22 November 2019

Suzanne Vega & Poez the Poet

SOLD OUT!

This special evening will include Suzanne solo and will also feature Poez the Poet, an extraordinary spoken word artist.

Concert starts at 8:00 pm

Suzanne Vega

Widely regarded as one of the most brilliant songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been labeled contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known halls. In performances devoid of outward drama that nevertheless convey deep emotion, Vega sings in a distinctive, clear vibrato-less voice that has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper- brushed near-whisper” and as “plaintive but disarmingly powerful.”

Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observed the world with a clinically poetic eye,” Suzanne’s songs have always tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, often cerebral but also streetwise, her lyrics invite multiple interpretations. In short, Suzanne Vega’s work is immediately recognizable, as utterly distinct and thoughtful, and as creative and musical now, as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago. Ms. Vega continues to tour constantly, having just played dates with artists as diverse as Moby and Bob Dylan.

. . .

Poez the Poet

Years before there was slam poetry, spoken word poetry, performance poetry, slam poetry, there was Poez, making a name for himself, and originating this branch of the dramatic arts. A voice musician a young man with a flow of words like a river like a jazz instrument. In July, 1979, this is how the New York Daily News (Ernest Leogrande) described Poez (Paul Mills) early in his career as the world’s first spoken-word poet-performer, which began in 1976. There was no one else like him, because from 1976–1982, the notion of a poet who placed the emphasis, when writing and presenting his poetry, on live performance, rather than the printed page, was revolutionary and the rest of the poetry world was slow to catch on. As the New York Times put it simply, he was a spoken-word pioneer, his performance a sonic fantasia. “A consistently interesting performer with an unclassifiable act,” agreed The Stage.

  • Suzanne Vega was certainly an anomaly during the mid-Eighties, softly strumming an acoustic guitar and singing introspective ballads while the rest of the music world was caught up in bigger-is-better events like Live Aid and Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. mega-tour. In retrospect, however, Vega’s intimate first album proved to be a significant milestone in this decade, ushering in a flock of female folk singers, including Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge, Michelle Shocked, Tanita Tikaram and the Indigo Girls. Rolling Stone
  • Suzanne Vega’s a sparkler. And after more than three decades of performing, that sparkler still burns quite brightly. Broadway World
  • Vega the storyteller, between songs — not just in the songs — is as good, as important, as Vega the singer and Vega the composer. Off the Tracks, Sydney
  • . . .
  • Poez the Poet
  • The romantic troubadour street poet who just last summer when appearing for Summerthing blew a lot of minds from Boston Common to Harvard Square and back again. . . . He’s Poez . . . and practically overnight he’s established himself as the Hub’s most innovative, alive performer. Nightfall (Boston, 1976)
  • Spontaneous combustion. Figaro (Paris 1982)
  • A spoken-word pioneer. New York Times (2007)

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