Kevin Herchen Plays Narragansett

After dark at , you can see silhouettes of people still playing on from the balcony. Almost every other Saturday night this summer, Kevin Herchen has been entertaining diners with his clever mixture of original songs and covers.

Herchen has played guitar since he was young. He attended West Warwick High School, where he was a soloist in the school’s jazz ensemble. He won awards for his performances with the ensemble. From high school, he attended Rhode Island College. Like many young musicians in college, Herchen joined the short-lived band, Raiding Neptune.

After Raiding Neptune, Kevin joined the Warwick band Hearsay. The band broke up in 2004, yet reunited a few months ago to play a few shows, including one at the Whiskey Republic in Providence. Herchen is truly a solo artist by heart and it shows in his sets.

Herchen’s vocals are similar to Glen Phillips, the lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket, and his musical style is mellow. Herchen twists and turns cover songs to sound like they could be his own, and brings forth a sense of peacefulness to even the saddest or loudest songs.

Kevin’s mellowing musical nature is so peaceful, you can find him on a compilation for the non-profit organization, SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. Hope Volume One was released in 2008. It features a live version of Kevin’s “Tasteless Kiss.” Herchen’s song stands besides other well-known musicians on this compilation, including Joanne Cash and Lisa Loeb.

According to his MySpace page, Kevin states that he is influenced by, “Every single note of every single piece of music I've ever heard.” That statement is apparent when it comes to the covers he performed at George’s.

Herchen’s covers are of the norm, whether they be of Neil Diamond, Jimmy Buffet or Don McLean. He also sprinkles in new covers from modern bands like Kings of Leon.

Herchen’s performance at George’s of Galilee was impressive. Most of the time, a musician that plays for hours will have an intermission at least one, but not Herchen. He played his guitar for hours, and even had a group of people stand up and join him in a sing along for a well-known Neil Diamond song.

He not only plays pubs and beach bars, but also weddings and special events. Overall, his performance is quite the experience. He puts his heart and soul into his marathon of covers and original music.