Great music - but the performance?

Our NJ trip provided another great surprise, twin 19 year old sisters playing in a small coffee house in Pt. Pleasant, NJ. The two sisters, going by the band name HelenaMaria were quite good, both taking turns with the guitar or piano. Their music was tight, their voices interesting and their harmonies excellent (twins, don't figure). I actually enjoyed listening more to them then the Dixie Chicks two days before.

We listened for quite a while and one of my cousins said, "they sound really good, but let's go. It's all sounding the same." I thought about this comment after we left. They had good music, but their performance didn't captivate you. So what was missing?

I thought about two of my favorite performers, John McCutcheon and Cheryl Wheeler. The thing that makes them so interesting is their banter between songs. Their song introductions draw you in so that you can't wait to hear the song that describes their story. They used humor and also serious comments. I wonder how much time they spend developing their song intros? Bottom line, you could relate to them as well as their music.

Watch for these two girls in the future. They have talent!