Mike Wojniak

Ignited by his music, Mike Wojniak resembles Popeye in the throes of an intense struggle. The grey beanie and the navy stripe shirt he donned Wednesday night at the Soda Bar did not help matters, but it would be Wojniak’s authentic stance on life and music that would set the tone for the rest of the night. With a tendency to fully immerse himself with whatever he is doing, Wojniak apparently does not half-ass anything.

Wojniak’s mellow and easy-going persona during the set, which consists of him on keyboard and acoustic guitar, and Andrew Gordon-Seifert on cello, sheds light on their unadorned but powerful sound. Stripped down to his signature melodies and emotional harmonies, Wojniak lets the music speak for itself.

A Columbus-based singer/songwriter, Wojniak began his music career as the front man for local acts like Harbor and Sheldon Marsh. He recently completed his sophomore release titled, Memento Vivere, (in Latin means “remember to live”) which undeniably lived up to its name Wednesday night at the Soda Bar—the crowd, sensing Wojniak’s intense and focused aura, continued to show their appreciation throughout the night.

“Woodlands,” which will be released in his next record, fully emerges as a folksy ballad that paints a picture of his native terrain. “Catching Snow in Our Mouths,” a track off Wojniak’s first record depicts a magical landscape through a solid backing from Andrew on the cello. The song steadily climaxes to a stucco-effect, a stop and go motion during certain intervals within the song, from both instrumentals. This creates for a visually and sonically dramatic image of falling snow skimming off an ice encrusted surface.

Stripped down to the barest essentials, Mike Wojniak’s music is powerful and engaging. He has an untouchable stance towards his music that definitely momentarily suspends time. His crowning achieving has to do with his ability to conduct an aura of extreme focus. Submerged fully into his music, his undistracted storytelling leaves no room for flighty relief and especially for a bar full of people who may have had one too many drinks—this level of intensity makes for a surreal and unusual effect that in no way belittles what was to become a crowd-pleasing set. - My Nguyen - Review Mag

Ignited by his music, Mike Wojniak resembles Popeye in the throes of an intense struggle. The grey beanie and the navy stripe shirt he donned Wednesday night at the Soda Bar did not help matters, but it would be Wojniak’s authentic stance on life and music that would set the tone for the rest of the night. With a tendency to fully immerse himself with whatever he is doing, Wojniak apparently does not half-ass anything.

Wojniak’s mellow and easy-going persona during the set, which consists of him on keyboard and acoustic guitar, and Andrew Gordon-Seifert on cello, sheds light on their unadorned but powerful sound. Stripped down to his signature melodies and emotional harmonies, Wojniak lets the music speak for itself.

A Columbus-based singer/songwriter, Wojniak began his music career as the front man for local acts like Harbor and Sheldon Marsh. He recently completed his sophomore release titled, Memento Vivere, (in Latin means “remember to live”) which undeniably lived up to its name Wednesday night at the Soda Bar—the crowd, sensing Wojniak’s intense and focused aura, continued to show their appreciation throughout the night.

“Woodlands,” which will be released in his next record, fully emerges as a folksy ballad that paints a picture of his native terrain. “Catching Snow in Our Mouths,” a track off Wojniak’s first record depicts a magical landscape through a solid backing from Andrew on the cello. The song steadily climaxes to a stucco-effect, a stop and go motion during certain intervals within the song, from both instrumentals. This creates for a visually and sonically dramatic image of falling snow skimming off an ice encrusted surface.

Stripped down to the barest essentials, Mike Wojniak’s music is powerful and engaging. He has an untouchable stance towards his music that definitely momentarily suspends time. His crowning achieving has to do with his ability to conduct an aura of extreme focus. Submerged fully into his music, his undistracted storytelling leaves no room for flighty relief and especially for a bar full of people who may have had one too many drinks—this level of intensity makes for a surreal and unusual effect that in no way belittles what was to become a crowd-pleasing set. - My Nguyen - Review Mag

