Marnie Stern’s self-taught guitar technique defies easy classification. Photos and text by .
appeared on stage with a smile on Friday at the , clad in a form-fitting hunters plaid flannel, boots and tight black jeans. She looked the part of a rocker but her huge, goofy smile and unruly blonde mane belied any pretense off the bat.
Once her first song began, it was obvious that the rumors are true; , is a total shredder. She wails harder that dude in Guns N’ Roses, as my friend Kristy says, even if she’s never delivered a blazing guitar solo in her life. Her joyful playing is too punk-influenced to be considered indie rock, and too poppy to be metal.
Due to the frenetic, colorful nature of her songs, some critics have called it “hyper-prog.” Either way, it’s a wonderfully fresh mix of all of the above, coupled with alternately chirpy and throaty vocals, uplifting lyrics and crowned by an unmistakeable stage presence. A self-taught guitarist, Stern uses a technique (mostly employed in metal) known as “tapping” — drawing notes out at a mind-boggling rate, often nodding, wide-eyed and beaming, as if she herself is in awe of her own magical skills.
The title of her second album (released in October on ) was inspired by Zen poet Alan Watts, the tongue-twisting “This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That.” This is a woman who doesn’t play by the rules, instead breaking them one by one, and with glee. Check out a photo essay of the night below.
MODERN WITCH/SLIGHT HARP COLLABORATION
PICTUREPLANE
GANG GANG DANCE
MARNIE STERN
is a Denver freelance photographer and regular Reverb contributor.
