Republic Of Pie North Hollywood, CA
Contact: [email protected]
Web: tisaadamson.com
Players: Tisa Adamson, vocals and guitar; Chris Blakey, vocals and guitar; Randy Ray Mitchell, backing vocals and guitar
Material: Tisa Adamson from South Pasadena lays down some soft vocal heartbreak orignals with her acoustic guitar, and companion guitarist Randy Ray Mitchell (Donna Summer) adding lonesome slide and ringing arpeggios to enhance her lyrics.
On “Two Steps Forward and One Behind,” a girl leaves everything behind to pursue her songwriting Nashville sheʼs standing on a corner busking when a man walks up to her and says heʼs Jesus and gives her a 20 dollar bill then says, “You don’t have to be afraid,” which is a refrain at the end of each verse. More heartbreak is conveyed on “Pieces Of The Sky,” about losing a loved one. "How can I talk to you from the otherside/I can’t hold on to pieces of the sky.”
Musicianship: Adamson makes very good use of strumming major and minor chords that cue listeners in to the feelings just as she delivers the hook lines or the tag. Ray hangs back during the story and enhances in between with top notch country blues fills, double stops, and slide guitar.
Performance: Republic of Pie is where you go when you want to be introspective in a coffeehouse atmosphere. Sometimes the music competes with the espresso machine, and visitors to and from the outside patio. Adamson received good applause after each song, including the new material. Tuning issues cropped up when the heat was turned on while the overhead fans were still whirling. But most folks were more into their veggie wraps, homemade pies, reading a book, or glued to their laptops. It is a testament to Adamson's songs and the sound that she was acknowledged nicely for her honest craft.
Summary: Opening the show on the early slot was Blakey and his guitar with a nice solo version of Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 single “Time After Time.” Also of note was “Something In The Way She Moves” by James Taylor. A version is available on his YouTube channel. His closing original tune, “Common Ground,” has him asking a important question in the chorus: “Can we work together/Time to find some bridges/Tear those fences down.”
