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Yellow Cab The God Of Low Afraid Himself To Be I Just Wanna Touch You Somebody Loves You Sacrifice There Goes My Inspiration Set Me Free Keep It In Mind (That I Love You So) Cliché Libertine Watching The World Go By The One Sure Thing Love Alone Drive One World 
Click here for more photos of this gig.
Review by SueW:
I found the building The B.O.B. easily enough and there was a sign just in the foyer that Kasim was playing on the fourth floor. As I was saving some seats for friends who wouldn’t be getting there until late I got there by 7pm when the doors opened by which time there were already about 15 people queuing to get in. There were a few rows of chairs laid out in a semi circle but unfortunately the stage was only a couple of inches above the ground. During the opening act a really tall woman arrived late and sat in front of me so totally blocked my view! Consequently I stood with my back against the wall when Kasim came on so that I could see okay.
Unfortunately Kasim’s tour of dimly lit venues continued tonight! At least we didn’t have any red lights but a green hue really doesn’t suit him all that well either! Also when he was standing at the microphone the left side of his face was totally in shadow. Thankfully he was slightly better lit when he was at his keyboards. I think he needs to shorten the sound-check and do a lighting check too at venues. Tomorrow evening he’s playing at The Beachland Ballroom which is probably the worse lit venue in America.
 Michael Crittenden of the Grand Rapids band Troll For Trout opened and was pretty good. He only played for about half an hour but all his songs were melodic and people obviously liked them. He sang one really funny one about not liking the outdoors. Michael did tell us that he’d taken Kasim to buy some guitar strings yesterday and that Kasim had seen, liked and bought a Beatles Hoffner guitar (I think that’s what he called it). After a short break Michael introduced Kasim who came in wearing his nice black suit and white shirt. Kasim explained that this was his first solo gig in Grand Rapids and that he would sing some songs, tell some stories and sing some more songs and that we could see how many mistakes he makes. He then started Drivin’ Me Mad on his keyboards and immediately said that that was his first mistake as he played the intro part an extra time! I thought that Kasim’s voice seemed slightly strained on the higher notes in this song. Kasim then went straight into Yellow Cab and told us that he had been dragged off to dinner before the gig (he doesn’t usually eat before a gig) and that was why his voice didn’t sound as good as he liked. The God Of Low was next and then Kasim went straight into Afraid Himself To Be. Kasim’s voice was a lot better in this song. Kasim then spoke briefly about being in Utopia and played I Just Wanna Touch You with its slow beginning. Kasim next told us about his new CD and how we could all get involved with it. He said that the website should be ready to accept photos by around 1st July. Kasim also said that he hasn’t quite finished any of the songs on the album well enough to play live yet. Kasim then said how the noise from the floor below was distracting him. It was a dull rumble of bass music from a wedding below so I dread to think how loud it was in there! However what was making it worse for us on the right of the audience was that there was a group of five or six people who were talking very loudly all through Kasim’s gig up to this point, even to the extent of trying to talk over him! When people have paid to come to a gig, why sit and talk all though it? Thankfully they later all moved and then spoke loudly at the bar but at least that was less distracting.
 Kasim then played a song that he described was about us – Somebody Loves You before telling us about the House Party Gig he played in Indianapolis and his father wanting him to play guitar in front of his family when he was a child. He then played Sacrifice which the audience really loved again. There Goes My Inspiration was next before Kasim moved to the keyboards to play Set Me Free. I could see Kasim’s keyboards really clearly at this point and it was fascinating watching how hard he plays those keys – he really pounds them! That song was very popular with the audience too. Kasim then told us about the story behind Keep It In Mind (That I Love You So) and described it as a "schmoltsch" song. When one lady looked as though she didn’t know what that meant Kasim described it by using the Barry Mannilow song Mandy as an example. When he sang the song he changed that line the second time to "What does it matter if you’re only 17 and I’m nearly 55"! Kasim then spoke very fondly about Todd Rundgren before playing his beautiful Cliché which was a big hit with this audience. It was Libertine with the audience participation part next. Near the end of this song Kasim called out for just the single ladies, just the old men, just the bartender (silence!), just the blondes, just the Republicans (almost silence) and just those with a criminal record (lots of singing!). Kasim spoke about the Todd gig in Muskegon and that he was playing a solo gig in Akron on 5th September before switching guitars to sing Watching The World Go By and The One Sure Thing. Kasim next thanked us all for coming and switched back to his keyboards to sing Love Alone which he dedicated to a couple that he had met earlier who had only been married for a month. Kasim then went back to his guitar and finished his one hour 27 minutes set with Drive and One World. Michael joined Kasim on stage for that song with most of the audience joining in with the clapping too. And then, all too soon for me (as always), it was time for Kasim to say goodbye and the to spend ages signing autographs and posing for photos with everyone. Massive thanks to Whitney Burr for arranging this gig including getting so many people to attend! Roll on Cleveland tomorrow!
The venue (taken from the KasimInfo.com Blog that day):
The B.O.B. stands for "Big Old Building" and is located at 20 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Within The B.O.B. is a collection of bars, restaurants, stores and a theater.
Kasim's exact venue is the Eve Lounge. Click here for the venue website but it looks like a very stylish venue (hopefully with good concert lighting!).
Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Michael Crittenden of Troll For Trout will be the opening act.
Tickets are $17 in advance (from this link) or $20 on the door.
Pre-show page on KasimInfo.com:
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Tonight Kasim Sulton is playing the fifth gig of seven on his