Abbie Barrett and Mass Elite @ Tom's Eatin and Drinkin Place

www.tomseatinplace.com/

http://www.myspace.com/abbiebarrett

http://www.myspace.com/masselite



Venue: Tom's Eatin and Drinkin' Place

4 West Main Street, Suite 101

Northborough, MA 01532

(cooking school, deli, expanded new bar, after work socials, and Art Gallery)

Name: Abbie Barrett (solo)

Hails from: Somerville, MA

Mass Elite Acoustic show:

Hometown: Worcester, MA

Timothy Burden (bongos)

Kenny Michaud (acoustic guitar/harmonica)

Mike Allaine (bass)

Abbie Barrett and Mass Elite met in Lowell at a gig last summer.

I was pleasantly surprised to see three members of Mass Elite playing an acoustic set. I was originally introduced to them as a rap/hip-hop band. I never would have guessed that Kenny Michaud also played the harmonica , or wrote his own acoustic tunes. Kenny played guitar alongside as well as with other members of Mass Elite. Mike Allaine-played a booming bass with the precision of a metronome and Tim B(Tim B Easy)refused to be outshone as he played the bongos like it was going out of style. (He ususally assists with vocals and guitar during a Mass Elite gig.)


My first impression of Abbie was that she was a tall drink of water...and I was really thirsty. She had bangs like Zooey Deschanel and thin jangling hoop silver earrings that shined like polished guitar strings. It was self-evident that none of the acoutrements were needed as soon as she opened her mouth. This girl 'gets it' and beguiles you with her talents.

With the voice of a thousand angels, Abbie opened up with 'tied to the whipping post' and continued with classic singer/songwriter favorites such as Neil Young's 'helpless'

. She then proceeded with some of her own material from her new CD , as well as a wedding song she wrote for some friends. Not jaded, even the song she described as 'angry' (the inspiration was Boston traffic)was still lyrical. Abbie is a genuine glimmer of hope in the music industry and is one of the many reasons to support local music. There was none of that man-hating angst so prevalent in female fronted bands, and I felt very at ease while listening.

Great if you're nursing a hangover-or a heartache.