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Marc Baker at Santa Monica Pier's Twilight Concert 8/11/16. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.

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Charisma. You can write a good song and you can produce a good recording, but if your performance lacks charisma … the stuff that engages an audience to make them want to see you perform again … the good song and the good recording will often be a waste. Marc Baker has charisma, and he has it in spades. Originally from Australia, and now based in Los Angeles, Marc was the opening act for the Santa Monica Pier’s “Australia Rocks” themed Twilight Concert.

This was my first time ever listening to, or seeing him perform, his music; and if first impressions are the most lasting, my first impression of Marc will reside in my memory for a long while. Under the unrelenting rays of the bright summer sun, Marc took the stage dressed to the nines in a fitted black suit. His suit jacket was adorned with a handkerchief, which remained in its place despite the sweat dripping from his brow during his inspired performance, suggesting to me that Marc was a man who valued style above all else.

His stage presence was as dramatic as his wardrobe. Using every inch of the huge stage, and every muscle in his body, Marc performed his music with a physical urgency that demanded attention. With grand gestures, theatrical poses and microphone acrobatics, Marc’s performance was as much a visual art form as it was a sonic one. And he did it all while wearing Classic Oxfords without socks.

But, of course, it’s the music that completes package. Without having carefully listened to his musical output, my first impressions of his music was that Marc’s music was post-punk at it’s core, with new wave influences. Perhaps it was Marc’s sharply dressed appearance that influenced my comparison, but I imagined his music being a mix of The Damned (he’s got that Dave Vanian style- minus the goth- right?) and The Cure; and I can definitely live with that.

I’ve read that Marc will be traveling back to his native Australia to record his next album. I, for one, can’t wait to hear what he lays down on wax.

Follow Marc Baker on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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