In the Moment: Eden Parker

By Michael Weiler
Contributing Writer

Eden Parker is everywhere—almost literally. Video shoots, open mikes (don’t get me started), CD releases—this guy is everywhere he should be. And yet so many have not yet heard him.

“As a relative newcomer to the Fargo music scene, I don’t necessarily know what the past music that represented Fargo has looked like,” Parker explains. “But the artists that I have seen making waves in our music community have done so by presenting music with passion and depth that so much of mainstream music lacks.”

Parker talks like he sings. He flows effortlessly from one thought to the next. He is never afraid to open up and bring you in—if you’re ready for it, that is.

“My favorite shows are the ones where you can sit, watch the artist and connect to their music—absorb all that it is and relate emotionally. It is rare to find this in the music scene here. Most venues want artists and bands that will get people to dance, lose their inhibitions and have a mindless good time. I think that both ends of the spectrum are enjoyable. For me, though, connecting with a song is so much more gratifying.”

Like many artists in Fargo, Parker understands the complexities of what it means to be original and how one still has to evolve and change. All the while balancing the fact that change can be a “death sentence” for many local artists.

“I don’t know that I necessarily want my music to evolve into something different than it is now,” Parker asserts. “I think that intricate melodies, captivating lyrics and raw emotion are the direction I have always strived toward with my music. When I write songs, I hear them in my head as full band arrangements. So adding more instruments and depth to the arrangements is something I’m working toward at the moment.”

And to be “in the moment” is all a musician can ask for. Moments that are good, bad and hopeful are moments nonetheless. 

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IF YOU GO:
Eden Parker with Brenda Weiler, Brooks West, Shape then Shift, Dann K and Shane Maland
Where: ecce art + yoga
When: Sat., March 26, 7 p.m., doors at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10, all ages