On Stage: Chesco’s Vincent John comes home to perform

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer

Vincent John, who was born and raised in Chester County, has lived in a number of places in recent years and has performed in concert all over Europe and South America.

Area fans will have the opportunity to hear John perform live on November 2 when the talented singer brings his pop/soul sound to the area for a show at Boot and Saddle (1131 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-639-4528, www.bootandsaddlephilly.com).

John is touring in support of his new EP “Never Go Back.”

“The EP comes out on October 28,” said John, during a phone interview last week. “We’ve been releasing songs from it every three weeks since September. It’s on New Hope Records.”

Already, Billboard has premiered the track “Heaven Knows” on its website.

John told Billboard the song is, “A retooling of the classic idea of wanting and needing love just beyond you, ‘Heaven Knows’ is a thoroughly honest plea from an imperfect man.”

On “Never Go Back,” John showcases unique and beautiful works in the vein of classic pop with his own production reminiscent of golden 1980s AM radio, as echoes of American R&B ring throughout. Honest looks at longing, loss, drugs and darkness juxtapose sweet arrangements with soulful hooks and driving beats.

Known for his work with soul artists Aaradhna (Universal), Lee Fields, Nicole Wray (Truth & Soul) and more, John’s keen sense of songwriting and arrangements have provided the backdrop for some of today’s modern soul classics.

John is not the first singer/songwriter from Chester County to make a name for himself as a “blue-eyed soul singer.”
Daryl Hohl, who is known professionally as Daryl Hall (one-half of long-time hit makers Hall & Oates), is a graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School.

“Never Go Back” is influenced by timeless pop and new wave artists such as Hall & Oates, The Cars, New Order and Pet Shop Boys. John’s debut EP has been described as a one-two punch of modern electro pop perfection.

“I usually listen to older music,” said John. “I get caught up in it and it inspires me. But, you can’t build a business model on it.

“You work on an album – or even an EP – and put it out. If it’s not premiered on the right website or put on the right playlist, it’s like don’t even release it.”

John has been paying his dues for several years and now is ready to reap some benefits.

“I took a job as a waiter so I could go on tour when I was younger,” said John. “I lived in New York and performed with soul singer Lee Fields.

“I love soul music. I love Brazilian music and the Afrobeat music of Fela. The songs I write show all my influences. My project is more inspired by 80s New Wave and classic pop. I grew up listening to Oldies 98.

“I took a few years off and spent time writing my own stuff. I didn’t know what I was going for. I moved to New York when I was 21 and lived in New York for five years.

“Then, I moved back to Philly in August 2015. I played on a collaboration recently called Sofar Philadelphia. We played a show on the roof of the Free Library of Philadelphia at 19th and Vine.”

But, John’s main focus has been on his solo project.

“This project that I have now – the EP and tour — has been four years in the making,” said John. “The music is rooted in classic pop with undertones of R&B.

“When I’m writing, most of the songs start with drums – with beats. I’m most drawn by beats. I’m a songwriter and I play whatever instrument is needed. The lyrics usually come last.”

Audio link for Vincent John – http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7496161/vincent-john-heaven-knows-exclusive-premiere-stream.

The show at Boot and Saddle, which also features Royal Canoe and selfhelpme, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Other upcoming shows at Boot and Saddle are Circuit on October 27; Big Lazy and Gringo Motel on October 28; American Film Institute, The Danged, and Creature on October 29 and Psychic Ills, The Love Club and Groovy Movies on October 30.

“Rent,” a rock musical about a group of financially-strapped artists and musicians living in New York in the final decade of the 1900s, became an immediate smash hit when it arrived on Broadway and also had success as a critically-acclaimed movie.

The show, which is based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Bohème,” won a Tony Award for Best Musical and had more than 5,000 performances on Broadway. “Rent” also went out on a number of national tours – most of which came to this area for runs in Philadelphia or Wilmington.

Now, the National Tour of “Rent” is coming back again for a three-day run at Playhouse in Rodney Square (10th and Market streets, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegradwilmingtonde.org) from October 28-30.

This is a special tour for “Rent.” It is the 20th anniversary tour for the hit musical which featured music and lyrics by the late Jonathan Larson. It is a tour that features young and talented actors – many of whom were toddlers when “Rent” first opened on Broadway.

One of these actresses is Futaba Shioda, who just graduated from New York University’s Tish School of the Arts in May.

