Kirstiecat | Blog

Schubas in Chicago
11/4/6

Let’s face it: as the population of the world continues to grow, we’re continually affronted with more bands and more singer/songwriters. It becomes increasingly difficult to filter through all of this music and come across the musicians that really have “it.” And that is just something special that makes you want to hear more and makes you have their melodies and lyrics stuck in your head. Micah P. Hinson has this nebulous sort of “it.”

Austin singer, songwriter, and guitar player Micah P. Hinson has put out his third album to date, The Opera Circuit and is now on tour to support its release. It was nice to hear his new material but the highlights for me were hearing the older songs from his previous albums, 2004’s Micah P. Hinson & The Gospel of Progress and 2005’s The Baby & The Satellite. I also have to say that his lyrics, always a touch on the personal side seemed to fit well with the more personal feel of just him on guitar and Nick Phelps on alternating banjo, lap guitar, and drums. Yet, I want to point out that on album the sound is much fuller in terms of instrumentation. For example, Micah uses mandolin, hammond organ, accordian, samples, an upright piano, cello, violin, brass instruments, and more.

Perhaps even more astounding than the sense of intimacy was the sense that Micah could pass for someone you’d just have a drink with at a bar or sit on a front porch with and talk about relationships. The only time I really felt like he transcended this sort of feel was actually towards the end and the highlight of the show for me, when he pleaded a passionate “Don’t Leave Me Now!” (This may not have been a planned song as it isn’t written down on the setlist.)

Listen to his songs on myspace

See the complete photo set on flickr

Click to see additional pictures, setlist, and remaining tour dates:

Setlist:

Remaining Tour Dates:

Nov 9 2006 10:30P
T.T. The Bear’s Place Cambridge, MA
Nov 10 2006 10:00P
Mercury Lounge New York, New York
Nov 11 2006 7:00P
Maxwell’s Hoboken, NJ
Nov 15 2006 9:00P
Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, PA
Nov 16 2006 8:30P
Iota Club & Cafe Arlington, VA
Nov 17 2006 8:00P
Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
Nov 18 2006 8:00P
Lenny’s Atlanta, GA
Nov 20 2006 8:00P
Limelight San Antonio, TX
Nov 21 2006 6:00P
End of an Ear Austin, Texas
Nov 21 2006 8:00P
Emo’s Austin, TX
Nov 22 2006 6:00P
Good Records Dallas, Texas
Nov 22 2006 9:00P
Hailey’s Denton, Texas

This entry was posted on Friday, November 10th, 2006 at 7:42 am and is filed under music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.