Emotional intimacy is something rarely expected and certainly not desired in a packed crowd of strangers in a donut shop on a Friday night. However, in the case of the unplugged performances from Jeremy Spring, Aaron Lee Martin, and Joey Vannuchi this weekend beg to change that standard. Each man toting their own acoustic guitar, they played songs either from their respective groups or their own solo efforts. Utilizing a round-robin style, they gave each other the opportunity to play an ample amount of material in a display of selfless musicianship. Between each song were quips, humor, and bits of information regarding the tune’s inspiration to reel the audience into the performances that never failed to impress. It was a magical night in the Donut Whole on that Friday in the near freezing climate of Wichita, Kansas, provided by three of the most passionate artists to grace the city with their presence.
Jeremy Spring, of Abandon Kansas fame, began the evening by bringing the crowd to an immediate hush as he played his first song of what would become a two hour set. His ability to silence the crowd with his fiery voice and gentle strums of the guitar was a brilliant sight, and Joey and Aaron shared this trait. The three gentlemen, who between songs were fairly modest, commanded the group of onlookers with each passionate tune that at times hit massive crescendos, which would seem impossible with mere acoustics. These climaxes, whether they were with intense guitar work or vocal shouts, sent a shiver through the room at each unexpected burst.
In terms of individual performances, each of the three put on tremendous spectacles. Vannuchi, from the up-and-coming indie band From Indian Lakes, had the most silent style of the trio, but delivered a punch with each poignant melody. With a rather contrasting form, Martin often broke out into soulful shouts to accentuate his emotional writing. Along with his guitar he brought a banjo, a tambourine (played via impressive footwork) and a harmonica, each used to great effect. His vocal explosion during the chorus of “Concrete Jungle” is something often times seen in the bluegrass genre he falls under, but rarely is it ever as affecting as Martin’s. To fit the perfect middle ground of the two was Spring, with a set that both ignited with fury and trotted peacefully along at any given time. Translating his group’s energetic pop-punk style into an acoustic set gave him free-reign to either keep it simple and slow, or take it up a notch to really hammer in the emotional impact of the song.
With displays of passion and raw musicianship that stadium-rockers could never begin to understand, Vannuchi, Martin, and Spring gave the group of fifty or less people in The Donut Whole a night to remember. Each man put their all into their sets, and it showed as their voices were on the verge of collapsing as the show concluded. It is a rare treat to see such raw talent in its purest form and it certainly should not be missed. If the opportunity arises, catch Spring and Vannuchi on their currently running Living Room Tour and give Martin’s LP Until the Day Breaks & Shadows Flee a listen, for they are all phenomenal artists.
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