Last night I saw my roommate and good friend Erin Willett (Duck and Drake Records) perform at Otto’s Shrunken Head. When Douglas Crets of Fast Company asked me via Twitter to describe Otto’s, I said it was like the abandoned dive bar in your hometown that resurrected itself into a tiki bar with goods from the local thrift store, which accurately depicts the feeling you get when you walk inside. Surprisingly, the back room where Erin performed was just small and intimate enough, had great acoustics for her booming voice, and had just the right amount of absurd knick knacks so Erin could keep a comedy routine in between songs. For example, some interesting paintings depicting topless island women prompted Erin to rap about “titties on the wall, p**** in the air” (this is a family friendly blog, meaning my mom reads it daily). And so encapsulates what you are in for when you give Erin Willett a listen.
In all seriousness, Erin never ceases to amaze me. I’ve known her for a few years and every time she has performed, whether in a show or when walking around our living room, she sings so effortlessly. Described as “a lady with some soul, and serious talent, able to create a set that is enjoyable, engaging, and powerful while not taking itself too seriously. A personality behind a true musician,” Erin has the ability to connect with her audience through the songs she writes and her banter in between. She says her attitude about performing comes from her days of going to pop punk shows in Maryland (where she is from) and feeling that any live act she wanted to go see should make her want to be their friend. For every show she has performed this summer in NYC, she wants to hug her audience and cheer that a majority of her audience she could call her friends.
I’m doing a terrible job of actually talking about Erin as a singer because her personality resonates beyond anyone else I have met, which is why she always has friends offering to help her reach her goals. Here is a video for her song “Daily City Hustle” that a few friends helped her make.
Her live performances where she is acting in the moment sets her apart from other singer/songwriters. Here is a clip of her performing a cover of “I Want You Back” from a show at Goodbye Blue Monday back in June.
If she has successfully charmed the pants off of you, I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you see Erin Willett perform on September 8th at The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn) at 7 pm. I don’t care if you have plans for FNO – this will be much more fun. Erin is part of a Sean Healy showcase also featuring Denbaya, Emanuel Gibson, and Supermajor.
Tickets are only $10 AND if you are one the first 15 people to purchase a ticket online here, you can get a FREE ERIN WILLETT T-SHIRT! You may be thinking “really, a lousy t-shirt?” but just check it out below:
I already ordered my ticket + t-shirt = awesome Thursday night plan and I hope you do the same. Stop by, say hi, meet Erin, get yo shirt. They say the way to buy happiness is to spend it on experiences, so why not do so?
Btw, I had my first post published on Contently about 5 Fashion Companies That are Crushing it With Content and I’m mighty proud of it. Please read it and let me know what you think!
My Name Is Reb 
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