It may (should?) come as no surprise, but Allison and I think that Andrew Peterson is fantastic, both as a musician and a cool guy. In years past, it would not have been unusual to find us at AP concerts throughout the Southeast, and then driving through the night to get back home in time for school or work the next day. Unfortunately, we rarely undertake those infamous concert roadtrips these days, which is a sign that we're either (a) more responsible or (2) much busier than we once were. But on occasion, we hit the road in search of adventure.
Friday night, we drove up to New City Cafe in Knoxville, TN, to see Andy in concert. We really dig what New City does. They are located in the middle of "The Old City," which is an historic district filled with all kinds of restaurants, nightclubs, boutiques, etc. New City's goal is to provide an outlet for quality Christian art and education within that setting. Andy always puts on a great show, and this time was no exception. As usual, pianoman Ben Shive provided musical backup and comic relief (and a decent Han Solo imitation at one point). Additionally, Andy Gullahorn (husband of Jill Phillips) played guitar and sang with them. Andy G. has a penchant for writing humorously offbeat songs. Friday, he showcased one about America's favorite hairstyle ("Business in the Front, Party in the Back"), as well as a delightful ditty about an enterprising grocery store owner who brilliantly marketed a Pope-endorsed breakfast cereal ("Holy Flakes"). Be sure to check out his website, since it showcases his dry and offbeat sense of humor.
As I said, it was a great concert, and Andy (P., that is - it's getting hard to keep track of all these Andy's!) recorded it for possible use as a live album. I love Andy's music because he is a terrific storyteller. He has a knack for writing songs about specific people and circumstances, all the while making sure the themes are universally recognizable and applicable. He didn't play many new songs, but somehow - as always - he managed to thoroughly enchant and entertain the audience, even though we have heard those same songs innumerable times in the past. I've figured out that this occurs because the songs are merely an extension of the man, who is a very real and down-to-earth guy. Plus, he's pretty funny. Definitely worth the drive home in the wee hours of the morning.
Of course, it's Tuesday night and I'm just now writing about the show from Friday. That should indicate how busy things have been around these parts! But, I hope to have time to share more anecdotes soon, such as the never-ending saga of the sewer work across from my office. I'm sure everyone is turning blue with excitement.
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