Daniel Wayne & The Silver Lines

As a photographer, there are certain artists that when I study them on stage before a show, I know despite a seemingly placid and pure appearance, some sort of musical fury is seething beneath the surface about to be unleashed. People like Shilpa Ray or Langhorne Slim come to mind. In the case of Daniel Wayne, you can add a baby-faced fury to those qualities. While not loud or fast, he performs with a delicate strength - precise and passionate. His style of singing and playing is such that there's power in the silences between strums and verses, that's how much he had the crowd on a string.

The bottom line is that he's got that can't-be-taught magnetism which solo male singer-songwriters tend to try to compensate for with a harmonica. Thanks to my good buddy Doug who manages him for inviting me out this night as it's always rewarding seeing and shooting a star on the rise lighting up a small room before they go on to be shared by the rest of the world. You can catch him in another small room - Union Hall - tonight (May 12) at 8pm. - Gimme Shutter

We're Not John and Yoko took a break from late-night jam sessions, and instead of performing their own music, headed out Wednesday night to hear some live music, ending up at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan, on Houston Street, to see Pete Molinari, and the opener Daniel Wayne. We bought the ticket to see Pete, but Daniel went on first, stole the show, and was an incredibly hard act to follow. Originally from Ohio, and now living in Brooklyn, Daniel Wayne is unsigned, but I predict, give him a year, and he'll be a household name. Don't let me down Dan! And, I can call him Dan. We're Not John and Yoko got a chance to meet him after the show, and he was very genuine, appreciating our emphatic compliments of his show. His music consisted of many different elements, the instrumentation blues and country, and his voice, very unique and hard to describe, was haunting - that's a good thing, it's not? Not Yoko said his voice reminded her of R.E.M's Michael Stipe, and I'll add, if Stipe extended his voice to no end, and had a somewhat Johnny Cash swagger. Before the show, I briefly scanned Daniel's MySpace, and Doug DeFalco, a reviewer, wrote, "In Februrary, I saw a singer whose performance stopped me in my tracks like I haven't been in years". We're Not John and Yoko would agree. Go see Daniel Wayne live. And, props to the lead guitarist, Jon Hildenstein, some Rolling Stones, Black Keys type handy work there.

Like I said, Pete Molinari was the reason we headed to The Mercury Lounge. Pete is another Dylan wannabe...but then again, who in their right mind, or left mind, wouldn't, in, some, way, shape or form, want to be, like, Bob Dylan. I write it slowly, and with excessive commas, to emphasize that you seriously have to question your life if you don't want to be like Dylan in some fashion. A gas station attendant has been pumping gas all day, he sniffs his hands, like a kindergartner sniffs Elmers, I guess?, and he thinks, "Wish I were like Dylan, man"...An accountant has been doing taxes all day, pounding computer keys, with one finger-a-blazin' because he hasn't updated the rest of his fingers, he looks at the ceiling, and thinks, "Man, Dylan...yeah, that's who I wish I could be somewhat like, maybe I am"...or, sometimes, maybe not...And now, let's get this straight, among other things!...I'm not talking about being like Dylan as in you showing up in a stranger's yard, chillin' in the rain, not being recognizable as Dylan (apparently this happened?) - whatever...Ok, again, I'm ranting, and this reminds me that during my raving days I thought often, man I wanna be like Dylan, and realized, man I am...I was...This ranting is also hencing that I understand Pete Molinari, remember him?...understand why someone would want to be like Dylan...but, Pete has accomplished enough himself, and that's why we went to see him live...

...Daniel Wayne was a hard act to follow, and it was soon apparent that much of the crowd actually came to see him, the crowd thinning drastically like a freckled soul's hair, I realized. Pete's best CD, in my opinion, is his first one, Walking Off the Map, which was recorded live in Billy Childish's kitchen. He's best when he's solo-acoustic with his Dylan-like attached harmonica. He and his band plugged-in for this show, and the instrumentation was just too loud, drowning out his voice, recalling people's reaction to Dylan's plug-in at the Newport Folk Festival. But no, We're Not John and Yoko aren't going to call Pete a bastard now...I still like him, and Not Yoko told Pete after the show, asking for a picture, that I love him. Yeah, not so sure about that. I was disappointed in the show, would rather see his acoustic set, but I still like him enough to have purchased his new CD, A Train Bound for Glory...you owe me a dollar Pete! - Garrettk.blogspot.com

Daniel Wayne plays that steel string, sunburst Guild guitar like his mama told him not to. He dresses like Johnny Cash, has attitude like Bob Dylan and plays bar chords with his thumb. You’ll think this guy’s a real-live outlaw until he sweetens up between songs and starts calling the audience “y’all.” Sometimes bluesy, Daniel Wayne has a classic country backbone with eerie undertones: like if Jerry Reed had written the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. Slow songs like “Far From Here” sound like My Morning Jacket, while “The Fool” gristles like a basey Townes Van Zant song. Check out Daniel Wayne playing an acoustic set tonight at Le Poisson Rouge where he opens for Frazey Ford of The Be Good Tanyas. Show starts at 7:30. - Jenny Luczak - The Deli Magazine

Last night, I caught Daniel Wayne‘s EP release show at The Living Room and was thoroughly impressed. The Cincinnati native has been compared to Jeff Buckley and Roy Orbison, and it’s easy to see why.

Wayne’s emotional singing and personal songwriting grabs the listener effortlessly while the accompanying music brings to mind a mix of rock & roll, alt-country and, at times, hillbilly roots. With bold guitar licks and his wavering vocals, songs like standout “My Bed” left a lasting mark. Additional pedal steel guitar and upright bass only added to his set.

Listen to “My Bed” here. What do you think? Watch Wayne perform “Poseidon’s Drownin’ Son” live in NYC below. - Yousingiwrite