On his first live album,
Tonight I Drink You All,
Mike Errico wastes little time in attracting the listener's attention. The vocals were purposely mixed up front, so that the focus is on the lyrics. Even those unfamiliar with
Errico's music will be instantly entertained by his phraseology. His blend of humor and sensitivity mesh well during his live performances, and this record manages to encapsulate the essence of this duality. He can have the audience laughing and singing along one minute, and then the mood in the room will change as he entrances them with his passionate cadence. The lack of a band doesn't stop him from delivering a versatile show. Seamlessly transitioning between straightforward acoustic tracks like "Daylight," then adding harmonica on "Springtime," and finally using a tongue drum, which is a xylophone type instrument, to create a hypnotic background to his soulful vocals on "Someday." He also utilizes some looping on "Be Your Man" and "When I Get Out of Jail" to add some harmonic breadth.
Errico closes his show by playing a thoroughly entertaining version of "Happy." The song is a tribute to his hometown of New York City, and he even gets the crowd to whistle together in the middle section of the song. While his studio albums are a good representation of his music, his live show is where he shines as an entertainer.
Tonight I Drink You All is a great introduction for anyone looking to become a fan of
Mike Errico. ~ Erik Crawford