Old Springs Pike @ Joe’s Pub, NYC

January 7th, 2008 - by Linda

Indie, NYC, Reviews, Shows

Having a Tony award winning actor in your band probably doesn’t hurt your popularity, especially if you’re playing at a theater lover’s hot spot like Joe’s Pub or if the Tony winner happens to be John Gallagher Jr., who originated the role of Moritz in last year’s darling of Broadway, Spring Awakening. But Old Springs Pike is more than just that guy from Spring Awakening’s band. The media buzz around that musical has certainly helped the band’s exposure and since Gallagher left the show in December, teenage girls might have started attending the concerts to get their John Gallagher Jr. fix, but those who come in as SA fans leave OSP fans forever.

Old Springs Pike played a sold-out four-night engagement at Joe’s Pub starting on Jan. 2 and ending with two shows on Jan. 6 (yes, I can count, the band didn’t play on Saturday). Joe’s Pub, part of the Public Theatre, is a cozy venue with plenty of tables and couches. It’s a great space, even if there is a two drink or $12 food minimum. I attended Friday’s show, which had the early start time of 7:30 p.m. and actually started pretty close to on time.

Gallagher, James Cleare (the crazy red-haired guitar player), Heather Robb (the one girl who can hold her own in this boy’s club), and James Smith (the sweater-sporting percussionist), are four childhood friends from Delaware. Their closeness is apparent from the way they interact onstage, not just when they sing in four-part harmony, but in the sense of humor they share. They invited the audience to be part of their conversations, which included Cleare’s recap of the sponge episode of Seinfeld, a discussion about ’80s movies, and a story involving Smith’s Cosby sweater and the Weezer’s “Undone (the Sweater Song).” When Gallagher joked that he didn’t remember the ’80s, then admitted that he did, it occured to me that many of the audience members probably didn’t actually remember the ’80s, but if they didn’t get the references, they didn’t let on.

The band’s website describes the shows as not just a concert, but an “event.” The amusing banter is part of this, but what keeps the audience coming back night after night is the unique (I hate that word, but sometimes it does actually fit) brand of music. If you want to get technical, the music is some combination of barbershop quartet, acoustic, indie rock, folk, a capella, country, experimental (one song involves water bottles), and probably any other adjective you can stick in front of the word “rock”, but it pretty much defies categorization. Highlights included the beautifully melodic “Still Sixteen,” the bluegrass-y “The Great Escape,” and a Beatles medley which brilliantly included the somewhat obscure “Run For Your Life.”

The band members had a contagious energy as they stomped their feet and jumped around the stage which was actually reminiscent of (I hate to go here) Spring Awakening. Those thoughts are fleeting as these four equally talented musicians are quite seperate from Gallagher’s past, but it is fair to say that this band may be reinventing the live concert experience in a way similar to what Spring Awakening did for the musical.

When the band started to say their goodbyes about an hour after the show started, it felt like only 10 minutes had passed. After the show, what looked like half the audience or more braced the cold to wait for the band, who showed their generosity by chatting with each and every person. While I wish only the best for this band, it is sad to think of a time when their audiences may get too big to continue this process.

I bought the three-song EP (I know these songs are available on iTunes or MySpace, but there’s something about buying it from the band) and while I’m sure I’ll be listening to it often, it does not quite capture the experience of a live show. So if you are lucky enough to live in Boston or New York, try to catch Old Springs Pike. If not, be patient. I’m sure they’ll be traveling around soon.

Old Springs Pike “The Drink in my Hand”

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