Geoff Koch

Artist Information

Biography

Geoff is a St. Louis-based singer-songwriter who's been making cd's and booking tours across the United States since 2004. His first cd, 'Throwing Rocks At Your Ghost' (2005) is a 5-song EP. 'Live At Lucas School House' (2006) is a mastered version of a live show taken from the sound board of the then-new venue in St. Louis. With these records in-tow and a People's Choice Award for Best Singer-Songwriter in St. Louis (St. Louis Music Awards), Geoff embarked on his first of many solo national tours.

He's been a featured musician at festivals and showcases across the country since then, and has accumulated awards and recognition from national and international competitions and media.

In April of 2008, Geoff recorded his third cd, 'If It Feels Good, Don't Do It' on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. Co-produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco/Uncle Tupelo), engineered by Charlie Brocco (Fleetwood Mac, George Harrison). Geoff booked himself 5 months of coast-to-coast national tours in support of his new full-length, full-band cd to close out 2008. The full-band hometown cd-release show was held December 23rd at Off Broadway, complete with brutal ice storm..

Geoff toured the country in 2011 to support his past work as well as new songs. He's playing showcases across the country and currently recording demos with plans for a 2012 release.

Instrumentation

Geoff Koch - vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, loop station.

On the most-recent record:
Reeves Gabrels (Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie) - lead/event guitar
Tim Marks (Taylor Swift) - bass
Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Clockhammer)- drums/percussion
Aimee Romero (Marrow) - additional vocals

Discography

Film - "Chapter 10" 2011
Film - "Sorry, Charlie" 2010

CD - "If It Feels Good, Don't Do It" 2008
CD - "Live at Lucas School House" 2006

Compilation -
Chevy Music Showcase CD Sampler #1 2012
LiveFeed Soundbytes CD Sampler #2 2009
BandPromote.com CD Sampler #33 2006

EP - "Throwing Rocks At Your Ghost" 2005

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• Twitter
• MySpace
• CDBaby

Audio

• Pro-War
  Listen  
• Oh, Tonight
  Listen  
• Chasing After You
  Listen  
• Say You Will
  Listen  
• Burn It Down
  Listen  
• Don't Leave Me Now
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Pro-War
• Say You Will
• Don't Leave Me Now
• Burn It Down
• Chasing After You

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• 2012 w/Gregory Alan Isakov [+ Show ]
  

  On Thursday night, Gregory Alan Isakov performed a well-attended show at the Old Rock House. Behind ...On Thursday night, Gregory Alan Isakov performed a well-attended show at the Old Rock House. Behind him stood a projected, sepia-tinged, photo depicting a rural youth listening intently to a large, conical, medieval-looking, horn-shaped hearing device.
  
  The image struck me. It seemed an apt metaphor for Isakov and his music. He is the youth, or rather, his art is, and like the image, representative of life's constant search, of its hunt for that elusive melodic force that haunts us as it flits between the trees, lost to wind and distance.
  
  Like a sound adrift on the wind, Isakov's music never settles, never sits contentedly while life chugs on by. No, Isakov's catalog warms the soul with rustic literary intimations steeped in American melancholia.
  
  Geoff Koch opened the evening with a set of tunes that reminded me of a subdued version of Two Gallants, perhaps because of Koch's propensity for stacking phrases and melodies. The crowd enjoyed Koch's sometimes brazen and folky but always deeply introspective ramblers.
  
  Soon after, Isakov took the stage along with cellist Phillip Parker and violinist Jeb Bows. The trio slipped into the quiet, but happy "Virginia May," from 2009's "This Empty Northern Hemisphere." While the female backing vocals and brushed drums of the studio version were missing, the warm starkness the violin and cello afforded the songbed made it feel full nonetheless.
  
  "Big Black Car" was bursting with dulcet care and dark whimsey. The parts book-ending the chorus were pure delicious harmony coupled with Isakov's trademark "Mmmhmm's." The unreleased "The Universe" found Isakov singing into a second microphone with an AM radio-style, treble effect, which lent the track a gothic, M. Ward-esque feel.
  
  Everyone stood stone still for "The Stable Song" from 2007's "The Sea, The Gambler." Isakov leaned hard on the vocals, squeezing every ounce of the emotion available from the melody. Bows flipped his violin sideways and plucked the strings to imitate the sound of a mandolin crossed with a banjo. Parker pulled his bow across his cello strings, encouraging thick thrums of sonic energy to loll forth like a lion's tongue.
  
