TAARKA!

Last night’s adventures started late, I went to see TAARKA do a 10 PM show at Pete’s Candy Store. That’s in Williamsburg so I had to leave considerably before then. I guess I should point out that Pete’s Candy Story is not a Candy Store; it’s a bar with a dedicated room in the back for live music. It’s small but a true listening room.

TAARKA was my top discovery at NERFA. There is always some trepidation seeing a band I loved for the first time outside of conference. Will I love them as much when they are no long brand new to me? Was I prejudiced because I liked them as people? Did I create the band I wanted in my mind?

I’m happy to report that TAARKA if anything is better than I remembered them. The one thing I hold against them as a blogger is that they are difficult to write about. They do many things, they are legion, they are a multitude. They describe themselves as “Indie Folk, Gypsy Jazz, Bluegrass, Chamber Rock.” They take seriously the maxim, “There are two kinds of music; good music and the other kind. We don’t play the other kind.” What lets them do this is that they are great musicians, Enion on fiddle and David on guitar and octave mandolin. I’m not actually sure that it’s an octave mandolin. I am sure I asked him at NERFA and forgot the answer. Trying to decide what I like best gives me insight into why they do so many different things. I love when they do instrumentals as they both play so well. I love when David sings lead as I get to hear Enion play fiddle unencumbered. I love when Enion sings as she has an amazing voice but that inhibits her fiddling. I love when they sing harmonies. No wonder they want to do all these things. They want to use all their abilities to their utmost. The common thread in all their music is genius. They never go through the motions. They aren’t satisfied with sounding pretty. There is a lot of there there.

A young man was sitting at his computer during the show. He was too young to be in a bar. As I suspected he was Enion and David’s son; he was selling their merch. He had special permission to be there. I wish I had a chance to talk to him. If TAARKA gets into Falcon Ridge, something I very much want to happen, I invited them to camp with us. Their son would have plenty of company. I love our camp, Buddha-Pest, the combination of Budgiedome and the Dharma Café. Like TAARKA’s music, it’s a wonderful blend. We have professional musicians, presenters, techies, clergy, scientists, kids, parents, and those that defy classification.

After the show I headed straight home, via a different route than I went. I took advantage of construction on the 4, it ran express in the Bronx. I love when weekend construction helps instead of hinders me.

Today I’m seeing four bands, Dan Rauchwerk in the afternoon at the Word Up Community Bookshop in Washington Heights. Then on to Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1 for The Bright Siders (Kristin Andreassen and Kari Groff), Kaia Kater, and Lulu Wiles. I’ll be seeing five great bands in 24 hours. There’s no such thing as too much music.