{"id":40311,"date":"2018-07-28T09:36:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-28T13:36:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=40311"},"modified":"2018-07-28T09:36:57","modified_gmt":"2018-07-28T13:36:57","slug":"on-stage-goss-sings-in-praise-of-bears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=40311","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Goss sings in praise of ‘Bears’"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Tom Goss<\/p><\/div>\n

Bears take notice. Tom Goss is coming to the area this weekend.<\/p>\n

On July 28, Rrazz Room (6426 Lower York Road, New Hope, 888-596-1027, www.TheRrazzRoom.com<\/a>) will present \u201cAn Intimate Evening with Tom Goss in \u2018Songs & Stories.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom Goss loves bears.<\/p>\n

But, he\u2019s not a naturalist focusing on 400-pound behemoths from the forests of North America or the ice floes of Antarctica.<\/p>\n

He loves bears but not because he\u2019s a fan of professional sports teams from Chicago (Bears, Cubs) or Boston (Bruins) or college teams from the University of California.<\/p>\n

He loves bears but holds no special affection for the popular forest fire fighting bear — Smokey Bear.<\/p>\n

The talented singer\/songwriter even has a song about bears called, not surprisingly, \u201cBears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Goss loves human bears.<\/p>\n

Obviously, there is a backstory here that needs to be told.<\/p>\n

Goss, a nationally-celebrated gay singer-songwriter, is well known for his hit music videos (\u201cBears<\/a>,\u201d \u201cSon of a Preacher Man<\/a>,\u201d \u201cBreath and Sound<\/a>,\u201d and \u201cIlluminate the Dark<\/a>\u201d) and the seven albums he has released over the past decade. He has built a strong following in the gay community, having performed in a\u00a0hundred cities to a growing group of dedicated fans.<\/p>\n

He has been compared to Brett Dennen and Mat Kearney — but with a distinct voice shaped by his identity as a gay man and his unusual history. A college wrestler turned Catholic seminarian turned award-winning musician, Goss weaves his story throughout a powerhouse performance that moves between touching love songs and high-energy anthems.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spent most of my young life in Wisconsin,\u201d said Goss, during a phone interview Monday from his home in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to college at the University of Central Missouri on a wrestling scholarship. Wrestling was a very aggressive sport \u2013 and an aggressive way of being. I was just sick of that, so I let the pendulum swing the other way. I went to school at a seminary to study to be a Catholic priest. I was more asexual at the time. I wasn\u2019t attracted to men or to women.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, when I was 22, I fell in love with one of my classmates. It was my first crush. It was wonderful \u2013 and gratifying \u2013 to realize I was gay. I also realized that I was mostly attracted to bears. I came out in a lot of different ways. My time at the seminary wasn\u2019t great. I left and met the man I eventually married. I got married in 2010.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering what Goss means when he refers to a \u201cbear,\u201d you need to look at the gay culture. \u201cBear\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0gay\u00a0slang term. It describes a hairy, heavy-set (sometimes muscular)\u00a0gay\u00a0or bisexual man. A bear\u00a0typically projects an image of rugged masculinity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was younger, I was an athlete,\u201d said Goss. \u201cI wasn\u2019t really into music. Then, I became obsessed with the Dave Matthews Band. I had a lot of teen angst. As I got older, music really touched me. I believed in its immense power to reach and heal. I wanted to reach and heal people.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom bought me a guitar for high school graduation. I learned every Dave Matthews Band song that had ever been written. When I was at the University of Central Missouri, I\u2019d go busking and play Dave Matthews Band songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I was in the seminary for one-and-a-half years and it was horrible for me. I just wanted to do something that was more chill. So, I decided I was going to make a record.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made my first record in 2006. I had to make a record so that I\u2019d be able to go out and perform. It was a snowball effect.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no training as a musician. But, I was always an athlete, so my training ground was performing in public.\u201d<\/p>\n

