Author: Bridget Benevides
Image courtesy of Robert Meyers
I really did not know how much I needed live music until I was there at The Triple Door, sitting quietly by myself, enjoying the serenity of live music. First, I would like to say a huge thank you to The Triple Door for always hosting me with such willingness and generosity. I consistently have incredible experiences there as they continue to bring in unique talent and for this reason it continues to be my favorite venue in Seattle.
On Tuesday night I saw Jeffrey Foucault and Dust Heart. Barbara Jean and Molly Dean of Dusty Heart came on first before being joined on stage by other band members. The duo performed together with grace and ease, their voices melting together in perfect harmony. Molly Dean skillfully played guitar while Barbara Jean switched back and forth from banjo, violin and viola. I loved watching them as they music seemed to take over their bodies; as they moved with the rhythm of their instruments and their voices radiated passion with every note that left their lips. My favorite song they played was called “Timbre and Trail” because of the long melodies that hung in the air which gave me chills. As she introduced one song, Barbara Jean said, “This song is about hope. Which is fitting because it is election day, and we’ll see how we feel after we see the polls, but no matter what happens we have to keep that hope alive” and I appreciated that statement.
They were eventually joined on stage by Jeffrey Foucault as well as an electric guitarist and a bass guitarist (of whom I did not catch the names). I was very excited to see them all together because I love a good male/female duet, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. Barbara Jean continued to play the viola as Molly Dean sang with Jeffrey Foucault. His rich country voice echoed deep through the crowd as many audience members bobbed or swayed their heads to the tunes. At one point, after the band and women left the stage, he stepped out from behind the microphone, unplugged his guitar and played a song. And as the song progressed, his voice filled the room. The music floated through the space, free from electronic aid, free to be alive in and of itself. This was my favorite moment of his set.
Side note: at the show, as the audience, myself included, was clapping at the commencement of a song I realized I didn’t actually know why I was clapping, I just knew it was something you do at shows… so, I Googled it. I found out that clapping is a learned behavior, you’ve probably seen babies do it, and it is contagious in an audience. But that is pretty much all I found, I was really looking for some psychology behind why we bang out hands together to show appreciation, but my only conclusion is that we do it because other people do it.
All in all, I had a good night, and would recommend Jeffrey Foucault and Dusty Heart to anyone who enjoys country/folk/soft rock music. If you are interested in hearing them for yourself, they are on Spotify, YouTube and iTunes.
BRIDGET BENEVIDES | Hope | KXSU Music Reporter