Eef Barzelay, the songwriter behind indie rock cult favorites Clem Snide, brought his solo act to Satori Coffee House on Friday, April 11 for the final Independent Music Collective show of the 2013-14 season — and a featured slot at the SouthSounds Music Festival. Doors opened at 7:30 p.m. with the listening-room performance starting at 8 and no opening act.
Admission was free for University of South Alabama students with a valid ID and $5 for everyone else; SouthSounds festival wristbands were also honored at the door.
The special format suited Barzelay’s reputation. Rolling Stone has called him one of indie rock’s best-kept secrets, NPR has praised his sneakily firm grasp on poignancy and humor, and The New York Times has noted that the true narrative in his songs lives in the tiny details. He had previously played Mobile with the Collective, and live recordings from that earlier visit had already circulated among local fans.
The show doubled as the featured IMC Showcase for SouthSounds 2014. Now in its fourth year, the festival ran April 11-13 across downtown Mobile venues, bringing up-and-coming southern acts to the city each spring.