Goss\u2019 debut album was titled \u201cNaked Without.\u201d<\/p>\n

He then released one album a year from 2009-2012 — \u201cBack to Love\u201d\u00a0(2009), \u201cLive at Terry\u2019s\u201d\u00a0(2010), \u201cTurn It Around\u201d\u00a0(2011) and \u201cLove Songs and Underdogs\u201d\u00a0(2012). Goss followed with \u201cWait\u201d in 2014 and his most-recent album \u201cWhat Doesn\u2019t Break\u201d in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m certainly a pop singer, a singer\/songwriter and gay \u2013 but they don\u2019t detract from each other,\u201d said Goss. \u201cMy stories are from the perspective of a gay man, but my songs are gender non-specific. They\u2019re human experience songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

In closing, Goss was asked if his husband was a bear. His response was \u2013 \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cBears\u201d by Tom Goss \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/XqlF0h1qMoI<\/a><\/p>\n

The show at the Rrazz Room on July 28 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Rachel Taylor<\/p><\/div>\n

Rachel Taylor\u2019s two most recent music projects have been He Is We and She Is We \u2013 titles that sound more like a lost lyric from the Beatles \u201cI Am the Walrus\u201d than names for a rock band.<\/p>\n

He Is We was Taylor\u2019s band that began in 2008 and released one album and several EPs over the next few years — the last of which was \u201cSkip to the Good Part\u201d in 2011.<\/p>\n

Then, Taylor put He Is We on the shelf. In 2017, she emerged with a new project \u2013 She Is We \u2013 and a new SIW album titled \u201cWar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor also brought He Is We back to life and released three EPs in the last 16 months \u2013 \u201cFall Out of Line,\u201d \u201cHe Is We Chapter One\u201d and \u201cHold My Heart,\u201d which came out in April 2018.<\/p>\n

On July 29, Taylor is bringing He Is We\u2019s \u201cLet\u2019s Talk About Us Tour\u201d to The Trocadero (10th and Arch streets, Philadelphia, 215-922-6888, www.thetroc.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Hold My Heart\u2019 was recorded last year,\u201d said Taylor, during a phone interview Friday afternoon as she travelled east across Pennsylvania to a gig in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to Cincinnati and got the record done in 10 days. I produced it myself at One Louder Studio with a studio guitarist. It was definitely my record.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote everything in the studio. I\u2019ll spend time with the instrument and my brain works in flashes. Whatever is in my head, I narrate that story using an instrument. I get one line and that expands into a chorus. I got a lot done in 10 days. Generally, people can\u2019t write records in 10 days. When I went in, I didn\u2019t know if I\u2019d end up with one song or 10 songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it turned out, she ended up with five tasty tracks \u2013 \u201cDear Adam,\u201d \u201cEvery Other Man,\u201d \u201cAll I Need,\u201d \u201cTo Infinity and Beyond\u201d and the title track, \u201cHold My Heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe Is We took a hiatus in 2011 because of the nasty things that took place in my life,\u201d said Taylor, a native of Tacoma, Washington who now lives in Seattle.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom 2011-2017, it was like what you see in movies about all the bad things record labels do — and also having to deal with different bandmates. It really took a toll. I experienced the bad side over and over again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor was able to let her emotions rip and go through a cathartic experience with the \u201cWar\u201d album by She Is We.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to keep afloat and created a full-length album with Vanguard\/Concord Music Group,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cIt was the first time I was allowed to be angry and deal with it. I was able to vent my frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe Is We came back in last year. This time, I\u2019m touring with a really friendly group. They really understand the heart of He Is We. We have acoustic guitar, keys, electric guitar, bass and drums \u2013 and three vocalists in the group so we can do some great three-part harmonies.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I have some gasoline for the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for He Is We \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/R7Gf2SOmz5Q<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Trocadero, which has States & Capitals and City in The Clouds as opening acts, will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $12.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Trocadero are Jay Critch on July 28 and Blueprint on July 31.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Darlingside<\/p><\/div>\n

