Big Green Cherry - Pushing Boundaries, Keeping Perspective

The Internet has been very good to Edd Welsh. One site in particular (it rhymes with "Eggs Wrist") has been particular fruitful. Just in the past year it's helped him form a new band, Big Green Cherry (he's the lead singer) and lead that band into an artistic partnership with the painter MG Stout.

The partnership will be on display tonight at Art OUT LOUD on the Workhouse Arts stage beginning at 7.

Big Green Cherry and Stout connected earlier this year online and immediately went to work on an idea that would capture the visual and aural immediacy of both their work. They have created a way to respond to each other in a live setting. Big Green Cherry will respond to Stout's paintings in song and then Stout will respond to Big Green Cherry on her canvas. And then back again. A continuous call and response at an artistic level. Attendees to Art OUT LOUD will be able to track the symbiotic relationship in real time on a video screen, with Big Green Cherry supplying an alt-rock soundtrack to complement the visuals.

The project came together quickly. "I went to visit (Stout's) studio at Workhouse and we hit it off right away," Welsh said. That was in the late spring. In short order, Stout and the band put together a proposal and submitted it for consideration to Workhouse. It was approved and fast-tracked into production. Just a few months later, it's ready to be unveiled to the public. Not that every detail has been worked out.  But, that's just fine with Welsh: "Getting out of your usual creative space is a little scary but you need new inspiration to grow as an artist."

The only thing that is certain is that the material will relate to the four seasons of the year. It's a theme that works well for Welsh. "We like to write about sustainable themes and green issues in our music", he said. Earlier in the summer, they performed at GreenFest and they seek out festivals with sustainability as a theme.

"We work regular jobs and have families, so the environment and the future is important to us," Welsh said. But, he's quick to add that, though they write about serious issues, "We don't take ourselves very seriously. We want the audience to have fun."

The band name is and of itself meant to be analogous to the earth, but Welsh said it's also meant to be "fun and a little naughty."

Big Green Cherry will play approximately 20 songs, all originals. The remaining band members are:

Hazel Cajusay-Scherch – Vocals, guitar

Tim Valentine – Bass

Jason Dovel – Drums

Pete Miller - Keyboards