A.S. Coomer's Blog, page 4

The Etown Sound

Thanks to all y’all beautiful people for coming out to hear original tunes from Maxwell Whitaker & the A.S. Coomer Band at Flywheel Brewing yesterday. Big thanks to Aaron & Ashley & all the staff at Flywheel for giving us a space to shape The Etown Sound (& for dishing out the suds).

Big thanks to Maxwell Whitaker for an amazing performance. Be sure to listen to their music on all the platforms and follow them on Instagram & Facebook & Youtube. They’re a mighty fine picker n sanger.

Big thanks to my boys for putting up with my shenanigans and laying it down. I told them music was my religion & we build altars every time. I love y’all.

Amazing photographer/filmmaker Andrew Johnson snapped some pics. He’s real good at that. Be sure to follow Andrew (Ginger Snap Media) on Instagram and subscribe to his Youtube page (where you can watch the short film “Could”).

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Working on the details for the next installment of The Etown Sound. Rest assured it’ll be another night of originality!

Thanks again y’all!

#TheEtownSound #LiveMusic #KentuckyMusic #MaxwellWhitaker #ASCoomerBand #FlywheelBrewing

“early summer georgia van gogh” included in GAS 19

Belinda Subraman puts together an excellent video series called GAS: Poetry, Art and Music.

I’m honored to have my poem, early summer georgia van gogh (from my out-of-print chapbook SONGS FOR LEAVING), included in GAS 19. This is a lit half-hour, including a poetic letter from Jeff Weddle, a hit from Belinda Subraman, & amazing art from Sylvia Van Nooten, among other killer art, poetry, & music.

GAS 19: Poetry, Art and Music

Be sure to subscribe to Subraman’s Youtube page.

If you enjoyed my poem and want to check out SONGS FOR LEAVING, I have the last remaining copies. There’s an audio version of the book out there too, with yers truly doing all the instrumentation and whatnot.

3 Poems from Flywheel Brewing

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I host Flywheel Brewing’s monthly POETRY Reading & Open Mic every first Sunday. Sign up to share some poetry at 3:45pm EST.

INSOMNIACATHON 2024

Beat Poet Laureate Ron Whitehead sure knows how to put on an arts festival. This past weekend Ron invited writers/poets, artists, & musicians from all over the country to do what they do at his last INSOMNIACATHON, a nonstop, weekend-long arts extravaganza that took place at the beautiful Chapel of St. Philip Neri in Louisville, KY. I was honored to be among so much beauty.

I performed a half-hour set of poetry & song. Here’s some cellphone footage.

Big thanks to Ron Whitehead and Kent Fielding and the rest of the INSOMNIACS. Big thanks to the caretakers of the beautiful chapel. And, lastly, big thanks to you for looking/listening.

All the best,

-A.S. Coomer

Mini-Tour Recap

I just got home from a fantastic few days on the road. I got to see old friends. I got to make new ones. Everyone I met along the way showed me such kindness. Though I’m happy to be home, this experience has made me want to get back out there.

Night one was an amazing house show at Nicholas Graham Hall’s house in Bloomington, Indiana. Neighbors and poets and art lovers met and exchanged food and words. I read several poems alongside sets from Hiromi Yoshida, Tony Brewer, & Nicholas Graham Hall. Later on in the evening Nicholas and I couldn’t help but bust out our guitars & sling a few songs. Big thanks to Nicholas for being an amazing host. Go check out his music & painting.

Hiromi Yoshida reading. Nicholas Hall reading his aunt’s poetry.Tony Brewer reading.Picking songs with B-Town songwriters.Slinging songs for Bloomington.Me and Nicholas. The painting in the background is his work.

Night two was a patio show at Kelly’s Irish Pub in Dearborn, Michigan alongside Detroit legends The Codgers. After a night of music, we got toy swap stories and talk books & music. Big thanks to John Freeman for giving me space to share my songs. Go check out John’s poetry, essays, & music. Shout out to Nicholas Raymond Mansfield for the good hangs.

The CodgersSlinging songs under a Dearborn moon.

Night three was at one of my old Toledo haunts: the Ottawa Tavern. I opened a jam packed bill including: The Current (this was their EP release show), Lauren Blackford, & Daisy Chain. Big thanks to Zack Jacobs for being a great human & for running my favorite venue in the Glass City.