  Isakov performed "3 AM" solo. Under dimmed house lights, it was as if the artist was speaking personally to each of us, while simultaneously somehow addressing everyone. The multi-gamut aspect sent satisfied tingles coursing up and down my spine as Isakov fell into the craw of another cyclically melodic choruses.
  
  The audience let out a happy sigh when the band returned to join Isakov for "Red and Gold." The song did not feature the bluegrass flavor found on other versions, but did possess a dusky ochre that lent the song a particular smoothness. Isakov again employed the trebly, AM-radio microphone effect during the song's turn around and sang: "There was you, crimson running through your veins."
  
  Isakov dedicated "Liars" to his tour manager and began the tune with his trademark vocal effect coupled with palm-muted guitar. The song remained in a resolutely diminished mode, until, toward the end, when it exploded forth with dynamic, rhythmic string work. I immediately understood why Isakov doesn't employ a drummer: There is no need.
  
  "Dandelion Wine," was robust, yet somber and lovelorn. During the Ray LaMontagne-tinged "That Moon Song," Isakov told the crowd, "She pulls on this heart like she pulls on the sea," again utilizing his trebly, microphone effect.
  
  During the encore, Isakov offered up a new, unreleased song (let's call it "I'll Feed Your Horses"), which concerned the feeding of Brandi Carlile's horses. Before he started, Isakov prefaced, "We [the band] don't know if it [the song] is going to live very long," and let out a sinewy guffaw.
  
  Isakov finished his encore with the more serious "If I Go, I'm Goin'," which started out serenely empty except for the troubadour’s light strumming, which, by the end, morphed into a powerful roar that closed out the evening with energ

• 2011 Show Preview Q&A [+ Show ]
  

  Geoff Koch, singer-songwriter from St. Louis, has released a handful of CDs, and has toured and prom...Geoff Koch, singer-songwriter from St. Louis, has released a handful of CDs, and has toured and promoted himself and his songs like a crazy troubadour since 2004. His dedication and enthusiasm are starting to pay off — he's been a featured performer at national music festivals, and his third CD, If It Feels Good, Don't Do It, was produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo) and engineered by Charlie Brocco (Fleetwood Mac, George Harrison). We spoke with Koch to ask how his new material is coming along and how he identifies with the singer-songwriter title.
  
  The Pitch: I noticed that you're involved with Play It Forward. How did you start to work with the organization?
  
  Geoff Koch: It's easy to be supportive of giving kids access to music instruments who don't normally have the means. I've known Samantha Fisher (STLSound Magazine) for several years and am thankful for her local music support, and I identify with her philanthropic ideas. Play It Forward is also involved in music instrument donations to schools whose budgets don't allow for new ones or their upkeep. I had a beginning guitar class in high school and felt so thankful to learn outside of my Neil Young books. Had no idea where the guitars came from or how they got there ... and someone was especially conscientious to string one left-handed (I'm a lefty), so I felt like that one was 'my' guitar! So I support any org that's responsible for making other kids feel the same way.
  
  This is a short tour. How does it compare with your other travels?
  
  This is a two-week Upper-Midwest tour. To compare/contrast it - I've never toured with anyone else before. So having someone to share these experiences with makes me feel less isolated, lonely, bored or crazy. That's one big thing I've noticed when I get home from tours. Whatever I just went through - who could I talk to about it that 'got' it? In the past, it's messed with me to come home from a tour experience then not feel like I had anyone I could identify with. Whether or not that's actually true, I don't know ... I know my friends would listen to me, etc. But would they know what I really meant when I told them I didn't shower for three days baking in the South, or how I 'slept' in my driver's seat at a gas station in Tallahassee? Now, I don't worry about 'needing to' relate to people I'm close with. I know they'll be there because that's what friends do - and they don't have to know every intricacy of my life experiences for them to be justified.
  
  You get to a point as a touring musician when you build up enough contacts and friends so you'll have a base at your shows in their town, and a place to stay at night. I think I'm near that place now. With Kelcy and I putting our heads together figuring out where we can stay every night - we've managed to avoid major hotel or other financial costs, which is huge. We're halfway through our tour, and so far we've been shown incredible kindness and hospitality.
  
