The Birchmere
Alexandria, VA
October 9, 2005

It had been many years since last seeing Acoustic Alchemy.  In fact, the band that I saw on this occasion barely resembled that of 1998.  And the music certainly was fresh and funky!  Appearing at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA, this was the final date of a lengthy tour that included full band dates, as well as trio dates. 

The band members, Greg Carmichael and Miles Gilderdale (guitars), Frank Felix (bass), Greg Grainger (drums), Eddie M (sax) and Fred White (keys), took the stage to the cheers of the crowd.  I think that right from that point the band knew this would be a fun night, so they kicked it into high gear with “No Messin’.”  This is such a fun tune!  “Panama Cat” was up next with a great bass line provided by Frank.  It was really amusing to watch Eddie M dancing while playing.  The man moves constantly, like a shark that can’t stop or he’ll die!

“Georgia Peach,” a crowd favorite, was played with great finesse.  Watching the faces of both Miles & Greg showed that this is also a favorite of theirs.  The first single from the 2005 release AmericanEnglish, “Say Yeah,” got the crowd up and dancing.  The catchy melody and Miles’ unbelievable scatting make this an infectious tune.  The band was enjoying it as much as the fans and obviously having just as much fun.  “Catalina Kiss” led right into “She Speaks American English.”  On this particular song, it was really engaging to watch Miles & Greg effortlessly trading off as lead guitar.  And then came “Playing for Time” which showcased the perfect synchronization between the acoustic guitars.  That was a treat to watch.  If dancing was what you wanted to do, then “Detroit Shuffle” provided the groove.  It is one of the most upbeat tunes on AmericanEnglish. 

The entertainment of the night came in the form of a very interesting dance by Frank Felix as a prelude to the Caribbean-flavored song, “Senjo Wine.”  This song attracts a lot of attention, and dollar bills, as Frank lays down the bass.  The crowd went wild!  The final song of the set was “Lazeez.”

Well, we thought that was the last song, but then the band reappeared to play an encore of “The Sun and the Moon.”  Simply amazing.  Miles’ vocals are incredible and just about everyone in the crowd were out of their seats.  The Lads definitely gave the U.S. a memorable send-off. 

- Bonnie Schendell