“I saw a tour of ‘Rent’ when I was 14,” said Shioda, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Nashville, Tennessee.

“And, the movie came out when I was in middle school. The movie was really popular with my peers. It was a young rock musical that spoke to us teens. I used to listen to the soundtrack for hours and hours,

“Then, we just did a production of ‘Rent’ at our school in January and I was the understudy for Mimi.”

That was a portent of what was ahead in the near future for Shioda.

“I auditioned for ‘Rent’ back in March. It was right near my end of time at school. A professor of mine at school is married to the original music director of ‘Rent.’ So, I was able to audition for the creative director through an appointment.”

Obviously, all went well as Shioda is onstage every night with the touring show.

“One of the most appealing things about ‘Rent’ is that the characters are so fully expressive,” said Shioda. “The character of Mimi is so powerful.

“Audiences love ‘Rent’ because they connect so much with the message. The message is always about love. They get so moved by the story of these friends who love each other.

“This show takes audiences on a ride. It’s a fully emotional experience.”

Video link for “Rent” — https://youtu.be/2eEltikID5c.

The performances at the Playhouse on Rodney Square are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Ticket prices range from $65-$85.

Jonny Fritz made his first album “I’m Not Ready to Be A Daddy” in 2007 and followed with his sophomore album “Down on the Bikini Line” in 2011 and his third album “Dad Country “in 2013.

Now, Fritz is back with a new album, a new hip, and a new home base in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has lived in a number of locations – including Philadelphia.

Fritz will be returning to Philadelphia on October 27 for a show at the World Café Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com).

The veteran singer-songwriter is touring in support of his brand-new album “Sweet Creep,” which was released on October 14 on ATO Records. The album was produced by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James who influenced the album’s pared-down and uninhibited sound.

“Sweet Creep” includes the lyricism of “Dad Country” with an added air of hopefulness. Recorded in James’ makeshift hilltop studio in Montecito Heights, “Sweet Creep” reverberates with the feeling of sunny vistas.

“We recorded the album at Jim James’ house in L.A.,” said Fritz, during a recent phone interview from a stop in Nashville. “I had been writing songs for the last few years,

“We recorded the whole album in three days – live in the outdoors. It was Jim’s idea. If you listen closely, you can hear planes going by.”

“There was a mindset that made it very spontaneous. There were very few instruments used. But, there were a lot of vocal harmonies.”

From album opener “Are You Thirsty” to the summer-crushy “Humidifier”, “Sweet Creep” is a freshly-signed lease on life. Fritz throws himself into the new album by stripping things down to the essentials.

Fritz is keeping alive the country music tradition of giant-sized personalities overflowing into song. John Hartford, Roger Miller, Billy Joe Shaver – fans look to these country musicians for more than just music. They look for life, for outrageous legend, for a showmanship on and off stage that Jonny Fritz will never fail to deliver.

Fritz explained how he started a music career.

“I started being fed-up with what I was hearing on the radio,” said Fritz. “So, I started making my own music – singing a capella songs on different topics – and it’s always been that way. When I write songs, I write for fun. That has always been my philosophy.

“When I was getting started, friends were in a Goth band from Virginia. I’d sing a capella between their set and their encore. I also did some busking – but not too much.

“Then, I jumped in with the noise scene and moved to Philadelphia in 2003. I was in the avant-garde scene and was doing a lot of house concerts. There was the art space at Broad and Snyder with about 40 of us living there.

“I lived in a 20-foot by 20-foot volcano. Later, it shifted to North Philly and was called PIFAS.”

Then, Fritz started his recording career with “I’m Not Ready to Be a Daddy.”

“That album was recorded in 2006 and 2007 and released on November 23, 2007,” said Fritz. “I remember the exact date because I ran the Philadelphia Marathon that day and had a released party the same day at PIFAS.

“I like marathons because of the challenge. But, it broke me. I ran four marathons in four years and ended up with a broken hip. I needed a hip replacement this year.

“I made ‘Down the Bikini Line’ in Nashville. That was the record I really wanted to make. I was still working in Philly at Mambo Movers. I’d be in Nashville for a while and then come back and work as a mover for a bit. I met Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith from Dawes and wrote with them.

“‘Dad Country’ was made with Taylor Goldsmith. He said Dawes would like to back me up on the record so I  moved to L.A. Jackson Browne came to a show and invited us to record at his house. We had his studio for four days. It was run-and-gun.”

