Saturday, December 30, 9 p.m.
Rozz-Tox, 2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
Performing in support of his new album Flickering Light, singer/songwriter Benjamin Cartel headlines a December 30 Rozz-Tox concert with songs from his latest release, his acclaimed EP Money & Love, and his 2015 album Gothenburg, which Rust magazine deemed “a great collection of contemporary Americana-style songs with subtle songwriting and very personal instrumentation.”
After earning a buzz as one of New York City’s strongest up-and-coming songwriters, Cartel put his solo career on hold in 2004, the year he co-founded the indie folk duo Kaiser Cartel with former John Mellencamp back-up singer Courtney Kaiser. Although he still performs with Kaiser and the pair has released five albums and EPs to date, Cartel also launched into a solo career with the 2013 release of Money & Love, which inspired StereoSubversion.com to rave, “From the titular phrase to the strong melodic content within, Cartel’s attention to detail can be felt throughout … with its strong commitment to crafting catchy, memorable songs.”
Cartel's critical plaudits continued with the arrival of his first solo album Gothenburg, about which American Songwriter magazine stated, “Your heart will be haunted by the tunes, your mind will wonder about those complex lyrics, and you’ll soon be a fan.” And with Rust reflecting, “There is patience, wisdom, and resilience in Benjamin Cartel’s music,” the artist shared his own thoughts, in conjunction with Flickering Light's release, on PledgeMusic.com: ““I’m not trying to overwhelm anybody. To me, less is more. At the same time, I live and breathe what I do. There’s nothing like a good catchy melody to convey emotion and inspire my enthusiasm.”
Benjamin Cartel performs with opening sets by Seth Knappen and Konrad, and doors for the 9 p.m. show open at 8 p.m. Admission is a sliding scale of $5-10, and more information on the night is available by calling (309)200-0978 or visiting RozzTox.com.
