Now serving acoustic folk

By Tom Spino

Sunday night, patrons at The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway, were served a brimming hot cup of acoustic folk rock.

The first taste of the evening gave listeners a hint of Kevin Danzig and Cat Woolley, a musical duo appropriately known as Danzig and Woolley.

Although their address is in North Carolina, the pair calls the road home. They’ve been traveling across America in an RV and performing since January 1995.

The light-hearted, genre-crossing songs feature Danzig’s acoustic guitar and Woolley switching between mandolin and xylophone. The duo shares singing duties in its self-described “dysfunctional folk” band.

The set featured songs from the pair’s latest album, “The Key,” including the easygoing “Halloween in Marbelhead” and the relaxing “Wyoming.”

The name Danzig brings to mind former Misfits singer and punk legend, Glenn Danzig.

“We’re distant cousins,” jokes Kevin. “We do cover his song ‘Mother’ sometimes.”

The month of May will take Danzig and Woolley through Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida and all stops between.

After a quick break, the audience got a refill of music with second act Martha’s Trouble.

Jen and Rob Slocumb’s 1994 meeting in Houston, Texas, led to much more than the goal of starting a band. Unable to find a full band, they formed a music partnership that bloomed into a marital relationship two years later.

The band drew its name from a biblical reference.

“Martha’s trouble was that she didn’t focus on the important things and got caught up in the business of life,” Jen said.

She provides the percussion, vocals and stories of the road, while Rob provides the acoustic guitar riffs in their clever blend of musical styles.

“One guy called us ‘wistful melancholic folk music,'” Rob said. “I’d say we’re folk and pop, but not folk-pop.”

The set was a mix of old and new songs as well as tales from the road. Martha’s Trouble is scheduled to play more than 180 shows this year to promote its latest release, “Sleeping Dogs.”

Martha’s Trouble and Danzig and Woolley have been crossing the country and playing many of the same places over the past three years, but never at the same time. It was a happy coincidence that Sunday’s show became a reunion for the groups.