr. 16, 2010 -- Tupelo Music Hall Londonerry, New Hampshire
Apr. 17, 2010 -- Blue Ocean Music Hall, Salisbury, Massachusetts
Apr. 24, 2010 -- Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds, Washington
Jun. 13, 2010 -- Riverbend Festival: Tennesse Valley Stage, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Jul. 10, 2010 -- Vancouver Island Musicfest: Courtenay Exhibition Grounds, Courtenay, British Columbia
Jul. 24, 2010 -- Churchill Downs - HullaBalou Festival, Louisville, Kentucky

Links:
Joan Osborne