Tim Grimm at Comfy Couch Concerts in Wixom on Saturday,  1/17/09:    Those who know me well know that winter is not my favorite season. I'm not a fan of single digit and below zero  temperatures, nor am I crazy about trying to travel through  a lot of snow and ice either on foot or in the car. When I  woke up on Saturday morning, saw that it was already  snowing, and learned we were expecting at least 2-4 inches that day, I was disappointed. Nevertheless, I was not  deterred. I was looking too forward to my evening plans to let them be spoiled by inclement weather, and I was not  going to let less than ideal conditions keep me from seeing Tim Grimm perform a concert in Wixom that night. If he and  his wife Jan could travel the 5.5 or so hours from Columbus,  IN to perform, I could surely travel the hour or so from here to attend even if that hour was to be lengthened by bad roads. This, in and of itself, says something about how  much I enjoy Tim's music and the opportunities I have to see him perform live.    Surprisingly, the drive was not as difficult as I'd  been expecting. I did have to drive below the speed limit  to be safe, but it was only the last ten miles or so that I  drove under 40mph consistently. Finding the venue proved a challenge, as the street sign for my last turn was small, it  was dark and snowing, and the road hadn't been plowed, but I still made it with time to spare.  Two things made this concert particularly special. The first was having my Dad meet me at the venue and attend with me. When I was growing up, he was often listening to fabulous folk music and sharing it with me, and I really thought he would love Tim. I had played him some of Tim's songs on CD, but had never before gotten him to a show, and I was very excited to share the live concert experience with him.

Dad and I arrived early enough to spend some time visiting with performers and concert goers alike during set up and sound check and the time leading up to the performance, and that's always fun to get to do. This concert took place at Newport Furnishings in Wixom as part of MichiganFolkLive own concert series called Comfy Couch Concerts. It was my first time attending a concert in this series, and, in spite of the variety of venues in which I've seen live music over the last 4.5 years or so, my first time attending a concert in a furniture store.    In my opinion, this is a perfect venue for a concert series! The seating was comfortable and artfully arranged to allow a clear view of the small stage from virtually anywhere in the room. The sound was well balanced in the space, and the room was large enough not to feel crowded and yet kept intimate by the atmosphere of feeling like the concert was taking place in your very own living room. The lighting was also enough that the performers could see the audience and vice versa without being overpowering or distracting. I was impressed, as was my dad. I would estimate about 40 people braved the elements to attend this show, and in addition to being treated to a wonderful performance, attendees had the opportunity to support Sweet Dreamzzz of Detroit, an organization that  works to teach children the importance of a good night's sleep and to provide children with sleep kits to help make a  good night's sleep more possible no matter what their sleep environment might be. Sleep kits contain things like sleeping bags, socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and beanie babies, and donations of smaller items were being accepted at the door. Those who donated received a discount on their admission price. I was thrilled to see such a good crowd in attendance and very happy the winter weather did not seem to keep a lot of people away.

The second thing that made this concert particularly special for me was that Tim's wife Jan performed with him. In the past, I have seen Tim perform both with Jan and on his own, and while he is a phenomenal singer, songwriter, and guitarist all on his own and puts on a highly enjoyable solo show, I have always thought Jan's accompanying harmony and instrumentation are the perfect added bonus. It had also been almost two years since I'd seen them perform together, making this opportunity all the more significant.    Tim and Jan performed two sets and did an excellent mix of songs from several of Tim's CDs, including four songs from his newest release called Holding Up The World. Tim sang and played his guitar, and Jan played harmonica on a few songs and provided harmony on most of them. In thinking about appropriate words to describe what I love most about Tim's music, I keep coming back to one thought -- it's real. Tim writes or co-writes the vast majority of the songs he records and performs, and he writes about places, people, and situations that feel as real when you listen to their stories as your own life story. His respect for the land and the history around him is evident in his writing, and he has a remarkable ability to make life's simplest things and briefest moments shine with beauty when he writes and sings about them. He delivers honest music from an honest soul. He can make you laugh, cry, and think, all while being highly entertained. Jan's love of the music and of performing comes shining through when she accompanies Tim, and she compliments him so perfectly, adding another layer of beauty and richness to his songs with her lovely voice and engaging smile. These two are simply worth seeing anywhere, anytime you can, and I'm already looking forward to their planned return to Michigan at the end of February, when Tim is scheduled to play Mama's Coffeehouse in the Birmingham Unitarian Church in Bloomfield Hills on Saturday, February 28. If you like what you've read, I highly encourage you to make plans to attend. It will be a great show, and you'll be glad you did.    Best wishes for a blessed and joyous 2009 to all, and  thanks for reading!