Mark Erelli - Not So Smelly!

Once again, we trucked it all the way across the West Seattle Bridge this week to check out the latest installment in the Four Sheep Acoustic Music Series at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.

Last time, we were greeted with a Native American ceremony of sorts and a high school musical auditioning even further down the hall. The Four Sheep were a bit late in starting this week, so the half-dozen of us waiting on Mark Erelli were treated to a full-force Come-to-Jesus gospel practice. Hallelujah!

Having gotten a sneak peak at Erelli's latest record, we weren't very excited about the show. The record is full of silly things that may pass as poetry in New England, where he lives, but here on the West Coast they come across as a little more, as one of our friends noted, "Winnie the Pooh-ish."

Luckily for Mark Erelli's dignity, though, he actually put on a hell of a show. As is typical of those types of people, he was a great story teller, and spent an hour and a half showcasing his charming personality enough that his sentimental folk songs actually started coming across as pretty fantastic. The songs that were newer than his latest album Hope & Other Casualties even packed an unforgiving wallop to Our President. They were scathing, and other adjectives.

Erelli's opener – local singer/songwriter Darren Smith – was even more fantastic. He's tall and pretty, and he can sing a sad song like you wouldn't believe. What's not to like?

Meanwhile, local folk music promoters/heroes Four Sheep pulled off another evening of great acoustic music. We would reckon it's a tall order to make up for the fact that people have to drive to West Seattle on a weeknight, but the Sheep make it well worth the trip. They were a bit elusive about who will be performing next, and when that show will be, but you can rest assured that Seattlest will be there with bells on.