A cordoned off city block in Malden, Massachusetts became another place that Charlie Farren turned into a concert hall. Maybe it was his knowledge of technology. Maybe it was his mellifluous voice and melodic electric guitar. Maybe it was his strong, vibrant personality at the microphone. Maybe he just had to work hard, following a couple of wild comedians that were on stage before him. Farren put heart and soul into his performance at the Saint Rocco Festival last night.
With his familiar, reassuring, adept vocal approach, Farren launched into a loneliness introspection on original tune “Nobody‘s Somebody.”. His voice, as usual, sounded huge, warm, and smooth. There is also an emotional vulnerability in his vocal, something that feels open, confident, like an artist who is not afraid to show his sensitive side. It might also explain why a lot of women in the crowd were singing along to every word he was singing. They know he’s in tune with what makes a song come into existence and that plays well with the female psyche.
Farren was soon into his meaning of life song “Old & Young,” another locally known Farren tune that found him crooning sweetly through his chorus and contemplative lyrics. His brisk chord progression on his electric guitar made its knobby, twangy presence heard and felt down the street.
“Hold Me Down And Love Me,” from his latest album, last year’s Tuesday, required Farren to belt soulfully over his intricate fret board fingering pattern. His voice lead the way through it, with his particularly husky drawl pulling a lot of emotion out of his song. It was a treat to hear his easeful, flowing vocal cruise through his chorus,. Underneath his voice, he played a hip, bluesy progression of rhythmic material. It’s a song loaded with cool.
Farren went into his Farrenheit era MTV hit “Fool In Love.” It worked in this solo electric format, sounding just as rocking accompanying himself as he does fronting his trio. He especially smooth timbre flowed like honey through its changes. He can still make his audience feel what he’s singing about, judging by the hearty applause he kept getting from his Malden block party.
A duet Farren co-wrote with Magic 106.7 FM on air personality Candy O’Terry, “You Are The Only One,” soothed the audience with its quiet, contemplative mood. Down tempo, mellow, Farren showed he’s still a very listenable, watchable presence on stage. Soon after, he rocked it up with “Talk Dirty,” halting his vocal mid song to let the crowd fill in on for him on the chorus.
Audience member dancing
He unfurled his song “I Want You To Be In My Movie” from the duo album Farren Butcher, INC with his nimblest picking style of the evening. In the lyrics, Farren invites someone to be his leading lady, showing himself to be a gentleman with his confident, unselfconscious romantic overture. He certainly proved a hit with the Adult Contemporary radio fans in the crowd.
“Impossible World” allowed Farren a chance to showcase some of his funkier guitar riffs. A cool song, Farren played it with rock star energy and swagger, even without a hard charging band behind him. You’d want to snap your fingers, nod your head, or tap your toes to the rhythm in this one.
It was a fun set from the man who’s been turning on New England since even before he became a rock star with The Joe Perry Project and Farrenheit. His personal recognizance in our area combined with his larger than life stage presence and huge talent made him a welcome presence, as always.
Farren has a Farrenheit rock concert planned for the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury, Massachusetts on Friday, August 22nd.