You gotta love the San Diego music scene. On a typical Wednesday night I decide to seek out some good live music. I head to one of my staples- Soda Bar in North Park. What was so special about this night, you ask? Mike Wojniak. What an awesome act to stumble upon. This duo (Mike and his cellist Andrew) from Columbus, Ohio was one of the best unsigned acts I’ve seen and heard in a while. After my concert companion forced me to set the camera aside and “just listen,” which I did reluctantly due to the great shots this duo provided, I was blown away. Or maybe a better suited word would be taken away. As much as I was enjoying the music whilst taking these photos, my companion had a point. To sit back and listen to Mike’s airy rhythms so perfectly accompanied by Andrews dark, melodic as well as rhythmic at times, cello was breathtaking. His lyrics hit home while drawing you into his own personal moments enough to leave you feeling like you were there. I of coarse picked up a copy of his latest album Momento Vivere, which is Latin for “remember to live.” Reason enough to get your own copy? Its is in my book. More importantly though, keep an eye out for the name Mike Wojniak at your local venues. You don’t want to miss it. As of writing this he is headed to LA for a show at the Viper Room. I just may have to head that way as well!





Upcoming Shows:

Thursday April 14th @ The Viper Room 8:00 pm, in West Hollywood

Saturday April 16th @ The Union Room 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm, in San Francisco

Monday April 18th @ The Mint 8:00 pm, in Los Angelas



www.myspace.com/mikewojniak
- Emily D. - AMD Entertainment

You gotta love the San Diego music scene. On a typical Wednesday night I decide to seek out some good live music. I head to one of my staples- Soda Bar in North Park. What was so special about this night, you ask? Mike Wojniak. What an awesome act to stumble upon. This duo (Mike and his cellist Andrew) from Columbus, Ohio was one of the best unsigned acts I’ve seen and heard in a while. After my concert companion forced me to set the camera aside and “just listen,” which I did reluctantly due to the great shots this duo provided, I was blown away. Or maybe a better suited word would be taken away. As much as I was enjoying the music whilst taking these photos, my companion had a point. To sit back and listen to Mike’s airy rhythms so perfectly accompanied by Andrews dark, melodic as well as rhythmic at times, cello was breathtaking. His lyrics hit home while drawing you into his own personal moments enough to leave you feeling like you were there. I of coarse picked up a copy of his latest album Momento Vivere, which is Latin for “remember to live.” Reason enough to get your own copy? Its is in my book. More importantly though, keep an eye out for the name Mike Wojniak at your local venues. You don’t want to miss it. As of writing this he is headed to LA for a show at the Viper Room. I just may have to head that way as well!





Upcoming Shows:

Thursday April 14th @ The Viper Room 8:00 pm, in West Hollywood

Saturday April 16th @ The Union Room 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm, in San Francisco

Monday April 18th @ The Mint 8:00 pm, in Los Angelas



www.myspace.com/mikewojniak
- Emily D. - AMD Entertainment

Before last month, I had no idea who Mike Wojniak was. I’ll admit it. So when he emailed and asked if I’d check out his new album Memento Vivere, I was intrigued. And after one spin through the ol’ CD player, I was definitely impressed.

Memento Vivere is his second album actually, and it’s inspired by his travels to Central America, Europe, and Southern California. Every one of the twelve tracks is lush and dreamy and beautifully orchestrated. I’m not sure that there really is a “Columbus sound,” but if there is, Mike’s music feels like something different. He eschews the lo-fi indie rock genre and opts instead for cellos, guitars, pianos, and trumpets. His music makes you feel instantly as if you are somewhere else. And right now, for me at least, that feels pretty nice.

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting with Mike in person just yet, but I got to catch up with Mike a wee bit over email and pick his brain about his music and the new album.

Lauren Wilson: What is your musical background?

Mike Wojniak: I began studying music in grade school and continued throughout high school and college. When I was 15 I started playing guitar and writing music on my own. At the age of 16, my band had a song that I wrote and sang being played on the radio. I was so excited when I first heard it that I stopped my car in the middle of the road, jumped out, and ran a couple laps around the vehicle. Throughout the next 12 years, I took lessons in guitar, piano, violin and trombone with various music instructors and continued to write music.

LW: How long have you been making music?

MW: I’ve been writing, recording and performing solo and with various bands for about 12 years. After recording several EP’s, demos, and single tracks for compilations with various bands, I released my first full length solo album, Follow the Crane, in 2008 which was written and recorded on my own. My second full length album, Memento Vivere, has just been released and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Colin Coffey at John Schwab Studios. Sheldon Marsh is the most recent band that I’ve played with, and we released two full length albums, Tiger Force and The Everlasting Glow of City Lights.

LW: Who are your most prominent musical influences?

MW: Artists such as Jose Gonzalez, Bon Iver, Andres Segovia, Sleeping at Last, Denison Whitmer and Sigur Ros have all contributed to my style of writing music. I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music styles including folk, classical, rock, pop, indie and electronic music.

