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As big a fan as I am of live music, this past Tuesday marked my first attendance of Java Jive at University of Maine’s Memorial Union. So after table-blocking an elderly couple – not as hard as one would think – my friend Laura and I settled into a far corner of the North Pod for a night of in-your-face fresh talent.
It was Open Mic Night as well as Java Jive; not one but six musicians were given the chance to show their skills and show they did. First to the stage was Andy Wright, deep-red guitar in hand and a teal bandana tying back unruly hair. Wright performed a selection of original songs, particularly wowing the crowd with “Keep From Falling Apart” followed by a song about his late sister. With lyrics filled with remorse and an up-tempo yet sorrowful tone, it was clear that this song was written straight from a brother’s broken heart.
As soon as our next entertainers took the stage, I felt slightly south of completely giddy. Die-hard fans of anything that includes a harmonica, Ben Dobrowski and Ryan Michaud began their set with guitar and harmonica/bass respectively, and their sound – folk infused with rock and country – filled the air. Although Michaud departed after the initial song, the highlight of Dobrowski’s tenure on stage was his final tune. A tale of the cheating girl, his aptly dubbed “Ballad of A Broken Heart” carried more of a honky-tonk vibe and an increasing tempo that seemed to reflect his rising blood pressure and loss of patience with the aforementioned woman.
Following Dobrowski was the only female musician of the night. Rachel Joyce entertained the crowd with near-perfect instrumental renditions of songs by Sheryl Crow, Vanessa Carlton and an unnamed Australian crooner as well as her own piece. The number that received the loudest response was easily “Afterglow” by Carlton, from the artist’s sophomore album “Harmonium”. While her piano could have been mistaken for the album version, Joyce shook the lyrical speed up a bit to suit her own musical style. In the midst of her performance, she paused to lead the audience in a round of “Happy Birthday” dedicated to her friend in the audience, a man in a green cap who until this point had been sitting near the the front of the room taking pictures of the performers.
Fourth up was the obvious crowd favorite, Danny Herasymchuck. He was relaxed in his sandals, despite the chilly weather. After each of his three songs, Danny received increasing applause, and although his lyrics spoke of war and desertion, he followed each song with a smile that gave away his true nature. His sound was a bit DMB, a bit Matchbox Twenty and a lot of natural talent.
The final entertainer of the evening, Mark Stanley, was immediately off to a rough start. Dropping a piece of his arsenal on his way to the stage, Stanley seemed more than a little anxious when he took his place on stage, and his musical stylings reflected the fact. His first two pieces seemed a bit rushed and sounded too twangy. His rendition of U2′s “Where The Streets Have No Name” was a redeeming finish to his set. As he left the stage, his initial mishap was all but forgotten by the audience.
Going to the Union this past Tuesday night, there was an expectation of little more than average students displaying their average musical talents, but these on-campus musicians more than exceeded expectations.
Bangor Daily News