Jon Svetkey at Home, 4-29-20 Concert Review

When will this pandemic end? Well, not until all the idiots start wearing masks when they go out (looking at you, bicyclists and joggers). And so it will likely be a while before we get to attend concerts again. In the meantime, musicians are struggling to pay their bills, and are managing in part through online concerts. Club Passim, in addition to providing aid through the PEAR (Passim Emergency Artist Relief) Fund, is helping to host a series of online concerts, in an effort to keep musicians off the streets. They’re safer that way, and so are we. Today, Jon Svetkey (of End Construction and The Loomers) put on a great set from his home, which certainly helped me deal with this twisted reality that has descended upon us. I’ve been digging Jon’s music since those early days at the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus, and this set took me back to better times.

It took me a moment to get the proper window open for the show. The first page I opened did not have the space to leave comments, and interestingly there was like a five-second difference between that page and the one with comments. So I missed the first moments of the first song, which was “Someday,” a good choice of opener. “Do you believe, do you believe there’s truth in lies?/Do you believe, do you believe you’re really alive?” Jon followed that with “If I Met Me At A Party,” and I loved the little shrug he gave before singing “I don’t know.” Of course, we are not meeting anyone at parties these days. After that song, Jon mentioned that he was performing in his basement version of Club Passim, Club Passim being his home away from home. Behind Jon, there was a homemade Club Passim banner, which was made by Jon’s daughter, setting the appropriate mood. And if I weren’t missing Massachusetts enough already, Jon then played “Oh Massachusetts.” I was supposed to be heading to Massachusetts in a week or so, but no longer. I miss Boston. I miss Fenway. And I miss my family. “Oh Massachusetts, here in my heart.”

One thing about these online concerts is that fans are able to place requests, either in the comments section, or on the artist’s page leading up to the show. Several people did just that, and Jon mentioned that some of those requests he received in the past week were for “She’s A Spark.” On “Oh Massachusetts” and “She’s A Spark,” he played harmonica. Jon then replied to a comment posted during the song, regarding a vinyl copy of Bill Morrissey’s Standing Eight which was visible behind him. So he mentioned that Passim’s Matt Smith had given him that record, and inside it had been a flier from the Old Vienna and a ticket for the Bill Morrissey concert where Jon was the opening act. Then, in introducing “P.T. Barnum Was Right,” he said: “I never thought that this song would be so relevant thirty years after writing it. I never thought it would be a principle of governing our country either.”

“I’m going to do a couple of newer ones for you right now,” Jon said, and played “Matchbox Car,” a seriously good song, one I first saw him perform at my brother’s house back in 2016 during an End Construction reunion (well, three-fourths of End Construction). Today he delivered an excellent rendition, and followed that with a much newer one, “Gather ‘Round,” a wonderful song that is particularly poignant during this time of isolation. In this one he sang, “Gather ‘round me, my children/Gather ‘round, old friends of mine/Gather ‘round, my door is open/You are welcome any time/Gather ‘round our basement concerts.” He then played some old favorites – “Big City” and “Dead End Streets.” It was great to hear these songs again. They took me back to those days at the Old Vienna. Great times, those. And actually, before “Big City,” Jon talked about the first time he played the song at that venue. And, yes, it was a bit odd stomping my feet alone at that one point in “Dead End Streets,” but there you have it. In the comments section, I typed “Stomp, stomp, stomp.” What else could I do?

Jon then delivered a really good rendition of “The Vaguely Dylan Blues,” which was even funnier than I’d remembered. He followed that with “I’m Not Down” a beautiful song which, if I were forced to choose, would be my vote for his best song. “I would rather hold your hand on this earth than keep reaching for the stars” is a line that I love. I can’t help it. “Been There, Done That” was next, and is a song that still has that energy and power that it had back in the day. And certain lines now seem to have taken on more meaning, such as “Is this news, I don’t know” and “Is this real, or is this fake?” and “Too many people don’t know what is going on.” Then Jon played “Embrace The Day,” the song The Loomers usually close their shows with, and one that seems to have even more significance than usual. As Jon mentioned, it is a hopeful song. “And it’s true we might not be here tomorrow/And it’s true we take too much for granted.” Heather joined Jon on vocals for the final song of the set, “A Way Of Praying,” a beautiful song, another of Jon’s best. The show ended at 5:10 p.m. eastern time.

Set List

1. Someday
2. If I Met Me At A Party
3. Oh Massachusetts
4. She’s A Spark
5. P.T. Barnum Was Right
6. Matchbox Car
7. Gather ‘Round
8. Big City
9. Dead End Streets
10. The Vaguely Dylan Blues
11. I’m Not Down
12. Been There, Done That
13. Embrace The Day
14. A Way Of Praying