I first remember seeing Mark Eitzel way back in 1994 at the Black Cat headlining a solo tour with Mac MacCaughan from Superchunk. We had arrived late, missing nearly all of Mac’s set, but we caught the then front man of American Music Club himself, Mark Eitzel. I remember that unmistakable voice vividly.
At times compared to Leonard Cohen, Eitzel has pens songs that demand attention from the listener. You can’t help but get sucked in by his voice. Then, it’s the words he’s projecting – “Once I had a house made of stone / I lived high above the dirt / Now I stumble down a road of bone / From those who could not be hurt” from “Let Me Go” from last year’s Hey Mr Ferryman.
Last year, after the release of the brilliant, Hey Mr Ferryman, Mark toured a bit. Sadly, I ended up being out of town on the day he came through. However, sometimes the gods smile upon you when you least expect, and on Saturday, April 6th, Mark Eitzel performed at Baltimore’s Club 603 to a sold out audience. This time, I was able to get to his show.
To begin the evening, he started with a song from his first solo album, “Firefly,” followed by “All My Love” from the 2012 LP, Don’t Be A Stranger. It was inspiring to hear Mark’s voice carry without a microphone and fill this living room, keeping everyone entranced.
It was amazing to hear how songs like the American Music Club tunes, “Johnny Mathis’s Feet” and “Patriot’s Heart,” came about, and I was left with a greater appreciation for Mark as not only a fantastic vocalist but also a brilliant songwriter and storyteller.
Mark Eitzel continues his living room tour through April, and it’s a show that you owe it to yourself to catch. Find upcoming dates here. A huge thanks to both Mark and to Scott and Jean of Club 603 for another knock out show.
