Photos by Debi Del Grande

“Don’t touch people who don’t consent to be touched by you. Larger people – let smaller people get in front of you. In general, the policy is ladies to the front. You have to believe and fully commit to everything I say in speech and in song.”

When you are in Ezra Furman‘s jurisdiction, it is impossible not to have a good time. Furman connects so easily with the crowd. And this particular crowd, who was packed in tight at The Echo, appeared to be very happy to hear the witty singer/songwriter/guitarist and his extremely talented band, the Boy-Friends, including sax god Tim Sandusky. They played a set full of songs that had were jazzy, uplifting and relevant. New songs were played from the fantastic album Perpetual Motion People.

“It’s a scary thing to be on a stage. I gotta admit it. I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I’m still quite scared of it. But I feel a benevolence from you — and I don’t know why you did come, but I’m glad you did come. It means a lot to me and the band.”

Doing is solo thing, Guy Blakeslee only needed his heartfelt stories, guitar, ankle tambourine and wrist bells.

From a broken train to America to her bff, Rachel Goodrich started things off.

Out on the open prairie
The amber weighs a grain
I sat and lit my fire
I saw your passing train
I watched your yellow windows
I couldn’t see your face

I thought you’d always be
MY ZERO
I thought you’d always be
MY ZERO

Sitting down by the fire
I cook my can of beans
I draw the constellations
I wonder what they mean
Sit back, replay my movie
I go through all the scenes

I thought you’d always be
MY ZERO
I thought you’d always be
MY ZERO

MY ZERO

I’ve gone away forever
The wrong side of the tracks
My blood all filled with garbage
My heart shot through with cracks
I saw her dark hair falling
All down her snow-white back

I thought you’d always be
MY ZERO
I thought you’d always be
MY ZERO

Setlist:
Rock and Roll (The Velvet Underground cover)
Anything Can Happen
At the Bottom of the Ocean
American Soil
And Maybe God is a Train
Can I Sleep In Your Brain
Haunted Head
Tip of a Match
Wobbly
The Mall
Ordinary
My Zero
Body Was made
Lousy Connection
Walk On In the Darkness
I Wanna Destroy Myself
Restless Year
Encore:
Crown of Love (Arcade Fire cover)
Tell ‘Em All To Go To Hell