Amen, Sister

Shari Elf and Her All-Star Seamstress Band are a funny bunch. Ms. Elf, who sometimes goes by S. Elf, is a former seamstress who uses the rhythmic murmurs of sewing machines for percussion during her squeaky-clean folk-rock shows.

From songs about finding Jesus in a hardware store to a song about pink, Styrofoam hearts, Elf’s repertoire is unironic sunshine and rainbows. What’s shocking is that such sincerity has won her fans among the hardest to please musical factions in town, people too cool for Sunday school. Whether it’s because of Elf’s charisma or because her music is so catchy that it doesn’t matter what she sings about, we may never know.

This phenomenon has been going on for a year. Now Elf gets it in her head that she wants to have an old-fashioned church revival.

The first Shari Elf Revival took place just a few weeks ago. “It was such a magical, wacky, wonderful event,” Elf says. Then, as if to reinforce just how magical the event was, she adds, “Out of about twenty people, there were five guys named Mike.”

In addition to performing the usual batch of songs, Elf summoned Fern the Spiritual Communicator to the pulpit. The elderly Fern channeled a Native American figure by the name of Great White Feather, who spoke to her in rhymes. Elf says it was “kind of like a 71-year-old lady rapping.”

How did her faithful react? “I think someone mentioned a David Lynch movie,” Elf says sheepishly.

Backup musician “Wolfie” says he was struck dumb from the moment he walked in. “It was something I needed at the moment,” he says. “It wasn’t the Fox Network.”

At the Cup and Saucer this Thursday, Shari Elf and Her All-Star Seamstress Band perform the song that Wolfie wrote about his revival experience. And while they’re at it, they hope you’re having a banner day.

For real.