Review: THE DRINKWATER BROTHERS at Don't Tell Mama Are A Hit With The Entire Broadway World Cabaret Team

The Drinkwater Brothers performed their solo show on August 21st, 2019 when Jim Caruso called them with mere days' notice to fill in for an artist who canceled at the last minute. Either accidentally or on instinct I went to the Drinkwater show and was immediately swept up in what would, over the last two years, become Hurricane Drinkwater. Already aware that Matthew and John represented something special, I swiftly penned a review (HERE) saying so. During the last 24 months that I have been with Broadway World Cabaret, I have continually championed the brothers because I believe that a part of my job is to support the artists whom I consider to be special, and the Drinkwaters are on a shortlist that I keep locked up, for my eyes only. It made me wonder, though, if I wasn't, perhaps, being a bit partial, if maybe I wasn't lacking in objectivity. So I gathered the entire Broadway World Cabaret team (all four of us, sadly diminished from nine at the start of the pandemic) to attend the opening of The Drinkwater Brothers show at Don't Tell Mama on Saturday night - their first live show since lockdown - to get either validation for my devotion or a reality check. The contributions of each cabaret journalist have been written independently of each other and will appear in this article... right after my own estimation of John and Matt's most recent work.

Stephen Mosher - Cabaret Editor & Reviewer

The Drinkwater Brothers are currently providing their most stripped-down show to date - it's almost an "Unplugged" performance with no guest artists getting up to sing with them, no bells and whistles like at their Christmas show, no frills and frippery. This is just Matthew and John on a variety of instruments, joined by their (super-talented) friend Andrew Brett on bass, and the show is all the better for the stripped-down mood it offers. By making their evening of music more coffee-house than cabaret room, the DWBs place all of the focus on their musical storytelling, from insane (sometimes unbelievable) vocals to continually growing songwriting skills. A pair of accidental songwriters, John and Matt have released two albums - DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS and SMILING AND WEEPING - and one need only listen to the albums back to back to note the evolution of their storytelling abilities in the craft of songwriting, and fortunately for the Don't Tell Mama audience, The Drinkwaters focus much of their show on the new album, including tunes like "Peanuts," "I Can't Stay," and this writer's personal favorite, "Astronaut." As much as the album cuts are, the entire show is not only their original compositions because no DWB act would be complete without hearing those opening chords of "Stairway to Heaven" or the rollicking great time that is their out-of-this-world performance of Richie Havens' "Freedom." With all of these musical treats they bring with them when they get up on a stage, and the playful fraternal chemistry that comes with them when they walk into a room, is it any wonder they have legions of fans worldwide? No, it isn't. And the proof is just a subway ride and five-dollar cover (come on, now) away, so everyone should be encouraged to see The Drinkwaters when they return to Don't Tell Mama on August 18th. Take it on faith: you won't regret it.

Ricky Pope - Cabaret Journalist

In the 1960s, Greenwich Village was the epicenter of the burgeoning folk-rock scene. Young singers like Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joni Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins Joan Baez, and Mimi Fariña were taking sounds collected from the heartland of America and reconfiguring them in clubs like Cafe Wha?, The Gaslight, and The Bitter End. Young comics like Joan Rivers and groups like The Lovin' Spoonful and The Simon Sisters were starting a movement that would lead to the rise of the singer/songwriter era of the early '70s. This twilight world of pre-Woodstock music was the last great spot in which acoustic music reigned unfettered by electric instruments.

Although they are generations too young to have experienced that scene, John and Matthew Drinkwater are the spiritual heirs of the Post-Beat world of Greenwich Village. The Drinkwater Brothers, whose acoustic show opened at Don't Tell Mama Saturday night, are an interesting paradox. In some way, they feel completely out of another time. Their music has an innocence that is startling in the internet age. And yet, the slightly ironic humor with which they approach show business seems entirely contemporary. In short, there's nothing quite like them in today's music scene.

