Time for a change of scenery. Last weekend listeners were brought uptown to South Harlem for an unlikely cultural center. Silvana, a hip social spot with good food, drinks, hookah and music was the place to be Saturday night. People, young and old, all seemed to be congregating to the lounge-like venue for an evening of good tunes. Elizabeth Hunter, one of the many performers that night, was certainly a muse to note.
To take the trek uptown, the train is probably the safest bet at the wee hours of the night. However, for those ambitious souls who love to walk and catch Pokemon, the journey is quite enjoyable. Rounding the corner on 116th street, Silvana appears and listeners are directed to wander downstairs towards the already loud music playing from the space. A small stage greets all guests as they have to quickly go around the plentiful crowd of onlookers who are comfortably seated watching the show. A recommended spot is to chill right by the bar before the backroom lounge with its cushioned seats. The loudest members of the venue were situated there and were all engaged in intense conversation. Hookah was being smoked and a pleasurable aroma mixed in with the mouth-watering food gave Silvana a wonderful ambiance. On the ceiling hung various colorful tapestries while above the bar hung a series of cheese grater lamps. It was a truly unusual spot. Then again, Everyone simply looked happy and in loves with their Saturday vibes.
When Elizabeth arrived on stage to prepare for her set, she was all in black and was dressed perfectly to match her black bass guitar. Joining Elizabeth were the band The Gatherers, Joan Chew, Pete Hogan and Adam Miller, who were a superb compliment to the singer’s music. Both Elizabeth and Joan practiced some harmonies for their sound check and then they took it off straightaway. The singer’s soft voice was quite noticeable amidst the loud cacophony of the space. When the bass was released a deep musical balance was created. Every low pluck of the strings caused viewers to turn their heads and listen.
In the beginning, Miss Hunter was a statue in total rock stance as she wielded her guitar. As the show progressed the musician loosened up and began to bounce with her tunes. She made sure to welcome everyone and congratulated the musicians that performed before her that night. From there, her music took a pure rock feel with Elizabeth screaming along. Her power and focus on the bass was fantastic as she became the woman in black. The thump of her sounds somehow worked. As for The Gatherers, it was a casual affair for them that evening. They were trucking along and making their skills be heard.
Eventually, body thrusts began to appear as Elizabeth’s music took a funky turn. Her dances were shared from the crowd as people started putting their hands up and moving closer with their partners for a more intimate dance session. Part of that success was thanks to Miss Hunter’s passion as she belched out her lyrics. Listeners could tell this woman was genuine in her music. The drums from Adam applied a perfect mix with the bass-driven rock. As her set came to a close, clapping throughout the space ensued. Her music changed toward the end to a poppy-rock feel that only encouraged more dancing. Sadly, as the crowd began to stand and dance, the ambient noise took over and drowned out Elizabeth’s music. She still rocked out and gave people that night the fuel they were looking for to make the weekend a hit.
For those wanting to hold onto the summer joys, look no further than Elizabeth Hunter’s musical glory. Her music is a nice break from the chaotic themes of hot days and are catchy as well. Welcome fall with some excellent music folks and listen to this woman’s discography, it will be well worth it!
Jam On.
