Peter Holsapple Combo - Live in Charlotte Videos + Report

The Evening Muse
Charlotte, N.C.
Nov. 4, 2018
  

Peter's combo played an hour-long set Sun. afternoon at Charlotte's Evening Muse

ROB SEZ: No audio this time, but I'm posting just about everything else: photos, video and my account of the event as it happened. Here's a taste of the proceedings, shot on my iPhone (hang in there for my 180-degree pan of the room near the end).

The Peter Holsapple Combo plays "Amplifier" by The dB's

 

Next, the set list:

The Man, the Myth, the Glasses

  

- Game Day*

- Commonplace*

- Continental Drifters*

- In Too Deep*

- Don't Mention the War*

- Invisible Boyfriend

- Inventory*

- I Can't Keep from Crying, Sometimes^

    (The Blues Project) 

- Tuff Day*
- Don't Worry 'Bout John

- Amplifier (The dB's)

- Them Changes* (Buddy Miles) - encore

  

* = selections from Game Day, the new album

^ composed by Blind Willie Johnson & Al Kooper

  

The venue & the show

The Evening Muse is located in Charlotte's hip NoDa (North Davidson) neighborhood. The Muse has been voted best listening room in multiple city-wide readers' polls, and it's easy to see why. It's a smallish venue with a great bar, friendly hosts, an excellent sound system, and plenty of hard surfaces to give it the right acoustics for a rock show.

Evidently, the Peter Holsapple Combo took a late afternoon time slot prior to a "prime time" show later in the evening. Doors opened half an hour before the start time, and all three members of the combo milled around the venue, greeting friends and fans like me. Peter spotted my dB's Repercussion Blog tee shirt, greeted me warmly, and handed me a PH Combo badge. Will Rigby came over to talk to me a few minutes later, while I attempted to scarf down some shrimp tacos from a nearby restaurant. Will introduced me to a family member, who lives in the greater Charlotte area. I then chatted a while with a dB's fan who told be about seeing the band live in 1979 and 1980 in its first incarnation — leaving me more than a bit envious.
  
After taking the stage, Peter announced the band didn't have much time, so it would be a "more music, less talk" kind of show. The guys then launched into the first four songs from Game Day, the new Peter Holsapple solo album. Immediately, I noticed two things: 1) the PH Combo is sounding confident & strong after playing a series of recent live shows, and 2) the rhythm section featuring the excellent Will Rigby on drums and impressive Glenn Jones on bass are a formidable addition to Peter's singing and lead guitar playing. Will's retirement from Steve Earle's Dukes sounds like it suits him: his drumming was relaxed-but-righteous.
  

 

Peter's choice comments of the evening:

  

- Regarding his 2016 vinyl single "Don't Mention the War" including a card for a digital download (so as not to leave out fans with no turntable): "We're all about inclusion here in the Peter Holsapple Combo."
  
- Regarding the inspiration for the song "Inventory" (cleaning out his mother's condo after she passed away): "You read these stories [that are] like, 'Your kids don't want your furniture' — and it's true!"
  
- Regarding the inspiration for the song "Tuff Day", Peter talked about a co-worker of his at the Durham Performing Arts Center, his former employer. John "was this old guy at work. I'd ask him how he was doing and he'd say, 'tough day, tough day.' "
  

Here's one more I bet you haven't heard Peter sing before...

In sum, it was great to hear one half of The dB's playing 
together again after a 5-year hiatus.