First and foremost, I’m gonna take the liberty to say that this is a really special moment for the Baton Rouge music scene in terms of fresh and talented artists, collaborative forces, and an active and welcoming community.  These are solid times for solid songs.  So, with that established, I had the pleasure of seeing Ship of Fools perform last Wednesday night, opened by Emily Kaye Miller at the sidebar at Chelsea’s Café. 
Emily Kaye Miller, 20, is a guitar-strummin’ gal with a clear, controlled voice, endearing stage presence, and songs that not only fit neatly into the coffee shop-acoustic niche, but also, at times, are about coffee.  Laura Swirky’s sweet and subtle backup vocals lent balance and texture to Miller’s folksy melodies and straightforward lyrics, and Eric Brown à la Ship of Fools made an appearance on guitar.  Her quiet, contemplative melodies were a natural fit for the intimate sidebar setting. Props to her chops. 
Ship of Fools is made up of Raudol Palacios, 21, on cello, Michael Blount, 23, on guitar, Ashley Monaghan, 19, on vocals, and Eric Brown, 21, on percussion. To describe Ship of Fools as a rising star astronomically misses the point. They’re somewhat of a Halley’s Comet, because a cosmic spectacle this bright is only visible to the naked eye once every 75-76 years. That functions well enough as a metaphor, right? Okay, let’s justify these bold claims.
This sea-worthy ship has a sound that is simultaneously high-energy, theatrical, baroque, celebratory, folksy, and jazzy. This stuff’s got layers on layers. Their work clearly engages each of the artists’ very different musical backgrounds and aesthetics: Palacios’ classical training, Blount’s folksy fingerpicking, Monaghan’s put-the-power-in-power-pop, and Brown’s jazz background.  One of the most remarkable elements not only of their musical compositions but also of their stage performance is the sensation of an ongoing conversation between the musicians: as the cello pleads, the guitar responds. Monaghan’s vocals provide a soaring English translation of the unfurling musical saga, and Brown’s percussion compels you to pay damn attention (not that you weren’t already. Unless simultaneously deaf and blind and you hate intricate, beautiful sound-sojourns).  And then, when you think these guys can’t take it any higher or they’re gonna hit the damn roof, they throw in the saxophone talents of Reagan Mitchells for one track and you’re rendered wide-eyed, wide-eared, bewildered, and asking yourself what good deed you did in your life to find yourself right here, right now. 
Stand-out tracks included the attention-demanding, angrily-eulogizing, boldly-accusatory “Poppin’ Up,” which features that incredible, trademark conversation between cello and guitar and full and powerful vocal work; the mesmerizing “Caffeine Dreams,” a no-holds-barred, deeply inquisitive string-celebration; and the raw energy of “Handle Myself.”  
Upcoming performances include the Waka Winter Classic on February 27,^th where they’ll be competing for a slot at this year’s Wakarusa, and a performance at TedxLSU on February 28^th. They’re also recording their single “Handle Myself” in early March, so keep your eyes/ears peeled. As Monaghan beseeches in their track “But Love,” if you find yourself asking, “Is it really worth it to lose sleep over you?,” the answer is yes. Yes, you should sacrifice slumber, or really anything else you’re committed to on a Friday or Saturday night to see these guys perform.  You’d be a fool not to.