Talking to Walls @ Bowery Poetry Club
Photos & words by Rozlyn Smith
On Friday May 28th 2010 I made my way to the Bowery Poetry Café to see Connecticut's Talking to Walls, Abe Marder, and Skye Claire and The High Society. To start the night off was Abe Marder. What really got me interested in this singer/songwriter was how he came up with some of his songs. Marder has his own blog titled “Abe Marder’s Song of the Day” where he asks his fans to submit a word and he writes a song based off the definition of that word. His songs “Cozen,” “Panacea,” and “Wrangle” were all words that were submitted to his blog and were made into songs. He revealed that “Panacea” was a word his mother submitted in hopes that her son would write a happier song, but unfortunately “Panacea” wasn’t that song. Marder also took us back to his childhood with a song he wrote at the age of seven titled “Cows.” Marder then went on to admit that while growing up, he had a dark obsession with animals. The animal theme moooooooooooved, I’m sorry, moved right along into a song about an unfriendly toad. In between songs, Marder kept the crowd laughing with his banter and stories about how the songs came about.
Shortly after Marder left the stage, Talking to Walls took the stage, performing the first of five back-to-back shows. Frontman Brian Kelly’s grabbed the microphone and started the intro for the band‘s first song for the evening, “Came to You.” Their set featured songs from their newest release, We Were Not So Tall, as well as a few “older” fan favorites and what could have been a Smashing Pumpkins cover. I couldn’t help but be in awe of the band's stage presence, you could see the chemistry that this band possesses and how they mesh together both musically and personally. During their set, Kelly spoke to the audience about how the band supports a non-profit organization called To Write Love on Her Arms, which is an organization set out to help those suffering from depression, addiction, self harm and suicide. Who can’t help but love great musicians with a desire to help those who are in need of help?
As much as I thoroughly enjoyed all the songs performed that night, one stuck out and has been played numerous times a day on my Ipod; that song is “Cut Out.” I can give you a very simple reason why “Cut Out” has such an impact on me; the song reminds me not to give up hope, and that no matter how hard things may seem at that moment things will always get better. Who doesn’t need a song like that every once and a while? The band closed their set with “Song for Megan,” which the crowd eagerly sang along to! After their set, I had the pleasure to ask the band a few questions:
On Friday May 28th 2010 I made my way to the Bowery Poetry Café to see Connecticut's Talking to Walls, Abe Marder, and Skye Claire and The High Society. To start the night off was Abe Marder. What really got me interested in this singer/songwriter was how he came up with some of his songs. Marder has his own blog titled “Abe Marder’s Song of the Day” where he asks his fans to submit a word and he writes a song based off the definition of that word. His songs “Cozen,” “Panacea,” and “Wrangle” were all words that were submitted to his blog and were made into songs. He revealed that “Panacea” was a word his mother submitted in hopes that her son would write a happier song, but unfortunately “Panacea” wasn’t that song. Marder also took us back to his childhood with a song he wrote at the age of seven titled “Cows.” Marder then went on to admit that while growing up, he had a dark obsession with animals. The animal theme moooooooooooved, I’m sorry, moved right along into a song about an unfriendly toad. In between songs, Marder kept the crowd laughing with his banter and stories about how the songs came about.
Shortly after Marder left the stage, Talking to Walls took the stage, performing the first of five back-to-back shows. Frontman Brian Kelly’s grabbed the microphone and started the intro for the band‘s first song for the evening, “Came to You.” Their set featured songs from their newest release, We Were Not So Tall, as well as a few “older” fan favorites and what could have been a Smashing Pumpkins cover. I couldn’t help but be in awe of the band's stage presence, you could see the chemistry that this band possesses and how they mesh together both musically and personally. During their set, Kelly spoke to the audience about how the band supports a non-profit organization called To Write Love on Her Arms, which is an organization set out to help those suffering from depression, addiction, self harm and suicide. Who can’t help but love great musicians with a desire to help those who are in need of help?
As much as I thoroughly enjoyed all the songs performed that night, one stuck out and has been played numerous times a day on my Ipod; that song is “Cut Out.” I can give you a very simple reason why “Cut Out” has such an impact on me; the song reminds me not to give up hope, and that no matter how hard things may seem at that moment things will always get better. Who doesn’t need a song like that every once and a while? The band closed their set with “Song for Megan,” which the crowd eagerly sang along to! After their set, I had the pleasure to ask the band a few questions:
Star Beat Music: Where do you draw inspiration for the band’s songs?
TTW: From putting a spin on personal stories. Nat and I collaborate on writing some of the songs.
TTW: From putting a spin on personal stories. Nat and I collaborate on writing some of the songs.
SBM: The song “Cut Out,” what inspired it?
Talking to Walls: Frustration. After a long drive home from Long Island, I realized I had a decision to make and that the right decision is normally the right one.
SBM: What inspired the band to support To Write Love on Her Arms?
TTW: It is a good, band friendly community that is set out to help those who need to make the decision to get help for themselves.
Talking to Walls: Frustration. After a long drive home from Long Island, I realized I had a decision to make and that the right decision is normally the right one.
SBM: What inspired the band to support To Write Love on Her Arms?
TTW: It is a good, band friendly community that is set out to help those who need to make the decision to get help for themselves.
SBM: How did the band come about?
TTW: The timing worked out, especially when we were looking for a bassist. We were looking for a bassist at the same time Matt was looking for a band.
SBM: So how does it feel to be playing five shows in 24 hours?
Talking to Walls: So far, pretty good. I’ll be a little worried after tonight. We’ve never played more than two back to back.
SBM: Some of your songs are about giving up hope, what advice would you give for those who are close to giving up hope?
TTW: (Jokingly) Buy our records! You have to own up to who you are, and sometimes you need to make a change to be the person who you want to be. Hope is having an open road, to find your own way and sometimes it takes longer than you’re comfortable with. But the first step is to accept help, to know it in your head is one thing, but to know it in your heart is another.
TTW: The timing worked out, especially when we were looking for a bassist. We were looking for a bassist at the same time Matt was looking for a band.
SBM: So how does it feel to be playing five shows in 24 hours?
Talking to Walls: So far, pretty good. I’ll be a little worried after tonight. We’ve never played more than two back to back.
SBM: Some of your songs are about giving up hope, what advice would you give for those who are close to giving up hope?
TTW: (Jokingly) Buy our records! You have to own up to who you are, and sometimes you need to make a change to be the person who you want to be. Hope is having an open road, to find your own way and sometimes it takes longer than you’re comfortable with. But the first step is to accept help, to know it in your head is one thing, but to know it in your heart is another.
Sky Claire and the High Society
To close out the show was Skye Claire and the High Society. I felt the up-most sympathy for High Society’s guitarist, his guitar was stolen, but Nat Webb of Talking to Walls saved the day by lending him his guitar and thus, saved the show! When I saw Skye Clair grace the stage, I really thought I was going to hear some catchy pop-rock, much like those of Taylor Swift. Boy was I mistaken when Claire went into a cover of none other than Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” I was blown away by the pipes on this girl and how she was able to really rock out to Cobain’s full of angst song. To end her set she performed an original song titled “Real Girl,” which was about a doll that came to life. The song had a dark feel to it, yet it was catchy at the same time-a job well done! Skye Claire and the High Society is getting ready to release an album on July 24th.
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