On A Local Note...

I went to see Ryan Adcock tonight at the College Hill Coffee Company, which was my first trip to that part of town. I got lost on the way home, but thanks to a cellphone call to my mom, I was quickly headed in the right direction.

Because I had never been there, I arrived a little late, however, I still caught a good hour-and-a-half of acoustic Adcock.

Churning out stripped-down versions of the songs you'll hear on his albums, while tossing in a few covers here and there (David Gray's "Babylon", Dylan's "Watchtower" and The Band's "The Weight"), Ryan alone plays with the same amount of heart and soul only a full band can possess.

I instantly became a fan of his music, some several years ago, partly due to his unique guitar playing technique, but for the most part it had to do with what I felt through his hopeful lyrics and reassuring voice.

A good amount of his show tonight was based around the songs of his past two efforts, 2002's From Silence and Joy and 2006's Unfinished. Some of the songs change a little bit when he's playing solo, and you may even see him go off into the wonderful world of improv.

Then there was the new material. Many songs. I lost count. I remember hearing a few back at MidPoint last year, but for the most part, what I was hearing was new to my ears. It's like the man gets ten times better with each song he writes.

He also noted that his next album has already been recorded, with a release date sometime in May or June. He's got a few other surprises up his sleeves in the coming months (which I won't mention), the first coming in about a week. Make sure to check out his site for all the latest news.

I will give you two hints, however. Two words. Flare and gun. You figure it out.