Another show worth seeing on July 29 will be Darlingside\u2019s performance at the XPoNential Music Festival at Wiggins Park (Harbour Boulevard, Camden, New Jersey, http:\/\/xpnfest.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Boston-based Darlingside released its new album \u201cExtralife\u201d earlier this year and immediately headed out on the road touring in support of the new disc.<\/p>\n

Darlingside — Don Mitchell (guitar, banjo, vocals), Auyon Mukharji (mandolin, violin, vocals), Harris Paseltiner (guitar, cello, vocals), David Senft (bass, kick drum, vocals) \u2013 brought the tour to Philly in March and headlined a show at Union Transfer.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince then, we\u2019ve gone on a tour of the U.K.,\u201d said Mukharji, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. \u201cIt was our first time to play Ireland, which was a lot of fun. We also opened a few shows in the states for Brandi Carlile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, we took off a month in June and worked up some new music. For the recording process, we started with 30 ideas, went in to do 25 and eventually ended up with 12 finished tracks \u2013 and a few other almost-finished tracks. We\u2019ve been doing a lot of songwriting and we have quite a few songs in different stages of development.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we\u2019re doing a bunch of festivals this summer. Then, we\u2019ll go back to the U.K. for a festival and follow with some shows in the Netherlands. We\u2019ll be doing more shows in the United States in September and October.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExtralife\u201d was not a project that came together quickly for the Boston-based quartet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started recording the album almost a year ago,\u201d said Paseltiner. \u201cThe songs came together last winter. In April, we went in and tracked it at Dimension Sound Studio in Jamaica Plain.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, we took the tracks back to Dave\u2019s house where he has a studio. We did experimental overdubs and vocals. We like to do a lot of experimentation on our own instead of using time in the studio. It gives us the ability to play with the sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went back to Dimension Sound in mid-summer to do the final tracking and experimenting with effects. Picking and choosing and editing is a big part of our process. It we send enough pellets toward the target, hopefully one will hit the bulls-eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four veteran musicians had plenty of time to get acquainted with the songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of these songs have been floating around for a long time \u2013 as long as a decade,\u201d said Paseltimer. \u201cWe usually have a round 100 melodies to work with and the lyrics start to coalesce later.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in the studio around the same time as the election. We usually write at home but at the time, we were on tour with our last album. We had to find the time to write.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also had to look at what was going on in the country — and the mayhem in the world in general. All the big questions were slamming us at the time. Those themes infused themselves on our lyric sets — what do we feel right now?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tracked 26 songs and then whittled it down to those we used for the album. The theme started to develop as we whittled down. It was very late in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of themes people say we\u2019re tackling are things that are dealing with the world outside ourselves rather than the personal themes we had on \u2018Birds Say,\u2019 which was our album before this one.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, to me, the new album feels very personal. It also feels like it\u2019s really dark and really light at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live shows on this tour, we\u2019re playing half the new record along with songs from our previous records \u2013 \u2018EP1,\u2019 \u2018Pilot Machines,\u2019 and \u2018Birds Say.\u2019 It\u2019s a good healthy mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Darlingside \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/cI6Le6Rs5gA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Darlingside\u2019s set at the festival is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on July 29. One-day passes for Sunday are $80 and include performances by<\/p>\n

Josh Ritter\u00a0& the Royal City Band, Blind Boys of Alabama, Phoebe Bridgers, Tank and the Bangas, JD McPherson, Hiss Golden Messenger, Lo Moon, Mt. Joy, Devon Gilfillian and Harmony Woods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Bears take notice. Tom Goss is coming to the area this weekend. On July 28, Rrazz Room (6426 Lower York Road, New Hope, 888-596-1027, www.TheRrazzRoom.com) will present \u201cAn Intimate Evening with Tom Goss in \u2018Songs & Stories.\u2019\u201d Tom Goss loves bears. But, he\u2019s not a naturalist focusing on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[11042,7426,11426,11425,11424],"class_list":["post-40311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-darlingside","tag-featured","tag-he-is-we","tag-rachel-taylor","tag-tom-goss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40311"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40312,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40311\/revisions\/40312"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}