The Unwieldies, The All Togethers and Brandon Madejek at the Huntridge Tavern

The Huntridge Tavern has always been a fave place of mine to see bands as well as to play. Great staff, cheap drinks, and the intimacy of a small, generally packed bar. The bands set up in a tiny alcove with patrons sitting and standing directly in front of them so that the "audience" is as much a part of the show as the "entertainers". 

This evening of acoustic music opened with a solo Brandon Madejek, aka Whiskey Breath, a gentleman with a powerful, whiskey-soaked yet melodic voice and a writer of songs about, yes, whiskey, as well as relationships, audiences ignoring the entertainers, a new one about a "Mountain Man" and a non-pc number about domestic abuse that has gotten him into trouble with some people without a sense of humor. Whether alone of with other members (Whiskey Breath has at times been a full band, a duo and a solo, and he has played in the All Togethers, as well), Brandon has the singing and songwriting talent to always entertain in a fun and funny manner. For this set, Brenna, from the All Togethers, sat in on cello for a couple of numbers and Ken AT sang some background, as these friends all know each other's material.

The All Togethers were up next with their self-described Hillbilly Jazz with husband/wife team of Ken (vocals/mandolin) and Cindy (upright bass/vocals) joined by Brenna (cello/vocals) and Michael (guitar vocals) in this permutation. I've ranted'n'raved about these cats'n'kittens innumerable times as they are one of my fave acts in town, acoustic or otherwise. Terrific songwriting (they performed tunes from their various recordings, as well as a couple of new numbers), kind of amazing four part harmonies and some fairly wacky covers, like a Salt'n'Pepper track (so I was told, as I know nothing of the genre and this kind of silliness goes over my head usually) and a mandolin driven "Baba O'Reilly". The AT's believe in imbibing the hooch as they play and encourage the audience to do so, as well (not that much encouragement is needed at the Huntridge) and everyone came together for a hip'n'happening good time.

Another of my fave acoustic acts are my friends in the Unwieldies. With another husband and wife team (Danielle on vocals and guitar and Rob on vocals'n'bass) joined by Jack on violin (and usually Richard on dobro, although he couldn't make it this time out), the Un's own style of singer/ songwriting "acoustic derangements" are driven by the contrast of Dani's pure'n'lovely voice and Rob's gruffly melodic tones with Jack's violin soaring sweetly'n'dramatically over it all. More fine songwriting about relationships and the world in general and their own weird'n'unexpected covers of numbers like "Billy Jean". As with everyone else this night, their personalities'n'humor brought the crowd together for a frolicking and rollicking funtime.

Thank you to Kate and the Huntridge Tavern for hosting nights of amazing local music, from acoustic interludes like this to wild punk rock and everything in between. Support these bastions of musical merriment and inebriation whenever you can!