As a member of Rockapella, the popular a capella group best known for its work on the television game show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?," Sean Altman came across as a witty, intelligent musician who likes to have fun when he performs.
As a singer/songwriter accompanying himself on guitar Sunday night in Lone Pine Tavern, Sean Altman didn't come across much differently.
The New York-based Altman mocked a Lone Pine diner whose back was turned, asking her to visualize him "using those special glasses that let you see out the back of your head."
He poked fun at his success with Rockapella by saying, "I was a certifiable mid-level celebrity."
Altman's fun-loving attitude extended to his music as well. In one song, he took a humorous take on John Lennon's 1966 comment that the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus" in terms of popularity, pointing out that people were much shorter during Jesus' lifetime than they are today.
In another song, Altman claimed that he was "too damn old to be a rock star, and too damn ugly to be your man." Earlier in the set, however, he shared the stage with his fiance.
For all his entertaining antics, however, Altman also showed his talent for creating heartfelt, well-crafted songs.
He opened his set with "Are You a Man?," a well-written exploration of male identity that effectively drew in the Lone Pine crowd.
Other highlights of Altman's show included the hopeful "The Best Boyfriend in the World," the dark yet enjoyable "The Notion," and the resigned "Unworthy."
The publicity for Altman's concert referred to him as "The Anti-Kurt Cobain," and Sunday evening's performance backed up that assertion.
The greatest strengths of Altman's music are his optimism and sense of humor.
There his no doubt that Altman would rather be performing at larger venues at this stage in his career.
However, he discusses his career status in such humorous terms ("Mother Nature played me for a chump/Got Fate's fickle finger shoved up my rump") that the listener is hardly inclined to feel sorry for him.
Rather, the Sean Altman concertgoer is likely to leave with a smile on his or her face, the memory of some witty turn of phrase or well-placed joke still fresh in his or her mind.
Altman's easygoing manner certainly provided many memorable moments in Lone Pine Tavern.
To watch and listen to Sean Altman is to witness a truly talented individual doing what he does best, and what he loves most: entertaining a crowd.
He did exactly that on Sunday night.
