(856) 772-7669‬: TEXT OR LEAVE A VOICEMAIL W/ YOUR QUESTION, COMMENT OR COMPLAINT - THX

💨🤢
   K E Y:  ✄= art ✎= lit ♪= music ✪= video;  = highly recommended content

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAST TIME I SAW R. STEVIE MOORE LIVE IN CONCERT - WHAT I WROTE AT THE TIME »
For the second time in just over a year, Mr. R. Stevie Moore graced the second story stage of one of Philly's most marvelous venues, Johnny Brenda's. With a different drummer in tow he presented a shorter but much tighter set to a crowd that was maybe 50% larger than before. It wasn't a sellout but a nice draw for Moore, who's much more business after a year+ on the road (which is saying something cuz he's still majorly aloof).



Donning a blue beard and his usual scrubs (guitar player was wearing John Stockton-length gym shorts: comfort first with this outfit), Moore began the show playing a very odd handheld synth modulator which he used as a backdrop for his signature Phonography tune "I've Begun to Fall in Love." This set up the strongest sequence of the night, with the rifftastic "Sort of Way" gliding seamlessly into the powerful combo of "Play Myself Some Music" and "Conflict of Interest."

At one point, RSM did an interpretation of "Moon River" over an intro or outro. RIP Andy Williams.

I overheard the drummer conversing with a random fan after over cigarettes post-show, and I believe I heard him say that this was his third performance with the group. That would easily explain the set's brevity. It would have been nice to hear something unexpected like "Goodbye Piano," "Holocaust Parade" or, oh I don't know, one of nine thousand other tunes. I've pieced together a setlist which is probably somewhat incomplete/inaccurate:

I've Begun to Fall in Love
Sort of Way
Play Myself Some Music
Conflict of Interest
Irony
I Like to Stay Home
 
Theorem/Intermission 
Dutch Me
[Forgot the name of this one?]
Carmen is Coming

Video of an interesting take on the Ariel Pink collab "Dutch Me":


Also worth noting, is opener Ecce Shnack who put on a fun and interactive show. They reminded me of a more humorous version of Mr. Bungle.