The Scene

Performing duo's roots stretch back to college days.
By Kate Hudson, Staff Writer

Rewind several years back to a street-side gathering in Providence's Rhode Island School of Design.

A man stood amidst a crowd of college freshman, anvils hanging from his nipples. The response from most of the crowd was a mix of chuckles and awe, but Paul Curreri was horrified.

As he looked down the row of his peers, he saw only one other person with a similar horrified expression: Andy Friedman. And there, the friendship began.

Fast forward to the present and the two have come quite a ways since their meeting- and they've traveled most of it together.

In fact, 28 year-old Friedman and 27 year-old Curreri have traveled all around the country together on their Make A Living Tour, which began in March 2002. But it isn't just any tour: It brings together art, stories and music in one show.

Friedman opens, sitting on stage, beer in hand. On his projection screen, he displays his drawings, paintings and snapshots while telling some of his favorite stores.

Curreri takes the stage afterwards with only his guitar, singing and quick-picking his own folksy, bluesy songs.

"I see what Paul and I do as basically the same thing," Friedman says. "We're just using different instruments. Things I say are the lyrics, and the pictures I show are the music. What difference does it make if you're sculpting in clay or in sound.?"

Since it isn't everyday that an artist/storyteller and a musician get together for a show, Curreri understand the many "crooked eyebrows" he receives from people upon their hearing of the unusual match-up.

"It's difficult to get it unless you've seen the show," he says, "but for anyone who's seen it, it's clear why we like doing it this way. Our talents complement each other."

Both artists take inspiration and motivation from the same musicians and are thus creating similar products.

"I'm trying to investigate what's happening inside myself, and the clearest way I can do that is to produce something I can see," Friedman says of his art, most titled as the name or lyric o the inspiring song. "People like to listen to art because it reminds them of what's going on in their inside. That's why they look at art: to know themselves better."

Whatever the reason, the show has helped both artists in their outside projects. Friedman owns a label, City Salvage Records, through which he has released two books. His second "Future Blues," was released at the end of April with Curreri's second CD through the label, "Songs for Devon Sproule," right on its heels.

But for now, both artists are concentrating on the tour and their performance.

"I'm trying to be as honest of a performer as I can be," Freidman says."