  So I saw this — "I've been touring the country acting as my own booking agent, promoter, manager, driver and financier, independent of a record label deal for nearly 300 shows since 2005." What role are you enjoying the most?
  
  The role I enjoy the most out of all the talking points is as the performer. I'm proud of my songs, and cherish the nightly adventure of what nuances I'll find while I'm in the moment with them. That makes everything worth it.  It's the best, most exciting part of my day. I love the challenge, also, of getting out of my head and setting aside whatever's going on with me personally, and put myself inside the songs and bring them out to bloom.
  
  Have you worked with Kelcy Mae, toured with her before?
  
  I haven't toured with her before. We met when I toured through New Orleans in 2006 and have stayed friends and music allies, and we'd pair up here and there for a show together in Louisiana. This is her first tour.
  
  How's your next record shaping up?
  
  My next record, hmmm. I can tell you there's a song that's kind of like an Amos Lee/'Transatlanticism' by Death Cab for Cutie being groomed. An unassuming, sparse folk riff that eventually blooms and explodes. "Burn It Down" has been demo'd and on the Internet. I need someone to tell me what they think it sounds like, because all I know is that it's strong enough to be done. Might remind me of 'Say You Will' from my last record in that it's lyrically strong enough to pull your collar for a while. There's a poppy/fun side to the new stuff that I'm excited about. Maybe I feel like I must be getting better at writing choruses, because I've got this one that is maximum fun while also meshing well with a much more artful, intricate finger-picked verse and bridge. I don't think people should expect me to make an "OK Computer to Kid A" jump in terms of what I sound like. The next record will be full of sad, fun, artsy songs like last time. This time with more life experience and perspective stamped on them.
  
  You've worked with some pretty interesting and notable producers. How were those experiences?
  
  Working with Ken Coomer (Wilco's first drummer) and Charlie Brocco made me feel like I was in capable hands. Ken's got great ears and ideas for what a song needs, with an ability to musically reproduce what he's thinking. Charlie is a wizard with the knobs. He's got great ears and ideas, as well. I remember sitting in the control room sometimes listening to something over and over again, and Charlie's figuring out if he needs to take the reverb on the guitar during this 5-second segment leading to the chorus up from a 4 to a 4.2. I was really impressed with the talent and care they had for the project. And as far as being a huge Wilco fan, the chance to work with Ken was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I had to take, and am so glad I did. I still get a kick out of telling people when a Wilco song like "Can't Stand It" or "Misunderstood" comes on the radio - 'Hey ... the drummer playing right now? Plays drums on MY record, too!" I'm still very much in a 'pinch me' mode regarding 'the Wilco guy' also playing drums on my record.
  
  How do you define the singer-songwriter title? I've seen more musicians with the singer-songwriter title lately and am curious what the title means to you.
  
  I call myself a singer-songwriter because I feel like that most specifically identifies me. I am a musician, but I sing and play guitar. I make the songs and I perform them. I do think there's a negative connotation attached to 'singer-songwriter' unfortunately. You say it, and so many people either roll their eyes discreetly thinking, 'Oh great, just what we need, some other dude who thinks he can be Kurt Cobain because he knows how to play acoustic guitar in his bedroom,' or you get the people who smile and nod and ask, 'So, you sound like ... John Mayer?' Beyond the fear/agony of not being understood, I don't mind being a 'singer-songwriter.' I think it's a highly noble profession. I used to be scared of making mistakes, because it can be scary being looked at, stared at and judged. The challenge is to not be reactionary, to not absorb what you're feeling, which might be negative. Someone's not listening to you? So what? There is so much beauty and satisfaction in staying within the song, being completely present and focused on it and not letting anything get in the way of that - just you and it, in that one moment you have together. People listen to the moment and hopefully appreciate it or like it. But if they don't, it doesn't make what just happened 'bad.'
  
  —
  Tonight (August 22, 2011), Koch performs at the Riot Room (on the patio) with Tim York, Sara Swenson and Kelcy Mae. The 21-and-older show starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m., and costs $7.

