The Whiskey Charmers celebrate the release of ‘The Valley’ on vinyl at the spectacular Ghost Light in Hamtramck with Duende and Nina and the Buffalo Riders.
The Whiskey Charmers Vinyl Party
I know I sound like a broken record, but Michigan is humming with extraordinaire musical talent. Tonight’s show with The Whiskey Charmers, Nina and the Buffalo Riders, and Duende at the Ghost Light was no exception. This night would bring us the spice and tang of Duende, the smoky mystery of The Whiskey Charmers, and the boundless explosion of joy from Nina and the Buffalo Riders.
Duende
If you look up “Duende” on Wikipedia, you will find:
“El duende is the spirit of evocation. It comes from inside as a physical/emotional response to art. It is what gives you chills, makes you smile or cry as a bodily reaction to an artistic performance that is particularly expressive.”
For those who have never experienced Duende, they are an eccentric mélange of garage rock, punk, art rock, blues, rockabilly, and surf. They utterly enchanted the audience of the Ghost Light with their boisterous and handsome tunes. Laura Willem (drums) and Scott Sanford (bass) crafted a spare and powerful rhythmic canvas for the otherworldly guitar of Joel McCune. Meanwhile, Jeff Howitt exclaimed the virtues of a life well lived with his lively and evocative vocals and guitar. Cheers of “Ole” drew the crowd together as we embraced the sprightly vigor of Duende. Check out more pictures of the band in our gallery.
The Whiskey Charmers
Hitting the sweet spot on the line-up were The Whiskey Charmers. Their new album called ‘The Valley’ came out in 2017 and the long-awaited vinyl edition was reason enough to celebrate. The Whiskey Charmers are Carrie Shepard (vocals/guitar) and Lawrence Daversa (lead guitar). They added a bit of pizazz with the addition of Brian Ferriby on drums and Ozzie Andrews on bass.
The sound at the Ghost Light was perfect for the voluminous music of The Whiskey Charmers. You could close your eyes and let the band sweep you off into the heat of the desert at dusk. The smell of sage, leather, and dry heat drift by as stories of deception, temptation, heart ache, and promise linger within. Whether as a two-piece or a full band, the Whiskey Charmers never fail to tantalize. Stop into the gallery for more pictures of the band.
Nina and the Buffalo Riders
Anchoring this evening of majestic Michigan music was Nina and the Buffalo Riders. I will state for the record that I love this band. Their performances are always jubilant celebrations of the resplendent power of music. Tonight’s show at the Ghost Light was no exception. They burned the place down with their passion.
Nina Ledesma’s voice calls back to the greats such as Janis Joplin as well as current luminaries Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) and Susan Tedeschi. At the Ghost Light, Nina sounded resilient and strong. Adding texture and highlights were the sparkling guitar of Adam Enriquez and the thoughtful keys of Mike Fritz. The sinewy drive and brawny heart of the band pounded with luscious exuberance from the bass of Ramiro Romero and drums of Chris Kaszuba. Nina and the Buffalo Riders encapsulate all that is great about rock music. Head over to the gallery for more pictures of Nina and the Buffalo Riders.
The Ghost Light is a perfect venue for an intimate night of music. The room amplified and projected into the audience the radiant lust for life from each band. The Whiskey Charmers along with Nina and the Buffalo Riders, and Duende made for a magnificent evening of music.
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