There are certain moments in a person’s life where they can calmly and confidently sit back and say “I’m in a good place right now.” For me, that moment came in the back room of a Lower East Side bar called The Mercury Lounge. While the exposed brick and cool blue lighting was a nice touch, it wasn’t so much the scenery that brought everyone there such easy going joy, it was the soft spoken singer and guitar player on the stage.
Peter Bradley Adams, a native of Alabama keeps it simple. He brings in depth stories to light, telling them beautifully and effortlessly in his instantly recognizable smooth-as-silk voice, over a finger picked acoustic melody. You don’t go to a Peter Bradley Adams concert for a light show, or complex pyrotechnics, or a crazy crowd experience. You go if you’re a fan of pure singer/songwriter music, and by pure I mean stripped down to the essentials.
The crowd stood silently for an hour and a half, only ever making noise to clap or to remind Mr. Adams of just how much New York loves him. The sounds coming from the stage were intoxicating, flowing finger plucked melodies were accompanied by a unique five stringed tenor guitar playing lead. The guitar, tuned and played like a mandolin, brought a dimension of complexity to the sound that managed to keep a full room’s attention in spite of its quiet and soothing nature.
Occasionally, we were lucky enough to hear PBA’s opener and friend Molly Parden singing back up harmony, that was always a treat. Her voice was a haunting addition to the his songs, adding a layer of vulnerability with their goose bump inducing harmonies. She would meander off and on the stage throughout the night, and it was always a pleasure seeing her walk up to the mic. Every time she did we knew we were in for something great.
Adams played upwards of 15 songs and two encores in his NYC showcase. Many of them brought with explanations or back stories, providing some welcomed context to the narrative we were all listening intently for. The subjects ranged from songs about his home of Birmingham to the difficulty of traveling to breaking out of jail, really everything and anything you’d expect a singer/songwriter to talk about, he talked about.
Overall, the experience was calming and intense. As an audience we were collectively entranced by the music. In spite of the dark standing room only setting flushed with ambient blue light and filled with gentle acoustic Americana music, the show was never boring and never felt like it was dragging. Like I said, you know what to expect with a Peter Bradley Adams show, expect flawless fingerpicking and singing with some great stories mixed in. I can safely speak for the audience when I say that our expectations were met and exceeded. If the Peter Bradley Adams tour rolls through your city or town, I highly suggest you get yourself and a friend a ticket immediately.
If you need any added motivation, here is one of the songs he played for us that night, titled “Full Moon Song.”
-Ryan Schmitz
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