On June 11, 2009, I saw Michael Franks at the Birchmere but first let’s talk about Lili Anel, the open act. She appeared on stage with just her guitar and a base player. Quite a presence; a rubenesque, funny, lively Latina whose songs are musical translations of her experiences, many of them having to do with her personal relationships. She gets great sound and momentum from her two piece group. Well worth seeing.
I’ve been a fan of Michael Franks since my freshman year in college, 1979 when I stumbled across his album Tiger in the Rain in the record store. From that point on I was hooked. Michael turned me on to Charles Burchfield, Mate Tea, Jardin Botanico, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Paul Cézanne, Marc Chagall, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh and the Yellow House.
Michael’s slow, methodic almost talking way singing pulls you in to his musical world. The music is the canvas and his lyrics the paint that he combines to create musical pictures filled with thoughts, places, feelings and humor. He sang many favorites like, Eggplant, Popsicle Toes, The Lady Wants to Know, In The Eye Of The Storm, B'wana - He No Home, Rainy Night In Tokyo, Now Love Has No End and Scatsville.
The band is made up of very competent members; a sax man who also plays the flute, a base player, drummer, keyboardist and accompanying vocalist. Listening to Michael Franks is always enjoyable and an adventure through the arts.