STUFF I WROTE... Joe Hickey- vocals, acoustic guitar featuring the occasional onstage guest: Steve Laciak- lead/texture guitar Grace Woods- backing vocals
LIT BY LIGHTNING Grace Woods- vocals, keyboards Vanessa Van Spall- vocals, percussion Joe Hickey- vocals, bass, guitar, flute Ian Hisert- piano Whitney Jacobson- drums and assorted percussion
Influences
Jeff Buckley, Jethro Tull, Ani DiFranco, Barenaked Ladies, Porcupine Tree, Gentle Giant, Jason Mraz, Tool, Dave Matthews, Fiona Apple
Sounds Like
A ambitious, versatile voice in the Rufus Wainwright/Jeff Buckley realm paired with Ian Anderson/Ani DiFranco-inspired rhythm guitaring... high-energy acoustic grooves with a soul all their own.
Joe Hickey = Acoustic guitar stylings influenced heavily by both Ian Andersen of Jethro Tull (the pretty stuff) and Ani DiFranco (the forceful stuff) + Vocal insanity (everything from growling to belting to whispered falsetto to a scream-y thing he's yet to find a name for) influenced predominantly by Jeff Buckley and Brian Vander Ark of the Verve Pipe.
I've been in and out of bands since I was 14, but finally started the solo singer/songwriter thing in 2003 just before leaving the East Coast, bound for my new home of Berkeley, CA. I'm also singing along with playing bass, guitar and flute for Lit by Lightning.
After three years cutting my teeth at open mics in the B-W corridor and the Bay Area, I decided to record my debut album at one. I culled eight months worth of recordings from my weekly appearances at the Songwriters' Symposium in Berkeley to find the definitive performance of each of my ten best songs. That became Salvaging Monday, released in November 2006 and selling out fast. Get 'em while they're hot!
My lyrics tackle themes ranging from the deeply personal ("Brilliant", "Yields to the Noon", "New Year's Song") to the philosophical ("Life, Replaced by Mineral", "Sister Vigilante", "Lit by Lightning") to the whimsical and almost ridiculous ("Return to Sender", "In Distress"), and reflect the world of your typical 25-year-old: striving for self-reliance while feeling tethered to recently-relinquished childhood; trying to appreciate all aspects of life, even the unsavory ones and the lessons contained therein; and looking for love, often in the wrong places.
great show you guys put on yesterday. what a night to come back on too. the population might have been small, but the energy was as big as ever. so thanks once again. i needed that.
We invite you to the first performance of our "SONGBIRD: TRIBUTE TO EVA CASSIDY" world tour this Friday, May 2nd! Doors open at 7pm! Jazzschool Berkeley 2087 Addison St Berkeley, CA 94704 (510) 845-5373
Joe, I'm going to be performing at the NOMAD CAFE in Oakland this Friday, Jan. 25. I'll be sharing the bill with David Gans. I hope you can make it out.
come on out and play some music if you are free, should be a good time!
upcoming dates (the 2nd thursday of every month):
january 10
february 14
march 13
april 10
all forms of sound-art are encouraged: spoken word, performance art, singer/songwriter, noise music, anything and everything. let me know if you are interested in being the featured performer.
Hey! Its the last open open mic at Coffee to the People next Tuesday 12/11 and I really hope you can make it. Sign up is at 6:00. We're going to be making a documentary.
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