Josh Joplin Concert

He's still got it. I honestly think this is the best Josh Joplin concert I've seen yet. I was skeptical because the venue is low-energy--a sit down at tables kind of venue, but the show definitely did not lack energy, even without a band backing him up.

What I liked most was the selection. The show started with two new songs I've never heard before, moved to some old Josh Joplin hits, one Among the Oak and Ash song, and then a REALLY old song. I simply could not believe that he played Talkin' Folksinger's Blues. I only ever heard that song on his Early Years CD.

But let me back up and tell you about the opener, David Mayfield (pictured: the guy with the beard) (click here for music video). Again, I was skeptical because I thought it would be too country. I like folk, but I really don't like country. However, he was teriffic. Crazy-good guitar skills! I have never seen anyone play a guitar by changing the tuning pegs instead of putting down fingers on the frets. He also put on this extremely awkward persona, so even though he'd 'let down his hair' while he was playing, when it was time for him to talk, he was hilariously awkward. For his last song, he starts singing "The sandy...no, that's not it." (Which, if you're not familiar with Josh Joplin's music, his most famous song "Camera One" starts with "The sandy haired son of Hollywood...")

David Mayfield played with Josh on pretty much all the songs--they're good friends as well as fellow musicians. They did a more rocking version of One Becomes Two. He hit pretty much all the favorites: Camera One, Dutch Wonderland, Gravity, Here I Am, I've Changed. His Cowboy was very cool: "You've got a hip hop thing happening there," David Mayfield said.

We also got the backstory on some of these songs. Nine years of listening to some of this music, I'm not sure I wanted to know that Cowboy was written while watching Baywatch. But the story about how Josh tried to wrestle his brother when he was little by diving off the bunk bed and breaking "lots" of ribs was priceless.

There were some people in the audience who responded to some of Josh's comments loudly, and Josh kept turning to David and going "Uh oh, it's getting interactive again." Also, it was funny that there was a very slow wardrobe change throughout the show. If you look through all my photos, you'll see that Josh starts with glasses, a hat, and scarf. And piece by piece, he would lose items one way or another until he had none of them left.

It sounds like there's a forthcoming Among the Oak and Ash CD, and maybe even a Josh Joplin CD, so I look forward to those.

Here is some footage I shot of the event. There are several excerpts. Please watch!