Hey, Band!

By JoCo February 1, 2011

Thanks to the kind audiences of Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Philadelphia who sat through a bunch of new material with the new band without freaking out. I myself was freaking out a little, but mostly in a good way. Still learning to deal with this electric guitar thingie, but for the most part I think the new stuff is working great. This probably will not come as a surprise, but playing loud fast music with a band is SO MUCH FUN. I should make some sort of an “album.”

Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver are the next cities to have a chance to call me Judas, when I bring the rock (and the band) there in February. I’m excited to announce that JoCo Cruise Crazy phenom Mike Phirman will be opening for me all three shows. He’s a delightful fellow, a talented musician, and a very funny guy who absolutely killed on the cruise. You would not be crazy to come to these shows just to see him, never mind my dumb set.

OK, wintery mix, have to go salt the car.

Comments

Magnificent Minimalist says

Yes! You should make many albums! You should make all of the albums in all of the land!

The Whistler at the Bar says

C'mon back! We'll be happy to be test monkeys again :)

Darlene says

Hey Jonathan I LOVE to hear your voice!
My Brother and I took My 2 kids for their first JOCO show. Now my 17 year old son is into guitar and the 18 year old is into computers, with that connection I thought we would have a great time, the dinner was good the creame brulee was great the seats/couch was awesome. the Drums were too much, no really they were too loud, we felt they took away from what your were singing, and the guys who were new to the music couldn't hear your words, and us who did know the words were actually unconformable to over come the pounding of the drums, dont get me wrong he was a GREAT and TALENTED DRUMMER! VERY ENTERTAINING but I came to HEAR you,and enjoy your singing.

Gina says

The live show with the band in Baltimore was fantastic, and I enjoyed way more than I thought I would. I also really enjoy Jonathan's voice, but I have seen him so many times the electric guitar and band was a nice change. Plus we got to hear a lot of new songs. I'm almost done uploading the whole set to youtube - look for most of it now and the rest soon here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ginamai

I'm really looking forward to the album! So I can hear those songs clearly instead of my crappy recordings.

And yes go see Mike Phirman! He is awesome, and officially the nicest guy in the world.

roz warren says

I was lucky enough to get to both the Baltimore and the Philadelphia shows and they were both fucking wonderful. I can't wait to have a new JoCo album to buy and listen to obsessively. One of the new songs has lodged itself in my brain right now and apparently plans to stay there indefinitely. Keep playing that electric guitar thingy and I will keep buying tickets to your shows. (Especially if Paul & Storm are the opening band.)

Joseph Feldman says

If you reply to this comment, then that would be awesome, and it would make me want to buy one of your CD's. Which I was going to anyway but would make me hurry up and buy it sooner.

crazydiamond says

ty ty ty for returning to pittsburgh! next time, lemme know if you want the guest room. i'll make my famous muffins.

eagerly awaiting the new album! my maternal crush on you grows stronger with every song!

Mitch says

I drove three and a half hours and pushed a car twenty feet up hill in half-foot deep snow to see the Pittsburgh Show. (It was like a 10 degree incline, but still up hill.) I still think it was worth it. I am upset that you didn't Soft Rock us though. All in all was great for my first JoCo show and I hope to see another.

I love the band and do agree the drums were a tad overpowering at some points but I loved the show and now have a new found love for Paul And Storm.

Arrrrrr! Come to Columbus!
-Mitch

Blue Canary says

My boyfriend and I drove from Massachusetts to see the Pittsburgh and Baltimore shows. So totally worth it! Both shows rocked like crazy. Very sorry we couldn't stick around for Philly, as it busted my perfect record of band show attendance. You are totally right, the new stuff is working great. More than great! The shows have a really wonderful vibe and it's so obvious you guys are having a lot of fun up there.

In short... Love the new material. Love the band. Love everything. Can't wait for the new album!

Matt says

Yeah, turn those drums down! There's a volume knob on every drum kit, just under the hi-hat - didn't Beller know that?

