After shows, folk singer Marian Call decompresses by playing a little “Legend of Zelda.” I know this because I ask Call, who has a song called “Nerd Anthem,” what is the nerdiest thing she does on a regular basis.
So her answer is a pretty good one.
“I’m a classical music nerd and a jazz music nerd,” Call, 28, says.
Don’t let her self-effacing nature fool you. Call does have some slinkiness in her repertoire, such as soft-smolder track “In the Black.” The song’s lyrics were inspired by an ill-fated fictional relationship on the cancelled FOX TV show “Firefly” and the non-fiction divorce of Call’s parents. “Being left or love not working out, I think there are a lot of ways that happens,” she says.
On May 15, the red-headed Call left her Anchorage, Alaska, home for a tour which will hit 49 states before she returns home for Thanksgiving. She’ll fly to Hawaii for a December gig. Appropriately, she’s calling this her 50 State Tour.
Anything interesting happen before, during or after your last night gig in Seattle?
(Laughs.) Wow. Jason Finn played drums with me, which was a lot of fun. He’s from the Presidents of the United States of America (the Seattle band best known for 1995 geek-grunge hits “Lump” and “Peaches”). He was kind of grilling me about my business model, how I play a lot of small venues and house concerts. And occasionally in a bar. He’s asking me how it works. Well, my fans will help me make connections all over the place. He said, “Yes, but I’m frustrated with your business model because it doesn’t include a drummer.” I was, like, really? And he was like, “Yeah, I had a great time.”
So is he going to play more shows with you?
Not in the immediate future, but the offer was on the table and I thought that was pretty cool.
How did you guys get connected?
Through an event called W00tstock; it’s a variety show. I was one of the acts and he drummed with me on one song. Everyone else on the variety show joined me for one song. He lived in Seattle and I happened to be doing a show in Seattle. My regular drummer was unavailable so I wrote him on a whim, never expecting him to say yes but then he did.
Since you’re redheaded, I was wondering who you thought were the coolest redheads in rock history.
I’m totally the wrong person to ask that question. I don’t know any. (Laughs.)
What are some things you’ve gone through a lot of during your 50 State Tour?
Sunblock and fruit snacks. And peanut butter Twix.
How do you pass the time on the road?
I listened to NPR, lots of pods. “Radiolab” and “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”
You studied classical music at Stanford. What could rock musicians learn from classical music?
Thinking about making things interesting…unconventional chord progressions and rhyme schemes.
You wrote on your blog the tour has opened your eyes toward the Midwest, which you say you previously thought of as “flyover states.” What did you discover you loved about these places?
I had a great time in Fairfield and Pella, small towns in Iowa that just blew me away. They were beautiful, friendly, more diverse than I thought and very arts focused. Sometimes playing a slightly smaller place is better than playing the biggest city in the state.
Marian Call plays Coffee Underground at 8 p.m. Sept. 18. Cover is $5. For more information, call 864-298-0494 or visit mariancall.com.
