I had heard of them before but (stupidly) had not familiarized myself with them. I recently saw Frank Turner’s US tour which featured Micah Schnabel and his partner in crime, Vanessa Jean Speckman, as the opening act and became hooked. For those who showed up late to Frank’s show and missed them, you missed an integral part of the evening. As Turner mentioned, “Why they aren’t headlining shows like this is beyond me.”
Hailing from Columbus Ohio, Schnabel and Speckman offer up songs about life and the trials and tribulations we all run into along the way. Their music is derived from personal experiences from both living in the heart of the country’s rust belt and their experiences as troubadours, criss crossing America’s highways and byways. Micah has a large library of music which can be purchased here in MP3 form. Vanessa took lead vocal on a project titled “Call Me Rita” which included Micah. Call Me Rita’s latest from 2023, “This Is A Stick Up”, can be found at bandcamp. That page will lead you to the rest of their releases and I strongly suggest you give them a listen if not purchase.
Can you listen to any of this music as “background music” whilst performing one of life’s mundane tasks? Of course. However, to truly appreciate their musical offerings, one should sit comfortably and listen intently in order to absorb the life derived sermons they deliver to the gentle listener. In concert, the duo grabs you by the lapels and pulls you in close, face to face. They command you to pay attention to what they have to say!
If the music isn’t enough, Micah is an author as well. I’ve only read his first book, “Hello, My Name Is Henry” and it is full of passages that make you stop and think about life and what is truly important. “Try and find something that brings you joy. To hell with the rest” is one of the poignant tidbits that make you think about your direction in life. This tome and his latest, “The Clown Watches The Clock” (same title as his latest audible release) are available for purchase at this section of his bandcamp page.
For those living in the Western US, Micah and Vanessa are on tour! I can not recommend seeing them enough, multiple times if possible. Hopefully an East Coast tour will follow! August tour dates follow the gallery. Buy some merchandise and chat with them as they often hang out at their merch stand after their shows. You will not find two more genuinely nice human beings. The world would be a better place if there were more folks like Micah and Vanessa in it!
