Baltimore - When I found out Sera Cahoone, Seattle based lo-fi country singer songwriter on the Sub Pop record label was on tour and going to play in Baltimore at the Metro Gallery, I started making plans to go.  When the possibility of covering her show and an opportunity to interview her began to materialize, it seemed like fate.  I first became aware of Sera early in 2007 through an article in the #65 September-October issue of No Depression (now out of print, but still online).  She had just released her first self-titled, self-produced debut album.  Previous to that, she was the drummer for Seattle-based band Carissa’s Weird, which spawned Band of Horses and Grand Archives.  She played drums on Band of Horse’s Everything All the Time album and tour.  In February of 2007, on a trip to Seattle, I purchased Sera Cahoone and listened to it for about a year straight.  Needless to say, I became an instant fan.  In the summer of 2008, I drove five and a half hours from Charleston, South Carolina, after a full day of work, to Chapel Hill to see Sera and her band play at the Local 506 when she was out on tour with Grand Archives in support of her 2008 release on Sub Pop Only as the Day Is Long.  They were so impressed with my dedication they gave me a free tee shirt.

After all the proper channels had been gone through, the interview was scheduled for the night of the show.  Sera is on tour supporting Alex Church’s acoustic Sea Wolf tour, and with them, is Los Angeles-based troubadour and former high school classmate of Sera’s, Patrick Park.  Patrick and Sera have known each other and have been playing music together since they were fourteen.  Sera and I decided to meet before the music began for a little chat, but first, they needed to get set up.

The night air was pleasant and refreshing, accented by a subtle breeze.  The town was already teeming with energy as the Orioles were playing the Yankees.  The streets were full of people, and everywhere you looked something seemed to be happening.  Sera indicated that she was available, so we moved to a spot just off the front of the stage for our interview.

33: What is your best concert experience - either attended or performed?
Sera: That’s difficult to say because there have been so many good shows I’ve seen.  Like I saw Loretta Lynn, and she was amazing, so its hard to pinpoint a particular one, but as far as playing, opening up for Lucinda Williams so far has been a highlight.  She’s so great and her music has meant so much to me.  She was very good to me.

33: What is new with Sera Cahoone?
Sera: After the last record, I toured a bunch and got a little burned out, so I wanted to regroup myself.  I started playing drums again, so I’ve been playing a lot of drums.  My old band Carrissa’s Weird got back together for a reunion show, so I’d been really busy with that.  I have been slowly writing songs.  I kinda stopped for a while, and now they are slowly starting to creep back into my life, so I’m enjoying it.  I’m definitely getting a lot closer to having something.  It’s a long process for me. 

33: Well that leads to my next question...so how do you write a song?
Sera: [laughing] I think I do it way too complicated, but I always write the guitar part, and I hum, and I sing along and go with the feeling of that.  When writing a melody a lot of times the words just start coming out, so I go with the feeling of that.  But the words definitely take me the longest.  I know its hard for a lot of people - it takes me forever. 

33: What kind of guitar you playing these days?
Sera: Gibson J45.

33: Is this the replacement for the one that was stolen in New York during your 2008 tour?
Sera: [laughing] Yes it is, and I have been taking really good care of it.  I love it.

33: If you had any advice for female aspiring singer songwriters, what would it be?
Sera: To go for it.  There will be hard times.  Keep on no matter what believing in yourself, keep pushing, but keep enjoying it because if you don’t, it can get grueling, but never give up unless you don’t like it anymore.  Then don’t do it.

33: Do you still get nervous before a show?
Sera: Yeah, I do sometimes more than others, but I still get kind of anxious.

33: Nothing a few shots of whiskey can’t help.
Sera: Usually that helps.

33: Beatles or Stones?
Sera: Um, I’d have to say Beatles.

33: How long have you been on this tour?
Sera: It’s only been a little over a week, and I think we still have three weeks left.

33: Has it been going okay?
Sera: It’s been good.  Its been different because I’m totally solo and that’s like a different world.  I miss the band, especially Jay on the pedal steel.  Being up there alone is so vulnerable.  A lot of the shows that are seated are really great because everyone pays attention but some of the shows...like I’m not sure about tonight with everybody standing.  Sometimes it just gets hard with everyone talking, and your just up there with a guitar and your like [in a very soft voice] shut up, but its been a really good experience for me to able to have to do that.

