Michigan Roots Jamboree 2010
Friday August 06 - Saturday August 07
After a cheerful dinner with some old friends I hadn’t seen in ages, I returned to the stage area to catch some of Theo Katzman’s set. Katzman was a founding member and guitarist for Ann Arbor-based My Dear Disco before deciding to take control of his own musical path. This was my first time seeing Katzman perform his personalized style of music, and it was undeniably entertaining. His tunes were a blend of R&B, Soul, and Pop, and contained many of those ‘hooks’ one might get stuck in his or her head if heard often enough. The songs were not only catchy but also contained a spirited sophistication…Katzman did not hold back. Singing lyrics as truth, his enthusiasm spread across the entire crowd while lifting the music from every day commonplace to something profound and deeply moving. Near the end of his set, Katzman’s guitar amplifier stopped working, but as a true performer would, he completely owned the moment improvising comical lyrics, refocusing the band, then crushing the rest of the song vocally. It’s a sad admission, but I cannot remember the last show I attended that featured such a stellar and complete performance by a front man… what a breath of fresh air! Seemingly every captivating characteristic today’s singers ought to possess but generally lack, Katzman owns with supreme authority. If Friday’s set is any indication of things-to-come for Mr. Katzman, there is much success ahead for this young man.
Words & Photos By Greg Molitor August 6th and 7th Riverside Park – Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ekoostik Hookah, Theo Katzman, The Ragbirds, The Macpodz, FunKtion, Hullabaloo & Smokestack
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