Mike Viola/Courtesy photo
OK, OK—let’s get a few things covered before we proceed here.
I recently spoke with singer-songwriter-performer Mike Viola—notable for his links to Panic! at the Disco and Vulfpeck—about his illustrious career for about 30 minutes. But after more than 30 years in newsrooms, I consider myself (not to boast) a pretty good judge of character. I hung up the phone with Mike and I was all, this guy’s a killer dude, a Broham if I may be so bold. And yeah, we haven’t even met yet.
I spoke with Mike in advance of his performance at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY, this week, Tuesday, Oct. 21, to be precise. Frank Bango will open the show.
And that brings us to another item we must cover before proceeding, and this is for all the land to hear, once again, because it’s critically important.
Mike with the late Adam Schlesinger of the band Fountains of Wayne created the song, “That Thing You Do!” from the 1996 Tom Hanks movie of the same name. Mike, in fact, also sings lead vocals and background vocals, and played all the guitars on one of my favorite songs, from one of my favorite movies.
And I’ll never forget when Tom Hanks, who wrote, directed and starred in this righteous flick, was a guest on “The Late Show with David Letterman” for a shameless plug. He walked on and Paul Letterman and The CBS Orchestra launched into, yup, “That Thing You Do!” Hanks broke into a wide grin, turned to Paul and the band, and, I think, played some air guitar in gratitude. It was, what’s that the kids say these days? Oh yeah, it was dope.
So, I digress.
Prior to my phone call with Mike, I did my homework and listened, listened, listened to much of his song catalog. Yeah, this guy rocked arenas with Panic! At the Disco and yeah, man, he’s done it all.
But Mike’s own gig and his songwriting and performance and execution of the song are all so familiar to me. I feel like I heard this all in a prior lifetime and it saved me from some calamity. It’s like Mike’s songs have always been there for me, even though (full disclosure) I only recently discovered him and them. Dare I say that in that past lifetime Mike actually wrote these tunes for me? That’s how it feels.
Mike’s songs are intricate with depth but accessible. He writes for me and he writes for all of us, and he even writes for folks he hasn’t even met yet. How’s that for an artist’s vision?
So I’m dancing to Mike’s music right now and listening and writing and turning a rainy Monday morning with a long-to-do list into an opportunity for me to change the world! Yeah! Me and Mike Viola! Bring it on, universe! What a Monday! Ya wanna piece of me? Let’s go!
Tuesday’s show in the Woodstock, NY, hamlet of Bearsville marks a homecoming for Mike. He spent a lot of time in Woodstock, raging the weekend trips from the East Village during the 1990s. Road trip!
Woodstock in a big way inspired Mike’s musicality, through recording sessions and songwriting. And his pals were able to join him on the Woodstock deep dive—the music, the magic, the mystique—in large part because Mike was the only one in the posse with a car and, well, you know what happens when a soul of generous spirit also happens to be the guy with the car. Weekend after weekend the gang would assemble in New York City, pile into Mike’s car and head north for a weekend in a rented house.
“Barbecues and just chillin’,” he said of two treasured Woodstock traditions.
If you ever get the opportunity to meet Mike Viola in person, and chat him up for a bit, don’t let it slip through your hands. Mike is an optimistic guy. He has a snap in his stride and a kick in his step. This cat is plugged into an electrical socket in the wall and, even though we spoke on the phone, it was obvious to me that his smile stretches wide and his spirit shines bright and with warmth.
“I just feel like I’m really in touch with, ‘Anything can happen today,’” he said. “I feel really optimistic and open to the challenges that are going to come at me.”
Mike Viola, with opening act Frank Bango, plays the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, NY, Tuesday night, Oct. 21. Doors open at 7 p.m.. Show time is 8 p.m. Click here for information and to purchase tickets.
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