On a fateful October night (October 5th to be exact) Jonathan Richman blessed all in attendance with a performance that truly embodied his whacky and unconventional songwriting. Richman and accompanying drummer Tommy Larkins were in the middle of a short midwest run, and stopped in Ferndale, Michigan after playing in Columbus, Ohio the night before. When I realized that I would have the opportunity to witness this rare and special night of music, I bought a ticket right away. The Magic Bag was the perfect setting to enjoy this two-man performance. The venue has a sort of magician theme to it, which provided all of the fantastical wonder and whimsy of a traditional magic show.
After much anticipation, and an incessant chanting for JoJo to appear, the tenured musical magician emerged with acoustic guitar in hand. Immediately, he launched into an animated strumming of “No One Was Like Vermeer.” His bewildered wide-eyed stare and intentionally-awkward dancing alluded to The Modern Lovers’ iconic TopPop TV performance in 1978. After a short interlude the two started “Let Her Go Into the Darkness,” a raw and wishful telling of lost love. Jonathan wasn’t afraid to abandon his guitar during this one as he danced around while playing various auxiliary percussion instruments. The audience enthusiastically sang along, and were eager to chant “Laundromat, Laundromat, Laundromat!” as the song came to a close.
The next song, “Cold Pizza,” is a newer piece in Richman’s massive repertoire about accepting life as it is: often mundane yet subtly joyful (much like the last cold slice in the box). After this one, JoJo paid homage to his mentors in the New York art scene with “They Showed Me the Door to Bohemia.” In this song, he notes his pretentious art-school portfolio and awkward presence upon arriving in New York that helped him shape his artwork into what it is today. The second half of the set contained some of the artist’s most recognized tunes. After a short cover of “Light My Fire” by The Doors, the audience was jamming to “I was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar” followed by “Pablo Picasso.” The night ended with a reprise of “Cold Pizza” and an unaccompanied a-cappella ballad called “I Had to See the Harm I’d Done Before I Could Change.”
There are few artists that still perform today who truly represent the early art-punk scene in New York and Boston. We lost Lou Reed in 2013, David Bowie in 2016, and Tom Verlaine just last year. Richman pays homage to these legends that showed him the door to bohemia every time he gets on stage through his unique and animated telling of life’s absurdities. Jonathan Richman is an artist who stands firm in his artistry and writing prose. Seeing him sing and jive on stage was simply captivating for those present. He could’ve gone up there and sang half of I’m a Little Teapot; the crowd still would have went wild.