Friday, August 23, 2013

Hammer No More the Fingers Returns to the Annual Daniel

Hammer No More the Fingers - photo by Allison Springer

It's Hammer time! Hammer No More the Fingers returns to the Annual Daniel this Saturday, August 24 - site of some of their most inspired performances and receptive audiences. This time it might be a little different, because lately it seems like the Hammer thing has been put on the backburner while the band members pursue solo musical endeavors.

HMNtF bassist Duncan Webster has been turning his attention to acoustic guitar in a stripped down, plaintive duo with cellist Leah Gibson called Prypyat. Guitarist Joe Hall has just released an excellent album Blanko Basnet and has been playing shows under that name with a band consisting of Brad Cook (Megafaun), Matt Peterson (Canine Heart Sounds) and Hammer bandmate Jeff Stickley on drums. Meanwhile, Jeff Stickley has returned to his first love - Americana music - by flatpicking guitar in an all star pick-up bluegrass band called Mason's Apron.

Exploring these other styles of music and formats has got to be a healthy diversion for these guys, allowing them to bring in new skills and understanding when they re-convene as Hammer No More the Fingers. I'm looking forward to seeing how this expanded know-how might be fulfilled when Hammer plays this Saturday on familiar turf.

However, one thing that's so great about the Annual Daniel is the line between performer and spectator, between entertainer and the entertained, is so blurred that there's no pressure to "perform" in the traditional sense. It's this freedom that allows artists to flourish in that environment. Tara Mills and Yankee Dixie and Supatight are also scheduled to be at the A.D.