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Rob Momary - The Derby
Watching Rob Momary perform at The Derby last Thursday night was what it must have been like to watch John Mayer or Jack Johnson play back in the day, before a Grammy and immense radio play made those kind of intimate appearances a rarity. You couldn't put your finger on whether it was their sheer talent, their outgoing personalities, or their "look" that would propel them…but you knew without a doubt that you were watching a soon-to-be star. Thankfully, intimate shows with incredibly talented folk/pop solo singers aren't obsolete quite yet - not with Vegas-born Rob Momary making his splash in the LA music world.
Rob, guitar in hand, kicks off his set on this night with the title track from his 6-track CD, "Brief Intermission". The verses, just based on their style, have the sound of a G Love and Special Sauce song - "Rodeo Clowns" specifically comes to mind. Performing with just two other musicians on bass and drums, this amazingly-tight song turns into what surely must be one of his most popular with his fans. Not only could it easily be a radio hit right now, with so many solo male artists emerging, this piece is also a very strong way to start the show and connect with the audience. The lyrics of both "Brief Intermission" and his second song, "More", are intelligent and meaningful. Rob seems to choose his words carefully. Lines such as "I want to be more than I am on my own" are as beautiful as they are heartbreaking. And his full, rich voice (slightly reminiscent of Michael Stipe at times) amplifies these emotions. The best part is that you can tell he's having fun. He loves what he's doing, and that love breathes life into his songs.
By this point in the show, Rob's vocals have been "tuned", and his third song, "Entangled In You", is where they really start to shine. His voice hits softer, higher notes - possibly his optimal vocal range. It also becomes clear by now that this is Rob's show. This is his first time playing with a live band, and while he may have a couple of other players on stage with him, truthfully he might as well have had a background track playing, as all eyes are transfixed solely on him. The band might look impressive, and the strong percussion adds an important element to certain songs, but when all is said and done, the night is not about Rob Momary and his band - it's just about Rob Momary. He carries the emotion, he provides the talent, and he brings the vitality to the songs.
Ironically, just as this really becomes noticeable, his band steps off the stage, and the next five songs are played acoustically. The sense of intimacy brought by his solitude on stage is palpable. This acoustic session offers a look at the real Rob Momary. He slides from the John Mayer sound of "So Far Away, So Close, So Blind" into "Amy", a perfect coffeeshop song, gorgeous and hushed. The constant chattering and clinking of the bar glasses got a bit distracting because the song craved silence, but it didn't seem to phase Rob. He follows with the sweet "Will I Kiss Her", with the feel of Joseph Arthur, or even Jack Johnson without the reggae beat. With Rob's pitch-perfect vocals, this one is the best of the acoustic set. He then moves into a Scotch-Irish song titled "To A Love Lost", an old-fashioned ballad, and closes his acoustic performance with "Man of a 1000 Songs", a very personal song about his father. It's a beautiful ending to a beautiful music experience.
The band joins Rob again for his last two songs of the night. The change from full band to acoustic, and then back to full band is a nice juxtaposition of styles, and keeps the crowd interested. "The Real Me" and "All I Needed" close out his set, the latter song showing that Rob has grasped the definition of a well-crafted pop song, even including a rocking little guitar breakdown at the end.
Rob Momary is a breath of fresh air in a music scene that seems to be increasingly overwrought with a lot of noise and not much talent. He is a solo singer/songwriter who is going places - fast. Keep your ears wide open.
Article by: Jenn Cassie
Submitted: April, 2003
Photos: Artists website
Artist Website: www.robmomary.com
Email: jennc@thelamusicscene.com
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