• 2010 Speakers In Code Blog [+ Show ]
  

  http://www.speakersincode.com/2010/01/geoff-koch-solo-in-st-louis.html MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2010...http://www.speakersincode.com/2010/01/geoff-koch-solo-in-st-louis.html
  
  
  MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2010
  
  Being a singer-songwriter in St. Louis is a daunting task. Ok, Jay Farrar of Son Volt still lives there, and last I checked, he's doing pretty well, but rock and hip-hop mostly thrive in the city by the Mississippi. After seeing Geoff Koch live at Blueberry Hill's Duck Room this past Saturday night, I'd say the man has a shot at building a Midwestern buzz off of 2008's underrated If It Feels Good, Don't Do It.
  
  This isn't to say Koch can't rock the house, but during his 1+ hour solo performance, he kept it chill and comfortable. He also surprised us with two great covers: Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" and the show closer, Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." Both songs worked quite well, especially matched up against his own material.
  
  Which brings me to what I believe is his best song, "Pro-War."
  
  On his album, it's loud, maybe even a little angry, and you don't really get a feel for all the words Koch is throwing at you. But when he's performing it solo, you realize that there are a few lines that can get your mind rolling.
  
  My favorite one is: "It's not that I don't like peace, but violence is a friend of mine."
  
  I talked to a couple of my friends last night as to what this line could possibly mean, but I'm still really not sure. The only thing I'm sure about is that this song isn't "Pro-War." Have a listen below. And go see Geoff Koch when he comes to your town.

• 2008 Playbackstl.com Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  http://www.playbackstl.com/content/view/8334/157/ Written by Willie E. Smith Wednesday, 17 D...http://www.playbackstl.com/content/view/8334/157/
  
  Written by Willie E. Smith
  Wednesday, 17 December 2008
  "A-"
  
  This album delivers on the promise of the evolution that every roots-rock or alt-country band this side of Uncle Tupelo has hoped to birth.
  
  Dessert first. Sans dressed-up language and nuance, this record gets an A-minus. It's not perfect, but it's perfectly modern American rock 'n' roll. This is the sound of the flat world influencing the music of the flatlands. It's sentimental, it's heroic, it's down home and sophisticated. It's everything people want their favorite singer-songwriter to be but don't dare claim, because they know there's this one thing other people will take issue with, be it the vocals, the production, the politics, you name it.
  
  I don't have any qualms saying that this album delivers on the promise of the evolution that every roots-rock or alt-country band this side of Uncle Tupelo has hoped to birth. Not one of those bands has made St. Louis the hotbed we've hoped it would become, and neither will Geoff Koch, but that's not what he's here for. We're forever jilted, and Geoff Koch has given us a break-up album so we can get over the record industry once and for all. We don't need her—or him, if that suits you. It's time to move on. We can do better if only we give ourselves the opportunity. If It Feels Good, Don't Do It is the sound of that opportunity being spotted and seized, its potential actualized.
  
  The embellishments on If It Feels Good—the strings, the alto harmonies, the harmonica, the sheer beauty of the ballads, the arrangements, and stellar musicians who shine bright without obscuring one another; none of it disappoints. The clarity and immediacy of the vocals, passionate and pained by inspirations, is the testimony of a man with conflicts and convictions as epic as my favorite songs on this album. This is the sound of Pyrrhic victory. This is the story of proud but flawed land, full of a myriad of people who resemble it in spirit and constitution.
  
  If you the are kind of person who listens to Harvest or After the Gold Rush and feels a sense of validation, you will understand why this record is the redemption of some long-unclaimed debt modern music owes the Gateway city. The sentiment of If It Feels Good is the embodiment of resentful mourning. We will wave our fists at the heavens until a cold rain falls to mask the tears we shed for those we lost, the ones we will honor with the steadfastness of two hearts and two souls in one body. If you wear one on your sleeve, this record will move you to tears, and you will not be ashamed. If you pound yours in defiance, ever vigilant against all that ails you, this record is the soundtrack of your life. Step back and take it in; it's a beautiful thing.

• 2008 St. Louis Riverfront Times [+ Show ]
  

  http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2008-12-17/music/geoff-koch/ St. Louis singer and songwriter Geoff...http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2008-12-17/music/geoff-koch/
  
  St. Louis singer and songwriter Geoff Koch has collected an impressive local following (he won a People's Choice Award for his genre in the RFT's 2006 Music Awards) and his irrepressible sincerity is a large part of his appeal. In light of that, what's he doing with an album titled If It Feels Good, Don't Do It? Judging by Good's music, he's testing the Nashville Adult Album Contemporary waters. Recorded in Music City and produced by ex-Wilco drummer Ken Coomer, the record rocks harder and is looser than Koch's previous acoustic work, but it retains the unpolished vibrato of his everyman delivery. "It's not that I don't like peace, but violence is a friend of mine," he admits on the dense, Jakob Dylan-esque "Pro War." His confessions are sincere, all right — and at their best, the directness can disarm and chill you.
  
