Replace why with Dear Reader
31 Mar 2009
Things were relatively chilled at the Assembly this past Thursday. Phuza Thursday or no Phuza Thursday it was a school night and most people were chilling on the floor sipping a drink or two while they waited for and during Jozi band Dear Reader's performance.
Dear Reader formerly known as Harris Tweed, till the Scott's took offense (or something like that) are decidedly cute in sound, attitude and looks. Dear Reader is made up of Cheri MacNeil on lead vocals, keyboard and acoustic guitar, Darryl Torr on keyboard and were joined by third member Michael Wright on drums for the launch of their curiously titled latest album “Replace Why with Funny” (yeah I don't really get it either). Munching biscuits on stage and chatting to the audience like you would to a close friend over coffee Dear Reader charmed the audience in a self deprecating manner. Even sharing a cute anecdote, some of it in French, about hiding in a polar bear.
“That's what we're interested in when we're making music: connecting with the people who are listening, commiserating with one another.” Says Cheri and that is why they chose the name Dear Reader it was taken from Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre who often addresses the reader with a “Dear Reader” “I like that sense of connection between reader, writer and plot” (Dear Reader Album launch press release) And it is something that Dear Reader definitely instils in their performances; their gig was like an intimate conversation and story told between band and audience.
Lead vocalist Cheri has a beautiful voice that when singing some of their more down tempo songs could bring a tear or two to the eye if one was feeling a little emo and that way inclined.
Altogether Dear Reader is like good almond biscotti, delicious, sweet and just a little nutty.
