Social B. Creative welcomes acclaimed singer Jill Sobule
TOLEDO – An otherwise quiet street in the Old West End came to life on Monday evening when three bands provided live music for neighbors on Stratford Place in the Old West End.
Performing on a stage set up in the middle of the street, Catlea, Sea Serpent and nationally renowned singer/songwriter Jill Sobule provided entertainment for about three hours.
The block party was hosted by Swell Magazine/Social B. Creative, and drew a crowd of about 50 people sitting in provided metal chairs. Round, colorful, fluffy pillows were placed on many of the chairs but were confiscated by kids playing with them throughout the night.
Attendees could also shop at the Clearly Weird Tie Dye booth and eat mac and cheese at the Maybe Cheese Born With It food truck.
Swell Magazine/Social B.Creative was founded by its CEO Emily Rippe, who met Sobule playing in a local bar in front of about five people. Realizing it could be a missed opportunity, she asked Sobule if she would like to play an outdoor concert at the Old West End, and Sobule agreed to headline the show.
Rippe explained that Swell Magazine is the first issue for her freelance organization Social B. Creative. It is planned to be an annual publication with a second issue in the works for January 2025. She said the magazine sold most of its original 200 copies. Rippe wants to use to magazine to give a voice to people who have been underrepresented.
I want to shine a light on folks you might not have heard about but have something to say.
Emily Rippe
Kicking off the outdoor concert was Cincinnati-based indie band Catlea, a duo featuring Dylan Rippe and Max Shirley.
Next up was Toledo’s Sea Serpent. The local band recently released an EP called Black Blossom in April, which features four original songs. Sea Serpent’s performance drew thunderous applause from the small yet engaged crowd.
Kate Komuniecki, singer, writer and piano player for the band, discussed her musical journey. She said she was originally in the Violent Bloom band with bass player Jon Zenz for about six years before forming their current band. When forming Sea Serpent, the two added drummer John Hubbell. The three have played together for more than a year.
Komuniecki said what inspires her is to make music, and that she’s listened to a ton of it since she was a teenager.
“I used to listen to it so much; I’d study it and learn it,” she recalled. “I think it just always kind of hit me. I always tapped on stuff so my first instrument is actually the drums. I’ve played the drums for 20 years or so and then branched out to piano and songwriting.”
Komuniecki said she wants to continue playing in bars or DIY spaces out of town, and that her dream venues are small rooms.
Headlining the show was Sobule, who started her performance by asking audience members to move in closer. She said she came to this block party in Toledo for a change of pace after playing in Cleveland and Detroit.
Much like Komuniecki from Sea Serpent, her first instrument was the drums. She started playing when she was five but switched to the guitar per her parent’s request. Her brother inspired her to make music.
“I have a brother six years older than me who had the rock band in the neighborhood, and we had the cool parents who would let him rehearse in the garage. My brother was my hero and I wanted to be either an international spy or a rock star,” she quipped.
Sobule said she likes to write story songs that are mostly “little stories.” She referenced musicians like Bob Dylan, Lenard Cohen and John Pine.
Along with music, Sobule recently became involved in theater. She has an autobiographical show called F**k7thGrade. The show is about growing up as a teen in Colorado.
Sobule also discussed the kind of places she would like to play next. “I’ve done pretty storied places, maybe Royal Albert Hall. I’m just starting to think of more storied places. Maybe I’ll do a house concert for Barack and Michelle.”
One fan in attendance was educator and musician Dr. David Harms. He came to the show to ask Sobule to autograph a copy of Joan Osborne’s 2023 album Nobody Owns You. Sobule sang backup on the song, The Smallest Trees.
The original plan was to have Sobule play in Rippe’s backyard. But as she started to talk to local bands, including her sister’s band, Catlea, she opened the show to the street in front of her house to draw a larger crowd.
Sobule performed her hit songs Karen by Night, I kissed a girl, and F*ck7thGrade, as well as several of her theater songs.
She said she likes performing in Toledo because it has “a good vibe.”