  9 p.m. Tuesday, December 23. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue.
  $10
  314-773-3363

• 2008 U of Nebraska - Omaha [+ Show ]
  

  Geoff Koch is a road warrior. "The big U.S. push for this record was from July 21 through Dec. 23...Geoff Koch is a road warrior.
  
  "The big U.S. push for this record was from July 21 through Dec. 23," Koch said last Tuesday night before his show at the PS Collective. "And there will probably be about 80 shows-ish."
  
  Don't feel bad for him, though. It's what he loves doing.
  
  "I would love to just play every day," Koch said. "Have them put me on the road, like 15 [to] 25 days at a time, come back for a handful of days and then go out on another thing."
  
  Koch has recently recorded and released an album called "If It Feels Good, Don't Do It." His tour is in support of this album.
  
  Over the sound of people talking and the smell of pizza drifting into the room, Koch talked about the ups and downs of the road.
  
  Koch said he loves being on tour because he gets to travel to different cities. Being on the road gives him inspiration for new songs, he said. However, touring has its downsides.
  
  "Lately I've been going through a tough patch," Koch said. "There are so many things that are soul crushing about touring. A lot of times you end up in your back seat because that day or the last couple days have been terrible, and you have to choose between a hotel room and a tank of gas. Touring is a world of good and bad. Touring is so bipolar."
  
  Around 8 p.m., Koch started his show. His music was not particularly unique: acoustic rock that resided somewhere between Ryan Adams and Augustana.
  
  His singing and song writing were his strong points, and he accumulated a solid group of tunes on this album.
  
  What did make the show stand out was the impassioned, committed performance. It would have been easy to mail in a performance to a handful of people in Omaha, Neb., but Koch really put himself into the performance. The show was compelling because of the soul that Koch invested into it.
  
  After the show, Koch was ready to drive to Ames, Iowa. He might have had a sleeping bag in his backseat ready for another restless night in his car.
  
  As for motivation for continuing the music career: "I just felt like I've been handed a baton," Koch said. "Somewhere along the line I think I got the music bug, and I feel good about passing the baton to some other people. If I can inspire people like I have been inspired, then I think that's really what I want to do."
  
  Those wanting to find out more about Geoff Koch can check out his Web site, geoffkoch.net or listen for free on his MySpace page, myspace.com/geoffreykochmusic. His next visit to Omaha will be at Mick's on Nov. 13.
  
  by Steve Coufal
  9/23/08
  http://www.unogateway.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory_id=38adaf6c-74f6-459d-aac5-a572d1883110

• 2008 Flagpole Magazine - Athens [+ Show ]
  

  Geoff Koch Sunday, August 3 @ Kingpins Bowl and Brew originally published July 30, 2008 by: Chr...Geoff Koch
  Sunday, August 3 @ Kingpins Bowl and Brew
  
  originally published July 30, 2008
  by: Christine Barrett
  Geoff Koch
  
  Imagine if Wilco hosted a dinner party and the VIP list included names like Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams and Salvador Dali. That’s the kind of indie folk-rock hybrid Geoff Koch wants you to experience when you listen to his music.
  
  Based out of St. Louis, singer-songwriter Koch (pronounced like the soft drink) has never been to Athens before, but he is familiar with its musical history. A long-time fan of R.E.M., he’s looking forward to making his debut in the ubiquitous music scene.
  
  Koch just finished his third album, entitled If It Feels Good, Don’t Do It. Although the record is Koch's first with a full band behind him, he will continue to tour as a solo act. "[Live], I have never had a band behind me," says Koch. Instead, the multi-instrumentalist prefers to strip down to acoustic guitar and harmonica - the instruments used to write the songs in the first place. "Stripped down, it works because it’s like [the audience] understands where the song is coming from - its origins,” he explains. For added effect, he will also be utilizing a looping station. “When you add looping, there’s that level of spontaneity you can capture."
  
