Jeff Buckley Tribute Night At The B Side Lounge

Written by Michael Garfield Monday, 23 November 2009 00:50

Last Wednesday at Boulder's B Side Lounge, some of Boulder's finest singer-songwriters gathered to honor the memory of legendary singer Jeff Buckley, whose tragic accidental drowning death in 1997 left the world with only one finished album and another on four-track demo tapes.

In celebration of a brief-but-bright career and what would have been Buckley's 43rd birthday, local balladeer Jeffery Hyde Thompson assembled a five-piece tribute band. That band, Your Sweet Return, featured Kit Slater on guitar, Aaron Stone on bass, Paul Fowler on keys, and Ryan Maskewitz on drums and played the epic 1994 album Grace in its entirety. What more, they invited fellow Jefficionados Dechen Hawk, Ramaya Soskin, Gregory Alan Isakov, Katy McNeill, and Kendra Current to open the evening with covers of tracks from the unfinished album My Sweetheart The Drunk. I stood in the sidelines, painting a symbolic tribute during the music.

Not only was it a celebration of Jeff Buckley's birthday (Nov 17th), but also Jeffery Hyde Thompson's (Nov 13th) and Ramaya's (the day of, Nov 18th). So there were plenty of good feelings all around. It was a beautiful evening, a packed house full of respect and appreciation, people of all ages gathered together, raising our voices in unison along with Jeff's dark-yet-exultant music. When I could wrench myself away from the easel and stop singing, I managed to snap some pictures:

Fledgling rocker and Jeffery Hyde's guitar student Aaron Kirschner opened the night with Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." It was beautiful; the kid's a born entertainer.

Dechen Hawk and Ramaya Soskin play a sultry version of "Everybody Here Wants You" off My Sweetheart The Drunk.

Jeffery Hyde Thompson and Your Sweet Return get down on an uncanny performance of Grace's title track... "Oh, it's my time coming now, and I'm not afraid, afraid to die..."

Everyone gathers 'round the mic as a spontaneous backup chorus for the soulful mourner's ballad "Lover, You Should've Come Over."

My completed painting from the night, which integrated several of the symbols from Jeff's music (for more info, check my live art blog).