Voted "Best Intimate Concerts" in Utah for 2008!
Next at the Nest:
S.J. TuckerSunday, Sept 14th (Date Change!)Doors: 6:30 pmMusic: 7:00 pm |  |
A number of happy people managed to drag themselves away from the Utah Arts Festival to come to the nest and share a very fun (and funny) evening with the inimitable Randall Williams; tears and laughter were overflowing as he showed us just why he is so highly regarded. If you missed him, I know he's coming back to play the stage at the Founder's Festival, and that Rebecca Eaton is hosting him (and a capo workshop) very soon. (See our "Special Events" page for contact information.
In the meantime, I get to tell you about our next happy guest...
A talented story-teller, songwriter, and musician, S.J. ("Sooj") brings a huge voice and presence, with songs that are "hauntingly mesmerizing, yet catchy and memorable", as one reviewer has said. I would agree. She won me over with one song, and after two more, I knew I had to get her here to play the nest. So I did. And a year ago she blew everyone away with a rollicking good time.
With her own combination of deft guitar work, stunning original composition, and crystal-clear vocals, Sooj is often frequently compared to artists such as Joni Mitchell, Ani Difranco, Tori Amos, and Jeff Buckley, and for me there's more than a touch of Cheryl Wheeler's wicked humor in many of her songs as well. Like these artists, but with her own memorable style, she writes and performs for the soul, giving all she’s got (and she has a lot!) to songs of fairy-tale characters and goddesses come to life, without losing sight of the usual experiences of love, loss, and daily survival.
This year September 14th may not have a full moon, but the faeries and pixies and wild spirits will be out and listening to a great evening of music.
I hope that you will mark your calendar and make an effort to hear one of the new crop of outstanding performers in a rare western performance.
Some quotes from others about this artist that I quite liked:
“Her voice, her stories, her incredible guitar playing, and fun just blew me away."
“Tucker has a voice in a million — powerful, hypnotic, untamed and yet utterly controlled. She sings from the gut, but hers is a trained instrument."
“She sings from the heart and to the soul."
So… mark off Sept 14th and reserve your seat for what I know will be (based on last year), a sold-out concert.
It's a Sunday, so the door will open at 6:30 pm, and music will start at about 7:00 pm.
Suggested per person donation at the door is $15 (all of which goes to Sooj) and she will have CDs available for purchase so that you can take the music home with you somewhere other than in your head. As usual, there'll be the notorious limeade, but if you'd rather something else, you’re welcome to bring a beverage of your choice. I encourage you to bring a munchie to share at intermission — people have brought (and bring!) some amazing things!
We hope you can join us — let us know, so we can save you a seat. You can do this by sending an email to concerts@magpiehouseconcerts.com or give us a call at (801) 487-5552 to reserve your space. Please join us for a great evening of fun, music, love, and certainly some silliness.
Grant, your bright-eyed host (and Susanne in absentia)
Magpie House Concerts, the home of bright & shiny music!
WOW!!! We've been voted a "Best of Utah"!!
April 2008: the SL City Weekly (and its readers) voted Magpie House concerts as having the "Best Intimate Concerts" in Utah. What a great honor!
Mailings
Many people have asked that we let them know about other house concerts or similar events, and so we've decided to give it a try. However, we're both very mindful of how much unwanted email all of us get, day in and day out, and don't want to contribute to that onslaught in the slightest. So, if you'd rather only get announcements only about the Magpie House Concerts series, please let us know, and we'll promptly take care of it. (And just to help you decide, we can assure you that we will not be sending out more than one extra announcement a month, and often not even that much.)
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Thanks so much — I hope to see you soon!
Grant
