Wednesday nights are not normally ones you can call exciting; it's the middle of the week and while the majority of the 9-5 is behind us, there are still two days of the solid grind staring us in the eyes before the weekend hits and we have our freedom to explore. However, refusing to let the foresight of my tired feet ruin a perfectly fine evening, I take to my trusty computer and it's schedule of upcoming events. After quickly researching the Red Brick's web site at 8:10pm , I discovered that a show was already ten minutes underway, and so without hesitating I sought to revel in the mid-week celebration, and dashed out the door. It seemed that Wednesday's clock was on my side, because, due to an extremely fortunate delay to my benefit, by the time I had my drink and found seat at the back of the room, Zachary Lucky was just sitting down to start his performance.Before I continue here, I have decided that to pay fair and proper recognition to both artists in this show, I am going to separate their performances into their own respective entries. I will write them as they appeared on stage and with no prejudice or favouritism to highlight one more than the other. Both Steph and Zach impressed me with their show(s) and so this seems the best way to highlight and share their abilities with readers yet unfamiliar. So since it was he who went on first, I present to you the talents of Zachary Lucky.
Zach's performance was something that reminded me there are still musicians out there who honestly feel what they play. A statement like that may sound strange, but it's unfortunately true in the sense that I've seen musicians who play, sing and orchestrate their music just fine, but when it comes to the emotional side of their abilities, it falls flat, and subsequently so does their music. Zach, however, caters equally and graciously to all angles of those delicate ingredients which give an artist his or her proper title.
Between songs he bantered appropriately and playfully with the clearly impressed audience, making everyone feel at ease and comfortable with his presence. No longer a stranger in the room, he shared stories through song, and we were all not only captivated, but also sympathetic, hopeful, and touched by the messages and words within his seemingly effortless craft. Both in the way he plays and sings, his music bares an honest and stripped down truth to life, love, living and losing.
Born of Saskatoon, he is currently on a cross country tour, touching down in many of the big cities, and fortunately a few of the small as well; though this was his first time in the city of Guelph, hopefully, and by his own words, it will not be his last. I had a chance to speak with him briefly after the show and if I can say one thing about his personality off stage, it's that it is inviting. Approachable and clearly passionate for music, he did not shy away from any question given by the surrounding group of listeners, connecting on a personal level with anyone who approached.
His talents of acoustic and inspired folk have been featured on CBC radio, have garnered the attention of magazines, fanzines, and an expanding circle of happy listeners. You can find his music pretty much anywhere on the Internet, including iTunes, myspace, youtube, you name it, he's out there and I strongly recommend you go looking; and while you're at it, I would also suggest preparing yourself for the next entry and check out the musical styling of Steph Macpherson. As separate entities they are fantastic musicians, but as the performance last night proved to me: get them together and you've got something requiring an audience. More on that soon - Steph Macpherson to follow by the weekend.
Phil
To check out Zach's music, visit:
Recommended listening
Coming Back Home
Lonely Song
Don't Ask Me To Sing For You
But of course I encourage you to explore the rest.
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