Introducing songs from his upcoming album, Blackberry Light, and pleasing the crowd with his back catalogue, Charlie Mars very much entertained the modest crowd at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston last Thursday.
The acoustic performance fit well into the Mucky Duck’s “Silence is Golden” rule, and Mars was charming in his Vh1 Storytellers method of describing each song’s origin, which he had no problem admitting too. Even the sound of glass breaking from behind the bar as Mars strummed the first chords of opener, “I Do” didn’t disrupt his upbeat attitude and the romanticism of the song.
Mars continued the set with songs from the upcoming album, including the title track, “Nothing but the Rain,” and “Back of the Room.” Other favorites played included his biggest hit “Listen to the Darkside,” “Meet Me by the Backdoor,” and “Like a Bird, Like a Plane.”
Shows at the Mucky Duck are intimate, with its small corner stage, roughly 20 tables and a 10-man bar. Mars utilized the setting with his witty humor, sharing stories of growing up in a small Mississippi town, and talking about life in Austin while writing and recording for Blackberry Light.
Songs from the new album would easily fit onto his last record, Like a Bird, Like a Plane, both of which maintain a mellow, acoustic-based groove. However, the newest songs have a happier tone to them, which makes the listener believe he’ll continue with this “groove” on future songs.
Mars plans on touring in support of Blackberry Light for a couple of years following its release, and will likely stop by Houston a couple more times during that span. Hopefully, at least one of those times, he’ll have a backing band to showcase another side of his performance.
If you’re in the Austin area, you can check Mars out June 24 at Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que, and again July 19 at Shady Grove before he heads out on a national tour. For ticketing and more information, visit his official webpage here.