Weekly Volcano previews Electric Harp

Electric Harpist Deborah Henson-Conant with the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra Sun. March 27, 2011

http://www.weeklyvolcano.com/entertainment/guides/2010/09/electric-harpist-Deborah-Henson-Conant-Tacoma/

>>> MARCH 27

by WEEKLY VOLCANO editor Matt Driscoll:

When I lived in Olympia, my next door neighbor was a delightful woman named Diana, who like clockwork every morning (read: afternoon – I was in college) would gently strum a massive and beautiful harp in her living room.  The calming and angelic sounds wafting into my bedroom and helping to clear the fog in my head. When she wasn’t playing the harp, Diana could often be found trying to convince me that raw foods could cure my Planter fasciitis.

She may have been right – but that’s really not important to this story. What is important is Deborah Henson-Conant, the “Electric Harpist” will be in Tacoma in March, brought to you by the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra, and the vibrations emanating from her fingers will sound almost nothing like the sleepy, atmospheric groove usually associated with the harp. It’s an electric harp, after all (think of the difference between Woody Guthrie and Jimi Hendrix). Henson-Conant has toured the world and been nominated for Grammys – but her greatest achievement may be the creation of a sound no one else is even coming close to. With her self-concocted harness harp in tow, and weaving flamenco, blues and anything else that gets in her way into a jambalaya of sound and entertainment, Henson-Conant is sure to deliver a show you won’t soon forget.

That being the case, you’ll need a meal that holds serve. Much like Henson-Conant’s fusion of sound, Masa on Sixth Ave is known for its Mexican inspired fusion of taste creations that run the gamut of simply unusual to downright revolutionarily delicious. The beef and chorizo enchiladas would compliment the Electric Harpist quite nicely. – Matt Driscoll

[Pantages Theater, Saturday, March 27, 2:30 p.m., $24-$77, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890]

Hey, thanks, Matt!  Apparently Diana didn’t know that plantar fasciitis can be cured by putting bare foot on soundboard of concert harp, while harpist plays – especially those ringing bass notes.  It may take awhile, but it works … probably.  If you ever see a harpist with both feet bare, up on her soundboard, now you’ll know what she’d doing.

I won’t be doing that March 27th with the Tacoma Symphony, but I will be having a heck of a good time!  For more info and a link to tickets, check out this page.