C.R. Avery

"Search this man out, C. R. Avery is terrific." -Tom Waits. C.R. Avery is: a). An internationally acclaimed slam poet. b). A one man band, simultaneously singing, beat-boxing, playing harmonica, and playing keys. c). An exhilarating frontman combining the everyman heart of Bruce Springsteen, the insightful words of Bob Dylan, the street attitude of Lou Reed, and the catchy songcraft of Tom Petty. d). The author of four hip-hop operas, a new, energetic style of theater informed by the stories and rhythms of the streets. e). All of the above. Anyone who has seen C.R. Avery live can attest that e). is the correct answer. He takes his audience and band on an exciting and exhausting journey. No two shows are the same. C.R. often improvises new songs or pulls guests performers, friends like The Be Good Tanyas and Mark Berube, onto the stage. The audience is never left out, frequently clapping, dancing, and singing along. The show often starts with a lone man walking on to the stage, sometimes in the shabby ripped denim and punched-in, brimmed hat of a hobo, sometimes in a suit and tie. The man approaches the microphone and pulls out a harmonica. Without a word he blows a few ... more...