29 Aug 10

Hey, blogspot readers, after rockin' the I AM Fest, SouthSide's back on the beat. Tonight, she's enjoying a rather intimate acoustic performance with Aaron Zimmer (from NY).

A very intimate set, in fact, in which everyone knew each other's name before it was finished. According to Aaron that's what he's aiming for after each performance. He said he hopes "...the audience feels connected as friends ...not just with [his] music..." Actually that's what SouthSide felt during his acoustic set at the Elbo Room. Aaron was doing more that just singing his songs ...he was interacting personally with one of us via his music. This reviewer did enjoy how his recorded tracks off the "live wires" CD were beautifully translated acoustically. There was still vibrant music from the acoustic guitar yet it brought out the dynamic power as well emotions heard in his voice. At times, Aaron was very passionate and emotional that it indeed felt straight from his heart ...more like past (or present) personal experiences.

SouthSide asked him after his set which song has him feeling that rockin' vibe while performing live. Aaron responded with Get This Over With which is normally played with his full band. Also he added Change My Mind because it has lots of energy and "yelling" to rock out the audience. Tonight, SouthSide noticed it was his acoustic version of Buried Alive (her favorite song) that had him feeling that vibe. She felt it was one of the high points of his set while hearing this moving song about "...not dealing with problems which creates more problems..." Both live and recorded versions were equally good - it still captivated this reviewer's soul as well as the heart upon listening to the emotions behind the lyrics. SouthSide also recommends listening to If I Were You (plenty of raw emotions off his vocals in this one) and Well Enough (a deep rumbling voice that sent chills down SouthSide's spine). Another high point of Aaron's performance was his acoustic version of Howard Jones' Things Can Only Get Better, This classic 80s hit received the royal Aaron treatment though minus the pop sound, there was more emotional sentiment felt behind the lyrics ...plus the audience had their own special part during the chorus.

There was a special SouthSide moment during her sit down with Aaron in which she actually stumped the artist with one of her interview questions. Upon asking Aaron to describe his music in one or two words, he didn't know where to begin which was perfectly fine. Besides this being one of the hardest questions on her pad, Aaron did state that his roots are in rock-n-roll and that he really doesn't have the answer yet whether he's pop rock or rock pop. Don't despair, blogspot readers, there will an answer someday once he centers on what he wants his music to be. In the meantime, he did suggest listening to Honey Give Me A Hand off his upcoming album. According to Aaron, "...it's dirtier and rawer ...not over-produced [but] more emotion..." This is him stepping out of the pop "norm" and moving closer towards the rock genre. Fans can find this song on Amazon or iTunes. And as a fun question, SouthSide wondered what's the "real" Aaron Zimmer like when he's not performing on stage. He simply replied that there's no separation perhaps more introverted. He enjoys being social and meeting people (he certainly wasn't shy about that throughout his performance) ...loves to entertain. Lastly, he hopes people like him in return.

Well, Aaron won't have that problem from SouthSide. She likes him and his music ...and highly recommends checking out this artist for the dynamic (and emotional) power of his vocals heard within his music. He does make you feel on a personal level by telling everyone a story full of heartache and pain as well as joy and happines ...these songs actually are the stories of our personal lives. Also snag a copy of his current CD, "live wires". For more information, visit www.aaronzimmer.com or www.myspace.com/aaronzimmer.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide