Dan Bern -- A Unique Voice To Be Experienced

On Friday, April 17th, Dan Bern makes his me & thee Coffeehouse debut. Once lauded as “the next Dylan” and “the best singer/songwriter in years,” Bern has proven that he’s his own man and expresses himself as a unique voice of a generation; one who tips his hat to his predecessors yet breaks new musical ground. Boston’s Chris O’Brien opens the show. According to Chris, opening for Dan is on his “bucket list” and a dream will come true. The doors open at 7:30 PM for this 8:00 PM show at the me&thee coffeehouse which is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead at 28 Mugford Street.

A remarkably prolific songsmith, Dan Bern has released over two dozen studio albums, EPs, and live recordings since his first CD in 1997. Either fronting the prodigiously talented band Common Rotation or as a solo performer, he is comfortable and convincing, funny and topical, very much in tune with the spirits Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, the Beatles, and young Bob Dylan—all while sounding thoroughly original and 21st-century. Whether writing about stepping back and appreciating the world around us (“Breathe”) or celebrating the venerable voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers (“The Golden Voice of Vin Scully”), Dan’s songs are always literary, sometimes funny, and often cinematic. And it’s not uncommon at a Dan Bern concert to see and hear fans unabashedly singing along to one song after another with no prompting from the stage.

Dan Bern recordings have featured a host of artists ranging from Ani DiFranco to Emmylou Harris, and he’s devoted entire albums to baseball (Doubleheader), politics (My Country II), and little kids (2 Feet Tall). His singular songwriting has led to stints working on such projects as the Judd Apatow features Walk Hard—the Dewey Cox Story (starring John C. Reilly) and Get Him to the Greek (starring Russell Brand). His songs have appeared in numerous TV shows, and he recently penned the theme song for the Amazon cartoon The Stinky and Dirty Show.

Note: a special opportunity at this show only is that one music fan will have the opportunity to have Dan paint your portrait after the show! Check out the image in the gallery attached to this article. Dan is a unique visual artist as well as a unique musician.

Chris O’Brien grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts. He is the son of two women. Music was always an important part of his life, and after trying a handful of different instruments, Chris picked up the guitar at the age of fourteen. It wasn’t long before he began writing his own songs. In 2001, Chris joined the renowned Boston music scene and began playing open mics around the city. He released his first album, Lighthouse, in 2007 and his second album, Little Red, in 2010. O’Brien made a splash nationally after being chosen from a pool of nearly 1,000 contestants to appear on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” The following week, Lighthouse became a bestselling singer/songwriter album on iTunes, peaking at #5. O’Brien was nominated for a coveted Boston Music Award for male vocalist of the year, as well as being named WUMB’s “New Artist of the Year,” a New Folk finalist at Kerrville Folk Festival and ”Most Wanted” at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival

Tickets for the performance by Dan Bern with Chris O’Brien opening are $26 in advance and $29 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.meandthee.org and can be purchased in person at the Spirit of ’76 Bookstore or the Arnold Gallery in Marblehead. The Landing Restaurant at 81 Front Street, Marblehead offers a 10% discount on dinner if you show your ticket or receipt. Enjoy a meal before the show! As at all me & thee coffeehouse events, refreshments are available, including homemade pastries, coffee, and teas. The me & thee has a handicapped-accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom, is a smoke-free environment, and is easily reached by MBTA bus. The me & thee is one of the oldest continually running acoustic coffeehouses in New England, and probably the country. It has been and will always be a volunteer, non-profit organization sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead. For information and directions, call 781-631-8987 or check the website at www.meandthee.org.

Next concert: April 24th- Kris Delmhorst with opening act The Winterpills