Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams ~ 2012 August 5 ~ Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley, MA
Band Personnel: Joziah Longo, lead vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica; Sharkey McEwen, lead guitar, mandolin, backing vocals; Eric Puente, drums; Tink Lloyd, accordion, ukulele, melodica, cello, tambourine, backing vocals
Set List
Grand Slambovians - Picture - Very Happy Now - Hey Levon - Very Unusual Head [new solo Joziah] - She's Not Ready [new song] - Windmills - The Trans-Slambovian BiPolar Express ... intermission ... Pushing Up Daisies - Northern Sea - Box of Everything [new song] - Talkin' to the Buddha - Alice in Space ... encore ... Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah - brief attempt at Duran Duran - The Invisible.
Scroll down past the videos for review; photo gallery to the right.
Videos
"She's Not Ready":
"Pushing Up Daisies":
Review
As Concert Going Partner and I left Cape Cod for the 100 mile trek up to the Bull Run in Middle-of-Nowhere (aka Shirley), Mass., the weather forecast said occasional showers. We did not know that a torrential downpour would be greeting us as we made the exit onto Rte. 2. Thank goodness for full serve gas stations! That poor gas station attendant might as well have been swimming with his clothes on. Upon arriving at the Bull Run, we found our table on the right side of the stage (fondly referred to as the "Sharkey side") where to my delight I had a full-on view of the drummer. As a concert goer who likes to photograph, a chance to see the drummer unobstructed by other band members is a real treat. As a result I have many pictures of current drummer Eric Puente in the photo gallery (use the thumbnail to the right as a link).
This was my nineteenth time seeing the Grand Slambovians since Nov. of 2009 when I first got my Slambovian passport. One of the factors that went into my decision to go to a concert of theirs in the first place was the enthusiastic description they received from the soundman/announcer at the Bull Run. So it was entirely appropriate that I finally attend a concert of theirs at this venue.
Although the "Sawtelle Room" at the Bull Run has a wedding-reception ambience, with hanging curtains and tablecloths, there is no shirking of the music here. Although the stage is only about five inches high, it is plenty big, a factor that must delight the Slambovians with all their many instruments. Tink had set up a comfortable enclave for herself on stage right, with a rug underneath it all duct-taped to the floor, and her accordions, cello and other instruments arranged within an easy arm's reach for her many instrument changes from one song to the next, and sometimes even within the same song. On "Windmills," for example, she plays both ukulele and melodica (a type of flute).
The set list included one brand new song, "Hey Levon," a tribute to Levon Helm. Joziah said that they had debuted the song at the "Dead People's Stage" at the recent Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, a set consisting of songs by numerous bands about people who have gone to the other side. This one was followed by two other new songs, the quirky (even by Slambovian standards) "Very Unusual Head," and the nice new love song, "She's Not Ready." During the introduction to "She's Not Ready," there was a little friendly squabbling from Tink, who apparently thinks that the song itself isn't ready. After the intermission another new song was played, the wonderful "Box of Everything," which has the makings of a crowd favorite.
I would have to say I enjoyed this show more than the show at the Towne Crier in June, mainly because at that Towne Crier show I was nervous about the new-look band, and about how the "hiatus" would have affected the group. But no more worries; all is well in Slambovia. Drummer Eric Puente is not only a highly qualified drummer, but he's a thoughtful and friendly guy. He certainly has worked hard to bring the best musical elements that he can to the band. He said that he had to learn 30 songs in about two weeks when he first got the offer to tour with the band in England. He has now played about thirty shows as a Slambovian. Eric has worked as a session drummer with many different musicians, and it appears that one of his real contributions to the Circus is his ability to communicate and translate differing musical ideas so that everyone is in harmony. Whether he is the interim guy until Tony Zuzulo makes the decision to return, or if this is his job to keep, no one knows at this time. A different drummer inevitably brings a different feel to some of the songs, such as the "The Trans-Slambovian BiPolar Express" to which Eric brings a march-like quality.
The band ended the main show with two all-time crowd favorites, "Talkin' to the Buddha," which Joziah says is their most requested song, and the joyful "Alice in Space," during which several fans deployed their parasols and danced around the edge of the stage.
Back on stage for an encore, Joziah, for reasons unknown to anyone, began with an improv of the Disney song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." When he couldn't remember lyrics, he gave up. Someone in the audience yelled out for "Sullivan Lane" and Joziah "mis-heard" and replied: "Duran Duran"? For the next few minutes the band tried to figure out if they knew any Duran Duran songs. Although apparently they had met the members of Duran Duran and liked them as people, they didn't remember any of their songs; Sharkey knew a title ("Hungry Like the Wolf") but nobody knew how it went. That crazy nuttiness over, they finished with their real encore, the sensitive and beautiful "The Invisible."
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