Pokey LaFarge @ The Classic Grand, Glasgow. Wednesday 6th November, 2013

The first time I saw Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three (plus 2) was at the end of August in North Dorset at the End Of The Road festival. This time Pokey reciprocated and trailed his caravan up to Glasgow to the Classic Grand, no less!

The venue is actually not as 'swanky' as the name suggests, however, it does have an illustrious past. The building was originally constructed around 1860 as a 5-storey commercial warehouse. It was then converted into a cinema (designed by William B Whitie) and opened as the Grand Central in 1915, seating 750. The venue was closed in 1966, reopened in 1973 and went through two more incarnations as a cinema before finally closing in 1992. It was recently reinvented as the Classic Grand nightclub showcasing a variety of both local and well-known acts. On the night there were 3 other bands performing in the venue below where Pokey Lafarge was plying his trade and the floor under our feet rumbled with the vibrations being emitted by "the Spawn of Satan" as Pokey jokingly referred to the other acts!

A quick mention of the three man support band The Tillers who were a tight group of double bass, banjo, harmonic and guitar. They played some fine alternative folk / bluegrass / Americana with catchy tunes and great toe tapping rhythms. Indeed, in January this year, they were awarded the 2013 Cincinnati Entertainment Award for best Folk / Americana Act and the songs they played highlighted the quality of their current and fifth album Hand On The Plow.

Check out the Tillers singing The Old West Side here....

Pokey LaFarge, the South City Three, TJ Muller and Chloe Feoranzo all bounded onto the small stage with its Art Deco arched backdrop at about 21:00 to a rousing reception.

Whether the crowd were warmed up by The Tillers or fuelled up with a libation I couldn't say, although I reckon it was a bit of both. Indeed, having set off into their opening song Feels So Good, the band quickly came to a stop as there was some consternation about a commotion in the audience. This being Glasgow the general consensus was that someone had been on 'the swally' and that they couldn't hold their drink. However, Pokey showed a great deal of decency by insisting that the matter be dealt with appropriately and that the person in question was properly administered to before restarting the show. Credit to the band that this potentially off putting start didn't knock them off their stride and soon they were back into the opening number.

Pokey Lafarge

If you have seen Pokey Lafarge or read my End Of The Road review then you will appreciate that this is as much a visual show as an aural one.

Chloe Feoranzo (clarinet, saxophone) was decked out in a 1950's style vibrant red dress with full skirt. TJ Muller (cornet, trombone) and Joey Glynn (upright bass) looked like extras from The Great Gatsby or The Sting. Ryan Koenig (wash board, snare drum, harmonica) looked like the coolest cowboy in town, Adam Hoskins (lead guitar) looked casual and it seemed as if he had donned a 'see you Jimmy' hat just for us and Pokey (guitar) looked suave, debonair, sophisticated and down right snappy!

So over the next hour and twenty minutes the band served up some seventeen scintillating, sassy, sexy, swing-a-sing-a-long sounds which had us boppin' an a hoppin' in thrilled enjoyment. Pokey entreated us at the outset to have fun and leave our cares behind. In addition, he said at one point "We are here to have a good time. If you are low, we aim to get you high. If you are high, we aim to get you higher"! And true to his word, he and the band did just that.

Adam Hoskins

The music that the band perform is a wonderful trip down memory lane for some and an interesting introduction to a bygone era for others. The music incorporates early jazz, roots, hot swing, and ragtime blues and it evokes images of riverboat chic and energetic bluegrass served up with pep and verve. It may be rooted in the past, but Pokey and the band add a modern twist and the whole deal sounds snappy, up-to-date, here and now and timeless. The energy zapped around the stage and each member of the band played their part in keeping things zipping along at a thrilling pace. Even the slower numbers, What The Rain Will Bring, Let's Get Lost & Kentucky Mae for example, kept things moving along nicely. At one point Chloe Feoranzo and TJ Muller left the stage to allow Pokey and the South City Three to play a couple of songs on their own. Off stage the two of them performed some snazzy dance routines and seemed to be really enjoying themselves. It was all in keeping with the ethos of the gig: we are here to have fun so you have fun too! 

Ryan Koenig

Ryan Koenig played some fabulous mouth organ solos and I particularly enjoyed his work during Sweet Potato Blues.  He also had a wonderful metronomic thing going on during his washboard solos which he ended with robotic automaton flourishes! Adam Hoskins and Pokey blended extremely well and the two guitars traded great solos throughout the night. The highlight for me was Adam's fine solo work on Central Time just before the encore. At the back Joey Glynn kept the beat pounding along with real zest and he also showed his his finger picking prowess when Pokey asked him to pep things up a bit! The 'wind section' was also a joy to listen to as both TJ & Chloe duetted on a number of tracks and soloed on several others, always adding a rich, rewarding layer to the overall sound. The clarinet solo on Big Bill Broonzy's Going Back To Arkansas was fabulous, another memorable addition to a great night. 

Joey Glynn

Pokey LaFarge, from Bloomington, Illinois, at 30 years old seems timeless and his music is both of 'old-time' and modern in turns. It is therefore perhaps no surprise that recently Pokey and the band backed Jack White on the track I Guess I Should Go To Sleep on White's 2012 release Blunderbuss. Jack White was also to produce the single Pack It Up b/w Chittlin' Cookin' Time in Cheatham County which just goes to show that Pokey and his music transcends boundaries! I would also like to make mention of Pokey's singing voice, it was never less than great and was often tremendous. Another grand 'instrument' to add to the mix!

After a short break Pokey returned to the stage to a well earned and rapturous applause from the increasingly enthusiastic audience and played an unscripted encore (almost unheard of these days - unscripted I mean!). He began with Josephine from his self released 2006 album Marmalade which he played solo. The band then rejoined him and the finished off the night with two more songs in their tight and exceptionally well honed, inimitable style. We lapped it up and craved more, however, as Pokey had advised during the show, he wants as many folk to be able to enjoy his music and so there was 14 lower age limit for the show and as such there was a 23:00 'curfew'. However, the sights and sounds we had borne witness to were resonating long after the show was over and we all headed home in a state of heightened enjoyment. 

TJ Muller

Chloe Feoranzo

Check out Pokey LaFarge singing Central Time here .....

Check out other photos I took during the gig here.....

PS. Good to see the merchandise being 'home grown' i.e. the T Shirts were made in the USA. Well done!

Set List

Feels So Good

Okie Boogie - Jack Guthrie

Bowlegged

What The Rain Will Bring

Pack It Up

Two-faced Tom

Hard Times Come and Go

Day After day

Kentucky Mae

Drinkin' Whiskey Tonight

Close The Door

Sweet Potato Blues 

Let's Get Lost

So Long Honeybee, Goodbye

Riverboat Shuffle - Hoagy Carmichael 

Going Back To Arkansas - Big Bill Broonzy great clarinet solo

Central Time

10:20 - Encore

Josephine

La La Blues

Garbage Man Blues