timeless

image: Roger Catlin

2013

Roger Catlin reviews last night's show at 9:30 Club in Washington DC and provides a set list:

“Because Her Beauty is Raw and Wild”
“No One Was Like Vermeer”
“Let Her Go into the Darkness”
“The World is Showing Its Hand”
“Old World”
“I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar”
“Egyptian Reggae”
“Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow”
“Parents Pushing the Stroller While Talking on the Cell Phone”
“Le Printeps Des Amoreux Est Venue”
“Stultify”
“These Bodies That Came to Cavort”
“La Festa Magnifica”
“La Fiesta Es Para Todos”
“Everybody Come to the Party” (Hebrew)
“Bohemia”
“We Had a Fight”

With a timeless boyishness and a disarming humor in his delivery he had the crowd rapt, allowing him to step away from the microphone and fill the room only with his guitar or naked voice if he wanted to. (more)

Thanks Roger!

~~~~~~

kis-met and chance

Ryan Little at the Washington Post sent Jonathan Richman some questions in advance of his performance tonight at 9:30 Club in Washington DC. He received this handwritten response in rhyming verse addressing Jonathan's thoughts on early songs, and Icelandic musician Ólöf Arnalds:


(click to view larger)

more: Washington Post

Thanks Ryan!

~~~~~~

people all over the world

1978 show in Netherlands with Leroy, Asa and D Sharpe!




Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers - Egyptian reggae & More ( Original Live Special 1978 ) via exclusivevids100

in love with modern moonlight

Jonathan Richman, The Goat Farm, Atlanta, 9 Feb 13, image rb

We didn't get a set list at The Goat Farm in Atlanta but here's one provided by Emmett McAuliffe from the 6 February show at Off Broadway in St. Louis (thanks Emmett!):

Stultified
Jan Vermeer
Let Her Go into the Darkness
Dancing in the Moonlight (Sanford-Townsend Band)
Higher (Sly Stone)
La Festa Magnifica
La Fiesta Es Para Todos
Everybody Come to the Party (Hebrew)
Because Her Beauty
Egyptian Reggae
Old World (greatly modified from album versions)

We Had a Fight
Sa Voix M'Attise
Keith Richards
Her Mystery Not of High Heels
O Moon Queen of Night on Earth
These Bodies That Came to Cavort
When We Refuse
Unknown encore a capella verse


Jonathan Richman at The Goat Farm (O Moon, Queen of Night on Earth) via Gary Hasty

In The Rodriguez Room at The Goat Farm we noticed the conspicuous lack of I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar and the welcome addition of Van Morrison's Crazy Love. The songs were all sung in English for the first time ever that I can remember. O Moon, Queen of Night on Earth (as in the video above by Gary Hasty), and When We Refuse to Suffer had prolonged poetic introductions with the former a beautiful heartfelt invocation and the latter a haunted evocation of setting, making some people uncomfortable (but not in a bad way).


Little more Jonathan Richman at The Goat Farm (Egyptian Reggae) via Gary Hasty

As usual, gender demographics favored men. Everyone had a good time. To the nice people at The Goat Farm: You have a great facility with a lot of character but it's not accessible to the mobility challenged. However for such a labyrinthine rustic compound, everything was smooth, polished and mellow, and filled with lovely good vibes. I was unable to attend the second night, when it rained, so I don't know how that one went.


Jonathan Richman, The Goat Farm, Atlanta, 9 Feb 13, image rb

In other news, there's a movement afoot to make Roadrunner the official state rock song of Massachusetts. Joyce Linehan petitioned the state legislature via Representative Marty Walsh, who filed HD3506 "An Act designating the song 'Roadrunner' as the official rock song of the Commonwealth." You can read more about it here:

15 reasons why Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers will become the official rock song of Massachusetts in 2013

and also here:

Wicked Pissah: The Bid to Make the Modern Lovers' "Roadrunner" the Rock Song of Massachusetts is Official

ongoing tour dates early 2013

If you're nearby these neighborhoods go see Jonathan Richman and Tommy Larkins perform live if you can! Smaller houses are selling out, so look into getting early tickets. As always, check with venues ahead of time before making travel plans since things can and do change. Brush up on your Sam Cooke so you can singalong the ooogh! aaagh! if he decides to cover 'Chain Gang'! Loosen up to 'Dancing in the Moonlight' and prepare to be charmed...