Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Graham Parker (Solo) - 2011-03-06 - Turning Point, Piermont, NY

Graham Parker
Solo Performance
March 6, 2011
The Turning Point, Piermont, NY

Audience recording, very good quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps

OK, so after featuring a performance relatively early in Graham's career, here is a much more recent performance, almost 35 years later!. After his breakthrough and early years with the Rumour, Graham continued to perform live and release albums both solo and with various bands over the years. He has consistently released quality albums throughout his nearly four decade musical career, despite being generally ignored by the mainstream public, and bounced around from one record label to another. In recent years, Graham has been very busy, releasing several albums, and numerous 'official bootleg' live releases of past shows from various stages of his career, mainly through online outlets. He has also written books, and remains an insightful, witty, and acerbic observer of life as we know (or don't know) it. His most recent album, Imaginary Television, features the theme songs from non-existent television series (ones Graham made up), including descriptions and plot summaries of the imaginary series. Check out Graham's official site (www.grahamparker.net) for more info his recent releases and activities. Also, Graham has a blog that he occasionally drops by and writes for (but only about once a month or less) at  http://chairmanparker.blogspot.com/.

This recent show features Graham in a casual, informal setting, conversing with the audience, and playing an extended set that sprinkles in some of his better known songs from throughout his career, but for the most part consists of newer or lesser known songs. On the one hand, it is great to get the chance to hear Graham talking and performing in such an informal, intimate setting, just him and his guitar (harmonica, kazoo, etc.), but on the other hand, it is a bit sad that this great rock legend and icon is reduced to playing the 'coffeehouse circuit' at this stage of his career, rather than playing to packed houses and adoring crowds (as some of his contemporaries still are). Although, Graham himself probably much prefers it this way. As one once remarked about Graham, "it 's not so much that Fame eluded him, it's more like he eluded Fame". Anyway, here he is, one of the greats, as he is in the present day.   Enjoy.

Tracklist
01 You're Not Where You Think You Are
02 If It Ever Stops Rainin'
03 Watch The Moon Come Down
04 Socks 'N' Sandals
05 Cruel Lips
06 Problem Child
07 Stop Crying About The Rain
08 Waiting For The UFO's
09 I'm The Urban Spaceman
10 Head On Straight
11 Back Door Love
12 First Day Of Spring
13 It's My Party (But I Won't Cry)
14 White Honey
15 Blue Highways
16 Bring Me A Heart Again
17 Snake Oil Capital Of The World
18 Passion Is No Ordinary Word
19 Discovering Japan
20 Life Gets Better
21 Short Memories
22 Temporary Beauty
23 Get Started, Start A Fire

New Links (Updated 12/23/13)
Graham_Parker_-_The_Turning_Point_Piermont_NY_6_March_2011.rar

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