As a musician, live performances can be one of the most difficult parts of music. When you record and do not like a track, you can do another take. If something goes wrong, it can easily be fixed. In a live performance, you do not have that luxury. You must be ready for sudden changes that are often unpredictable. You must think about your audience and how you will connect with them. Willow Run, with Jon Bishop ‘17 on guitar and senior Perry Blosser on mandolin, played a beautiful set to open for Clint Roberts, a country/blues musician and native of North Carolina currently playing music in Nashville, Tennessee.
Willow Run opened their set at Common Grounds with a powerful rendition of “Take Me To The Water.” Bishop and Blosser, both strong vocalists and instrumentalists, performed this piece seemingly perfect as if it were their own. Although the sound technicians had not balanced the instruments or microphones with each other, Willow Run adjusted themselves with no problems, reflecting their fine-tuned skills not only as musicians but as performers.
The rest of Willow Run’s set was all original songs written by Bishop and Blosser. The talented songwriters’ lyrics were meaningful to the audience and to themselves. At points during their set, they would close their eyes and move with the music, painting pictures with each note and each word. At times, I too could close my eyes and be transported deep inside my own mind as if I were playing and moving and experiencing the moment simultaneously with the band. Despite the technical issues with sound and balance, Willow Run played an intimate set in a venue filled with side conversations and constant movement of people.
The second performance of the evening was Clint Roberts. Roberts shows influences from traditional mountain music mixed with the classic sounds of country legends like Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, topped off with a unique southern blues sound. Roberts performed almost all original songs with the exception of a few covers. Roberts’ cover of the late Doc Watson’s 1964 recording of “Deep River Blues” was a great tribute to the fellow North Carolina native who has inspired countless players such as Roberts.
While his covers certainly did not disappoint, songwriting is one of Roberts’ most notable strengths. Paired with his extraordinary guitar skills, inventive use of percussion, and his unparalleled voice, Roberts is able to captivate his audience and keep their attention through the set. Roberts performed many songs from his recently released “Hamlet Blues.” One of his finest songs, “Annabelle,” is filled with emotion. The way Roberts performs, much like Willow Run, allows the listener to enter into an intimate relationship with Roberts as a musician. Many other songs from “Hamlet Blues” share characteristics with “Annabelle.” Roberts knows what he is doing, not only in the sense that he is a good writer and musician. He has purpose to what he is doing. Clint Roberts does not play music to play music; he does it because it is what he loves — a quality that is present in his music and live performances.
Despite difficulties with sound and a venue full of conversational noise, which the performers had little to no control over, both Willow Run and Clint Roberts played sets well worth my Friday evening.
