Last Monday night’s Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 was a bit of a fantasy event featuring my very favorite west coast duo of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan and my very fave east coast duo, Isaac and Thorry Koren (AKA The Kin-currently based in NYC although originally from Australia). Although I have known both sets of artists (with The Kin, it’s been years), they had not known each other. It was fun watching them all fall in love with one another, as everyone had genuine appreciation for the art and the artist on the stage. After Joey and Kenneth did a couple of tunes, Isaac made a comment about how great they were. Then, after The Kin’s first song, Joey, with his typical deadpan humor, informed the audience that he knew after Isaac’s complement, they were just setting them up to blow them away.  And it just continued from there…

The two pairs, along with the always fabulous Joel Eckels, put on one of the best shows I have seen at that venue. Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 always seems to bring out the best in the artists and the spontaneous collaborations born from that kind of set-up are unique opportunities to see these musicians at their finest, pushing everyone on stage to become even better and giving Kenneth Pattengale multiple reasons to prove that he is one of the most talented musicians you will ever meet (he plays on neary every song…even if he’s never heard it before). This Monday night in particular, was truely something special to behold. The emotional intensity bursting forth from the stage Monday night quite simply left me melted in a puddle on the floor.

Fortunately, I was able to hold it together long enough to take a couple pictures, and more importantly, capture a song by The Kin called “The Boy Who Turned to Stone.” This song was one of the most memorable from the very first time I saw The Kin play. I haven’t heard it for years now and that they choose to bring it back out at this moment just adds to the memorable nature of the evening.

Enjoy a taste from that most amazing set and please please please do yourself a favor and go to Room 5 some Monday night (any Monday night really) and catch the Songwriters in the Round. It’s the best place to be on a Monday night in Los Angeles!

The Kin- The Boy Who Turned To Stone

~ Kristen