I love to watch my young kids run through the sprinkler. They get a smile on their face of pure joy at what they are doing. Nothing else matters or could be any better at the time! This is also what it’s like to watch Mike Farris perform live. I’d heard about his live shows and even got to review his latest live cd recently. Nothing though compares to live performances, especially one of his, which I saw at The Ark in Ann Arbor this past wednesday.
....Just turn on the sprinkler...
If you don’t know his story, Mike was lead singer for the heavy rockin’ and partyin’ band Screaming Cheetah Willies. He overcame from some serious personal problems and since has directed his career focus toward who he credits helped him get through the dark days, now using his fantastic soulful voice as lead singer and guitarist of his fantastic rockin’ soulful bluesy gospel group Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Review. Well, if Jesus is hosting a party in heaven tonight, I bet I know who’s music he is playing!
The crowd on a wednesday night was smaller than it should have been to welcome a nine piece group traveling from Nashville, but you would never have know it by the bands performance. They could have been playing in front of a Super Bowl crowd judging by their energy (and the overwhelming crowd response to the band).
In addition to a horn section, which always adds a great deal of energy to the show, the Roseland Rhythm Review boasts another secret weapon, the McCrary Sisters. To call them backup singers is a little unfair; perhaps co-lead singers would be more accurate. Think of a couple Aretha Franklins (without the silly hat) standing in and you get an idea of the power they bring. Not all the sisters were at this show, but there were two of them and man can they sing!
The songs were mostly ones from their recordings Salvation in Lights (studio) and Shout! LIVE recorded at the Station Inn in Nashville last year and include classic traditionals as well as classic sounding compositions by Farris himself. The classic traditionals included Sit Down Servant, Oh Mary Don’t You Weep and Precious Lord Take My Hand mixed with originals Selah! Selah! and Streets of Galilee, as well as covers of Sam Cooke’s Change is Gonna Come and Mahalia Jackson classic Trouble of the World which Farris says he remembers picking up on a cassette tape and popping into his car stereo and being totally mesmerized by the power of the song.
Mike came out into the lobby after the show to sign autographs and just mingle with the crowd. He couldn’t have been nicer and even though his inspiration doesn’t lie here he couldn’t have been more down to earth!
There are a number of his live performances on YouTube. Run through your sprinkler for awhile to get in the mood then go check some of these out!
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If you have any friends in or around Knoxville, send them to Tennessee Shines on September 30. Mike is playing with his whole band, and it's going to be a thing of wonder. I saw him rock a full house at 3rd & Lindsley last year during the Americana Music Festival & Conference. He had these gin-&-tonic drinking New York hipster kids next to me praising glory and rededicating their lives to Americana. Feel the spirit!