What Le Poisson Rouge lacks in the ability to generate actual energy from a crowd as a venue, they make up for booking talented acts like Wakey!Wakey! The venue, located in New York’s West Village, can seat 250 people, or, when the tables and benches are removed, pack in 700. Brooklyn-by way of-Virginia’s own Michael Grubbs and company were the headliner on Thursday evening, playing songs from their LP Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said The Last Time I Saw You… and The War Sweater EP.

It was the first time I had ever seen the band play, and the first time I’d ever attended a show at this venue. Michael’s passion for music is evident. Wakey!Wakey! is an amalgam of things; singer-songwriter, folk, blues. Most of all, the music tugs at your heartstrings and puts you in places, that as a listener, you may be unwilling to visit. Luckily, he sounds great doing it.

I spoke to Michael before the show and was impressed by his candor, his humility (he could, after all, be considered a TV star, thanks to One Tree Hill) and his optimism about love, relationships and the future.

Kristina Villarini: What was the build from the Live LPs to an EP to the full-length? That seems like a very traditional model to follow.

Michael Grubbs: It was a natural build. I think people don’t know that it can cost a lot of money to make a record, but it also felt like very natural. We built interest in the band, and generated a bit of momentum. By the time the record came out, I had taken the time to find myself as a writer and I’m a lot more mature on the record. Family Records wisely told me to take some time and just let things happen, and it really was for the best.

KV: The War Sweater EP has a sense of loneliness and quiet to it. Was that intended?

MG: Again, I think that was a natural evolution. I wrote more for the band on the full album than I did on the EP.

KV: Have you listened to any of the albums?

MG: The EP a lot less, and the covers album even less than that. I have heard [Almost…]. It’s always a little strange. So much time goes by from playing it live and the ‘record sound’. You’re playing it or singing it differently by then.

KV: Have you always been committed to the ‘do-it-yourself’ method of recording and evolving versus the major label idea?

MG: You know, I can’t answer for everybody, but for me, grassroots is the way to go. It is a long process, but it just seems like the right way to do things. You’re building momentum with the fans, making them a part of the process versus shutting people out for a year and making a record.

KV: Almost… seems to have this sense of redemption, hope and optimism despite the obvious struggles in the record: separation, loneliness, loss, etc.

MG: The album is the story of one year of my life, and while at times, things weren’t going the way I had hoped, I have been really lucky. I have so many reasons to be optimistic, and yeah, I am very old-fashioned. I do believe in love and all of that stuff. I mean, we’re alive, there’s a lot to be optimistic about. Life, in general, is pretty optimistic.

KV: So you’re Wakey!Wakey!, you’ve achieved all of this success, and now you have to create a new record. How do you evolve to that place?

MG: The cool thing is that I have more toys to play with now. So, it’s fun to create when you have new sounds and new ideas. There’s also always the reward of making a next album, which is very cool.

KV: Has the profession been everything you wanted?

MG: I’ve always been really fortunate in that aspect. It’s pretty rock’n roll right now and it’s totally awesome. But I’ve always had friends in the industry, and had backstage access to some great concerts, so it’s always been fun. As a job, it’s a weird thing to do. You’re a musician and you’re traveling all the time, and there’s a sense that you spend time out of touch with reality.

KV: One of the first ways that I became introduced to you (besides for my girlfriend) was through your blog. You wrote once about critics and their reception when you’re making art, and that resonated with me.

MG: Everyone is going to insert an opinion about your work. The funny thing is, though, they’re usually not really creative people. The comment you’re referring to specifically, was about major record labels who will tell you that they know what’s best. When I got here in NY, I was still in the mindset that I was going to sign a big deal and live like a king, you know. [Laughs]

Eventually, I realized I should stop paying attention and do what matters most to me… And of course, kind of like when you stop noticing the pretty girl at a party… Every label then wanted a piece of us. And I really just wanted to hear someone was interested in our work and wanted to really listen. That’s all I wanted.

KV: What’s your take on iTunes or the web as a venue for your music?

MG: I have no problem with the songs on iTunes or commercials or anything like that. It kinda reminds me of Grizzly Bear. He makes this intense, non-commercial music that plays everywhere. I make music so people will hear it and no matter what they’re going through, they will put it on and feel better.

KV: Tell me about your relationship with music.

MG: My mother was a piano teacher, so I’ve been playing since I was 5. My sister played piano when she was young, so I wanted to start younger, naturally. [Laughs] But I think my dad’s position was just, ‘it would be better if we taught him scales instead of letting him bang on the keys.’