  Spontaneity is definitely key to Koch keeping his music fresh and original. No two performances are ever the same. “I’ve learned to write a set list based on how I feel that day.” He thinks that listeners should anticipate leaving a Geoff Koch show impressed. He calls himself a “songwriter who can communicate.”
  
  “People should expect to see a guy that plays good music but deserves to be heard and appreciated. If I didn’t think I performed A+ shows, I wouldn’t do it.”
  
  

• 2008 Centre Daily Times Weekender [+ Show ]
  

  Singer Navigates Folk Rock With Unique Try by: Jonathan McVerry July 18, 2008 Geoff Koch didn't...Singer Navigates Folk Rock With Unique Try
  by: Jonathan McVerry
  July 18, 2008
  
  Geoff Koch didn't take his own advice. The folk-rock singer's latest album is so enjoyable, that he may never have recored past the first song if he had listened to the album's title - "If It Feels Good, Don't Do It."
  
  The 10-song LP kicks off with the infectiously poppy "Oh, Tonight." The tune swings smoothly through quick chord changes below Koch's scratchy yet delicate vocals. Koch sings with gusto, bouncing his voice up and down over his driving acoustic strumming.
  
  The song climbs to an inspired peak before dropping off into Koch's vocal whispers. The song jarringly kicks back in with its infectious hook - a chorus that would be perfect as the outro music fro a TV series for teens.
  
  Immediately following the opener, Koch slows things down with the syrupy "Chasing After You" and "Don't Leave Me Now." On the latter tune, Koch showcases a sweet Neil Young-style harmonica spiked with a killer bluesy groove and a dark sentiment that builds the multi-faceted song into one of the album's standouts.
  
  The album continues its slow-burn path through most of the record's middle before exploding on the seventh track, "Christian Boys." Koch raises the volume as well as the energy with this rocker about delusional youth and dreamin big that sounds like a jazzy Gin Blossoms single.
  
  The album's first major guitar solo makes an appearance, veering away from folk rock melodies that populate more than half of the album. The change in tempo is a welcome wakeup call, but Koch knows his strengths, and the chill, experimental folk rock is rightfully the cornerstone of this record.
  
  Koch doesn't reach ground-breaking territory with his vocals on this album, but it's his honest, raspy voice that makes this collection something special. Working with Ken Coomer (Wilco) and Charlie Brocco (George Harrison/Fleetwood Mac) most likely only added to the immense personality and impressive jive in Koch's music.
  
  On "Say You Will," Koch goes for broke and delivers from all angles of the musical spectrum. Starting with gentle guitar chords under the softest of voices, Koch slowly builds with a heavy bass drum into a rocking, echo-filled, screaming mess of scratchy guitars and electronic bends.
  
  Being his first full-length studio album, Koch is a few steps past just having "some potential." The variety and direction of his songwriting - as well as his trusting, calm voice - create a remarkable and captivating journey through each song's story.

• 2008 Whatzup Magazine - Fort Wayne [+ Show ]
  

  Here’s what you’re going to hear the second you hit “play” on alleged solo-folkie Geoff Koch’s new d...Here’s what you’re going to hear the second you hit “play” on alleged solo-folkie Geoff Koch’s new disc, If It Feels Good, Don’t Do It: big drums, bass, rootsy electric
  guitar and – oh, yeah – a little bit of acoustic strumming. Has this St. Louis songwriter become just another fashionably dust-coated alterna-country-rock dude?
  Hardly. Don’t let the full-on rock vibe of “Oh, Tonight” fool you. This guy is still a bona fide troubadour, hitting stages nationwide all by his lonesome most of the time, with only an acoustic, harmonica and occasional piano to keep him company. You hear a little more of Koch’s natural side on the gentle “Chasing After You,” framed by a finger-picked guitar and soft cello. A little Death Cab for Cutie here, a hint of Counting Crows there, “Chasing After You” carries just enough tension to balance out its celestial calmness. “The Answers You Want” opens your ears with its dignified folk and stately touch.
  The band setup returns for “Pro-War,” which doesn’t exactly sound like Michael Stipe within the confines of “Like a Rolling Stone,” but it’s halfway there. Its momentum builds along with Koch’s indignant vocal, throwing off some sparks mid-album. “Winters”
  keeps the tempo up and the sound full, a waltzing number with some added muscle thanks to rolling drums and shiny guitars.
  Somehow Koch manages to conjure both Matchbox 20 and “American Pie” without sounding much like either on “Say You Will.” The beauty of this song and pretty much everything on this disc is that you know, when Koch pulls into the Firefly coffeehouse on Tuesday, July 22 with only an acoustic guitar in hand, you’ll get the same emotional kick and full depth of the music, even when its stripped of surrounding instruments. If It Feels Good is a rare case of being able to hear the bejeweled version in anticipation of witnessing its essence.
  
