How I Got Through It - Live @ Soupcon Salon, 5.18.09

Zach Sweet, Lisa Rich and I doing "How I Got Through It" at Soupcon Salon (Manon Restaurant, Lambertville, NJ) back in May. This was definitely one of my favorites this year; we had such an attentive, fun audience, and the room was perfect for the guitar/cello/voice lineup. I have other songs from this show to post, which I'll get around to soon enough. Song starts up at 0:55 after some banter.

For more information on Soupcon Salon, check out the website here.

-jp

notes: 3/7/09, Triumph Brewing Company

This was a great time, with a ton of our friends and family out to join Triumph's ever-busy bar scene for just under three hours of music. With Joe's strat-and-tube-amp setup in tow, we packed the setlist with covers in deference to the Saturday-night crowd, took every opportunity to dig in to a tasty jam, and even gave permission for the manager to try out his new lights-and-fog rig, which he did to great (if bar mitzvah-like) effect during Joe's wah freakout in "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Big thanks to our new friend Ken Adessa, whose expert tambourine held down the rhythm for about 75% of the set (he's a drummer in his own right for a few bands, including NJ soul outfit Enzo and the Bakers).

These Triumph shows can be a lot of fun, although I have to admit that I'm a sucker for the slow stuff that usually gets left out of these setlists. But Saturday night gigs are what they are, and you've got to play to your audience. Have no fear, of course...once I finish cutting up the audio for the decidedly-mellower 3/19 John & Peter's show, I'll be posting some of those tunes here.

For now, enjoy two taped-from-the-audience tracks from the show, "Corinne" (also known by its working title, "The Drunk Girl Song") and an interesting take on the George Harrison classic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

(NOTE: To hear full versions of these songs, you must apparently have an imeem profile. I will research different media hosts for future postings, I apologize for any inconvenience. For what it's worth, it takes about two seconds to set up a profile, and I'll vouch for seeing no spam emails or issues arise since I set mine up a year ago)

Corinne (live @ Triumph, 3/7/09).mp3 - Justin Pope & Friends

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Harrison) (live @ Triumph, 3/7/09).mp3 - Justin Pope & Friends

03.07.09 - Triumph Brewing Company
Setlist:
(^ - featuring Joe Durniak, * - featuring Melanie Snyder, + - featuring Lisa Rich)

1. Saying Whatever (J. Durniak)^
2. Corinne^*+
3. The Birthday Song^*+
4. Carmelita (W. Zevon)^
5. How I Got Through It^*+
6. Dear Azalea Gwen^*
7. The Drugs Don't Work (R. Ashcroft)^
8. Six, Seven^*
9. Bubbles^
10. Swear^*

11. Into the Mystic (V. Morrison)^*
12. Graceland (P. Simon)^
13. The Ballad of Brighter Begins^*
14. I Wonder (The Letter Song) (J. Durniak)^
15. The Sun's In My Eyes (J. Durniak)^
16. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (G. Harrison)^
17. I'm Your Man (L. Cohen)^
18. Drive (J. Durniak)^
19. Black Star (Radiohead)*
20. A Plea To Lara^*+
21. The Sprinter (Avoiding a Marathon)^*
22. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (P. Simon)^

(songs by Justin Pope unless indicated. All Joe Durniak songs were sung by Joe, with backup by Justin)

notes: 2/19/09, John & Peter's

Just pics for this one, sadly. I updated the firmware for my recorder the day before the show, which apparently causes all the user's custom gain/comp/limit settings to reset to default, so it came out clipped and distorted. Adding insult to injury was the revelation that this and other minor gripes I have with the device were just fixed in the new model. Bastards.

I do, however, have audio from this week's show and the 3/7 Triumph show, so I'll post those as soon as they're cut up into tracks. For now, enjoy some snapshots from the 2/19 show at John & Peter's, featuring:

Melanie Snyder - cello/backing vox
Zach Sweet - cello
Steven Nocar - guitar/vox
Steve - electric guitar
Lisa Rich - backing vox

(from l to r: Melanie, Justin, Steve, Lisa, Steve, Zach)

(Steve & Zach)

(Steve)

(Justin & the Steves)

(Justin & Steve)

(Lisa also runs the boards)

show next Saturday, 3/7

Next Saturday night at Triumph Brewing Company in New Hope, PA, I'm excited to announce the Justin Pope & Friends train rolls back into town for another fun night of originals, choice cover versions and jams galore. This time out (as last) I'm joined by multi-instrumentalist (and singer/songwriter) J. Peter Durniak, as well as a number of our very talented friends, including everyone you see in the photos below and more. Music goes from 10-1 (21 and up, kids), $5 cover, and a fine selection of beers from the area's only true brewpub. This time around, I promise to get audio...

notes: 1/24/09, Triumph Brewing Company

Best show of 2009 so far, for sure. The energy from the crowd was infectious, the playing by the crew was impeccable, and the setlist kept the vibe sustained throughout a nearly three-hour show. Unfortunately, I picked the setlist as we went along, and didn't record anything*. Boo-urns. So instead, enjoy these photos from what I hope is only our first Triumph show...

(from l to r: Melanie Snyder, Justin Pope, Lisa Rich, Kendra Thatcher, Joe Durniak)

(Kendra and Joe)

(Justin, Lisa and Joe)

(Melanie, Justin and Lisa)

(Melanie, Justin, Joe and Kendra)

*- due to early problems with Triumph's in-house sound system...I really didn't want to ask the already stressed-out sound guy to patch my recorder in, and the crowd noise was too heavy for a decent mic recording, but next time, I swear...

show this Thursday 12/18

Playing @ John and Peter's this Thursday night, our usual showcase-style lineup, kicking off at 9:30 p.m., with rotating sets from Christina Ward, Lisa Rich, special guest Mike Oravec (in from San Diego), and myself. Maybe some seasonally-appropriate tunes. Come out if you can make it, music 'til midnight.

Stay tuned for set list and audio files...