I know what you are going to say when I merely utter the word folk music. You immediately think of some old man strumming on a banjo and singing about how his horse ran away, and he is longing for a bath. This is most definitely not the case when folk singer Teddy Goldstein steps on stage. He performed this past Saturday night at Mother’s Wine Emporium in the lower level of the Union. It was his first trip to the Rensselaer campus.

Despite a wicked snowstorm and frigid conditions outside, Goldstein warmed up the Union with his songs and harmonies. Goldstein’s control over his acoustic guitar was excellent; the typical banjo was nowhere to be found. He also had a clear and strong voice, which was impressive compared to the stereotypical backwoods-style twang of many folk singers. His lyrics were definitely not your usual portrayal of life on the prairie, and not one song was a ballad about cowboys.

I have not seen someone with a musical style quite like this. He is a mixture of a stand-up comic, guitarist, and cynical lyricist. Goldstein does a good job of incorporating his life and his thoughts into his songs.

His songs range from pop music hits about love to folk songs about car lots. He has a very good sense of humor, and uses it in his songs to exemplify the hardships he has seen while touring as well as in his love life. "I just like the way he throws wicked funny lyrics into his songs," commented RPI student Ryan Greenblatt. When I sat down to speak with him he said that he is more of a songwriter than a musician, and is searching for meaning in his songs. If you are a musician, you know that this can sometimes be the hardest thing to do.

He had said that the life of a musician was rough, but it has left him with many memorable nights. One time while performing at a bar he actually went to the bathroom while playing the guitar and singing a song. He has had many memorable nights playing for sell-out crowds in colleges and coffee shops.

Teddy Goldstein currently resides in New York City’s borough of Manhattan. He has released one album already, entitled Teddy Goldstein. He is working on a big project this year, his sophomore effort named Love, Love, Love. It is due to arrive in stores this summer. Additionally, he is part of Live From New York, a group touring in California. The group is comprised of his close friends Andrew Kerr, Edie Carrey, Sam Shaper, and Anne Heton. They will be touring this summer to promote their grassroots music.

Performers like Teddy Goldstein can be seen every weekend at Mother’s Wine Emporium. They usually perform at 8 pm on both Friday and Saturday. The admission is free with your Rensselaer student ID. I definitely recommend that you check these shows out. They are packed with good tunes and can’t be bought at a better price.