The Drinkwater Brothers are twins, although they do not lead with that fact. They are not the joined-at-the-hip variety of twins. They have complementary but very different personalities. Their act is very much about, not exactly sibling rivalry, but definitely about good-natured ribbing. They are a modern version of the Smothers Brothers without the politics. They have a camaraderie that is easy-going, loving, and humorous. They do, in fact, frequently finish each other's sentences. Between the pair of them, they play half a dozen instruments. They created a show that featured several of their own songs from their album SMILING AND WEEPING as well as some classic cover tunes.

Their songs are deceptively simple. They feature very catchy hooks, with lyrics that sneak up on you. "Astronaut" is a particularly fine song about isolation, physical and emotional. "Rain" is a simple ukulele waltz about standing up to life's challenges. "Peanuts" is a bouncy funk number about trying to remain true to yourself. "I Can't Stay" is a great folk tune that deals with the bittersweetness of first romance. The lyrics are profoundly honest and vulnerable.

As for the cover tunes, I loved "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Rocky Raccoon. " They gave a relaxed and direct version of "Stairway to Heaven," They brought great joy to Amy Winehouse's "Valerie." They were particularly effective on "House of the Rising Sun" and "Proud Mary." But they saved the best for their encore, a virtuoso reading of Richie Haven's "Freedom. "

They also had great rapport with their wonderful acoustic bass player, Andrew Brett. He definitely qualifies as an honorary Drinkwater Brother. It was an evening filled with goodwill and great music. The Drinkwater Brothers are a class act. Talented, entertaining, hopeful, upbeat, and thoughtful. If these two talented brothers don't make you smile, nothing can.

Bobby Patrick - Cabaret Reporter

Heigh-Ho everybody... and... well, you know the rest.

So, me darlins... what can little Bobby add to what has already been said on Broadway World about any excursion to hear and SEE the Drinkwater Bros? Well, first of all, THEY ARE TWINS. Wicked cute ones, too. Now, far be it for your little rainbow reviewer boy to base the reason for going to see an act on how attractive a performer is, BUT THEY ARE TWINS... who played college ball at Wagner University while they studied MUSICAL THEATRE! Am I dead? Is this Gay Heaven? Ooof! Pardon the blatant objectification, and the first-ever use of that singular personal pronoun (i) but this act is almost too much for anyone to handle... especially in the music department. Taking the stage for a director-free, script-free, stream of consciousness ramble through 15 numbers, the brothers - who are named Matt & John, or John and Matt, Bobby can't really remember which name goes with which face so we'll just call them Left Drinkwater and Right Drinkwater - proved they needed neither pre-written text nor outside guidance to put on a more than marvelous musical merriment. Their easy chemistry with each other was a palpable electricity felt by their audience. Each song, both cover and original, were reasons for both to get lost in the music where they seemed to newly discover layer after layer of depth and meaning, passing the tunes back and forth before opening the gates for the notes to flood the room; each voice singular and each style unique from Left and Right. Standouts of the evening were Left Drinkwater's 2 solo turns with their self-penned tunes, ASTRONAUT and I CAN'T STAY, along with PEANUTS which gave Right Drinkwater a fab guitar solo. This is not to stint on Right's vocals at all, since he absolutely wailed on HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, but Drinkwater Left does take the lead on a majority of the singing. Finally, the entire evening gave the feel of a super cool Rockwood Music Hall jam sesh, with swinging and swaying and ukulele playing; Right and Left Drinkwater delivered the goods on all levels both seen and heard. Mix in a liberal dose of A DOORBELL bass player, Andrew Brett, and the Drinkwaters at Don't Tell Mama are a must-see, no matter what, because Bobby gives the Drinkwater Brothers his full

5 Out Of 5 Rainbows

(Oh, and I am reliably informed that Left Drinkwater is Matthew, with his hair parted on the left, and Right Drinkwater is John, with his hair parted - guess where? - on the right.)

Helane Blumfield - Cabaret Photojournalist

The Drinkwater Brothers will appear once more at Don't Tell Mama on August 18th at 7 pm for the unheard-of cover charge of five dollars. For reservations click HERE.

The Drinkwater Brothers albums, DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS, and SMILING AND WEEPING are available on all streaming platforms.

Find the Drinkwater Brothers on Instagram HERE on Twitter HERE and on YouTube HERE

For more acts at Don't Tell Mama, go to donttellmamanyc.com.

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