The Guggenheim Grotto
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:20 am
Every once in a while a new group appears on my musical radar that blows me away and this go round it is this trio from Ireland that call themselves The Guggenheim Grotto. The stars aligned for these guys when the drummer joined up with the previously well established duo. I'd name names but at this time it's all still too new for me to start dropping names in the right places. Anyway, the drummer brought the little something extra that filled out the duo's sound and a band was born.
When The Guggenheim Grotto popped up on another music forum my first instinct was to laugh at the name. Then I thought some folks have the most eclectic taste in music and it may work for them but I doubt seriously it'll work for me. Even a quick look and listen at their myspace was not enough for me to tell If I would like these guys. But then, it happened.
Just so happened they were set to play the opening set at our little outdoor summer series in Exton Pa. a short two nights later. I made sure we got there on time to catch these lads from across the pond. I was instantly taken by the group's vibe and overall sound. The playing was superb and the vocals and harmonies were impressive.
I bought their little book of a CD titled "Waltzing Alone" and it got stuck in my CD Player (in the best way) for the better part of a week. The liner notes include an online discussion about the way music once came to us via Albums and all that entailed with lyric sheets and liner notes that we all loved to pour over as fans...VS...the new digital age where there's inherently less connection to the music when you can so freely be a fan of a band's music without knowing much about them at all since it can all be had with a few clicks of the mouse button.
It's interesting to read how some mourn the loss of music delivered the old way, and while The Guggenheim Grotto will tell you that their CD is available at the "itunes" kind of places, that you'd be silly to pass up the hard copy for all that went into the liner notes on this CD. They were right.
Love these guys!!! The Guggenheim Grotto.....who knew???
When The Guggenheim Grotto popped up on another music forum my first instinct was to laugh at the name. Then I thought some folks have the most eclectic taste in music and it may work for them but I doubt seriously it'll work for me. Even a quick look and listen at their myspace was not enough for me to tell If I would like these guys. But then, it happened.
Just so happened they were set to play the opening set at our little outdoor summer series in Exton Pa. a short two nights later. I made sure we got there on time to catch these lads from across the pond. I was instantly taken by the group's vibe and overall sound. The playing was superb and the vocals and harmonies were impressive.
I bought their little book of a CD titled "Waltzing Alone" and it got stuck in my CD Player (in the best way) for the better part of a week. The liner notes include an online discussion about the way music once came to us via Albums and all that entailed with lyric sheets and liner notes that we all loved to pour over as fans...VS...the new digital age where there's inherently less connection to the music when you can so freely be a fan of a band's music without knowing much about them at all since it can all be had with a few clicks of the mouse button.
It's interesting to read how some mourn the loss of music delivered the old way, and while The Guggenheim Grotto will tell you that their CD is available at the "itunes" kind of places, that you'd be silly to pass up the hard copy for all that went into the liner notes on this CD. They were right.
Love these guys!!! The Guggenheim Grotto.....who knew???