  (DMJ) July 17, 2008

• 2006 Playback:stl Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "More often than not, when solo artists hit the stage with just their acoustic guitars, they become ..."More often than not, when solo artists hit the stage with just their acoustic guitars, they become background music, but Geoff Koch manages to avoid this fate. Part of this is due to his strong stage presence and the confidence he has when addressing his audience; mostly, though, it's because his songs are so good. The appealing guitar melodies alone make for a satisfying listen, and there's no shortage of strong vocal parts, interesting lyrics, and memorable hooks."

• 2006 Northeast In-Tune Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Geoff Koch is a singer / songwriter who not only brings appealing melodies and thoughtful lyrics to ...Geoff Koch is a singer / songwriter who not only brings appealing melodies and thoughtful lyrics to the table, he takes his music one step further, through a retrospective capacity. Koch uses affecting vocals like that of Counting Crows lead singer Adam Duritz mixed with emotive introverted rock lyrics like Dashboard Confessional. Koch takes those deep-rooted feelings and brings light to what many are experiencing. An internal everyday struggle with hopes and dreams, and fears that are inescapable even with the most successful attempts. Koch makes you stop and realize what life is truly all about.
  
  Koch’s songs confront many forms of human emotion that are universal truths. From something as simple as the ability to appreciate the Earth in its most natural beauty, to the inexplicable emotional crossroads that is brought on from loss. “Hold on” has a possessive introspective quality that anyone can relate to. Like the power time has on our ability to appreciate the simple things around us. The lyrics in this song that stand out above all else are: “I don’t want to take things for granted / I want to see the sun set on the Grand Canyon / It’s funny how time takes away the things / the things you forgot you had.” Koch takes it one step further of internal reflection by expressing his thoughts on experiencing death in “I Lost Count”. He struggles with an internal restless turmoil that comes with emotional state of losing a loved one. In “Oh, Tonight” Koch deals with the torment of love, loss and longing.
  
  Geoff Koch’s emotional encompassing lyrics are definitely the driving force behind his success as a musician, but it’s his heart and ability to express beautifully what all of us go through really makes his music stand above the rest.
  
  by Melody Geear

• 2006 tcudailyskiff.com Fort Worth [+ Show ]
  

  If you've always wanted to discover music's next big star before they became famous, don't make plan...If you've always wanted to discover music's next big star before they became famous, don't make plans for Friday night.
  
  Geoff Koch is a rising singer-songwriter and will be playing at 8 p.m. Friday at Jack's Off The Wall.
  
  Koch has already been recognized with numerous honors since he released his debut album "Throwing Rocks at Your Ghost" in 2005.
  
  He won the 2006 People's Choice Award for Best Singer-Songwriter at the St. Louis Music Awards and was first runner-up at The Recording Academy's "Grammy Demo Review." He has also earned a spot on Billboard Magazine's top 500 Worldwide Songwriting Competition for his song "Don't Leave Me Now," which can be found on his new live CD, "Live at Lucas House."
  
  Koch's style is similar to John Mayer in the sense that majority of his songs are about finding the love and then losing it.
  
  While his voice is not as polished or strong as Mayer's, his lyrics and the heartfelt emotions displayed in his songs more than make up for anything that may be lacking in vocal ability.
  
  He is an all-around musician making himself into, literally, a one-man band by playing the guitar, piano and harmonica.
  
  "I think my live show delivers someone who feels," Koch said in a press release. "I remind people that they, too, are capable of universal emotions that, for whatever reason, sometimes escape them as life takes its course."
  
  Even though he has already released one studio album and a live CD, Koch still has not been signed to a music label.
  
  Don't miss the chance to see this new artist while he is still in town.
  
  by Jeff Eskew
  9/13/06

Setlist

Some covers:
Oh, My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams
Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Waltz #2 - Elliott Smith
3 Rounds And A Sound - Blind Pilot
Imagine - John Lennon

Basic Requirements

Calendar