The May 2020 VOCAL Showcase was our second virtual showcase conducted via FaceBook Live due to COVID-19 social distancing.
John Ellis opened the show with his rocking signature In My Place, recounting the ex-girlfriend who just couldn’t be pleased, and just always had to put him in his place.

Glenda Creamer then took the virtual stage with her magically choreographed set, opening with The Virginia Lady is Leaving, a beautiful number that involved some talented yodeling. I’m a Witch Today is one of Glenda’s signature tunes that conjures up vampires, werewolves, and seriously dark emotions. She then delivered Lover of Origami, an ode to the art of folding paper (and her daughter) to make beautiful designs. Just Call Me Dumpling is an in-your-face I’m proud to be what/who I am, so don’t call me honey or baby or anything else, just love me and appreciate me for what I am! The Splendor of King Solomon is a very poignant number about keeping your sights on the simple things in life, such as Mother Nature’s beautiful birds, rather than surrounding yourself with meaningless material possessions. The Confessions of a Germophobe is a very fitting and timely song during this COVID-19 craziness. We need to stop hugs, spray disinfectant, and shrink-wrap ourselves! She ended her set with the really haunting Moonshine Sky in dropped-D tuning. Rooted in Franklin County, VA, this is the tale about the moonshine makers and runners back in the day.

Bill Kaffenberger ended the evening with several of his homegrown tunes. The Lonesome Rider is one of the first songs he ever wrote while in college, about the lone individual riding into the sunset, burning bridges, wondering where he will lay his head. Little Old Man is an ode to a homeless man from years ago who froze to death while sleeping in a phone booth. Most people just walked on by and looked the other way, but this song highlights the compassionate side of the story. Dad was written five years after his dad’s passing, a sentimental tune remembering how much his dad mean to him, and how much he loves him. Many of us can relate to that! If I Asked You to Dance Would You Dance With Me is a number many of us can relate to, sort of a “what might have been” story if we had the nerve to speak out and express ourselves at the time. What am I Doing Here was written by a friend Jim Howard, a tale about never giving up on your dreams, and reminiscent of Don McLean’s Vincent (Van Gogh). He’s sitting on his hands, with no one listening to what he has to say. Things have never been good to him, and probably never will be. You may never strike a chord anywhere near fame, but you can’t give up or you’ll lose the game. She’s So Real describes the girl with a heart a million miles high, and a smile a million miles wide. If only he could get near her to tell her! Misty All Around is a fairly recent song recounting lost love, and the falling tears that followed.

Great virtual showcase, John, Glenda and Bill!

January 2020 VOCAL Showcase

Tonight was an open mic showcase which invites any and all to perform their original song material.. The evening was filled with music from a variety of performers from the traditional to the unusual.
Opening the night was host and stalwart member Norman Roescher, on keyboard, who began with a soft ballad “A Simle Man” and and followed up with Waiting For The Moon” a song filled with surrealistic images. Next up was Steve Smithson, a longtime VOCAL member, who rarely appears at showcases, but came equipped with guitar and songs to perform for us tonight. “Prairie Cowboy” offered a eulogy of sorts for someone who has passed and for himself as he moves on in life, Next was ” Go On” and then he did two songs written by Mark Fitzgerald “January Song” which had vivid pictures of winter, and “Castling” with the audience singalong chorus “Burn My Bones’. Steve Nuckolls came up to the mic next with “Praying For Rocky Top” a tribute song to those small towns in Appalachia who maintain old time standards like offered in the classic “Rocky Top” song. Where The Morning Glories Grow By The Road’ was a touching song (co-written with Glen King) about a relationship with sad overtones. He concluded his set with “Higher Bar” about aspirations we seek in life. Next we had a small interlude of poetry and flute as performed by Joan (formerly Jen) Smith and Roger Fink.
The poem “Story Of Our Lives” recited by Joan, detailed a relationship of disparate people who came together through a commonness of religion. Adding to the unusual, Joan followed up with a beat box accompaniment to a rap performed by Earl Jordan titled “Resurrection Power” which offered praise to Jesus. The duo of Gene (guitar)and Gayla (stand up bass) Mills, came up next and did a set of traditional country type songs, including “Run Away Like Water” about a restless life that was going downhill all the way. Gayla did the vocals on “Blue Runway Lights” and then Gene gave us a picture of “Forks of Buffalo” the small town where he grew up and left, which was thriving then , but when he returned years later, it had fallen on hard times and was virtually non recognizable. Closing the night’s line-up was Jeff Wagner. He opened with “The Devil Claims Your Soul” followed by “Scarecrow” a tale of love falling apart as the scarecrow in the field falls apart through exposure and age. Eventually, he burns it down as he tries to erase the sad memories
that filled his life. Lastly” I’m Still Trying To Make You Proud Of Me” was a song inspired by his father and remembering him and the influences in his life he left on the singer.
A full night of music was enjoyed by all for it’s depth of material and variety of performers.

