Dean Haakenson, Justin Farren and more

Justin Farren’s songs have a certain blend of lighthearted wittiness, astute observation and vocal dexterity that fun and engaging folk music is made of. It’s the kind of songwriting that you could read on a piece of paper with no music to back it and still enjoy. And with music, of course, it’s engaging and magical. So, what, you ask, could make a Farren show more delightful? Here’s a hint: He’s a bearded wild man with a last name that ends in “aakenson.” Give up? No way, don’t be a quitter. Another hint: He sings in a rambling, mumble about Sacramento, girls, hard times and other stuff that’s funny. Still nothing? The name of his band rhymes with Shmee Shmave Shmold Shmobot. Ugh, fine, it’s Dean Haakenson from Be Brave Bold Robot. So if you haven’t figured it out yet, all these words were put here to point readers to a singer-songwriter night, which also features Devin Farren, John Ludington, Keir Wilkinson, Sulky Darky (“and possibly Santa,” says Haakenson). It’s the cream of the crop in area songwriters, which isn’t some sort of throwaway sentence; these people are really doing great things with words, and with music. And guitars and stuff. ¡Olé!