Live Music Review: Jackdog Snook @ The Warehouse

Second Life Live Music Review
Written by Music Desperados - Marioposa Upshaw & Experiment Rhode
Metaverse Music
Jackdog Snook

"As a songwriter, if you can touch people and make them feel a little less alone in the world, then you've done your job." - Tom Cochrane

"Songwriting is like a Relationship you have with the audience and the audience has with you" - Brandon Heath

Rara Destiny: "Jackdog Snook is my dearest friend; best singer/songwriter I know"

M: Jackdog Snook - A songwriter; a singer; a musician; a voice as strong as a southerly buster, as sweet as yellow box honey; a a rogue; a bard; charming, risque, poignant - a storyteller with song; at one time I described Jack as incomparable. I'll stick by that i reckon.

Jackdog is in RL Brian Henderson Ward, award winning songwriter, past President of the Australian Songwriters Association and currently adminstrator of midlate.com, a website for songwriters around the world. http://midlate.com/

Ex: Jackdog is one of those rare breed of songwriters who can make you cry with one song and laugh with another. His songs can be joyful, thought provoking, silly and serious, always strongly melodic, full of musical nuance and emotion. His guitar playing is magnificent whether it be strumming or picking and his voice is strong, clear and at times sublime. On top of all that, he's a true blue Aussie. Its easy to picture him hitchhiking around Australia with his guitar.

Tonight Jack played at the Warehouse...

...one of two venues owned by Maddison Savira and Cane Janick (The Falls is their other venue). The Warehouse is just what its name implies, a straightforward venue in the sky, plain and simply there for the music. Everytime I've been there its been under the watchful eye of Maddison, a delighful, sassy Aussie.

Song Review:
Ex: Jack has too many wonderful original songs in his suitcase which can easily fill a 2 hour set but he usually throws in a few well chosen covers from Leonard Cohen to Bob Seger or even a tune or two from some of his mates from downunder. If anyone isn’t swept up in his pure professionalism and his love of music then all I can say is….Get Over It!!!!

Wonder - Jackdog Snook/aka Brian Henderson Ward
Ex: This original composition reaches out and touches your heart and soul in a way that defies explanation. It could only have been written from a place deep within and under the circumstances, must have been incredibly painful to write. The finished song is full of love for the loss of a dear friend. The lyrics are deeply poingant, the delivery exquisite and the arrangement masterful. If there is a better original song performed in SL then I would like to hear it!

M: "Wonder" is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, bar none, end of story. It was entered in the 2008 Australian Songwriter's Competion and placed fourth in the category of spiritual songs. Why it didnt win song of the year over any other entry is something I continuallly shake my head over in disbelief. Jack tells the story that the song was written at the request of a very ill friend of his, for her funeral. Wonder evokes such imagery and emotion, its one of those songs that succeeds on every level in transcending the ordinary. " If you wonder what heaven's like..."

Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
This classic has the unfortunate reputation of being the most covered song in SL. In my opinion, Jack's version is the best I've ever heard.
M: I agree with Ex the only one that comes close is Cylindrian. Personally, I hate when i hear audience complaints about "Hallelujah" - it is such a lyrically rich and haunting song it deserves to be heard over and over especially when done with the grace of Jackdog.
Ex: Jack's rendition is based on the original Cohen recording from his 1984 album “Various Positions”. Jackdog puts such a personal stamp on it, and sings it as if it was his own, leaving listeners in awe of the beauty of this song.

Spoon River - Michael Smith -
This wonderful song composed by Michael Smith and first popularized by singer-songwriter Steve Goodman in the mid 1970’s. This lovely lilting gem of a song, about the era of riverboat gamblers, fits Jackdog’s style perfectly - confidently sung and played in his laid back Aussie style, it will have you waltzing with your sweetheart across the dancefloor.

Nobody Do - original Jackdog Snook / aka Brian Henderson Ward
Nobody Do is a poppy gem of a song, a plea to convince the listener no one can be found to love the singer as much as the listener does. But another reason this song stands out is that Jack has turned it into a song built around SL and the net. He sent Nobody Do out as an MP3 to many singers and they laid down vocals and returned it to Jack. Then Jack sent it to SL Musician Trowser Boa who added a great sax track ..To hear a great version of Nobody Do, open Jessy Sommers's profile. Well done Jess and good on ya Jack for sharing your music with other singers and musicians.

On a final note, Jack has recently announced he has a CD coming out in the near future so all fans of jack's music rejoice :)

http://midlate.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmeBrg63ySo&feature=PlayList&p=3B65988B75C0DF51&playnext=1&index=1 (Jackdog/BHWard "Crazy")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yghangexfHA (Jackdog in SL - Spoon River)

Live Music Review: Jackdog Snook @ The Warehouse

Second Life Live Music Review
Written by Enniv Zarf (RL: Paul Kwo)
Metaverse Music
Jackdog Snook
The Warehouse

Imagine this, I'm up at 3am in the morning reviewing music. I have got to be obsessed with this right?

I was really just chatting with a friend and was about to log off for the night when I got this post from the Live Music Lovers group for this Australian singer. Now here I'm thinking I will eventually have to start doing some reviews of these artists from across the globe. So why not today.

And all I can say is if every artists that plays at 3am in the morning on Second Life time, then by gosh, this is the time to be on Second Life to listen to music.

Jackdog was the president of the Australian Songwriters association, and he no doubt sounds like a great singer/songwriter. He's got a powerful voice and a unique sound that really draws a good crowd. Though of course being one of the only performer performing at this hour also makes it easier to draw a bigger crowd.

Nevertheless it's fantastic to hear Jackdog sing...

...both original tunes and cover songs. On the cover songs, Jackdog gives his own style into the music that makes it all his own.

At one point he was singing "The first cut is the deepest" and he did make it his own performance of the song. All in all he's pretty solid in his performance. His guitar playing was great and his voice was very strong tonight.

I do have a little bit of an issue with his microphone. I don't think it's a Second Life issue, but who knows. Whatever it is it cut out a big chunk of higher and lower frequencies causing his voice to sound. I'm pretty sure he knows that but if he doesn't well here it is. It something easily fixable and I'm sure it'll be fine the next time around.

But it's a very minor thing really, nothing that distracted significantly from the performance. And for some, it may even be considered a "sound." Why not right? I mean as long as you like it it's great for you. But I just like to point things out cause well, that is what I do. I love to point things out. I will also point out that he's got a great speaking voice too, and he does a great job communicating to the audience. I would say go check him out for sure especially given the time zone he performs in, there isn't much around. But still even if there is a lot around I would still say Jackdog is worth checking out and have a listen to.

During the concert I got caught up talking to a good friend of mine Mariposa Upshaw about reviewing Second Life Music and the perspectives that she has versus mine are different. It was a very intriguing conversation as I think we do have different objective. In the end she offered to write an article of hers on the subject matter and even possibly review music too from her side of the equation. I am definitely looking forward to that. I can't wait to hear what she has to say about the artists that I am reviewing. And a different point of view is exactly what I am looking for here at Metaverse Music. So share yours with me in the comments!