33: Does it make you work on your chops a little bit?
Sera: Yeah, it does.  It makes me try and be a little more interesting.

33: How long have you been playing the guitar?
Sera: Off and on since '97 or '96.

33: So how do you like being with Sub Pop?
Sera: I like it.  They are all great, and they are just down the street, so its nice to be able to go and talk to them, and they’re all funny and good people.

33: What are you listening to right now?
Sera: Oh man, this is a funny question for me because I don’t listen to anything new.  I don’t even have a CD player.  Basically, I have my iPhone loaded up with a lot of stuff from a long time ago.  I listen to a lot of old country.  Merle Haggard is one of my favorites.  And Lucinda.  Lonesome, On'ry and Mean is one of my favorite albums by Waylon Jennings.  I listen to music at work and stuff, but I feel pretty out of touch with new music.  When I want to listen to something, I usually want to listen to something like Hank Williams or something calming that always makes me feel good.  I like the old stuff - anything country pre ’75.

It’s now getting close to 9:30 PM and the Metro Gallery is a bit more crowded as Patrick Park is taking the stage.  As soon as his voice came through the PA, the room went completely silent.  I think this surprised him.  He proceeded to play an incredible set.  Sera joined him for a number, too.  He started telling us about an experience they had in Denton, Texas, and how unusual it was, and how in contrast this crowd was so attentive and respectful.  At the conclusion of his performance, he thanked the crowd and let them know that Sera would soon follow.

Sera came on and introduced herself, simply dressed in a charcoal V-neck tee shirt, blue jeans held up by an old leather belt with a small, round belt buckle, and sporting some tan Frye boots.  As she rolled into the familiar riff of “Nowhere To Be Found,” you could have heard a pin drop.  The crowd now seated on oriental rugs placed in front of the stage were mesmerized by Seattle’s siren of lo-fi, and that's how they would remain throughout the set.  As I walked around taking photos, I was impressed with how the crowd was there to appreciate the artists and their music.  Even in the bar area.  If the conversations got too loud you’d hear a shhhh, and the offender would abide without another word.  As she played through her repertoire from her two albums, I thought of her band and how great they all sound together, but I was enjoying her solo act because personally, that’s my favorite way to see an artist perform.  There’s nothing to hide behind - no drums, slick lead guitar solos, or pedal steel fills.  Patrick was called to the stage to play a few numbers.  Sera was a bit more talkative between numbers than I recall from past shows.  As she playfully raced Patrick in tuning their guitars, it seem to me she was really enjoying this crowd, and they did a great duet version of her song “Last Time.”  After she finished “Baker Lake,” she told the crowd, “You guys are awesome, so nice,” which she later upgraded to “amazing.”  Just before she started “Only as the Day Is Long,” someone in the crowd asked about a new album to which she replied, “That’s a good question.”

Patrick had opened up the discussion about Denton, Texas, where they had previously played on this tour and how peculiar it was, so Sera expatiated a bit with a brief audience comparison.  “The stage had these steps on either side and when my turn came to play, these people were sitting on the steps facing the opposite direction with half the crowd on their cell phones.”  She continued, “They were awesome.”  Then she rolled into “Couch Song.”  Next came “The Colder the Air,” an edgy minor chord ballad about dishing the truth to a lover about not being the one.  She started playing a new song, the one I heard on YouTube, which I guess is still unnamed at this time, so I settled into my spot to be mesmerized.  Her last song of the night was “Happy When I’m Gone,” which was ironic because it certainly did not express the sentiment of this crowd.  They would have been happy to listen to Sera all night, and I would have, too.

Patrick, Sera, and Alex will be on tour for the next few weeks, so check the internet for concert listings.  The Metro Gallery is an excellent venue to see shows.  It has plenty of room, a great bar staff, and its conveniently located near the Pennsylvania station.  Big thanks to the Baltimore crowd in attendance - you made it a great show.

SeraCahoone.com

SeaWolfMusic.com

PatrickPark.net

SubPop.com

TheMetroGallery.net

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