Matt says

I was at the Philly show and had a blast. Stop being nervous about the new stuff dude — everyone's champing at the bit to hear it. Come back soon!

Andy Potter says

The philly show was hilarious. I loved hearing new and old songs at an "almost one-to-one ratio". My only real complaint was that it was kinda hard to hear you singing sometimes. The band is obviously very talented and funny, but maybe get the sound guy to turn down their instruments a hair so that we can hear you singing. Despite that, I still found the band really fun to listen to, and I understand that touring with a band is a new thing at the moment so there are bound to be kinks.

Liz says

Had a blast at the Baltimore show! Loved the old and the new stuff, though I'm a relatively new JoCo fan so some of the old stuff was new to me. Thanks for signing my Thing-a-Week and staying around for pics. Now I'm filling the brains of friends with new (old?) music. Makes them tastier. Looking forward to the next album!

Jay says

Loved your third stint into the Steel City. Me and my wife have caught you every time you've hit our sleepy little 'burb and each time it gets better. Very exited about the new band and the new album. I'm kinda getting a TMBG vibe from the new material which is interesting.

Cinnamon Beard is the name of my Gordon Lightfoot cover band.

Dwain says

I drove out to see the Pittsburgh from Columbus, OH. (please come to Ohio again!)

It was a great show! Love the band, I think your having a good problem. You need a bigger venue.

I think everyone's favorite part was the sing along at the end. Hope we didn't make Paul and Storm to mad with all the Arrrr's.

I can't wait for the new album! (and the new portal song)

Dominic Widdows says

We were thrilled to have you here in Pittsburgh! Everyone sang without fearing that they're off-key singers, everyone danced without fearing that they're rubbish dancers. Please take this as a compliment - You and the band and Paul and Storm are just great at encouraging us to enjoy doing something we're bad at!

JessLynne says

Maybe I'm living in the past, but I would REALLY LOVE IT if tees with the Monster Mayhem graphic were available on Topaco. I really think it's your best graphic to date and I'd like to replace mine.

roz warren says

Speaking as somebody who is very happy to have the new songs lodged in my brain since Monday's Philly show I am wondering when we are actually going to be able to get our hands on the new stuff and if there's any hope that you might release one or two songs before the CD comes out. I love them and I want to buy them.

Miserichik says

My fiance and I were at the Philly show (our second WCL JoCo/P and S show) and really LOVED the new stuff with the band. Since we're huge TMBG fans AND big Muckaferguson fans (yep, we recognized Chris Anderson!) we knew this band would roxxor.

We also feel the drums were a bit loud, but loved the show anyway. Marty makes the weirdest faces as he plays!!

Lawrence Enzyme says

Hey, JoCo. are you going to write a song about minecraft?

Val says

Drove out from Buffalo to see you in Pittsburgh, and it was fantastic! Only complaints would be to echo that it was a little hard to hear what you were playing sometimes and that now I love the new music, but can't download it yet. Thankfully there's pretty much a YouTube video for every concert venue you've done with the new material.

Keep on rocking, and put the new stuff out soon please!

Scott Imbeau says

Is there room for Molly Lewis on the bill for the Vancouver show as well?

Frank says

I was at the Philadelphia show and it was AWESOME. Seriously, worth the train ride into the city on a Monday night. I had never seen Paul and Storm play, but they were hilarious. I think the band was a nice addition, even if the drums drowned out your vocals a bit.

patrick says

Hope your still playing in 2016 cause thats when im old enough to go to the US and see you live

Tristan says

Thanks for the great show in portland, Hope to see you next year

Xenagogue says

The show in Portland was incredible. Mike Phirman was a total hit, and the new material is solidly "Coulton".
I understand why you are so nervous, JoCo. But your fans are more adaptable than you likely assume. I, for one, can't wait to hear more. Maybe in "album" form? (or conversely, another Portland show. :D)

Eye care solutions says

Nice show in Portland, I love the band. Hope we here good news soon :)