" As the founder and chief organizer of ... For The Sake Of The Song, Coman has done the seemingly unthinkable by reinventing cover songs into something fresh and novel."
-Ryan Bray, Weekly Dig
Young Folks: Tribute series honors ‘Harvest’ with host of local talent
Jonathan Perry (Boston Globe)
Patrick Coman knew he was onto something special when the casual, singer-songwriter-themed house concerts he had been hosting from home became bigger than his Allston apartment.“I started doing these shows as a series, and would invite musicians I knew and they’d come and play and invite friends,’’ recalls Coman, an Oklahoma native who last year released his roots-flavored debut album, “Southern Storms.’’ “But then we started outgrowing my living room and I had to move, so I lost the space.’’
Preview: For the Sake of the Song Presents Neil Young's Harvest
J. Patrick Harris (Weekly Dig)
"Not quite sure if that kickass track you’re listening to is off of Neil Young’s legendary solo album Harvest? Here’s a quick test you can perform to know for sure: take a good look at your ass. Is it gettin’ kicked? Then your answer is yes. Not quite sure if you’re listening to very best of Boston roots covering the whole frickin’ thing in its entirely as part of the For the Sake of the Song’s “Harvest” Benefit over at the Middle East Upstairs? Take a good look at your ass. Is it in the hospital? Then your answer is yes."
For the Sake of the Song Presents Neil Young's Harvest
Jeff Wallace (MySecretBoston.com)
Wednesday (May 18) at the Middle East (Upstairs) one of Neil Young’s finer collections will get an all-star touch up. Harvest is the chosen canvas, and on the bill will be Sarah Blacker, Danielle Miraglia, the Autumn Hollow Band, James Houlahan, Patrick Coman (above), and Garlic & Moonshine. This will be the second For the Sake of the Song showcase. Last year the crew tackled Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. But the event is held not just for the love of these relics; proceeds go to a great charity, Music Drives Us, which supplies grants for music programming to people and organizations that use music as a tool for change.
The man behind the concept, singer/songwriter Patrick Coman, runs a monthly show at the Armory in Somerville that pays tribute to a different artist each time. Recently the group did Leonard Cohen (I wish I'd gone), and is scheduled to cover Springsteen on May 28. These guys and girls also have a strong batch of original tunes in their own right, and you can always catch them performing. Actually, that’s the biggest reason why they command respect around town. Tickets are available on Ticketweb and more info can be found on the For the Sake of the Song website. (Wednesday, May 18, Middle East upstairs, 8 p.m., 18+, $10)
For the Sake of the Song Performs Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks"
-Jonathan Perry's Scene and Heard column in the Boston Globe
What goes better with the holiday season than one of the most soul-lacerating, emotionally harrowing albums of all time? Except for whiskey, copious amounts of mood elevators, and a fool-proof method for avoiding in-laws or extended family, not much. The good folks behind “For the Sake of the Song’’ know it’s a perfect time to ponder the wreckage of relationships gone awry. With that in mind, they’re tackling Dylan’s 1975 masterpiece in its entirety with a performance featuring Brendan Hogan, Patrick Yerby, Dressing the Debutantes, Patrick Coman, and others . All proceeds benefit the New England chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. Arts At The Armory Café, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Tickets: $10. 617-718-1755, www.artsatthearmory.org
Tangled Up in Tunes
- Lauren Ostberg (Somerville News)
-Ryan Bray, Weekly Dig
Young Folks: Tribute series honors ‘Harvest’ with host of local talent
Jonathan Perry (Boston Globe)
Patrick Coman knew he was onto something special when the casual, singer-songwriter-themed house concerts he had been hosting from home became bigger than his Allston apartment.“I started doing these shows as a series, and would invite musicians I knew and they’d come and play and invite friends,’’ recalls Coman, an Oklahoma native who last year released his roots-flavored debut album, “Southern Storms.’’ “But then we started outgrowing my living room and I had to move, so I lost the space.’’
Not for long. Last year, Coman began hosting a similarly minded monthly music series dubbed “For the Sake of the Song’’ headquartered at the Armory Center for the Arts in Somerville, but whose reach has since extended into clubs in and around the city. Every month at the Armory, “For the Sake of the Song’’ pays local tribute to a legendary artist — next up is Bruce Springsteen on May 28 and Joni Mitchell on June 18 — and then tackles a specific, equally legendary, album every six months at a different venue picked by Coman. All of the proceeds go to charity.
