I’m ashamed of myself that last night was the first time I’ve ever been to Joe’s Pub after having lived in the city for over six years. I have clearly been overlooking an entertainment gem. Those of you who have been for a concert, know what a comfortable, intimate, and accoustically gorgeous venue it is. Granted, you might have to share a table with some strangers, but just think of it as a great way to make some new friends! If that doesn’t fly for you, you can always choose to sit at one of the counters, side by side your date, facing the stage.
We went to see Glen Phillips (lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket) on this particular night. Sadly, when we arrived we learned that he was suffering from some vocal issues and would not be performing, though he would come out and say hello. As expected, they offered a full refund for all tickets purchased for the evening. Not expected, but incredibly appreciated, was the fact that we were able to get a full refund and stay for the show. Sweetness.
The food selection was pretty good, and we tried the bruschetta platter with lemon artichoke, roasted tomato, and artichoke spinach, which was delicious. We also tried their mojito cocktail, which I thought was very tasty and well made.
The opener for the evening was a ruggedly handsome young man with a very sexy voice, Jonathan Kingham, who basically made my knees weak, and I was immediately glad we had stuck around. He is on tour with Glen Phillips and sang some great songs off his album Smooth Out the Lines, as well as an amazing rendition of Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step.” He also accompanied and helped Glen out when he tried to sing a few Toad the Wet Sprocket songs (chosen so the audience could do most of the singing), despite his clearly croaky voice. We definitely appreciated Glen’s attempt at singing for us, since many performers won’t even make an appearance when they aren’t feeling well and tickets have been refunded.
After the show, Glen and Jonathan were just hanging around outside the entrance to the Pub, which was nice to see and gave people the opportunity to say hello. I wonder if this is a normal thing after performances, or just Glen and Jonathan being so down to earth. Overall, I loved my experience at Joe’s Pub and will make a point to go more often.
