Live Music Review // Allysen Callery / Stefan Christensen / George Hakkila / Dawn Cook, @ Willimantic Records, Willimantic CT, July 13th 2024
Additional photos can be found in an album on Facebook here :::
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1522973461766203&type=3
When I first found out about all of this, it was part of a BLiSS Marketplace "Christmas In July" event, which was among other things a sidewalk sale. However, it was raining heavily on this Saturday morning, but cleared up enough for us to make the drive. Everything was, more or less, moved to inside the BLiSS Marketplace but it still seemed like a good time.
We've been down to Willimantic Records for music before and at times we've seen the people there selling various items but this time we also went with the idea that we would go through and browse these items-- take time to see what is going on in the rest of the Marketplace and not just the record store. While I found a t-shirt I like, Quentin spent time at a bracelet making station, making a bracelet for himself.
A little after 2pm the music started inside of Willimantic Records with Dawn Cook. I'm not going to be able to fully explain how this set started because Dawn Cook was playing various instruments and did a Sun Ra cover. One instrument used was a bow- as if you were going to go hunting with a bow and arrow- and the other one I googled by searching for "small wooden stringed instrument" and believe is either a zither or looked like it. Though, Dawn Cook also played this instrument with her face.
This turned into an electric guitar set after this all (it might have even been a harp and not a zither, but I don't know every musical instrument ever made) and it was loud. Crunchy guitar chords made their way through the speakers as Dawn Cook was singing with them. This was a lot of fun and I felt like on this early afternoon where we all felt a little sleepy from the weather this was a good way to wake up.
George Hakkila was up second and this is my third time seeing him now. Funny how the first time I saw him perform was also with Dawn Cook. George Hakkila stood on the opposite side of the store from last time, strummed his guitar and sang his songs. It's funny because even just going from show to show, I'm starting to remember the songs. This is how music felt before the advent of the record and I would definitely like to see George Hakkila play out more often.
I feel like in every music scene there is that one person who is kind of this legend but sort of state-based kept secret. George Hakkila could be that for Connecticut (Though I hear he's big in Australia) and that really is saying a lot when Connecticut has the thriving music scene that it has. People really need to get out there and see George Hakkila when they have the chance because it's an experience like no other.
The amazing thing in seeing Stefan Christensen is that this set began as mostly vocals and then this stringed instrument came into play. As the sound took on different shapes, that stringed instrument- some kind of harp- was looped in with the electric guitar. As the guitar chord progressions began, they eventually took over the entire sound. By the end we had these dreamy sort of start and stop guitar chords and the way it all morphed was just so flawless.
My mind felt focused on that first stringed instrument for quite some time, to the point where it became part of the background and eventually faded out of the sound and I didn't even notice- it was as if it was never there. To have that sound flow and change like that, so naturally, is not an easy aspect of sound to create, especially live, but Stefan Christensen just made it all look so seamless.
Allysen Callery closed out this show and when you think of local legends and musicians you need to go out of your way to see, this is one which might be on top of the list. Playing these folk songs while singing along in a way which only Allysen Callery can, there were talks of people going to confessional when the church took over and prior to that they'd go in the woods and pick flowers.
There was also a cover of the traditional folk song "The Wee Wee Man", which cannot go without being noted. At this point in the day I felt like we had gone on past 4pm (when the "Christmas In July" event was scheduled to end) but I wish that Allysen Callery played a little bit longer. I suppose that's the sign of a great musician though- always leave them wanting more and all that- and I have a feeling we'll be seeing Allysen Callery sooner rather than later.
Dawn Cook can be found on Instagram here :::
https://www.instagram.com/shrinnirs/
George Hakkila can be found on Instagram here :::
https://www.instagram.com/pterodactyl_pottery/
Stefan Christensen can be found on Bandcamp here :::
https://stefanchristensen.bandcamp.com/
Allysen Callery can be found on Bandcamp here :::
https://allysencallery.bandcamp.com/
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