On August 6, Lucas Carpenter performed on Einstein’s stage during lunchtime. He is a self-described singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based out of Nashville. His sound could be described as multitudinous.
In some ways it is an ethereal sound, and in other ways it is very based in reality. Even within the same song, these differing styles coexist. He makes use of classical instruments, synthesizers and what appears to be a jewelry box filled with nails. This shows that he pushes the limits of sound to achieve something unique.
“I bought ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ by The Beatles when I was 13 and it flipped a switch in my brain. Soon after my cousin gave me a guitar he didn’t use and taught me a few chords,” Carpenter said.
“I then joined choir, started performing in theater and just became a sponge for all things music,” Carpenter said.
While Carpenter was on stage, he used several unique instruments such as the hammer and dulcimer, a penny whistle, a tiny tambourine and a talk box.
“Many of the bands I got into very early on, like Rusted Root, Dave Matthews Band, Paul Simon and Sting always played all sorts of different instruments,” Carpenter said.
“From then I started researching and seeking out different music from around the world. There were so many different sounds that could be created with real instruments, I just became fascinated with how they were built and the history of them. I almost went into Ethnomusicology I was so interested in the subject, but I loved performing and writing too much.”
“I almost always start with a concept of what I want to write a song about, then I do a lot of free writing on the topic,” Carpenter said.
“From there I find a title to work from, which is almost always the hook of the song. Working from a title allows you to center everything more concisely around the song topic. I then take the title/hook and come up with a chorus. I often map out what I want each section to say lyrically, it then makes it easier to fill in the story,” Carpenter said.
“I also have many little guitar riffs or melodies that become something bigger, but almost always I write from a title and go from there,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter spoke about his experiences with touring, “I’ve been able to tour all over the US, but this year was the first time I’ve played internationally. I played a show in Tirana, Albania, which was pretty incredible.”
“It’s amazing to see people react to your music when they don’t even speak the same language,” Carpenter said.
“As far as the US, Chicago is a favorite, partially because I have a good fan base up there and good friends, not to mention they have so much good food. The western US is super beautiful, so that’s always great to travel through. Honestly, I try to pull something out of anywhere I go, everywhere has something interesting about it!”
Carpenter has plans to tour the United States in the near future.
“This November I’ll be doing a northeastern tour, plus some dates in the Midwest and the south, with plans of going all over come 2019. I’m planning a big show in my hometown of Williamsport, PA on November 24, which will be in this great little theater.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve toured, so this will be the launching of ‘Lucas Carpenter 2.0,’ with new music and a new live show,” said Carpenter.
Though Carpenter has performed internationally before, he still wants to perform in other countries.
“I definitely want to do more international touring. I’ve always been told my music would go over well in Europe. Also, so much music I love has been inspired by South Africa, so performing there would be huge. It’s a big world and I want to see as much of it as possible.”
Follow Lucas Carpenter on Instagram @lucascarpentermusic, and on twitter @lucascarpenter and find his music on Spotify.
The GPC and GovsLEAD arranged for Lucas Carpenter to perform at Einstein’s Bagels and used the opportunity to promote their upcoming events, such as the Fall Leadership Experience from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on September 22.
