Apartment613

Photo courtesy of J B Hildebrand

When and where: Saturday July 11th, 2:45 pm, Barney Danson Theatre

When soft-spoken, bespectacled Kirk Ramsay takes the stage in his trademark plaid shirt, it’s hard to tell what to expect.  With all eyes on him, he hoists an acoustic guitar, adjusts his mike… and introduces himself as Giant Hand.

Having taught himself to play the guitar just over a year ago, Giant Hand had only played two live shows when he was invited to perform at last year’s Bluesfest.  The last time he stood on a Bluesfest stage, he’d barely written enough songs to fill up his set!  But since powering his way through that trial by fire, he’s put together a solid debut album, Coming Home, and has greatly expanded his repertoire of imaginative and introspective songs.

Giant Hand’s compositions are fairly simple, but the understated music only highlights his lyrical abilities.  On his album, he layers multiple tracks and enhances his arrangements with creative homemade instruments like loose change and wicker baskets, but onstage it’s just him, his guitar, and a voice you can’t mistake.  Giant Hand has got that all-important talent for creating a unique sound, and his slightly off-key, sometimes hesitant warble gives him the makings of an indie icon.

Completely unpretentious, he delivers his words with an openness that has the audience hanging on every syllable, and his subjects range from the whimsical to the philosophical.  Whether he’s singing about his fear of death or retelling a childhood memory about reading a scary book under the covers, Giant Hand is a master at crafting lyrics that seem both wise beyond his years and heartbreakingly innocent.

Watch Giant Hand play “No Son of Mine”:

Playing Bluesfest for the second time is the perfect way to cap off a whirlwind year of songwriting, recording and live shows, and there are surely more surprises to come from Giant Hand’s direction.  What can we say?  Keep rocking those plaid shirts, and keep the tunes coming.

If you miss Giant Hand at Bluesfest, you can catch him at the upcoming i(heart)music festival this August.

For more information about Giant Hand, visit his website, Myspace and Facebook page.