LW: Using only three words, describe your sound.

MW: Candid, momentous, relevant

LW: What influenced the new album? Or what influences your songwriting in general?

MW: Many of the songs from the new album, Memento Vivere, were influenced by my recent travels to Central America and Europe. Tracks such as Angelus and The Lame Will Run Up Mountains were written to inspire and encourage the listener. I’ve always written songs based upon the goal of creating music that affects the listener in the same way that certain music affects me. I want the listener to find comfort and truth in my music and to be able to relate to the emotions that are conveyed in the songs. Writing music is not only a form of art, but it is also a way to express thoughts and feelings in a way that other forms of communication can’t. Whether I am reliving an experience or telling a story, it is important that the listener can follow along and empathize with the lyrical content and atmosphere of the song.

LW: What has been your biggest challenge as a musician? Have you been able to overcome that challenge?

MW: I think one of the biggest challenges for musicians is to continue to create music that instills emotion into the listener and that is true to the writer’s heart. Music is such a powerful tool, and when it loses it’s meaning, it is no longer effective. I am writing constantly, so I am always throwing out songs and creating new ones to make sure I stay true to my beliefs.

LW: Most importantly…tell me anything you’d like readers to know about you, upcoming shows, the new album, your favorite pizza toppings, whatever you’d like everyone to know.

MW: I’ll be performing at the Circus Fringe Stage on Dennison & Buttles on Saturday June 26 at 7:00 pm. So if you’re at Comfest, stop on by! I just finished shooting a music video in Los Angeles with my very talented and long time friend, Randy Barnhardt. It should be edited very soon so stay tuned! Have a listen to tracks off the new album at www.myspace.com/mikewojniak.

And I’d like to add (although you can find the link on Mike’s MySpace page) that his new album can be purchased at CD Baby. Make sure to follow him on his MySpace as well to stay up to date on new shows.

And it’s worth mentioning that Mike is playing Saturday as part of a larger benefit show with an awesome lineup to benefit and bring attention to Gracehaven House, an organization that p - Lauren Wilson - Columbus Underground.com

Before last month, I had no idea who Mike Wojniak was. I’ll admit it. So when he emailed and asked if I’d check out his new album Memento Vivere, I was intrigued. And after one spin through the ol’ CD player, I was definitely impressed.

Memento Vivere is his second album actually, and it’s inspired by his travels to Central America, Europe, and Southern California. Every one of the twelve tracks is lush and dreamy and beautifully orchestrated. I’m not sure that there really is a “Columbus sound,” but if there is, Mike’s music feels like something different. He eschews the lo-fi indie rock genre and opts instead for cellos, guitars, pianos, and trumpets. His music makes you feel instantly as if you are somewhere else. And right now, for me at least, that feels pretty nice.

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting with Mike in person just yet, but I got to catch up with Mike a wee bit over email and pick his brain about his music and the new album.

Lauren Wilson: What is your musical background?

Mike Wojniak: I began studying music in grade school and continued throughout high school and college. When I was 15 I started playing guitar and writing music on my own. At the age of 16, my band had a song that I wrote and sang being played on the radio. I was so excited when I first heard it that I stopped my car in the middle of the road, jumped out, and ran a couple laps around the vehicle. Throughout the next 12 years, I took lessons in guitar, piano, violin and trombone with various music instructors and continued to write music.

LW: How long have you been making music?

MW: I’ve been writing, recording and performing solo and with various bands for about 12 years. After recording several EP’s, demos, and single tracks for compilations with various bands, I released my first full length solo album, Follow the Crane, in 2008 which was written and recorded on my own. My second full length album, Memento Vivere, has just been released and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Colin Coffey at John Schwab Studios. Sheldon Marsh is the most recent band that I’ve played with, and we released two full length albums, Tiger Force and The Everlasting Glow of City Lights.

LW: Who are your most prominent musical influences?

MW: Artists such as Jose Gonzalez, Bon Iver, Andres Segovia, Sleeping at Last, Denison Whitmer and Sigur Ros have all contributed to my style of writing music. I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music styles including folk, classical, rock, pop, indie and electronic music.

LW: Using only three words, describe your sound.

MW: Candid, momentous, relevant

LW: What influenced the new album? Or what influences your songwriting in general?