Next Wednesday at the Middle East Upstairs, Coman and a handful of local artists will cover Neil Young’s beloved 1972 LP, “Harvest,’’ in its entirety. The show will benefit Music Drives Us, a New England nonprofit foundation that provides grants for educational music programs. Coman says he sees these album-covering shows, which kicked off last December with a performance of Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks,’’ as a creative “way to give back to the community.’’ The overwhelmingly positive response to the Dylan show, which raised funds for the New England chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, signaled to Coman that there was a lot of good work — and works — yet to be done.
“What was interesting to me when we did that ‘Blood on the Tracks’ show is that so many musicians were not only willing to do it, but they were eager to do it,’’ Coman says. “They were like, ‘I don’t have a lot of money, but this is something I can do.’ ’’ Coman’s also giving back by pairing local artists with well-known works.
“I thought this could be a fun way to draw people in,’’ he says. “Last month we did a Leonard Cohen show and we had all these [Cohen] fans come out. And maybe they haven’t heard of [local artists like] Danielle Miraglia or James Houlahan or Sarah Blacker. But the idea is for them to come hear some of this familiar music — and also hear original music from some of these great artists that we have here in town.’’
Somerville musician Miraglia, who will perform Young’s “Alabama,’’ says she jumped at the chance. “If you’re a singer-songwriter, how can you not be at least aware of Neil Young?,’’ says Miraglia, a bluesy folk singer-guitarist whose new album, tentatively titled “Box of Troubles,’’ is due out next month. “When you have a night like this where everybody is passionate about the artist, it’s a cool thing because you have a mutual love for the artist you’re covering, and I think it comes out in the song.’’
Miraglia chose to perform “Alabama’’ — one of Young’s most searing tracks, and which, along with “Southern Man,’’ provoked Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd to respond with a well-known salvo of their own — precisely because “it’s so biting, and it gets to the point. He’s not dancing around it.’’
Meanwhile, Cambridge singer-songwriter Sarah Blacker will cover “Old Man’’ and “A Man Needs a Maid’’ — songs that represent Young at both his most accessible (the former) and enigmatic (the latter).
“I knew probably about 90 percent of the songs on ‘Harvest’ but [‘A Man Needs a Maid’] is one I wasn’t wildly familiar with,’’ says Blacker, a music therapist and Music Drives Us ambassador whose latest album, “Come What May,’’ was released earlier this year. “But it just drew me in. It’s almost like a classical piece with different movements, and his voice just shimmers.’’ On an album chock full of classic songs, she says, “it was one that made my hair stand on end immediately. That’s when you know.’’
‘For the Sake of the Song’ to honor Bruce Springsteen
‘For the Sake of the Song’ to honor Bruce Springsteen
-Sanjeev Selvarajah, (Somerville News)
Local musicians will gather to pay tribute to The Boss when The Armory Center for the Arts hosts For the Sake of the Song: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen this coming Saturday, May 28, at 8 p.m.
The group has been presenting their For the Sake of the Song events at various venues throughout the area, celebrating the music of music legends such as Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Townes Van Zandt.
Greg Loftus, Kieran Ridge, and Patrick Coman are the featured performers. They will be playing some of their Springsteen favorites as well as discussing his influence on their own songwriting and performing.
“The way he can connect with the lives of ordinary people has allowed him to stay relevant throughout his career instead of fading away like other artists who maybe lose sight of that as time goes by,” said Coman. “I think it will be fun to see which songs each performer picks because Springsteen has such a diverse catalog. For instance, one of the songs I’m playing is I’m On Fire, which is not one of his folksier songs, so it will be fun to put it in that context. That, to me, is always the most fun. To see how different performers reinterpret the material and put their own stamp on these classic songs.”
According to Coman, “Springsteen obviously has a reverence for the history of folk music and you can hear it in albums like Nebraska and The Seeger Sessions. But more than that he has such an honest approach to his songwriting. His ability to describe the lives of regular people in ways that can be beautiful or heartbreaking – or both – that to me makes him folk whether he is playing a solo acoustic tune or a big rock song like Born To Run.
