Lauris Vidal
Words:  MacKenzie Pause
Photos:  Donna Gould

It’s not that often I meet other musicians who seem completely happy with the music scene. Everyone always seems to have some complaint. That rare moment came when I witnessed Lauris Vidal. Positive energy emanates from him in every way. The message comes across musically, as well as just talking to him in person.

For the past three years, Lauris Vidal has been creating innovative and unique folk music with dark undertones, but always carrying a message of hope.

While living in Washington D.C., Vidal played music with The Lucky Bastards. Before he left the capital to return to Florida, his solo work began at a club that required him to play two hours of material. On that stage some of the first Lauris Vidal songs were created.

“I just went in there and would start making up words and writing songs,” Vidal said. “That’s part of why I started picking up all the other instruments as well.”

Amongst the many unique and small instruments Vidal contributes to his music, the ukulele caught my attention with an energetic live performance and a signature sound. At different times, these individual instruments have made their way into his life and music, and some carry interesting stories with them. Through a friend, he acquired a rare ukulele from world famous surfer, Randy Rerrick.

“He was actually going to auction it off,” Vidal said. “And he was like ‘Wouldn’t you like this?’ It turns out it’s this really rare, only made for two years ukulele. It’s really nice. I was at the right place, just happened to be in Hawaii.”

When he’s not adding surfer’s ukuleles to his music collection, Lauris Vidal impresses audiences with the many other instruments he plays. His lively performances include ukulele, tenor banjo, lap steel, guitar and sometimes even lap bass.

Seeing Lauris Vidal is an experience all its own. He performs with fellow musicians Jordan Pettingill (drums) and Pat Ruffner (bass), but also performs solo.

“I love the freedom of solo,” Vidal said. “But when you are with the band and have those heavy drums and bass, there’s nothing like it.”

Pettingill and Ruffner will contribute their skills to the upcoming recording, which Vidal hopes to release by fall of 2007. His currently available seven song EP, Shoot Shoot Your Skeletons, contains tracks played and engineered by Vidal, where all songs were recorded in one take. Lap steel, tenor banjo, soprano ukulele, guitars, bass, marching bass drum and snare, tambourines and even a wok were all used in the recording.

Vidal said: “I love old Motown. ‘Standing in the Shadows of Motown’ talks about the guys in one room, recording live in one room, from start to finish.”

The EP joined Vidal on an east coast tour last summer to show the rawness of the recording through his live performances. Although another tour is in the works, Vidal performs regularly throughout the state.

“Florida is really underrated for creativity and originality and goodness in general,” Vidal said. “Up there, everyone is so influenced by what’s hip. Florida is unaffected, open and supportive of all sorts of art. I’ve gotten on all sorts of bills from country, blue grass, blues to punk. I’ve played with hardcore bands and had a blast at all of them.”

The Deland resident’s attitude toward the growth of the Florida music scene is nothing less than inspiring.

“Across the board, it’s been really encouraging on lots of levels,” Vidal commented. “There’s so much good stuff going on. Just good people making stuff happen.”

This positive outlook also can be found in Vidal’s songwriting.

“Everytime I play,” Vidal said. “My goal is to help liberate people to do what they are supposed to be doing, however they are gifted. The songs have their own messages, but the reason I’m playing them is because I’ve been given this gift to share. When you do that, you free other people up to use their gifts. I’m excited by the enthusiasm showing up in random places like Gainesville and Tampa. Making friends from completely different backgrounds with totally different music interest, but still centering around the music makes it worth it.”

With such an optimistic view of Florida music, Vidal warns that Deland will soon follow this trend. Musicians like Pat Ruffner, Dish, Steven Tremor, Jordan Pettingill and a handful of others are joining together to put Deland on the map. Caffé da Vinci in downtown Deland gives these musicians a venue to take the necessary steps.

“One of the coolest things that I feel here in Deland, that I’ve also felt true in Florida, is that you can actually be yourself and sing your own songs and people will support you.”

Listen to Lauris Vidal online at www.myspace.com/laurisvidal or keep his words true about Florida support and see him play on June 16 at Café da Vinci in Deland with Band Marino.