MW: Many of the songs from the new album, Memento Vivere, were influenced by my recent travels to Central America and Europe. Tracks such as Angelus and The Lame Will Run Up Mountains were written to inspire and encourage the listener. I’ve always written songs based upon the goal of creating music that affects the listener in the same way that certain music affects me. I want the listener to find comfort and truth in my music and to be able to relate to the emotions that are conveyed in the songs. Writing music is not only a form of art, but it is also a way to express thoughts and feelings in a way that other forms of communication can’t. Whether I am reliving an experience or telling a story, it is important that the listener can follow along and empathize with the lyrical content and atmosphere of the song.

LW: What has been your biggest challenge as a musician? Have you been able to overcome that challenge?

MW: I think one of the biggest challenges for musicians is to continue to create music that instills emotion into the listener and that is true to the writer’s heart. Music is such a powerful tool, and when it loses it’s meaning, it is no longer effective. I am writing constantly, so I am always throwing out songs and creating new ones to make sure I stay true to my beliefs.

LW: Most importantly…tell me anything you’d like readers to know about you, upcoming shows, the new album, your favorite pizza toppings, whatever you’d like everyone to know.

MW: I’ll be performing at the Circus Fringe Stage on Dennison & Buttles on Saturday June 26 at 7:00 pm. So if you’re at Comfest, stop on by! I just finished shooting a music video in Los Angeles with my very talented and long time friend, Randy Barnhardt. It should be edited very soon so stay tuned! Have a listen to tracks off the new album at www.myspace.com/mikewojniak.

And I’d like to add (although you can find the link on Mike’s MySpace page) that his new album can be purchased at CD Baby. Make sure to follow him on his MySpace as well to stay up to date on new shows.

And it’s worth mentioning that Mike is playing Saturday as part of a larger benefit show with an awesome lineup to benefit and bring attention to Gracehaven House, an organization that p - Lauren Wilson - Columbus Underground.com

Check out our quick and dirty chats with local celebs

With all the serious news we're surrounded by every day, it's nice to read something fun, short and simple every once in awhile. With that in mind, we're offering a series of quick interviews called "Take Five." We'll feature local athletes, musicians and artists, along with some national celebrities who are passing through town.

This week we caught up with Mike Wojniak, a Columbus-based singer songwriter who has established himself outside of Central Ohio (he has upcoming gigs in New York City and Providence, R.I.). Before heading out to the East Coast, Wojniak will be playing at the Woodlands (formerly called Thirsty Ear) on Nov. 18 during a night of live music along with Heather Evans, Daniel Erb, Matt Munhall and Abbey in the Oaks. During his set, he'll be joined by cellist Andrew Gordon-Seifert and his brother Chad Wojniak. You can check out some of Mike's music online or follow him on Twitter @mikewojniak. Keep reading to check out his chat with us.

1. Tell us your favorite thing about Columbus.
The amount of talented artists in Columbus has always impressed me. There are so many musicians, painters, photographers and designers all consolidated into Columbus, so I'm always discovering new talented people.

2. What are your favorite music venues in town—both to see a show and to play there yourself?
I love seeing shows at the Wexner Center and have caught some amazing performances there including Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Jonsi, Sigur Ros, Jose Gonzalez and M83. Playing at the Newport Music Hall was definitely one of the best experiences that I've had playing in Columbus. I also like playing at the Rumba Cafe because it has a good ambiance combined with a great staff.

3. Where's your favorite place to grab dinner in Columbus?
Mac's Cafe is always amazing, and I could eat about seven of their Scotch eggs. I also love eating at Old Bag of Nails especially, for their fried pickles. Mmm ...

4. Name a national act or two that you think is making some really great music these days.
Sleeping At Last has continued to impress me with the music they are putting out. They have a cool idea in action now called "Yearbook" where they put out three new songs each month for a whole year. You can subscribe for $30, which I've done, and I think it's well worth it. I've also been enjoying the Rocketboys from Austin who put out some solid indie rock.

5. If you could build a dream band to play alongside, who would invite into the group?
Honestly, it would be the whole band of Sheldon Marsh, who I played with for quite a few years. It consists of Chad Wojniak, Randy Barnhardt, Jason Gilliland and Aaron MacCaughey, who are not only some of the most talented musicians I have played with, but I also consider them lifelong best friends. It's not easy to find a combination like that. - Justin Powell - Metromix Columbus

Check out our quick and dirty chats with local celebs

With all the serious news we're surrounded by every day, it's nice to read something fun, short and simple every once in awhile. With that in mind, we're offering a series of quick interviews called "Take Five." We'll feature local athletes, musicians and artists, along with some national celebrities who are passing through town.

