Sam Amidon: Home Alone inside my Head

November 24th, 2008 at 02:24pm kristen

Last Thursday we were so lucky to have musician/comic artist Sam Amidon join us for the second part of the series Mix: New Performance at MAD, curated by Steffani Jemison with Jessica Sucher. Sam was raised in Vermont by parents who were both folk-artist musicians, and has continued on to discover his own musical and creative talents. Through his sketches, jokes and tunes Sam examines questions like “If folk music’s social origins have disappeared, what about the sound of a lone voice and banjo?” and “If MTV has co-opted DIY culture for its own ends, what about the persistent trace of a pen on paper?”. 

 Sam was joined by two very special guests, Bruce Greene and Loy McWhirter, who ventured up from their home in North Carolina to grace us with their spectacular folk music. It was very touching to have this down-to-earth couple sing sweet duets and share their skills on the fiddle.  After Sam had a chance to join them on the fiddle for a few songs, he sat down with Bruce and had an informal interview. Sam asked of Bruce’s life experiences; what had brought him to this point? The performance was then focused on Sam’s music and his humorous comics, bringing his own twist to folk music.  This evening that considered “the romance and relevance of ‘a traditional art that has passed the point of no return’” allowed the audience to make comparisons between old and new, and enjoy a night with truly talented musicians.

Images coming soon!

Entry Filed under: mad happenings