Video link for Jonny Fritz – https://youtu.be/X5Pmtr0_Iwc?t=13.

The show at the World Café Live, which also features Jamestown Revival, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.

On October 28, the World Café Live will present a show with Mipso as the headline act. Mipso features Jacob Sharp (mandolin, vocals), Wood Robinson (bass, vocals), Joseph Terrell (guitar, vocals), and Libby Rodenbough (fiddle, vocals).

The North Carolina band released its latest studio album, “Old Time Reverie” in late 2015. The album reached Number 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and hit the Top 25 of the Billboard Heatseakers Chart.

A similar thing happened when Mipso released its debut album “Dark Holler Pop” in 2013.

“The band formed at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill,” said Sharp, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Tallahassee, Florida. “We were all native Carolinians. None of us were studying music.

“In our sophomore year, we played a show by accident. Friends liked it so we started playing together more and put out an album when we were in school. We were playing all kinds of string band music. We graduated in 2013 and went on the road full-time.

“We released ‘Dark Holler Pop’ and it debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart. Everything took off from there. Our band learned a lot in the studio.

“We did 200 shows last year and we’re already up over 150 this year. We entirely looked to bluegrass as a foundation. Now, there also is a lot of pop and country in our sound.”

Mipso is a band with a variety of influences.

Combining the vibes found in its progressive home in Chapel Hill sand those of the surrounding rural southern landscapes, “Old Time Reverie” blends the complexities of traditional bluegrass with modern instrumentation and smart pop melodies.  The result is an interesting hybrid in the realm of modern Americana.

“We all came from different musical backgrounds,” said Sharp. “Libby was a classical violinist. Joseph had bluegrass in his family but he loved Jimi Hendrix and Phish. Woody was a jazz nut and I was more in the pop realm,

“When we released ‘Old Time Reverie,’ it did well on the bluegrass chart. It did well on the folk chart. And, it did well on the Heetseeker chart. A lot of people think our music is more folk or Americana. We just like to think that we write good songs.

“We will have a drummer with us for the Philadelphia show. And, we have a great opening act – Sam Lewis. He’s a budding star in the old-school country realm.”

Video link for Mipso – https://youtu.be/27AIEQ45wEA?t=3.

The show at the World Café Live, which also features Sam Lewis, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.

On October 28, The Claudettes will bring their audience-rousing live show to Philly for a free concert at Twisted Tail Bourbon House and Juke Joint, 509 South Second Street, Philadelphia,  215-558-2471, www.thetwistedtail.com).

Pianist Johnny Iguana formed the Claudettes, who feature Berit Ulseth on vocals, Zach Verdoorn on bass guitar and vocals and Matt Torre on drums.

The Claudettes combine the Chicago blues-piano tradition with the energy of rockabilly and punk and the sultry sound of ’60s soul-jazz to create a thrilling new spin on American roots music.

According to Downbeat Magazine, “The Claudettes hit listeners upside the head with a mash-up of Otis Spann blues, Albert Ammons boogie-woogie, Ray Charles soul and “Fess” Longhair New Orleans R&B.

The White Stripes and Black Keys rock the blues with a guitar attack. Like the Bad Plus, the Claudettes brandish a piano instead. But the Claudettes have created their own fanatical fusion of blues and soul-jazz—like Ray Charles on a punk kick.

The band is still touring in support of its debut album, “Infernal Piano Plot…HATCHED!,” which was released in 2013.

“The Claudettes blazed a new trail masquerading as a blues/roots bands but it’s a punk band at its core,” said Iguana, during a phone interview last week from his home in Chicago. “It’s like a boogie, vaudeville, blues, jazz thing but it’s got a punk spirit.

“We can play a punk bill as a rock band or a different bill as a blues band. The Claudettes really put a lot of heart in our live show. We combine musicianship and humor. We have a stage setup that converts the stage into a mini-tavern – a reality check built into our stage show.”

On stage, Claudette’s drink specials scroll across LED displays pinned to the band’s shirts (e.g. “$5 domestics on Sunday with dinner and Champagne purchase,” “MONDAY NIGHT: DESIGNER NIGHT! You design shot, I design price”).

The Claudette’s have a strange history – and an interesting story behind their name.

