When we mention the name Wesley Cook we repeatedly hear the words “nice”, “hardworking”, and “positive” over and over again. Wesley is definitely refreshing in his sound and attitude. And hardworking is right- Wesley is playing at Eddie’s Attic tonight, performing at Six Flags Thursday, and Friday he is playing for Creative Mornings Atlanta, followed by an evening show at the Georgia Aquarium. In between all of his concerts, we caught up with Wesley for our 5GB Series.
What’s the first gig you ever attended?
The first gig I ever attended when I was out checking out shows on purpose was Jupiter Coyote at the Georgia Theatre in Athens when I was a Freshman at UGA. I was raised abroad my whole life so that was actually my first show in the US as well. I eventually got to play at the venue myself years later so it was a great place to start. Full of personal history.
What is the best gig that you ever played/performed?
That’s a tough question. In my book, I define a “successful” gig as one where the people there respond overwhelmingly in your favor. I had a killer time at Oysterfest and VA Highlands Summerfest this year, they had great crowds and they were very cool experiences. A lot of my career has been solo acoustic and there have been some solo shows that really ruled as well. Most recently, I played at the Crimson Moon in Dahlonega and everyone was very into my music and most people bought my albums too. There are far more than just those gigs but those ones were most recent and came to mind right away.
What is the best gig you have ever seen?
The best gig I’ve ever seen was probably Paul Simon at Gwinnett Center Arena. He played “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes” that I’ve never gotten over and a solo acoustic version of “Sounds Of Silence” where I totally lost it. Just haunting and beautiful. Dave Matthews and Leonard Cohen are also huge heroes of mine and seeing them live was immense for me, especially the first times. The coolest gig was probably seeing Jack Johnson a few years ago at Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood because I watched the show from ON THE STAGE after having hung out with Jack and the band for a while backstage. That was an absurdly awesome experience.
What is the gig you would most like to play?
The gig I would like to play the most would probably be whichever one is packed with people who care about what I’m doing. Aaron’s Amphitheatre? Red Rocks? Madison Square Garden? OF COURSE! But would I die if I never got there? No. If my peak is selling out the Fox some day or even Center Stage, I’ll be ok. Don’t get me wrong, I’m working hard to get out there as much as I can and I have big dreams, but I also know what really matters. Nothing replaces a room of people who paid to see you because they love your music. I hope that the size of that room continues to grow but I don’t forget the fundamentals.
What would be the lineup for your dream gig?
A dream gig for me would be to share a stage with Dave Matthews. Period. I have several heroes but many of his fingerprints are all over my soul and in a lot of my music. To play the song “Satellite” with him would be the peak of my existence. Period.
Catch Wesley Cook opening tonight for Sherrie Austin at Eddie’s Attic
Wesley did a wonderful job at The Crimson Moon Cafe! Not only is he an energetic performer with wonderful showmanship, but he is also very nice to work with! We look forward to having him back as a headliner later this year.
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Jason Spencer
I’ve played bass for Wesley many times. He has to be the greatest guy on the planet. Officially the hardest working dude ever too; he is always on his grind. Glad to see Atlanta Music Guide giving him so love. He is one of our best!