Nic Engel
Albany, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
~Nic’s irrepressible passion and emotive performances belie his good-hearted, jovial manner. Calling it a transformation when he begins to play would be an injustice; Nic evolves.~
-Todd Stevens, Boondock Productions
~"Brilliant stage presence, matched by incredibly skilled and versatile guitar playing -- at turns nuanced, paired with haunting harmonies that create an atmospheric lull, at turns rocking with fierce intensity...intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics...Nic Engel is a musician that has truly stepped out of the box in every sense of the word."~
-Liz Malys, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Composer
~"Nic has drastically altered the way I look at acoustic music since I started watching him...True energy. True talent."~
-Mike Baker, Boondock Productions Artist
~"Wonderful musicianship. What a pleasure to listen to."~
-Julie Layne Bloeth, Lyricist & Composer
www.julielaynebloeth.com
- N/A
Discography
Stairwell Demo (2005)
Mark Irish Demo (2006)
An Evening at North Pointe (live, 7/1/2006)
Photos
Bio
Nic Engel is admittedly impulsive. He likes things done his way and he doesnt wait for a second chance. Sometimes its a vice, other times a blessing, but it is always him. That impulsiveness made him the first non-original member of a college arts group, where he organized an acoustic showcase that is now five years strong. It made him hold late-night concerts in building stairwells that dozens of listeners would evade campus security for. Its what led him to create and coordinate an arts & music festival that brought some of the top hometown talent together. It is what will lead him on a tour across the country, mere days after completing his Masters Degree in audio array signal processing and boasting an unconventional PA system he designed based on his research.
None of that even touches upon his music.
I place no artificial restrictions on how I write. In fact, I listen to fairly little acoustic music myself, which naturally causes me to draw inspiration from other genres. With a full month free for composition, I cant even imagine what will happen I just know that itll rock.
Nic's style expresses his eccentricities as well as he could himself. Its a New York City-esque melting pot; acoustic rock with some folk, or perhaps singer/songwriter, plus some funk even prog elements. His live show, not surprisingly, blends all of these styles with the occasional Disney cover, yet somehow remains genuine.
There will always be a natural inclination towards writing about what depresses you, Nic remarks. I have an intrinsic drive to be simultaneously honest and positive. That means that I try to present both an experience and the faith in ones self that is needed to grow from that experience. Lyrically and musically, my goal is to create something people can relate to, without deception. Theres no sense in using fiction to promote a good self-image.
The music is varied, as expected. Can You Relate? is a quirky folk tune with a driving outro and a blunt application of Nics ideology. Ravager is a darker offering, while New Year (from his recent An Evening at North Pointe live CD) boasts a California-inspired, calming demeanor. Together, these songs readily illustrate Nics diverse influences while maintaining the lyrical precepts of self-empowerment he so strongly believes in.
Slowly but surely, Nic's conviction is earning results. He's performed in cities all over the Northeast, including NYC, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland. His music has been aired on WERW (Syracuse) and WRPI (Troy), where he has also performed live. Currently managed by Todd Stevens of Boondock Productions, Nics played for over-capacity crowds [North Pointe Cultural Arts Center, RPIs GZ Basement] and was awarded Boondock Productions Best Solo Artist award for 2005. The perpetual optimist, asking Nic whats next only garners the same response as earlier: he doesnt know, but he knows itll rock.
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