Event

Joseph Arthur

This is a small, secret show. Full details on the location will be provided at the end of ticket purchase.

TICKETS:
No paper tickets will be sent.

ADMISSION:
Print and bring your confirmation which will include the address and other details. Please don't share this info with anyone! In addition, your name will be on a list at the door. No additional tickets will be sold at the door. You must buy tickets here to get into this show.

SHOW DATE:
Saturday September 10th, 2016
DOORS: Please arrive between 6:30PM and 7:00PM
SHOWTIME:
8:00PM

SEATING:
This show will be general admission floor seating. Feel free to bring a pillow or cushion to sit more comfortably on the floor.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. SORRY, NO REFUNDS:
Due to the limited number of tickets please make sure you can attend before you make your purchase. If you can no longer attend a show you can give or sell (at face value) the tickets to a friend. Contact us (livingroomshowlbc@gmail.com) before the show to transfer your tickets. We'll cancel any tickets resold for higher than original price.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Review of Joseph's new album, The Family (MaximumVolumeMusic.com):

Damian runs the rule over the brand new one from the guitar wizard

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing a collaborative release from an alternative rock band called RNDM consisting of Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, vocalist Joseph Arthur and drummer Richard Stuverud. It was a very diverse record so I was looking forward to hearing this new offering from the singer and extremely talented Joseph Arthur.

Arthur is known for his beautiful acoustic melodies and harder-edged, expansive driving rock, Josephs career spans 20+ albums ranging from solo records to high profile collaborations that include the likes of Lou Reed, Dhani Harrison, Ben Harper, Peter Gabriel and T-Bone Burnett.

He has recently performed at the all-star Music of David Bowie concert alongside Michael Stipe, Debbie Harry, performing The Man Who Sold The World.

And if thats not enough, his live performances incorporate looping and several distortion techniques. He is an acclaimed painter and designer and has had a sleeve design nominated for a Grammy.

The album is based around the idea of family. The way family dynamics shape us and make us who we are. The title track The Family introduces us to this release and its a real laid back tune, almost what Id call a slacker of a tune, with a chorus of The family was always glad you came, that will get inside your head and have you mumbling it long after. Sister Dawn is another laid back melody with lyrics advising the recipient to take care of their young. A really nice blend of drums, piano and synths. Indeed, Mr Arthur single-handedly takes on everything on this album. A more aggressive up tempo track comes next with With Your Life where the vocals are quietly almost spoken on top of the catchy driving beat. I really loved this song and it was over much too soon for my liking. A more R & B, hip hop type melody underpins They Call Him Lightening with the vocals almost chanted. I could imagine this is a song that Prince would have been happy to call him own, a really soulful, intricate song. When I Look At You follows and is a beguiling chilled out love song.

Wishing Well is a more reflective offering, an underlying drum beat, twinkling piano keys, swirling synths, quiet guitar licks and some haunting, quite heart wrenching vocals. A truly wonderful song.

The realities of leaving your family and heading to a conflict and the uncertainty of whether you will return is documented in Machines Of War, powerful and passionate sentiments shared over a enchanting musical Pandora of sounds.

Ethel Was Born is quite a haunting song narrating a story about how a couple met from differing backgrounds and ages. The artists almost displaced vocals are layered over an evocative piano melody with some synthy loops joining in at the end. The superb You Wear Me Out comes next and its a real evocative, uplifting groove with some real reflective thoughts on a strained relationship.

A change of direction with Hold on Jerry which starts out quite jauntily before filling out with all sorts of different instruments, a quite uplifting song reflecting on life and death.

You Keep Hanging On is anthemic love song with powerful and passionate expressions of adoration. The penultimate track The Flag is a lament about the loss of a lover / friend and trying to cope with the overwhelming despair of the situation without succumbing to self harm or suicide.

The album is concluded with Daddy, The War Machine a varied sound mix of drum machine and piano licks with lyrics accepting the inevitability of war to come and the consequences.

Joseph Arthur is a musician, who for the most part writes songs from guitar, but this album was written at the piano, a Steinway Vertegrande from 1912, that hed recently acquired.

This aged instrument, ended up in Josephs studio and was a potent source of inspiration.

This is a wonderfully eclectic album full of beautiful acoustic melodies dealing with some difficult issues that happen within the family structure such as war, murder, despair, love, loss and fate. An intensely thought provoking offering, from somebody who surely has to be one of the hardest working and multi talented artists around. If you purchase one album this year, make it this one it will not disappoint.

Rating 9/10

Location

To Be Announced (Long Beach, CA)
Displayed After Purchase
Long Beach, CA 90803
United States

Contact

Owner: Toby Carpenter

On BPT Since: Jul 17, 2012

Secret Show

Attendees

Name Withheld

Long beach, CA United States

Sep 10, 2016 5:26 PM

Name Withheld

Long Beach, CA United States

Sep 10, 2016 4:44 PM

Jeff C.

Manhattan Beach, CA United States

Sep 10, 2016 9:31 AM

Name Withheld

Long Brach, CA United States

Sep 10, 2016 5:03 AM

Name Withheld

Long Brach, CA United States

Sep 10, 2016 5:03 AM

View All 28 Attendees

Event

Location

Categories

Contact

Attendees