Joe Purdy at the Parish (SHOW REVIEW)
On Saturday singer-songwriter Joe Purdy played an intimate and passionate show at the Parish.
On a rainy Saturday night, Joe Purdy and a few hundred relaxed but enthusiastic fans packed the Parish. In my recent interview with Joe, he described touring with Steve Earle by saying “That was religion.” And while I haven’t seen Steve Earle perform, I can definitely say that Joe Purdy’s intimate and exceptionally personal show is nothing short of a religious experience - both exciting and calming, fun and refreshing.
Brian Wright, who is “brothers, basically” with Joe Purdy, opened the show solo with his guitar and harmonica, playing his own folk songs along with classics like Woody Guthrie’s “Biggest Thing That Man Has Ever Done.”
After a brief intermission, donning a hat, a plain white shirt and black pants, the bearded Joe Purdy came on stage and opened with “Pioneer” off his 2010 album, This American.
He started off solo, with just his guitar and harmonica, singing “a few songs I can’t remember,” as he joked, and played older songs, like “You Can Tell Georgia,” “Paris in the Morning,” and “Worn Out Shoes.”
After a few songs, Joe was joined by the opening act, Brian Wright, who switched between playing the drums, the acoustic guitar, and the mandolin. The two who recorded Eagle Rock Fire with Joe helped out as well; “Jolly” (Chris John Hillman) played the pedal steel guitar and “Matty D” (Matt DelVecchio) played the upright bass and electric bass.
While Joe played straight through, band members came on and off the stage throughout the night, switching instruments - at times, leaving Joe solo, sometimes with a two-piece band, and often with full support. As Joe told the crowd, “It’s a shit show, but it’s our shit show.”
Throughout the performance, Joe mixed his heartfelt, often sad songs with his witty, dry humor. He told me in our interview that he tries to be honest in his songwriting and performances, but he does like when he’s able to add “a little bit more levity in them.” For example, while playing the title track of his newest album, Eagle Rock Fire, he longingly sang, “I want Loretta, but she won’t have me.” But instead of letting the somber song lull the crowd, he made sure the crowd sang along with him for the spiteful next line about Loretta: “She married a loser” – a perfect example of what he told me: “You can tell a story just like it was and present it in a way where it does become humorous in hindsight, or at least certain aspects of it do.”
Before playing “Ba Girl” off Eagle Rock Fire with Matty D, Joe told the crowd, “I've been accused of being a sad bastard many times, and I'll take it. This is my only rebuttal.”
The band played a few of Joe’s songs that have been featured on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, including two personal favorites, “I Love the Rain” and “San Jose.” Joe and crew included some folk classics as well, like “500 Miles” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” At one point, Brian Wright even snuck in a short little “The stars at night are big and bright…” at which point the enamored crowd clapped and sang along.
The musicians played without a break, because, as Joe joyously explained, “Once we start playing, it’s hard to stop.” But, like all good things, it had to come to an end eventually.