"Live" at The Colatina Exit, Bradford, VT
October, 8, 1998
by Tom Durgin
Joel Cage brought his high-powered enthusiasm to the stage here at the Colatina Exit for the second time on Wednesday, and I'm glad I heard him again. Cage's first performance here was a real eye-opener for me; although we've been blessed with a string of great performances both before and after his first gig, his still stands out in my mind.
Trouble is, not many people heard him the first time. The crowd was a little bigger for Wednesday's show, but it wasn't what he deserved. I don't know (to borrow a line from one of his songs) why; perhaps folks were saving their money for the great
Norman Blake next Wednesday. And this is, after all, a very small market. But I remain convinced that this venue is a great place to hear music, and so does Cage. On a good night with a big crowd it would be hard to find fault with the place, but Wednesday seemed more like a house concert than a club date. Not that it made a difference in Cage's performance; he plays with a marvelous intensity no matter what the size of the audience, and he had us thoroughly enthralled all evening long. But Cage definitely deserves to be heard by more people. He is a tireless self-promoter, keeping his fans informed through e-mail about upcoming gigs and asking them to support radio stations that play his music.
That's a lot of work, and he realizes the importance of it, but there's really no substitute for actually playing before an audience. So I'm going to do something I haven't done before in these reviews: I'm going to tell you about his next gig, and I encourage you - no, exhort you - to go see him. If you haven't yet, you have no idea what you're missing
Cage's strong voice and stellar guitar work are not to be missed. His thoughtful way with lyrics belies his sometimes-frenetic style; he is a sensitive songwriter and I especially like his love songs, which speak to my heart while coming from his. But don't take my word for it - go see him. If I could afford it, I'd guarantee you the cost of your ticket if you don't like him. I can't, but I don't think I'm wrong about this, so I'll give you my personal e-mail address so you can write and give me grief if you disagree: tdurgin@sover.net.
There. I've rattled your cage, now let Cage rattle yours.
Joel Cage will be playing at the legendary Club Passim in Cambridge, Mass., on Thursday, October 15, starting at 8 PM.