The December 2019 VOCAL Showcase took place on Monday, December 16, 2019 at O’Toole’s Irish Pub. It was a very festive evening with quite a large turnout.

Glenda Creamer opened the show with a beautiful song recounting all the Christmas memories first as a child, then with being married and having a child. Matt Manion then joined her on a Bible story, where Matt sang the part of the angel telling Mary not to be afraid, that she would be bringing the savior into the world. She then delivered her holiday favorite “The Cookie Exchange”, and ode to fighting your diet during the holiday season. Yes, the cookies are everywhere, so the temptation can be very hard to resist!

Matt Manion then took the stage with his popular song “Quarter til Midnight”, recounting his experience on Christmas Eve heading to Midnight Mass. His experience driving through the toll booth and seeing the attendant is very thought-provoking. He then performed “Blue Ridge Mountain Highway”, a cool tune he wrote while on a camping trip. His friend Richard Ruck (sp?) wrote the lyrics on this, and sang with Matt. He then delivered “Necessary Trouble”, with the message that sometimes you just need to stand up and get in the way in order to be heard and effect change.

John Ellis opened his set with a holiday-themed “Me and My Baby on a Cold Winter Day”, a bluesy number advising us on how to stay warm on a cold winter day. “You Put Me in My Place” is probably John’s signature “anti-love” song and displayed some blistering guitar work!

Gene and Gayla Mills performed a really pleasant “let the snow keep falling” song which conveyed all the memorable images of a deep snow, roads disappearing, etc. Their next tune was a family-driven heart-healthy number about being on a “liquid” diet during holiday family time. Yes, that’s the only way out for a lot of families, good, bad, or indifferent!

Jim Puckett then took the stage with “Snowy Mountain Bride”, a “may or may not be factual” number where he’s hoping his woman is waiting for him on the snowy mountain. “I Left You an Angel” is a very tender song about leaving a Christmas ornament for his child to remember him by. He ended his set with “It’s Christmas Time Again”, where “It won’t be Christmas again until you’ve got me wrapped up in your loving arms” – I can taste your Christmas lips on mine!

Norman Roscher ended the evening of original music with some of his favorites: “Mulberry Moon” (co-written by Glen Habl), “You and Me Baby”, and the very tender winter holiday tune “You and Me”. He then premiered a new song “All I Want for Christmas is a New President”, longing for a president who won’t embarrass him.

A few folks then presented some holiday cover songs, with Glenda Creamer performing “Christmas Time is Here”, and Jenn Smith an a cappella version of “Santa Baby”, with her friend Reuben standing in as Santa. John Ellis then delivered “Merry Christmas Baby”, and a rocking “Run Run Rudolph”, which involved some joyous audience participation.

A great time was had by all in this holiday showcase!

October 2019 VOCAL Showcase

It was a good night for original music at O’toole’s tonight. Though Dean Broga, scheduled to perform, had to miss the showcase due to an accident, his spot was ably covered by two stalwarts of VOCAL.

Norman Roscher

First up Norm Roscher did a set of his songs including “I Don’t Play Doctor Anymore” which is self explanatory, as he transitions from childish games to manhood. This was followed by a sad sort of dirgelike song “Lady of the Poppies’ which had a lonesome air to it, and lastly, he did an upbeat humorous tune about pigs on a garbage binge called “Pig Party”. Tasty.

Matthew Costello

Continuing ths substitute players, Matthew Costello, VOCAL’s president for life did a set of his tunes including “Meaningful One Night Stand” in which the singer , tired after all the morning after letdowns, find his true love. “If You Knew’ relates the singer’s reluctant to tell feelings to a would be love. And, his last song, a chestnut in repertoire, an obsession with the King, “Digging For Elvis” had the audience singing along with the chorus.

