Midpoint Music Festival 2005
Randomville (Cincinnati, OH)
A gem I discover from the Big Apple is an acoustic artist named Dave Golden over at The Courtyard Café. Wearing a cowboy hat and gruff beard, he asks: “How many of you like Country music?” Silence. “Uh oh” is his reply. But once he gets going, he’s playing fast enough to hang with Dave Matthews’ buddy Tim Reynolds. Golden is burning up his guitar while playing the harmonica simultaneously. And with this I have to award him the best musician I’ve seen all weekend. Lyrically, imagine Neil Diamond and Bruce Springsteen singing a country duet together. The crowd really likes his anecdotes between songs as it’s similar to an episode of VH1 Storytellers. A cover of Johnny Cash’s “Long Black Veil” and the fact that this guy has me liking country music tonight makes him absolutely aces!
MusicFestNW 2005
Williamette Week (Portland, OR)
After hopscotching through musical genres, Dave Golden found his voice through the simple accompaniment of an acoustic guitar. His style is reminiscent of Jeff Tweedy, Sean Kelly and early Bob Dylan, but ultimately - gratifyingly - he is no one but Dave Golden.
Midpoint Music Festival 2005
City Beat (Cincinnati, OH)
"Dave Golden has dipped his musical toes in everything from Punk and Jam bands to Classical and progressive Jazz, but last year he made his "Folk debut" in New York and a few weeks later was in L.A., playing Molly Malone's. Not four months later, he had a deal with Nashville producer Bob Johnston, who worked with Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and several other legends. Can you say "fast track?" Dig it: Springsteen, Dylan, Cat Stevens."
Midwest Music Summit 2005
Segement of Society (Indianapolis, IN)
Mercy Driver was my highlight of the Midwest Music Summit. Mercy Driver is: Dave Golden, Shelley Miller, Kara Kulpa and Jeremiah Birnbaum. Folks... this was great music and great fun. The PA didn’t work, so Mercy Driver played walking around the place, standing on chairs, and kneeling on the floor!
Midwest Music Summit 2004
Nuvo Weekly (Indianapolis, IN)
The now trio [Dave Golden, Jeremiah Birnbaum, Shelley Miller] produced beautiful melodies with such delicacy and vocal harmonies that they made you doubt that the three had actually met for the first time here at the summit and just somewhat whimsically decided to play together. And what synchronicity they shared ˜ their voices, their delivery, their skill... This lovely little unscheduled morning was a highlight and perfect ending to an amazing weekend of music.
Americana Tonight Music Series
Americana Tonight (Nashville, TN)
Since his May 2004 debut, edgy and poetic Dave Golden has quickly become a favorite. He's earned prestigious showcase slots around the country in just three months. Glowing write-ups have built anticipation for his debut CD. In just a few short months Dave Golden has attracted the industry "A" list to his door. His CD will roll out in 2005 with Bob Johnston (Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel) at the helm.
Dave Golden, Molly Malone's, June 8
Entertainment Today (Los Angeles, CA)
Golden's vocal style is a sort of combination of artistic rockers like John Hiatt and Tracy Chapman, with a more pained and aggressive Cat Stevens thrown in. His songs of life on the road and displacement echo John Lee Hooker's definition of the blues as being about "a man, a woman, a broken heart, and a broken home". But while Golden's lyrics and technique are straightforward, they are rarely simplistic.
Gig View
Radio Crystal Blue (New York, NY)
Dave Golden appeared a few minutes later in a white, thin striped shirt, brown jacket, dark jeans and a rosewood acoustic... First 3 songs were of rapid motion and delivery, notably his "Appalachian Fight Song." He had been recording in New Orleans for a while and decided to try some new tunes... 4th song was "Caramel", a very well-written tune coming from 3 perspectives: a bar, a war room, and a cemetery near a house on a hill; all old favorite touchstones for those old folksters. I felt the song had something to do with personal consequence.
He joked about how he was in New Orleans during the time when Hurricane Ivan was on its way, and that the folks, after locking up valuables and boarding up windows and such, that they would have 'hurricane parties'. He mused further... why not a terrorism party? Or even... a terrorism party song? Yikes. Well he took off his jacket and trotted that song out... called "If I'm Gon' Die Young." Country Joe McDonald would be proud.
Taylor would join Dave on "Frida" with a beautiful intro and coda... Dave finished his set with "Hold On Tight" as he unplugged his guitar and walked off the stage... into the audience area and played. Awesome!
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