Killing Me Softly

On Saturday, I went to an early show at The Mod Club. Both performers did solo sets with just them and an acoustic guitar. First up was local singer Luka. Although the venue was still fairly empty by 7 p.m., it was still his largest mainstream audience. So I felt he missed a good opportunity to showcase his music to a crowd that, being here for J.S. Ondara, was primed for some earnest songs. Luka concentrated on new material for an upcoming album which didn't feel as strong or at least too elliptical to be accessible to a new listener. The tepid claps were stronger for his older songs Love Is The Eternal Weight and O, My Heart Is Full. Also, his usual laconic vocals didn't generate much excitement. A full band or even some back-up singers like Julie Arsenault would have really sold his crooning.

Ondara, as a Kenyan-American, had a whole album about at his new homeland called Tales of America. And over the course of his set, he took us through its promises and often its disappointments. Although his voice is clear and sweet and not the gravel of Springsteen, there was something in his lyrics and his heavy strumming that evoked the latter. He was effortlessly charming, delighting the crowd with anecdotes especially from his touring; from the man who dared him to play Heart of Gold while opening for Neil Young to the woman who worried about his mental state because of all his sad songs. I liked but didn't love his music. There was a sameness in tempo and chorus that eventually zoned me out. But the crowd loved the self-described "folk singer". There were many beatific smiles from his songs and exclamations over his soaring voice.