Gary Shaver

Long time member Gary Shaver followed with his set of keyboard selections helped out by guitarist James Wilkenson. “Somewhere between Her and You” details the singer’s plight of being caught between two loves, seeing her in your eyes etc. “I need A Little More Time” a sort of follow up to the previous song, talks about being in love with someone not the current one. Keeping the thme going, “Why Did You Hold Me Tight” explores falling in love with someone who has left him and wonders what went wrong with the relationship. And, finally in the quartet, is “How Did I Let You Go’ where the singer is stuck with memories of someone he should not have let go.

Gene and Gayla Mills

The main attraction for tonight’s showcase were the husband and wife team of Gene and Gayla Mills. He sings and plays gluitar and she plays the stand up bass and does back up vocals which makes a nice sounding duet. First off, “Hurricane” a new song, describes the results a hurricane and the destruction it has caused. An anti-tech rant “Carburator” bemoans all the technical advances we have made and wishes to return to a simpler time when gadgets, cars and life were easier to deal with. In a change of pace, Gene then performed an instrumental “Dying Fire”. “If Whiskey Had A Voice’ was a hoot of a song, in which while on stage performing, an inebriated audience member decides to make his debut right in the middle of the set and surprisingly, stuns everyone with his honest singing. Gayla then sang the song BITCH (Boys I’m Taking Charge Here) and intoned “It’s a man’s job, but I’ll (a woman) will show you how it’s done.. You go, girl. The final song in their set, was a long tale about the settling and growth of a section of Richmond called “Oregon Hill” which was settled in the 18th century alongside the James River and expanded to where it is now. A nice tribute to an historic area.

All in all, the night provided the audience with a wide variety of the talent there is in VOCAL and was amply expressed by the artists that performed on the showcase.

The September 2019 VOCAL Showcase took place at O’Toole’s Irish Pub, and also served as our three-times-a-year Open Mic event. Quite a few loyal original music lovers appeared for the performance.

Norman Roscher, MC, opened the evening on keyboards with a medley of two of his fine songs Waiting for the Moon and Within Your Eyes.

Newcomer Dean then delivered a lovely, tender love song Falling from Love. Jersey is a fine tale of moving to the big city, but regretting most of it. Wishing he was in Montana instead, as he felt lost in the canyons of the skyscrapers in the city.

Another recent VOCAL visitor and local RVA singer-songwriter, Dirty Metal Lefty, then took the stage with two cool tunes, Forecast (it’s gonna be cold!) and Ain’t No Friend of Mine, a bluesy number about someone she thought was her friend who had her back, but then things changed!

Steve Nuckolls then took the stage with two of his creations Sunrise and Praying for a Rocky Top.

Gene and Gayla Mills performed a mighty fine set of bluegrass/Americana with awesome guitar and bass work and stellar harmonies. From running from a Hurricane to the Virginia coal-mining country, they cover all the territory of songs folks can relate to.

Jim Puckett brought us Things Happen Fast, an ode to living in the fast lane and what will result. Alayna is a true story about the remarkable life of a midwife who lived 100 years ago in the Virginia mountains. When the War is Over longs for peace and an end to the loss and destruction going on around the world.

Keely Burn then lit up the stage with Lightning, an in-your-face song of unrequited love. My Friends in High Places takes on the postal service for delays in delivering a long-awaited parcel from a friend in Singapore. Plant Your Flag on Me is my fav, beginning with unusual but very alluring whistling (are you scared of what I’m made of?).

VOCAL President Matthew Costello closed out the show with a re-worked, very evocative Love Will Find the Way, and then delivered the familiar, crowd-pleasing Digging for Elvis. He then turned to keyboards, and play Subway to Brooklyn, a very creative/descriptive tale of two lovers in the big city.

Another very fine evening indeed for original music lovers!

August 2019 VOCAL Showcase

A special award winners showcase was on tap, tonight, at O’Toole’s Bar and Grill. Before a huge crowd of noisy patrons which made it difficult to hear the lyrics of songs, the performances featured winning songwriters and winning songs from the last two years.

Steve Nuckolls

Voted on by the membership, Steve Nuckolls who won both categories in 2018, opened the evening with a set of songs “Remembering the Past”, “Higher Bar”, “Two Good” and his winner from last year, “Something About Your Love”. After that, this year’s winners took the stage.

Jeff Wagner

Jeff Wagner, who split songwriter of the year, introduced his wife, Sherry Heath Wagner as his accompaniment on guitar and back up vocals. His set included the tunes “I Think I might Forget You”, a new song, “She Was Raised on Sad Songs” a very traditional type country song, “Sometimes”, a tribute to Nashville, titled “Musicland” and the closer “Ghost Riders” about a relationship gone wrong.

