Zoob and
Morgan Erina
FoundSound Music
Dinner and a Show
February 23, 2017
Photos and recap by Whitney Lerch
House shows can offer some of the most incredible live music experiences and FoundSound took it to the next level on February 23rd, with their first ever “Dinner and a Show”, featuring a 3 course meal with drink pairings and an intimate performance by Pittsburgh’s own Morgan Erina and Nathan Zoob. For a mere $25, guests were treated to a gourmet meal, including Curried Butternut Squash soup, each serving customized to the guest’s personal choice of spiciness, which was paired with an Arsenal Pickett Bone Dry cider. The table was cleared before the second course was served, consisting of some beautiful Banh Mi tacos (with vegetarian, tofu option available), that was paired with a Drai Laag R2 Koelschip Ale. The tacos were a hit with everyone and followed by a Miso Lemon Tart, paired with a Negroni, for a colorful end to the gourmet meal, that was fully prepared by FoundSound’s own Sam Suter.
After dinner, the party moved upstairs to the third floor of the house, where we found a beautifully moody space that is clearly no stranger to musicians, with instruments throughout and acoustic paneling in place. As dessert was finishing up downstairs, Morgan and Zoob had a coin toss to see who would play first, the way any set order should be determined, in my opinion. The coin called for Zoob to get the music started and he began with my favorite of his songs, “SOS.” This, and more from his set, like “Summer Theologica” and “Polish Gold” can be found on his 2016 released EP, Curriculum Vitae. While Polish Gold was released just last year on his debut EP, he wrote the song as a 16 year old, which is simply astounding to me. How does a 16 year old kid write such passionate, stirring lyrics? How does a 16 year old have such wisdom and insight? I’m not sure how it happens, but I sure am glad he did. As Polish Gold says, “rely on intuition, cause goosebumps never lie” and this song will give you goosebumps. You really should go grab the CV EP, if you haven’t already. It makes me just want to lay in the dark with it playing on loop forever. And of course I can’t go without mentioning his cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind”, which was fantastic in that intimate room. But for once, and this isn’t to say he didn’t kill Dylan’s tune, I couldn’t help but love Zoob’s own work most that night. I’m a real sucker for good covers and they are usually one of my favorite parts of any show, but the emotion Zoob puts into his own work is something you can feel when you watch him perform and the only thing better than hearing good music, is when you can feel it. It was interesting to see him play “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind” and realize that was the one and only song that he didn’t perform with his eyes closed. And I think that’s telling, about how he feels about his own work. I love that about him, as an artist.
After a quick break, Morgan took over with a set that included, among others, the recently written “My Body, Not Yours”, that was written in response to the 2017 presidential inauguration and the concerns that many have regarding human rights for all Americans. It’s a beautifully deep and brutally honest song that’s clearly been written from a place of genuine hurt and longing for peace and respect. Later in her set, she graced us with a brilliant custom tune that was written for a couple who has been married for decades, that was precious and touching, with personal touches describing their relationship. I love the idea of having a song written specifically for someone special in someone’s life and this is a new endeavor that Morgan has embarked on, with her custom song-writing service “Little Bird Songs”. Morgan’s lyrical talent and beautiful voice really make this an incredible idea for special occasions and I have to recommend you check out her services, the next time you’re looking for a special way to eternalize and honor someone special in your life. Morgan’s soft, warming voice was the perfect end to a weeknight show. Her singing is always so soothing and was a great way to decompress after a long day at work. If you haven’t heard her live, make sure you catch her at an upcoming show!
Zoob’s Set List:
SOS
Dirty Mind
Summer Theological
Black Box (no. 2)
Rosalina
Polish Gold
Mama You Been On My Mind
This Little House
For Custom Songwriting by Morgan Erina:
Little Bird Songs: https://www.facebook.com/littlebirdsongs/
Morgan Erina
Nathan Zoob