Lauren Blackford Daisy ChainThe CurrentsThe lineup The Ottawa Tavern

Day four of tour was a featured reading at the Peacock Cafe for Jonie McIntire’s Uncloistered Reading series. I read some poems from SONGS FOR LEAVING & a couple of newer, unpublished poems. Check out the set on YouTube. There were amazing featured sets from Detroit’s One Single Rose & Toledo’s Kate Michaelson (who has a new novel out called HIDDEN ROOMS). My dude Todd Elson shared a couple of songs that knocked my socks off. My buddy Tanasio read some hard-hitting poetry too. Big thanks to Jonie McIntire for hosting this fun reading.

Peacock CafeHost Jonie McIntireKate MichaelsonOne Single RoseMiriam WagonerSandra Gillleft to right: A.S. Coomer, Jonie McIntire, Miriam Wagoner, & Tanasio.Slinging poems for the Glass City.Giving the bird to the Big Bad Nothing.

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Day five of the tour was a stop at my favorite bookstore in all of Ohio: Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg. I used to work at this wonderful place. Big thanks to Dan Denton for sharing some of his poetry. And big thanks to Todd Elson for sharing some of his killer songs. And Big Thanks to Denise & Brian Phillips for being amazing people & hosts. Check out my set of poems & songs on YouTube. Go buy books from this amazing independent bookstore.

Slinging songsSlinging poemsDan Denton slinging poemsSome artists out on the muddy banks of the Maumee.from left to right: Todd Elson, A.S. Coomer, Denise Phillips, & Dan Denton.

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If you missed me at these dates there are a few chances to catch me slinging poems and songs in the near future. The A.S. Coomer Band (a three-piece for this gig) will be headlining the Kentucky Moonshine Festival at Boundary Oak Distillery on Saturday, June 6th, 2024 at 4pm EST. We’ll be slinging an hour’s worth of my songs.

I’ll also be slinging my poems & songs in Louisville on Sunday, July 28th, 2024 for the last Insomniacathon.

Used To Be Even (Now So Odd) — Live From Serendipity Woods

Here’s an acoustic performance of “Used To Be Even (Now So Odd) from Serendipity Woods.

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Ain’t Got Long — Live from the Woods

Here’s a little vidyuh of “Ain’t Got Long” from Serendipity Woods.

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Ain’t It Hard? Forest Acoustic Performance

I’m out here in Serendipity Woods slinging songs & poems to ticks, deer, whip-poor-wills, & beautiful trees. Here’s one called: Ain’t It Hard?

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Elegy for J & J

This poem, “Elegy for J & J”, is included in SONGS FOR LEAVING. Hit me up if ye need a copy. Here’s a live reading from Serendipity Woods.

Some Upcoming Performances

I’ve got a handful of shows and readings coming up.

I’m kicking things off in dear old Elizabethtown, KY hosting Flywheel Brewing’s POETRY Open Mic on 6/2/24. I host this every first Sunday at 4pm EST.

I’ll be slinging songs & poems at a house show in Bloomington, IN alongside my buddy Nicholas Graham Hall on 6/5/24. More info to come.

I’ll be slinging songs at Kelly’s Irish Pub in Dearborn, MI alongside John Freeman & the Codgers on 6/6/24. More info to come.

I’ll be slinging songs at one of my old Glass City haunts the Ottawa Tavern (Toledo, OH) alongside The Currents on 6/7/24. Big thanks to Zack Jacobs.

I’ll be slinging poems at the Peacock Cafe in Toledo, OH on 6/8/24. Thanks to Jonie McIntire for including me in this reading. More info to come.

I’ll be slinging poems at Gathering Volumes Bookstore in Perrysburg, OH on 6/9/24. Thanks to Denise Phillips for running the coolest bookstore in northwest Ohio. Tanasio will also be sharing poems.

Me and the boys in The A.S. Coomer Band are headlining Boundary Oak Distillery’s Moonshine Festival in Elizabethtown, KY on 6/15/24.

I’ll be slinging poems & songs at the last Insomniacathon at the Chapel of St. Philip in Louisville, KY on 7/28/24. Big thanks to Ron Whitehead and Kent Fielding for including me.

I’ll be adding more dates. See y’all soon!