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Brian Fitzpatrick 4/19/03 Jesting a bit about the two-night residency of which this show was a part, Brian opened with the comment that "last night was the first night of our tour...tonight's the last night"... ...before getting down to business with that oft-declared fave of mine, "Forgotten Sounds"...
"She said, 'See, there's
After this, Brian called to the stage his loyal comrade, Ed Fritze, about whom he noted, "We've been together six years -- well, not sexually..." Hmm, I'm sure that's good news to Brian's girlfriend! In any case, together Brian and Ed next embarked on that song about a much less healthy relationship than (either of those) referenced above, "C
"I know you're But I ain't But one of
The pair then shared a tune Brian said is "off a record I did that I never put out", adding ruefully, "it was that good..." Well, if the song, "Faith" is any indication it was pretty good indeed! "I lost my faith; but I never lost faith in you"
Brian next explained that he'd attended a songwriter's circle a few months back, and that as part of the group's process, each participant drew names out of a hat, with instructions to have a song of that title written and ready to perform the following week. He picked "Drunk In Vegas" -- a particular irony for a guy who doesn't drink(!) -- and while it ended up taking a bit longer than a week, Brian nonetheless proved himself more than up to the challenge by debuting the very appropriately raw and edgy result for the Luna Stage audience...
"The machine, it was But I kept pulling the lever; Thought if I one once, I might keep winning forever...
I'm drunk in Vegas And you don't love me anymore."
Another of my faves, a much older song from Brian's first release, followed... "I
"Man, it's getting cold I don't wanna leave, I know I've got to take It's not that I mind I've been alone before -- So many times, seems
...after which came another of his newest songs -- one he announced he'd just recorded a couple weeks prior to this show. And, based on "Far From Thee", it sounds like Brian Fitzpatrick fans can look forward to a truly fantastic new album in the not-too-distant future...
"Oh, no, don't say it's so... Oh, Lord, don't let me falter... Oh, Lord, don't let me be Oh, Lord, in the darkness Don't let me stray too
Next, Brian dedicated "Incidental", a tune from the most recent album, State of Grace, to Frank, a good friend he said had been "a really big influence on my life when I was a kid"... "I went out looking for a prophet to maybe
...and recalled the memory of another old friend, one who unfortunately passed on much too soon, to be feasted by the gods at the mythical place of peace and beauty, "Valhalla"...
"Time's gone by I know now that I understand you're
And, continuing for a bit this musical visitation to acquaintances from his past, Brian then introduced a song he "likes to say" is "about someone long ago in a galaxy far, far away"...one I think it's safe to assume from that statement he'd rather not encounter a little "Further Down The Line"...
"I was halfway up my I was reeling from
...which was followed by the more fondly reflective "Thinking"...
"I heard myself talkin', Walkin' in the rain Past rows of
broken
I found myself thinking, Thinking of you."
Leaving the darkness for a bit, next came another track from his first release, Other Side...a beautiful, and characteristically Brian Fitzpatrick-like tune... meaning that despite its title, "Cliche Love Song", one that sounds pretty distinctive (and most certainly non-cliched) to me...
"At the risk of sounding cliche, And saying what you'd I'll say it anyway; I'm in love with you."
And, adding a bit of likewise characteristic Brian-Fitzpatrick-like tongue-in-cheek humor, he offered the mock self-compliment, "You all want me to marry your daughters now, right? Aww, he's so sweet!" (Uh, well, that may be true, actually...BUT, I would remind you this is the same guy who penned the line, "I'm balancing on a dime, but I ain't killed you yet"...not that I'm implying anything by that, mind you... I'm KIDDING, Brian!!!) Anyway, after this the set began to wind down with a couple more songs from State of Grace..."
"I know your heart's I'm still believing My heaven's in
...plus the terrific new character study," Ah, ah...no fighting onstage now, boys!!!
"Don't waste a thought May God be on your
In any case, with the above lyrics providing a perfect segue into the set's conclusion, the evening concluded with yet another selection from Other Side, the "
"See, through tired
eyes All time for fear has Jah make
everything
Needless to say, the crowd was hardly watching/listening to this show "through tired eyes", but rather made it clear their only "fear" was that it might end too soon...and "desperate" to prevent this, their thunderous applause soon brought Brian back to the stage for the first of two encores. Prefacing the song he was about to play by dedicating it to his girlfriend, Melissa, he noted that not only had he never played it live before, but that Melissa "doesn't even know I wrote it for her". Well, she does now! And, I'm sure all who know her agree she's well deserving of this honor...
"Free falling disaster, Saved by your embrace; I want to stay forever In this state of grace..."
And, while surely the crowd would have loved to stay forever, listening to Brian's music, at last Ed joined him one more time for what would truly prove the final number for the evening...a rollicking cover called "Key To My Heart"... "Give back my TV...it don't mean that much to me;
And, on that far from tired note, so ended another fantastic evening...such a wonderfully complete night that all I can possibly think to add is... ...thanks much, Bri and Ed! And, of course... See you next time!
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