2.16.02 - The Stranger. Seattle, WA
by Grant Cogswell

AARON SEMER (solo acoustic performance)
(Ballard Firehouse) Like Michigan transplant Rosie Thomas, 25-year-old [Toledo], Ohio native Aaron Semer is blessing Seattle with his presence before catapulting to mega-fame. And like Thomas, one listen to his upcoming debut (to be released this spring on Mike Toschi's Global Seepej Records) will convince you that he is a major, multifaceted, and eccentric talent. While Thomas has been a captivating, perfect performer since her first local appearances, Semer's live act still needs polishing. But even now a listener feels as if these songs have always been there, waiting for someone to discover them. Imagine X's John Doe telling tales of office-tower drudgery and friends disappearing into addiction, "getting crushed by the garbage man" crossed with the hiphop-flavored drollery of Beck: "We were at a party, listening to rock and roll/drinking alcohol, and smoking marijuana cigarettes," he narrates on one irresistible chorus. Semer's Ween-like humor and deeply felt songs make him a strange fit for the Firehouse, but offer an early (9 pm!) chance to check out this longstanding venue without witnessing the cringe-fest of an oldies reunion tour.