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Preview Mon Oct 25 2010
Arrange an Evening with Mayer Hawthorne
Ann Arbor native Mayer Hawthorne draws his influences from soul heavyweights like Holland-Dozier-Holland, Smokey Robinson and Curtis Mayfield, as well as some of the less popular yet powerful voices of 60s soul like Eddie & Ernie and Arthur Conley. His debut album A Strange Arrangement is highlighted not just by sublime songwriting, but a solid grasp of the feeling of the era that this retro-soul harks back on. (It's been said that even Peanut Butter Wolf thought Hawthorne's tracks were covers on first listen.) While Mayer Hawthorne's voice may not evoke the depth of a contemporary like Sharon Jones, he's still a young man in the game, exemplified by an excellent falsetto that isn't overused. It was just a few years ago he was best known as a hip hop DJ, but he's made major strides since committing to performing. And as he continues on, his confidence grows, as evidenced last week in Boston when he announced, "This will not be a concert; this is a show." Now, that's someone you should trust to entertain. It might also be good to pack your dancing shoes.
Mayer Hawthorne & the County headline Subterranean on Wednesday. The show starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are $17 and it's open to all ages. Subterranean is at 2011 North Ave.