Keely Burn

Keely Burn, who split songwriter honors with Jeff, was next. VOCAL’s youngest member, Keely performed on both ukelele, and keyboard. She opened with “When I’m Acting” a tale of insecurity where the singer is better liked when she’s not herself. That was followed by a new song “Guiding Light” with some great piano riffs. Picking up the uke, she offered “I’m Not Afraid”, “Come Down Love” with whistling, then “Masterpiece” , which implied there was more to be done to to be impressive, and the set ender, “Wake Up”, which has the interesting line in it, “the greatest gift is in my mind, tonight.

Doug Patrick

The closing act, Doug Patrick won this year’s “song of the year” poll. He is a long time member of VOCAL and it’s always a treat to hear him perform his narrative songs. Dueling with a feisty 12 string guitar, he began his set with “I Wouldn’t Change a Thing”, followed by a sweet song of love “I’ll Hold You As Long As I Can” which relies on memories that are made throughout a Life time. As a contrast, “You Don’t Cross My Mind” sort of takes the opposite view, when I think about the good things in my life, “You Don’t Cross My Mind”. “Grand Daddy’s Knee” his winning song, closed out his set. This well honed tale about lessons learned in life from his grand daddy is full of poignant remembrances and visual sentiment. A song well deserved to win.

The July 2019 VOCAL Showcase took place on Monday, July 15, 2019 at O’Toole’s Irish Pub. Quite a few loyal original music lovers appeared for the performance.
Roger Lee Fink, a relatively new VOCAL member, kicked off the show with several of his intriguing tunes, many of which are Spanish/Flamenco-influenced. His ‘30’s era Epiphone archtop certainly added to the character of his performance! Spanish Leather Irish Lace had a really cool minor-chord Tango vibe that drew us in. He even cleverly worked in the words “Transcendental Meditation” in his rhyme scheme. False Start had a rock/funk feel, telling us that sometimes you just have to start all over again in life! I Gave My Heart recounts a love like a hurricane, just waiting for the storm to pass. He then delivered the bluesy Feet in The Stirrups (your eyes could hypnotize, tell me what to do). If Times Don’t Get No Better echoes the plight of many people today, just barely scaping by in life. The Spanish-flavored No Return longs for a moonlight walk on the beach instead of staying inside this boring house. Lost Valentine was another soothing Spanish/Flamenco-feeling tune, while Looking for A Foot to Fit the Shoe was a John Prine-ish number about feeling about as low as my shoes. I should be through with all these dues I’ve paid – I’m looking for a foot to fit the shoe! He then delivered Don’t Spoil the Show, followed by Love Is Just So Magical (I only get to see her once a week – wish I could go back to that house we used to live in). Rainbow Over Waterfall was sort of Tango-ish that was channeling Emerson, Lake and Palmer in my ears – love will be the death of me! Roger closed out his set with Can’t Win For Losin‘, another fusion rock/funk talking about the risky business of cruising in the fast lane.

Longtime member Matt Manion then took the stage with several of his familiar tunes along with some new ones. Don’t Stand by Me says if you’re the trumpet player who only dates married women, don’t even think of being next to me! Sit Down for Standby recounts the woes of being delayed in the Heathrow airport, and longing to get back to the good old USA. Life Can be Funky Down on the Pamunkey is a really cool, colorful song about all the natural beauty/wildlife along the Pamunkey River. It Didn’t Really Matter had a Don McLean feel, describing a reunion where folks were mustering up the courage to get onto the dance floor. No No No can’t believe the hassles we’ve been through, and even though I was lonely and desperate for company in the past, I have to tell him “no” today. Sometimes I Feel Like the Last Man on Earth is a quite complicated (but intriguing) wordy/chordy tune which was channeling David Bowie to me. After recently seeing Weird Al Yankovich, Matt decided to put his personal spin on a couple of standards. Moon River became June Cleaver, and Yesterday was transformed into Scrambled Eggs, supposedly the placeholder lyrics Paul used when originally writing the song. Cool vibe, Matt! Now I want to hear the June meat “Cleaver” Halloween song! Necessary Trouble/Good Trouble is a call to action to get out, stand up, and have your voice heard! I Don’t Need to be Perfect is a positive message about being satisfied with who you are, and not pretending to be something more. Matt demonstrated some mighty fine falsetto in this tune. After trying to leave the stage, the audience begged for me, so he brought out the first song he ever wrote back in the 70’s dealing with living a life of solitude. I was almost hearing some Jethro Tull combined with CSN&Y. Great job, Matt!

