Photo by Philip Laubner
On December 2nd sheltered from the first real bone chilling cold spell of the season, the Metro Gallery played host to
Tommy Tucker, Victoria Vox and Miss Tess. No one knew quite what to expect from the mélange of a ukulele player, a Baltimore front man riding solo, and a Brooklyn based Americana-esque blues band. The only thing that was certain is that they came to play and we were glad to be there.
Tommy Tucker had to start break-dancing to alleviate some surplus pre-performance energy. This was made easy, if not unavoidable by Miss Tess, whose sound check would have been good enough to settle for a great set. While no one ever thought to combine break dance with blues and jazz is still a mystery as they seem to complement each other quite nicely.
Photo by Philip Laubner, story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Philip Laubner
Victoria Vox found her niche one day when she started using her ukulele in her coffee shop gigs back in Wisconsin. Over time the guitar was used less and less and the uke became the mainstay of her set. Now she can be found playing at ukulele festivals all over the world but she calls Baltimore home, which further strengthens our fair city’s claim of Ukulele Capital of the Known and Universe and Beyond.
Photo by Philip Laubner, story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Philip Laubner
When Tommy Tucker stepped on stage, toting no back up band and a set list that had been scribbled on a scrap piece of paper just minutes before he went on, not even Tommy knew what to expect. “That’s the idea” he said “I just want to keep it loose” then as everyone began to devote their attention to him he demanded, “Everybody in the room sit down, wherever you are. This is going to be a slow show… Okay now stand up. No seriously everyone stand the F#@% back up.” The ups and downs continued throughout with a seasonal set consisting of a rendition of “summer time” by sublime and a conceptual song fantasizing about what it would be like to be the cool illegitimate father of Jesus.
Photo by Philip Laubner, story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Philip Laubner
No, Victoria is not cringing at someone in the audience, and no, Tommy tucker is not chewing gum and about to blow a bubble that will ultimately explode onto the microphone and anyone close enough to the stage. They are taking turns riffing on their high-end mouth trumpets. When performing solo it’s always important to be able to play more than one instrument and the mouth trumpet has to be hands down the most cost effective method.
Photo by Philip Laubner, story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Philip Laubner
Originally formed in Boston but currently living in New York, Miss Tess
(that is actually the name for the whole band) brought everyone on to the dance floor with blues and jazz the likes of which could have been found in Chicago or New York in the 30’s. One crowd member was so enthralled by the knee slapping, toe tapping tunes that he jumped on stage with his clarinet and took his own solo with the band. When I looked back at my notes for Miss Tess I realized that I was so busy listening and enjoying their music that the only words I was able to write down with any legibility were “stellar” and “professionals.”
Photo by Philip Laubner, story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Philip Laubner
Near the bar at a long collapsible table were creative displays showcasing everything from stickers and CD’s to shirts and even earrings, though nestled in the middle of all of the well thought out and meticulously crafted materials were the high end $100-$200 signed “Wisdom Kernels” of Tommy Tucker. Written on bar napkins before his set and left behind at the end of the show it gave everyone willing to risk a charge of theft over $100.00 a little something special to take home with them.
“A penny saved is a penny earned, but I mean what are you going to buy with that? It’s just a fucking penny. Am I right?”-Tommy Tucker.
Photo by Philip Laubner, story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Philip Laubner
Tommy Tucker.
Photo by Philip Laubner.