Coman’s knowledge of Springsteen’s body of work is astute and removes any doubt as to how respectful these artists are going to be towards the pop music icon. “Tributes and covers can be difficult when the original musician’s treatment of the work can take a life of its own. The cover should not mimic the original too closely so as to sound like electronic playback. When it comes to a Springsteen tune, the craft from the songwriting to the sound is synonymous with the creator, so any tribute would have to be carefully arranged for tone and timing.”
Coman’s understanding of Springsteen’s music is abundantly apparent. “I am really excited about this show because not only is Bruce Springsteen one of my favorite artists of all time, but we also have a great line up with Greg Loftus and Kieran Ridge on the bill. The great thing about these shows is that they also give the audience a chance to learn more about some the amazing talent we have right here in town and I think people are going to be really impressed with what these guys do with the Springsteen material, as well as their own original songs.”
More information on upcoming For the Sake of the Song events can be found on their Web site at www.forthesakeofthesong.com. Meanwhile, the Armory is the place to be this Saturday to get a taste of how this group of talented artists can offer new perspectives on the work of a world-class legend.
The group has been presenting their For the Sake of the Song events at various venues throughout the area, celebrating the music of music legends such as Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Townes Van Zandt.
Greg Loftus, Kieran Ridge, and Patrick Coman are the featured performers. They will be playing some of their Springsteen favorites as well as discussing his influence on their own songwriting and performing.
“The way he can connect with the lives of ordinary people has allowed him to stay relevant throughout his career instead of fading away like other artists who maybe lose sight of that as time goes by,” said Coman. “I think it will be fun to see which songs each performer picks because Springsteen has such a diverse catalog. For instance, one of the songs I’m playing is I’m On Fire, which is not one of his folksier songs, so it will be fun to put it in that context. That, to me, is always the most fun. To see how different performers reinterpret the material and put their own stamp on these classic songs.”
According to Coman, “Springsteen obviously has a reverence for the history of folk music and you can hear it in albums like Nebraska and The Seeger Sessions. But more than that he has such an honest approach to his songwriting. His ability to describe the lives of regular people in ways that can be beautiful or heartbreaking – or both – that to me makes him folk whether he is playing a solo acoustic tune or a big rock song like Born To Run.
Coman’s knowledge of Springsteen’s body of work is astute and removes any doubt as to how respectful these artists are going to be towards the pop music icon. “Tributes and covers can be difficult when the original musician’s treatment of the work can take a life of its own. The cover should not mimic the original too closely so as to sound like electronic playback. When it comes to a Springsteen tune, the craft from the songwriting to the sound is synonymous with the creator, so any tribute would have to be carefully arranged for tone and timing.”
Coman’s understanding of Springsteen’s music is abundantly apparent. “I am really excited about this show because not only is Bruce Springsteen one of my favorite artists of all time, but we also have a great line up with Greg Loftus and Kieran Ridge on the bill. The great thing about these shows is that they also give the audience a chance to learn more about some the amazing talent we have right here in town and I think people are going to be really impressed with what these guys do with the Springsteen material, as well as their own original songs.”
More information on upcoming For the Sake of the Song events can be found on their Web site at www.forthesakeofthesong.com. Meanwhile, the Armory is the place to be this Saturday to get a taste of how this group of talented artists can offer new perspectives on the work of a world-class legend.
Preview: For the Sake of the Song Presents Neil Young's Harvest
J. Patrick Harris (Weekly Dig)
"Not quite sure if that kickass track you’re listening to is off of Neil Young’s legendary solo album Harvest? Here’s a quick test you can perform to know for sure: take a good look at your ass. Is it gettin’ kicked? Then your answer is yes. Not quite sure if you’re listening to very best of Boston roots covering the whole frickin’ thing in its entirely as part of the For the Sake of the Song’s “Harvest” Benefit over at the Middle East Upstairs? Take a good look at your ass. Is it in the hospital? Then your answer is yes."
For the Sake of the Song Presents Neil Young's Harvest
Jeff Wallace (MySecretBoston.com)
Wednesday (May 18) at the Middle East (Upstairs) one of Neil Young’s finer collections will get an all-star touch up. Harvest is the chosen canvas, and on the bill will be Sarah Blacker, Danielle Miraglia, the Autumn Hollow Band, James Houlahan, Patrick Coman (above), and Garlic & Moonshine. This will be the second For the Sake of the Song showcase. Last year the crew tackled Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. But the event is held not just for the love of these relics; proceeds go to a great charity, Music Drives Us, which supplies grants for music programming to people and organizations that use music as a tool for change.