My sister was in the choir, and cute girls were in it, so I wanted in. [Laughs] They wanted a piano player, and then they asked me about singing, so I fell into singing with the choir too.

KV: Your singing voice is incredibly interesting to me. Did you train or develop, your voice?

MG: I studied opera in college. I was so surrounded by music growing up, that it just made sense. But I developed my own style of piano and of course, the music is a reflection of my voice. I’m never self-conscious of my singing voice, but when I play with other bands that have a pianist, I tend to worry. For example, Jukebox The Ghost, just so much better than me at piano. When I find someone who studied the craft of playing, I wish I studied scales.

KV: You’re very involved in social networking. You blog and tweet with the best of them. Why is that important to you?

MG: I’m fortunate to not have to be salesman, so I really have gotten to a point where I feel like my life is interesting, and I do interesting things. Instead of pitching to the audience, ‘hey, buy this’ I can say, ‘I’m eating a really delicious apple right now.’ [Laughs] Today, I took pictures of this IKEA desk and tweeted it, and I have been battling it… But, in the end, if you want social media to work you have to touch people at a human level, rather than just being an ad.

I’m a regular guy. I like to eat, travel and watch movies. Sometimes, I think I’ve been almost too open a person, and I have to learn boundaries. But I was a bartender in NY for 10 years, so it’s a habit, I guess. I have just spent time talking to people about some of the most ridiculous things.

KV: With that said, let’s talk about fan interaction and the expenditures of this lifestyle.

MG: I‘m fortunate to live in Brooklyn, so I realized that if someone recognizes me, they will either say something cool and walk away, or not say anything. The only time it can really wear me out is when it’s after a show. We try to stay and sign everything, take pictures, and we hear those cool stories and it can be so much to take in.

KV: Do you talk to fans about music?

MG: Usually if that kind of conversation comes up, I’m thinking about how to get out of it. People usually start dropping band names, and I think most times, they just know you don’t know who they’re talking about. [Laughs]

KV: How does fame affect your romantic life?

MG: If I go out on a date, I’ll never talk about what I do. I was on a date and it was going really well, and then some fans came up to me and asked about Wakey!Wakey! And… [Laughs] You know, the secret was out. I don’t know. It can be kind of strange.

When I was visiting Virginia for the holidays, my mom had friends who asked if I could sign things for their daughters. Of course I said yes, it’s my mom! But we forgot, and all the flights got canceled. So my travel agent put me on a train back home and my mother remembered at the last minute. She came back to the station with all this gear for me to sign. I’m sure people were wondering what was going on around us.

KV: Tell me about the choice, ultimately, to do cover songs?

MG: Honestly, I did the covers [record] so long ago, that we don’t really do them anymore. We wanted to test as many studios as we could in the beginning, so we agreed to release something every Wednesday. By Monday, we would have to record a song. It was very ad lib, and I wrote out the lyrics and chords to a song by Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and we just nailed it in the first take. I really like the song!

There was a time when I did a ‘cross-pollenation set’ with Andrew Hoepfner of Creaky Boards… They took two artists and let them play together. So we did “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,”and Andrew said he wanted to do a fun version and clap. Robert Hazard wrote it as this heart-warming, serious song and he was ready to settle down but all the girls just wanted to party!

Afterward, an old man came up all misty eyed, and he said he hasn’t heard it like that… It was very cool.

KV: Why is Brooklyn the core of the indie music scene?

MG: If you move to NYC, you probably don’t have a grip on reality. [Laughs] It’s super crowded, crazy and expensive. There’s two reasons to move here: get rich on Wall Street or be an eclectic artist in a community of other artists. Those are the options. Crazy people make good music.

KV: Who are the artists that you’re jamming to right now?

MG: I love Sleigh Bells. I’m obsessed with them. I couldn’t be happier with them.

KV: Who is the ideal artist living or dead to tour with?

MG: Oh, you’ve got to break that question into categories! The most fun to party with: Rolling Stones, the most fun to just watch the show: Radiohead, and someone I really admire: Regina Spektor.

KV: What are your creative outlets?

MG: It depends, I really like food a lot. I enjoy dining out. I try to treat myself to a nice meal as often as possible. I actually really enjoy stupid movies and TV shows. For example, the last movie I saw: Wall Street 2 and I fell asleep.

Wakey!Wakey! out on an amazing show. Michael’s voice could build a palace, and he is just a really great guy. I was greeted warmly with a hug before the show, as he recognized me from my picture on the site. After, he personalized a poster for my girlfriend and apologized for not being able to talk more. Wakey!Wakey! are heading out on tour supporting James Blunt overseas, and I encourage everyone who can see them to get out there and go.