Another very fine evening indeed for original music lovers!

Performers:
Matthew Costello
John Ellis
Dick Upton (with Mirek Formacek)

The June 2019 VOCAL Showcase took place on Monday June 17, 2019 at O’Tooles Irish Pub.  It was a night of excellent musicianship and inspired lyrics.

Matthew Costello

Matthew humorously introduced his first song “Driving” as “a Showcase virgin song” in that he has never performed it at the Showcase before.  The lively number, a collaboration with Roy Kauffman, addresses a former lover who’s “driving the young boys wild.”

“Dark-eyed Mystery”, Matthew’s second selection, slower than the first, was a beautiful song of romantic longing.  This song was also a collaboration with Roy.

The third song in the set, “What Would You Do if You Knew”, describes a situation most, if not all, of us have experienced:  being attracted to another person but not feeling comfortable sharing that information.  The lyrics include “Watching you from across the room, wishing it was me that made you laugh…”, “If you knew that I’m scared to tell you how I feel” and “What would you do if you knew?”  The song included Matthew’s expressive picking on the strings and percussive slaps on the body of the guitar.

The rhythmic love song “Matter’s to Me” followed, with lyrics “I’ll be there, so don’t be late” and “You’re all that matters to me.”

Matthew ended his set with crowd pleaser “Digging for Elvis”, another Kauffman collaboration, a funny and startling song about a fanatical Elvis fan obsessed with The King!

John Ellis

After thanking O’Tooles for hosting the Showcase, and Larry Cody for creating the VOCAL Showcase table announcements, John treated the crowd to “Blues #1”, a rock instrumental that came from John’s experimenting with his first home recording system.

“I’ll be There for You” followed.  John was inspired to write the song when a friend of his was losing her beloved dog due to illness.  It’s a song of support with a wide range of dynamics and a haunting use of harmonics during the lead guitar solo.

John introduced his third song, “The Stranger”, as a little darker, bluesy rock number.  Lyrics include “Love is a stranger, I can’t get to know…..How can I find, what I’ve never known…..Love is a stranger to me.”  It’s quite effective in capturing the frustration of wanting but not yet finding love, and sounds like it’s coming from the depths of the soul of a man who can almost taste it.  John’s pre-recorded tracks added depth and fullness as he played and sang live with the tracks.

John finished his set with the upbeat rocker “In My Place” about letting go of a lover who kept her heart locked away.  “You never said you loved me…..go find what you’re looking for.”

Dick Upton (with Mirek Formacek on guitar)

Dick announced at the beginning of his set that he had three (3) new songs…..including one that he finished that morning.  Mirek Formacek provided lead guitar during the set as Dick played keyboard, guitar and sang.

Dick began on keyboard with a bluesy number entitled “Driftwood”.  “Standing on the levee, watching the driftwood float by….”  Dick’s soulful, deep, rich voice gives his music a gritty southern authenticity.

“Why I Do What I Do” followed, with Dick again on keyboard.  A moving, powerful song, it was slower and more meditative, about a relationship.  It contained the lyrics “I’ve been thinking about you….I’ve been thinking about you and me….. I’ve been searching for a long, long time… to find a way to ease my mind.”  Mirek added captivating lead guitar to Dick’s keyboard and vocals.

Dick switched to guitar for “Like When We First Fell in Love”, a song about wanting to rekindle the original spark in your lover’s eyes after being a relationship of many years.  “I wanna get back to when we first fell in love.”

The bouncy “Drive Me Crazy” references “…the long, long legs…” that drive the singer to distraction.  “You can drive all the way to L.A…..you always drive me crazy.”  Next, “Put Down the Bottle” featured Dick’s fingerwork on the acoustic guitar that meshed nicely with Mirek’s fine electric guitar work.

Dick returned to the keyboard for “My Spiritual Home”, which Dick wrote in a Key West Tiki bar.  The song evoked images of seagulls, the shoreline, the moonrise and contained the lyrics “Give me cool water to sail on, warm sand to walk on, a bar I can lean on.  For I might keep to myself, but I’m never alone in my spiritual home.”

Dick and Mirek finished their set with “Going Down to Georgia”, an upbeat bluesy piano tune that highlighted the duo’s natural interplay as accomplished musicians.

An outstanding night of original music!