Sold Out-Mike Doughty

Limited seating and standing room available day of the show at the door. Doors at 5:30

In some ways, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Mike Doughty is still living under the shadow of his old band, Soul Coughing. Mind you, that isn’t a terrible place to be. One of the most unique bands of the 1990s, Soul Coughing became part of the soundtrack to the decade with a fusion of rock, Doughty’s beatnik-inspired lyrics, and elements of hip-hop and electronic music. Doughty’s signature syncopated guitar playing and off-kilter vocals were integral to the band’s sound. After breaking up the band in 2000, Doughty rented a car and toured the country by himself, covering 9000 miles while rediscovering his acoustic roots. With his latest record, Sad Man Happy Man, he is returning to those roots once again, touring as an acoustic duo with long-time bassist Andrew Livingston on cello.

Doughty’s solo career overlapped his Soul Coughing days by quite a bit: his first tour in 2000 featured music from a then-unreleased solo album from 1995, Skittish. This was recorded like it was presented, acoustic numbers with minimal instrumentation. His relationship with Minneapolis is well documented. His 2002 bootleg Smofe and Smang: Live in Minneapolis, was a limited edition pressing that caused an internet sensation on Napster. Songs from this record would be fleshed out with his next two full-band efforts, 2005′s Haughty Melodic and 2008′s Golden Delicious, both produced by Minneapolis native Dan Wilson.

While Soul Coughing was moderately popular in their heyday, Doughty has amplified his visibility considerably in recent years. In addition to songs of his being featured on TV shows “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Veronica Mars,” he has contributed vocals to BT‘s club hit “Never Gonna Come Back Down,” and collaborated with John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants for a CD that accompanied an issue of McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern.

His blog is widely read; check it out here.

• “27 Jennifers” from The Current’s Studios

• “Looking At the World” was used in a “Grey’s Anatomy” Episode

• “I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress to Keep Dancing”

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