The man behind the concept, singer/songwriter Patrick Coman, runs a monthly show at the Armory in Somerville that pays tribute to a different artist each time. Recently the group did Leonard Cohen (I wish I'd gone), and is scheduled to cover Springsteen on May 28. These guys and girls also have a strong batch of original tunes in their own right, and you can always catch them performing. Actually, that’s the biggest reason why they command respect around town. Tickets are available on Ticketweb and more info can be found on the For the Sake of the Song website. (Wednesday, May 18, Middle East upstairs, 8 p.m., 18+, $10)
For the Sake of the Song Performs Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks"
-Jonathan Perry's Scene and Heard column in the Boston Globe
What goes better with the holiday season than one of the most soul-lacerating, emotionally harrowing albums of all time? Except for whiskey, copious amounts of mood elevators, and a fool-proof method for avoiding in-laws or extended family, not much. The good folks behind “For the Sake of the Song’’ know it’s a perfect time to ponder the wreckage of relationships gone awry. With that in mind, they’re tackling Dylan’s 1975 masterpiece in its entirety with a performance featuring Brendan Hogan, Patrick Yerby, Dressing the Debutantes, Patrick Coman, and others . All proceeds benefit the New England chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. Arts At The Armory Café, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Tickets: $10. 617-718-1755, www.artsatthearmory.org
Tangled Up in Tunes
- Lauren Ostberg (Somerville News)
Blood on the Tracks is more than a classic Bob Dylan album, rife with regret, Biblical references, mouth harp solos, and self-satisfied couplets – it’s also a touchstone album for singer-songwriters. So when folk musician Patrick Coman was discussing the theme for a holiday benefit concert, the conversation was short and sweet.
“To me, it’s the benchmark by which all other singer-songwriter performers can be judged,” Coman said.
He spread the idea by word-of-mouth through some of his local concert contacts, and he quickly had a full billing. Local acts Brendan Hogan, Dressing the Debutantes, Brendan Murphy of Autumn Hollow, Matt Borello, and Buffalo-based Greg Klyma, will be performing with Coman at Somerville Arts at the Armory Wednesday, December 15.
They’re singing a song at their own expense, and donating the proceeds from the $10 tickets to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This was also a no-brainer for Coman, whose younger brother, an Oklahoma-based musician, suffers from the disease. He won’t make the concert, but he enthusiastically supports the idea. Read the full article here
Take Five: For the Sake of the Song - One Year Anniversary
“To me, it’s the benchmark by which all other singer-songwriter performers can be judged,” Coman said.
He spread the idea by word-of-mouth through some of his local concert contacts, and he quickly had a full billing. Local acts Brendan Hogan, Dressing the Debutantes, Brendan Murphy of Autumn Hollow, Matt Borello, and Buffalo-based Greg Klyma, will be performing with Coman at Somerville Arts at the Armory Wednesday, December 15.
They’re singing a song at their own expense, and donating the proceeds from the $10 tickets to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This was also a no-brainer for Coman, whose younger brother, an Oklahoma-based musician, suffers from the disease. He won’t make the concert, but he enthusiastically supports the idea. Read the full article here
Take Five: For the Sake of the Song - One Year Anniversary
Read the interview with Georgy Cohen on her Safe Digressions blog here
Boston Survival Guide:
Fortunately things have moved on from there, and this month’s show will be at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston. While O’Brien’s is more accustomed to hard rock bands, they share a similar goal with Coman – to provide a spotlight for Allston’s growing original music scene. And O’Brien’s is actually a very nice room with surprisingly good sound. Featured musicians this evening will be local singer/songwriters Dan Emino and Levi Schmidt (acoustic soul); Coman’s ‘Americana-tinged city folk’ group, performing songs from his debut album Southern Storms, and indie folk duo Flightless Buttress (guitar and cello).
Cheap Thrills Boston:
"Singer-songwriter Patrick Coman's monthly show dubbed "For the Sake of the Song" unpacks a satchel of earthy songs that were seasoned by life in Oklahoma and Nashville."
