Graham Parker ~ 2018 April 27 ~ The Turning Point ~ Piermont, NY
Graham Parker accompanying himself on acoustic Gibson guitar, electric Fender guitar, harmonica, and kazoo.
Set List
(with guitars GP played noted; H in parentheses indicates harmonica, K indicates kazoo)
[Gibson acoustic:] That's What They All Say (H) - I Discovered America (H) - Between You and Me - Love Without Greed - Long Shot - Three Martini Lunch - Syphilis and Religion (H) - Dreamin' [new song] (K) - Hotel Chambermaid - Evil - Things I Never Said
[Fender electric:] Howlin' Wind - Discovering Japan - Lady Doctor - I'll Never Play Jacksonville Again (H) - Get Started. Start a Fire - Stick To Me - Protection ... encore ...
[Gibson acoustic:] Saturday Night Is Dead - Back to School Days
Videos
Three Martini Lunch
Syphilis and Religion
I'll Never Play Jacksonville Again
Review
I hadn't seen GP solo in six years, so it was natural to wonder if he still had what it takes to pull off the solo shows. During those years, as far as live performing goes, he has played rawk star as the leader of The Rumour, and has had the backing of Brinsley Schwarz in a duo format, but has played close to no solo shows. I'm happy to say he most definitely still has what it takes. He sings just as well, he plays just as well, his banter is still just as funny. Not to mention that he still possesses one of the richest song catalogs in music, with songs written over a period of some forty years without lagging in quality.
The 20 song set roamed all over GP's extensive catalog. There was one "new" song, "Dreamin'," a track recorded for TV, containing what has become the obligatory light-hearted kazoo solo. This track is now available as an internet download on Amazon and the usual streaming sites. In addition to this one track, GP told the happy audience that he has a record deal with a company in England and will have a new album coming out in the reasonably close future.
I was really happy that GP's choice of material was in keeping with the types of shows he was playing before the Rumour reunion of the past handful of years. Songs from Don't Tell Columbus, Songs of No Consequence, Your Country, Deepcut to Nowhere, Mona Lisa's Sister, even Live Alone in America, were included. It was probably a pleasant change of pace for him to be able to omit the songs that he emphasized during the Rumour tours (the songs from the two most recent albums, both recorded with The Rumour). For me it was a pleasure to hear the material from the non-Rumour albums instead, material that was mostly ignored during the Rumour reunion; and I did not hear any of the audience complaining. Of course, he played plenty of songs from the earlier years, including rockin' versions of "Hotel Chambermaid," "Get Started," "Saturday Night is Dead," and a knockout rendition of "Lady Doctor," that contained a big helping of GP swing. He was wearing an orange t-shirt with a sport jacket and gray trousers; his trademark dark glasses have been replaced by almost clear '70s style aviators.
The Chairman seemed to be enjoying himself up there, poking fun cheerfully at the audience ("another young crowd" he said to the tables full of baby boomers), and at himself (he'd look at his set list to see what was next, and react with surprise as if someone else had constructed the list). He talked quite a bit about being a citizen of a certain age in England (he has been living in England most of the year of late), mentioning his delight at owning a transit pass that allows him to ride the train to destinations just to see what's there. He made fun of other venues where he'll be playing on this brief solo tour, such as Bordentown's "Randy Now's Man Cave," a venue with a stage so tiny it makes the stage at the Turning Point "seem like Madison Square Garden." If you've never been to the Turning Point, let me just say that the stage is not Madison Square Garden.
He also wandered off into a Parkeresque political diatribe. Although he described "Syphilis and Religion" as a song designed to offend everyone, it was the song from Your Country, "Things I Never Said," that really set him off. The album, you see, was in the top 20 on the alt-country charts, and he described in gritty detail the fat, gun-totin', Trump voter whose opinions matter on that chart; but rather than leave it at that he spun the commentary off into Brexit, saying that we Americans have it easy with our disaster of an administration being funny, whereas there is "nothing funny about Brexit."
The show was capped off when Superfan Maureen tossed a bouquet of roses on stage for Graham. Although I have seen her do this at other shows, I can only believe that there is a lot of gratitude in the Geep fan community that he is back to performing in the style that best showcases his deep and vast song catalog. After a decent interval to let the crowd thin out, Geep emerged from backstage to sign autographs, pose for pictures, and spend some time chatting up the Parkeristas.
At the Turning Point, all it takes to get up front is to get there early, and Charlie (the gnomish maitre'd) leads you to a front table. One aspect of the venue that's different from my previous visits is that the upstairs restaurant (excellent Mexican food) is now a separate business, so there is really no need to eat there, since there is a decent pub food menu at the downstairs music venue.
More Chairman
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