WYCE Jammies – February 16, 2010

February 21st, 2010 · 45 Comments

Valentiger was invited to perform based on their nominations for “Best Contemporary Album,” “Best Song,” and “Best New Artist.” All of this acknowledgment centered around their 2009 release Power Lines To Electric Times featuring the single “Leaving Town.” The gang was invited to perform on the front stage, and with Kehoe unable to attend the event, Shirey and Rider suited up for an acoustic duo performance. Equipped with a concert size guitar, harmonica and a drum set made mostly of two floor toms, the duo banged out “Leaving Town, “Courses” and “Lament,” all from the nominated album. Though a short performance, a lot of things were packed into the three songs. Shirey gives a bit of insight, “When you’ve been playing with a person as long as I have with Scott, performance takes you into a sort of catatonic state. It really isn’t about the audience anymore or about the mistakes you might make or even the words. It just becomes about the song and conveying it as equally as you feel. Tonight was one of those rare moments where, when we got done, it was almost like it never happened – but I felt like I had gotten something out of me.” Valentiger did not win any of the categories in which they were nominated. But it’s not what the Jammies are about for them. “The Jammies are a good thing in the way they bring the local music scene together. You put names to faces and form a sense of community. Where else can you see, hear and become familiar with a good majority of Grand Rapids acts in one night – for free?”

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