Punk Artist Goes Solo at TDU

April 26, 2010 • By Jeff Wade,
Print This Post
Email This Post

Playing solo in the cozy coffee house setting of TDU this week, Arthur Carl Enders breezed through a solo set that saw the prolific punk play to a hushed and reverent crowd.

Enders had a storied career in the music industry, and he has a large song book number of pseudonyms to prove it. Enders is perhaps most notable for his role in the millennial emo band The Early November. Under his current nom de plume “Ace,” the musician played a stripped-down set of songs that catered to many of his prior fans, while drawing in new ones.

The solo format is a tricky one to master. There is no full band or production to hide behind, and songwriting is brought to the forefront. As Enders’ genre is dependent on explosive and soaring choruses that are inherently at odds with the pared down acoustic setting, it would seem problematic. But he funneled that energy early on and held the audience captive over his hour-long set.

A good majority of Enders’ output gravitates to the emotional extreme. A majority of the songs took the form of tales of the darkest of darks and the loneliest of lonely times.

But one man’s sappy sentimentality is another man’s profundity, as evident by rapturous applause that occurred whenever another old warhorse of a song was brought out.

However, there is more to a good concert than the songs. As the unavoidable attention the solo format focuses on an artist’s demands, the singer-songwriter tied in storytelling and fostered an inviting jovial atmosphere. Anecdotes and tangents between songs nearly outnumbered the actual number of songs played, and a playful teasing banter between his fans and himself demonstrated the close relationship he cultivates with his fans. This all showed a clear sense of humor for an artist whose work is so self-serious.

There is no doubt that Ace Enders has the ability to connect with crowds. A clear example could be seen in the post-show buzz.

“It was awesome,” said freshman graphic design major Bekah Sipe. “It was just a great atmosphere.”

The enthusiasm was not simply contained to the JMU community, as students from other schools like Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia made the trek here.

Even former students, like transfer student Jim Ivins were pulled back to JMU for the show.

“This was my sixth time seeing him; he’s great every time,” Ivins said. “I’ve never seen him in this intimate of a setting, which showed that he is just really good at interacting.”

The whole night can be summed up as a satisfying mix of songs that avoided the trap of being an exclusive fan-only affair. Now if we can just pull the shroud on metaphors about skies and sunsets, we’ll be in business.

Contact Jeff Wade at wadeja@dukes.jmu.edu

Filed Under Life