At first glance, Kellen Kerwin will remind of people you might be familiar with; Bert McCracken (of The Used) without makeup, MySpace or a personality disorder, or even Tom Brady without a haircut. The passion of both individuals (along with the good looks of the latter – ladies, please confirm) is definitely also present in spades, but Kellen & Me is also so much more than either – or both – brings to the table.
If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of seeing Kellen & Me live, we’ll break it down for you. He’s so completely absorbed in his music that, at times, he seems like he’s in his own little world performing for an audience of one instead of the packed crowd at his feet. And yet, he manages to do this while simultaneously being a picture perfect dictionary definition of “audience involvement.” There’s whimsy. There’s emotion. There’s inflection. There’s also dancing in place.
As you watch his head sway back and forth rhythmically to the point of contortion, you can’t help but feeling like you’re getting a special peek through the looking glass into indie music Wonderland. Like a cool musical breeze, the rhythm loops, the guitar plucking and the whole body gyrations – the scene as a whole really – kind of just washes over you and instills an enthralling sense of calm. The sort of calm that lets you just sit back and relax – all the while clapping your hands, stomping your feet and singing along.
Special thanks to everyone at Audiotree for putting on this fantastic show.
