Washington Post: Going Out Gurus
We all can get a little negative, cynical and snarky sometimes. (Only sometimes.) And it’s good to know that not everyone is as hardened as us. Take the Makepeace Brothers, a winsome family duo/trio/quartet that proves it’s possible to be upbeat and positive without turning into some freaking Radio Disne– whoops. There we go again. Sorry. Hailing from Ithaca, N.Y., the Makepeace boys play a clean, stripped down mix of folk, Americana and acoustic ’60s-inflected rock and blue-eyed soul, pulling in elements of Simon and Garfunkel and Van Morrison, all the way up to Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. (The Makepeaces just got off a nationwide tour with the latter.) Tight, gorgeous harmonies, nod-along guitar shuffles, even whistling — the Makepeace Brothers do it all with smiles on their faces, while dropping advice on how to “Treat Her Right.” (Hint: It’s about playing and talking and listening, not just flowers and chocolates.) Yeah, okay, it’s all very hippie for the aughties, but it comes across as completely sincere, which is something we could all use a lot more of. The Makepeace brothers take the stage at BloomBars, a new performance space in Columbia Heights, at 9 p.m. tonight. A $5 donation is requested to help the musicians keep the gas tank full and to help the venue pay its electric bill.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/goingoutgurus/2008/07/nightlife_agenda_19.html#sat
