FolkFire Reviews
September/October 1994 Issue
Concert Review: Singer-Songwriter Duo Plays at Brandts
by Mindy Mechanic
The confluence of compelling lyrics, tight vocal harmonies and fluid instrumentation infuses an air of magic into live performances by singer-songwriter duo, George Barton & Mark Sweeny. Rooted in classic acoustic style, these two traverse expansive terrain in their music, travelling from Celtic to country, rock to folk. Equally at ease with the gentle whisper of a contemplative ballad or the raw tug of a bluesy number, their music samples from a delectable acoustic palate.
Hailing from the Tulsa area, this regional duo has been gathering national acclaim. Sweeny, originally from St. Charles, MO, was recently a finalist (out of 700 entrants) in the 1994 New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters at the 23rd Annual Kerrville Folk Festival. Last year's appearances at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, and our own Mississippi River Music Festival, garnered even more national attention.
Brandt's Market and Cafe in the Delmar Loop will be the venue for what promises to be an evening of music that lightly grazes your skin and tickles your heart. Barton & Sweeny will be joined on September 23, by St. Louis musician Blake Travis. The show begins at 8:30 p.m., and as is customary at Brandts, there is no cover charge or admission fee.
