It was a wet and rainy evening when I entered the Dakota Tavern on August 3rd to check out Brooklyn singer songwriter and painter, Joseph Arthur. It was a great escape in a small hidden cave from the nasty weather, covering with a melodic rainbow created by Arthur.
Arthur shared an intimate set with the audience with his divine and strong voice during authentic tunes including September Baby, and Mercedes. I got a hint that it was going to be a typical acoustic set after a few songs.-The one-man show with guitars and a harmonica, having two unfinished paintings in the background, I was very wrong.
Beautiful voice and alluring tracks were not the only things that he's got.- what made his performance so special was Arthur performed a show as 'an artist.' While strumming layers of guitar riffs, solos, and drum beats sometimes recorded on the spot and programmed on his pedals. He rhymed and sang with melancholy melodies while painting pictures at the back. As he progressed to complete his piece, my emotion built up along with the song.
I can't forget to mention his phenomenal chemistry with the audience, which made the performance impeccable. He engaged with his crowed so closely by exchanging witty banters between songs. The audience paid full respects and enjoyed every moment of his show. "In The Sun!", " You're So True!" yelled a request of next songs, it seemed that the audience couldn't get enough of 'Joseph Arthur-ness.'
To close his performance, Arthur performed two unplugged song, standing on a box right in a front of the stage, which escalated intimacy in the venue. The melodies generated from his 6 strings and his voice convinced me enough to say that he is one of the most fine and unique 'artist's alive.