“Michael Caskey, a drummer from Chicago, and I had a piano-and-drum duo;” said Iguana. “We called a place called Claudette’s Bar in 2010 looking for a gig in between Chicago and St. Louis. Claudette booked us into her bar in Oglesby (Illinois) and fell in love with the band.

“So, she hired us as her house band and put them. That drummer’s wife had a baby so we hired a new drummer and then expanded to a four-piece. Since then, we’ve done a ton of shows.”

The show at Twisted Tail will be a homecoming for Iguana.

“I was born in New Jersey and grew up in the Philly area,” said Iguana. “I graduated from Upper Dublin High School and the University of Pennsylvania.

“Then, I moved to New York City where I worked in publishing and played piano. I began meeting blues musicians and playing in blues bands. I met Junior Wells in Chicago and played piano in his band.”

In addition to touring internationally and recording six albums with his cult-favorite rock band oh my god, Iguana has played live or recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, James Cotton, Lil’ Ed, Carey Bell, Billy Boy Arnold, Lurrie Bell, John Primer, Billy Branch, Carlos Johnson, Sugar Blue, Dave Myers and Eddie Shaw.

In between legs of their summer and fall tour, the Claudettes went to Soil of the South studio in Valdosta, Georgia to record a new album at the invitation of noted producer Mark Neill.

“We got the call to go to the studio in Georgia so I left my house in shambles,” said Iguana. “We were in the studio in Valdosta for 10 days. We’ll be playing some of the new stuff when we get to Philly.”

Video link for the Claudettes —  https://youtu.be/eCwind2DR5s.

The show at Twisted Tail will start at 9:15 p.m. Admission is free.

Fit for a King, which plays a show at the Theater of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-922-1011, http://venue.tlaphilly.com/) on October 28, is a Christian metalcore band from the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas.

The show in Philly is “The Noise Presents Beartooth: The Aggressive Tour with Beartooth, Every Time I Die, Fit for a King, Old Wounds.”

Fit for a King was started in 2007 by drummer Jared Easterling along with four fellow Texas musicians. Easterling, who is the sole founding member still in the band, is joined in the current lineup by Ryan Kirby (vocals), Bobby Lynge (guitar) and Ryan O’Leary (bass, vocals).

“It’s been about three years with the present lineup, said Kirby, during a phone interview last week from his Texas home. “Once we got signed by Solid State Records, there have been only two changes. Before that, it was all over the place.

“I was in a small local band from Fort Worth (Bodies Awake). Fit for a King was a bigger local band. Me and Bobby were in the same band. We were familiar with Fit for a King. We knew they were a respected Christian metalcore band and that they were doing good things.”

The band has released four albums on Solid State – “Descendants” (2011), “Creation/Destruction” (2013), “Slave to Nothing” (2014) and “Deathgrip,” which just came out earlier this month.

“’Descendants’ was my first stuff with Fit for a King,” said Kirby. “We toured that album for a long time – I think a year-and-a-half. That’s a good amount of time for fans’ attention span.”

Now, the focus is on “Deathgrip.”

“We tracked the album in January this year and spent five weeks in the studio,” said Kirby. “We made it on Detroit with Nick Sampson. We chose him because he is fresh. He’s a new face on the scene and this was one of his first chances to do a full project.”

Fit for a King has been able to span genres with strong appeal for Christian fans and for metalheads.

“About half our fans could care less that we’re a Christian band,” said Kirby, during a phone interview last week from his Texasx home. “The other half care a lot. All our songs are written from a Christian point of view.

“But, we’re definitely metal with dirty and clean vocals. On this album, there is less clean on it. I do about half the singing – and all the screaming. Our bass player does the other half of the singing.”

Video link for Fit for a King – https://youtu.be/t-7aJxrFr4E?t=60.

The multi-act show at the TLA will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $19.50.

Other upcoming shows at the Theater of the Living Arts are The Pietasters on October 29, Hafro Kondabolu on October 30, Lecrae on October 31 and The Philly Swish on November 2.

For family-friendly music and Halloween fun this weekend, the place to be is the World Cafe Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-994-1400, http://queen.worldcafelive.com).

On October 29 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Peanut Butter and Jams welcomes Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam for a gala “Jungle Gym Jam Costume Party.”

The event is a costume party with the Jungle Gym Jam (full band), Adults are invited to bring out their kids in their Halloween costumes — and wear their own costumes too. As an added attraction, 10 per cent of the admission proceeds will benefit Xavier Ross – a five-year-old heart patient since birth — at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam take their native New Jersey surroundings seriously.