This week we caught up with Mike Wojniak, a Columbus-based singer songwriter who has established himself outside of Central Ohio (he has upcoming gigs in New York City and Providence, R.I.). Before heading out to the East Coast, Wojniak will be playing at the Woodlands (formerly called Thirsty Ear) on Nov. 18 during a night of live music along with Heather Evans, Daniel Erb, Matt Munhall and Abbey in the Oaks. During his set, he'll be joined by cellist Andrew Gordon-Seifert and his brother Chad Wojniak. You can check out some of Mike's music online or follow him on Twitter @mikewojniak. Keep reading to check out his chat with us.

1. Tell us your favorite thing about Columbus.
The amount of talented artists in Columbus has always impressed me. There are so many musicians, painters, photographers and designers all consolidated into Columbus, so I'm always discovering new talented people.

2. What are your favorite music venues in town—both to see a show and to play there yourself?
I love seeing shows at the Wexner Center and have caught some amazing performances there including Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Jonsi, Sigur Ros, Jose Gonzalez and M83. Playing at the Newport Music Hall was definitely one of the best experiences that I've had playing in Columbus. I also like playing at the Rumba Cafe because it has a good ambiance combined with a great staff.

3. Where's your favorite place to grab dinner in Columbus?
Mac's Cafe is always amazing, and I could eat about seven of their Scotch eggs. I also love eating at Old Bag of Nails especially, for their fried pickles. Mmm ...

4. Name a national act or two that you think is making some really great music these days.
Sleeping At Last has continued to impress me with the music they are putting out. They have a cool idea in action now called "Yearbook" where they put out three new songs each month for a whole year. You can subscribe for $30, which I've done, and I think it's well worth it. I've also been enjoying the Rocketboys from Austin who put out some solid indie rock.

5. If you could build a dream band to play alongside, who would invite into the group?
Honestly, it would be the whole band of Sheldon Marsh, who I played with for quite a few years. It consists of Chad Wojniak, Randy Barnhardt, Jason Gilliland and Aaron MacCaughey, who are not only some of the most talented musicians I have played with, but I also consider them lifelong best friends. It's not easy to find a combination like that. - Justin Powell - Metromix Columbus

Easily, Mike Wojniak is one of the best local songwriters, considering lyrical content. I'd say he's on par with John Hiatt and Phil Vassar, with the celtic flavor of hippie folk music. You are forced to listen to his lyrics.

Mike's acoustic guitar or keyboards are backed by his brother holding the electric guitar and occasionally playing the xylophone while singing backup vocals, and a phenomenal cellist who at times plays it like an upright bass.

The songs are mournful but upbeat, painting pictures with every line, topped off with skilled finger work on the acoustic. This is not your typical G-D-C patterned songs. This is a songwriter's must-see. You will grow as a writer by seeing Mike live.

For fans of Damien Rice, Rickie Lee Jones and Dave Matthews Band. - Steve Dustcircle - Columbus Music Review

Just today, maybe even as I write this, Mike Wojniak is playing at SXSW.

Born and raised in Columbus, Mike is glad to be part of such a great presence that Columbus is bringing to Austin this year.

"It intimidating," Mike says while I spoke to him at the iUKA House last week, "I'm just trying not to get lost in the crowd down there."

In the realm of live preformances, Mike and his band create an environment that perfectly transists the asthetic that is achieved by his music. He often opens with his song, "The Woodlands," which calls attention the substance that Mike is working with. The lack of a full band at SXSW won't help Mike highlight these things, but it definitely won't hurt him much. - Zach Smith - The Examiner

Just today, maybe even as I write this, Mike Wojniak is playing at SXSW.

Born and raised in Columbus, Mike is glad to be part of such a great presence that Columbus is bringing to Austin this year.

"It intimidating," Mike says while I spoke to him at the iUKA House last week, "I'm just trying not to get lost in the crowd down there."

In the realm of live preformances, Mike and his band create an environment that perfectly transists the asthetic that is achieved by his music. He often opens with his song, "The Woodlands," which calls attention the substance that Mike is working with. The lack of a full band at SXSW won't help Mike highlight these things, but it definitely won't hurt him much. - Zach Smith - The Examiner