20 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
ECLIPSE PARTY
Acoustic musicians to crank it up at Merry Time
Simon Levene, Ghost in
the Willow and Seventeen
Excuses play original music
drinks” and “mystery raffles.” The Merry
Time is located at 995 Marine Drive. (Note:
The bar will open 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21,
so staff can view the eclipse.)
By KAELIA NEAL
Influences and instruments
FOR COAST WEEKEND
Three musicians will seek to transform the
typical acoustic guitar sound into something
a bit more energized at the Merry Time Bar
and Grill.
Astoria’s Simon Levene, Ghost in the
Willow and Seventeen Excuses will perform
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20.
With the musicians playing mostly original
music, their goal is to reach out to people who
have not heard their songs before.
“Be prepared to listen — listen to the
words. Everybody has something to say. Ev-
erybody has a message that they want to get
across,” Levene said.
“It’ll be more upbeat singer-songwriter,”
said Nate Kuning, whose project is Seventeen
Excuses. “It won’t be ballad-y. It’ll be a little
more energy behind most of the stuff with a
little classic country coming from my side.”
Gil Rodriguez, whose project is Ghost in
the Willow, is traveling from Phoenix, Arizo-
na to share his folk-rock music.
That same night, there will be an eclipse-
themed party 8 to 11 p.m. with “mystery
Levene said music helps him release
stress. He has been writing songs since 1998,
but has yet to write a song he considers
perfect.
“It’s an ongoing search,” Levene said. “I
try to write songs that stick in people’s minds,
the subject material is usually serious, and I
want it to be catchy.”
Being from Manchester, England, a lot
of his music is British-influenced. “I think it
stands out a little because it’s so different,”
Levene said.
During the show, Levene will play acous-
tic guitar and sing, and he might play a couple
of songs with his ukulele.
“I play ukulele like most people play
electric guitar,” he said. “You can still make it
sound loud and aggressive depending on how
you play it.”
Kuning said his music “stems from being
in punk rock bands and mixing with classic
country and folk rock music.”
He sings, plays acoustic guitar and plays
harmonica and is influenced by a variety of
artists from The Clash to Merle Haggard to
Madonna. CW
SUBMITTED
PHOTO
Simon
Levene
SUBMITTED PHOTO
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Nate Kuning, of Seventeen Excuses
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Gil Rodriguez, of Ghost in the Willow