Patrolled By Radar at Tom Bergin’s, 6-18-23: Photos

Patrolled By Radar performing "Kodachrome"

Tom Bergin’s Public House is the oldest Irish bar in Los Angeles, and it is the site of an outdoor concert series titled Bigtop Bandstand Summer Concert Series. Every Sunday from now to the end of August, live music will be performed under the tent set up in the pub’s parking lot. Yesterday patrons were treated to a great set by Patrolled By Radar. Stephanie Erin Wittmer opened the show with a wonderful set, playing songs from her EP, Pilot, as well as some new material, including “Gut Feeling,” “Texas Is Haunted” and “Maybe It’s The Moonlight.” She also did a cover of “Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses,” the only cover of her set. Her entire set was really good, and among my personal favorites were “Tennessee” and “Cavalier.” There was a short break between bands, enough time to use the loo and get another Guinness. The staff will bring whatever food you order outside to your table, but you have to go back in for drinks.

At the start of Patrolled By Radar’s set, Jay Souza (who now also goes by RJ Bloke) urged folks to put sunblock on their necks, for as the sun was going down, its rays were beginning to hit us inside the tent. They opened the set with a cover of “I’m A Lover, Not A Fighter,” a song that was done by The Kinks, but originally recorded by Lazy Lester. I was lucky enough to see Lazy Lester perform this song just a year before he died. Patrolled By Radar did a cool, country rock rendition. The band did a lot of original material, including some old favorites like “Widow Next Door,” “Coat Of Disappointment” and “Fast Life, Slow Death,” as well as material from the new RJ Bloke solo album, Hold Drugs Dear. They also did several covers, including Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” (with a variation on the song’s first line), The Rolling Stones’ “Waiting On A Friend,” and Cheap Trick’s “Surrender.” Toward the end of their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Lodi,” Jay changed the line to “Stuck inside Bergin’s again,” as a nod to the bar. Before the cover of “Waiting On A Friend,” he mentioned that later this summer they are going to hold a special show there to celebrate Mick Jagger’s eightieth birthday, with several bands covering Stones songs (as well as Beatles songs and performing originals). They wrapped up the set with Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited.” The show ended at 8:10 p.m.

Patrolled By Radar Set List

1. I’m A Lover, Not A Fighter
2. Widow Next Door
3. Coat Of Disappointment
4. Kodachrome
5. Where Are You Now
6. El Norte
7. California Falls
8. Lodi
9. God Is A Scarecrow
10. Waiting On A Friend
11. Be Happy
12. Surrender
13. Fast Life, Slow Death
14. Someone Else’s Train
15. Better Than Then
16. Highway 61 Revisited

Here are some photos from the show:

Stephanie Erin Wittmer

Stephanie Erin Wittmer

"I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter"

"El Norte"

"El Norte"

"El Norte"

"El Norte"

"Be Happy"

Tom Bergin’s is located 840 S. Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles, California.