So much so that they named their dinosaur puppet “Bruce” after Bruce Springsteen and sing original songs that profess their love for family vacations on the Jersey Shore. Their music features a Jersey rock sound paired with kid-friendly lyrics.

At a Jungle Gym Jam show, interactivity is key.

Special moments in the show that elicit audience participation include freeze dancing, jumping (pretending you’re jumping on the bed), playing peek-a-boo with a giant Moon cut-out (ideal for the younger kids), learning the differences between sea lions and seals (while dancing and pointing to the one specific facial feature that’s different between the two creatures), and correcting Jason’s silly “mistakes” in between songs.

The energetic music is a tight match to the interactive content and warm, intelligent lyrics. Didner’s music has been described as “Bruce Springsteen for kids” and “Elvis Costello in a particularly good mood.”

Jason and Amy Didner are the couple that created the Jungle Gym Jam out of the inspiration they got from parenting their now-4-year-old daughter. They co-write all their lyrics, often as a way of recapturing special family memories and making them universal.

They perform with a full rock band in situations of larger audience and wider age ranges like at the Bronx Zoo or Jones Beach Band Shell. They play as an acoustic duo in more intimate settings and a younger audience, at libraries, museums, pre-schools and birthday parties.

“When my daughter got to be a year-and-a-half old, her curiosity about the world around her got my attention,” said Jason Didner, during a recent phone interview from his home in Montclair, New Jersey.

“Amy and I found ourselves writing songs. It led us down this rabbit hole of seeing things all new ways. Now that our daughter Holly is almost five, our songwriting has grown with her. She’s become a big part of the music.

“We started writing songs more than three years ago. Having a band with other musicians will be three years in March. We probably do 40-50 shows a year.”

The appeal is simple and the approach is direct.

According to Didner, the heart of their music-making is pure rock-n-roll while their lyrics strive to entertain through humor and good storytelling. The lyrics also sneak in some learning while the young audience is busy having fun. Puppets and skits play a large role in their live show — providing visual variety and engaging the kids’ sense of wonder.

“We came out with our first CD two years ago,” said Didner. “The follow-up CD will be out in May. We’ve already released three songs from the upcoming CD. We’re up around 80 videos on YouTube. It’s a mix of live videos in our home studio. Some are acted out and some are animated.

“The lyrics are geared to learning and discovery. In our live shows, we’ve entertained all the way up to tweens and teens. When we have a full band, we can rock out.”

Video link for Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam — https://youtu.be/8NVefzU4DtE?t=4.

Doors for the party at the World Café Live at the Queen will open at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $8.

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) will have Francis Dunnery & His Sensational Electric Band on October 27; Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins along with Travis Larson Band on October 28; Approaching Black & White, Boxcar, and Anatomy of an Outcast on October 30; and Shooting Shark, The 45’s and 46 Sherman on October 30.

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com) will present Steal Your Face Band on October 28, Halloween Party with the Steel City House Band on October 29 and Eric Sommer on November 2.

Chaplin’s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110, http://chaplinslive.com) will host Chestnut Grove on October 28 and Laughing Water and Ryan Cohen on October 29.

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389, www.ardmoremusic.com) will have John Kadlecik Band with special guest Midnight North on October 27, The GTVs and Wayside Shakeup on October 28, Halloween with Phillybloco on October 29, and Splintered Sunlight with special guest David Gans on October 30.

Valley Forge Casino (1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, 610-354-8118, www.vfcasino.com) will present Dirty Heads on October 28.

Tin Angel (20 South Second Street, Philadelphia, 215-928-0770, http://www.tinangel.com) will present Chris Trapper on October 28, Chatham County Line on November 2.

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547, www.burlapandbean.com) will present The Sea, The Sea on October 27, Rod Picott and Michael Braunfeld on October 28, and Vilebreed on October 29.

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650, www.keswicktheatre.com) presents Kathleen Madigan on October 27, Colbie Caillat on October 28 and Tig Notaro on November 2.

The New Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, 302- 475-2313, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org) is presenting the musical “Hairspray” now through October 30.

Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings (doors 6 p.m./show, 8 p.m.) and Sunday afternoons (doors, 1 p.m./show, 3 p.m.). Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $59 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).