The Felice Brothers: Tuning Fork, 10 October 2019 (Concert Review)

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The Felice Brothers played their first-ever headline show at The Tuning Fork last night, rocking their classic folk-rock to an appreciative full-house, a surprising number of whom sang along – to some of the most complex lyrics since Bob Dylan put pen to paper.

The set-list drew heavily from their critically acclaimed new album, Undress, which also features their brand new line up. James Felice on accordian and keyboard along with brother Ian Felice on guitar and keyboard taking turns at vocals, with new members Jesske Humme on bass and Will Lawrence on drums.

Opener Holy Weight Champ set the tone for the night, a mournful ballad rejecting the trappings of modern American life, followed by the accordion driven Aerosol Ball about the doll of St Paul whose dreams and thoughts are made by Microsoft. Wonderful Life followed, lamenting the loss of young love, beautifully wistful with delicate harmonies. The pace picked up with the sad and bluesy Hometown Hero, a man out of prison on Independence Day – James Felice’s accordian adding the much-needed note of optimism.

Songwriters Ian and James obviously spend a lot of time contemplating the plight of the common working people, their dreams and despair. Clearly influenced by Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan (with a dollop of Bruce Springsteen and a dash of John Cougar Mellencamp), they are firmly placed in our modern dystopia – gruesome poverty and social cruelty against a backdrop of greed and opulence.

The tempo picked up with rockers Salvation Army Girl, Meadow of a Dream and TV Mama. Then Humme and Lawrence left the stage, leaving the Felices to the soulfully beautiful Nail it on the First Try and the raccoon song, Jack Reminiscing.

The band returned and we were taken on a roller coaster ride including heartbreakers The Kid (with incredible 4-part harmonies) and Let Me Come Home, followed by a joyride of the wittily cynical Special Announcement (a send up of Trump, who’s just a mobster eating lobster – they’re saving up their money to become president, to put Charlie Parker on the $10 note), Lincoln Continental and Whiskey in My Whiskey. The show wrapped with audience favourites, including Cherry Licorice. The encore was a heart-felt Thanks a Lot, Love Me Tenderly and a rollicking Frank’s Gun.

The question I had at the end of the night was how the hell is this their first headline show in 13 years??? These guys should be huge! The quality of their songwriting is on par with the masters. Musically, their melodies are entrancing and their performance superb. Apparently they don’t play well with corporate lackeys – thank heaven they played for us!

~Veronica McLaughlin

Click any image to see a full gallery of photos by Veronica McLaughlin Photography

Felice Brothers Set List

  1. Holy Weight Champ
  2. Aerosol Ball
  3. Wonderful Life
  4. Hometown Hero
  5. Salvation Army Girl
  6. Meadow of a Dream
  7. TV Mama
  8. Nail It on the First Try
  9. Jack Reminiscing
  10. Silver in the shadow
  11. The Kid
  12. Let Me Come Home
  13. Special Announcement
  14. Lincoln Continental
  15. Whiskey in My Whiskey
  16. River Jordan
  17. The Mating of the Doves
  18. Cherry Licorice

Encore

  1. Thanks a Lot
  2. Love Me Tenderly
  3. Frank’s Gun

 

Veronica McLaughlin
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