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Freedy Johnston

Rock

Freedy Johnston Tickets

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Reviews

Rating: 3 out of 5 based on 3 reviews
  • Rating: 2 out of 5

    Enervated

    by MichaelJB on 6/16/13Smith's Old Bar (Atlanta Room) - Atlanta

    I've seen Freedy three times now and was disappointed last night by a performer who seemed just about sick of himself. The venue, Smith's Old Bar's Atlanta Room, didn't help. It seats about 50 right under a much larger venue that was hosting a loud party band. It must be demoralizing to watch your popularity fade through the years. Right from the start Freedy seemed more interested in what technical problems were likely to arise than in presenting his great music to the small but attentive audience. His voice sounded great, his guitar playing was fine, and he did perform several of his best songs (Evie, Mortician's Daughter, On the Way Out, This Perfect World) but let it be known that he was too cool to play some of the songs that made his name back in 1994 (a pathetic attitude, reminiscent of Don McLeans's refusal to play American Pie for many years). Instead there were a few lame, slow covers. Note to "artists:" there's a reason why people pay to be in the same room with you. A couple years back at Eddie's Attic, he was brilliant, funny, and--while humble--proud of his own music. I thought it was one of the best shows I'd seen of its kind. The openers "Winter Pills" were pathetic and set the tone for the night: an aging would-be poet whining through his unintentionally funny lyrics (e.g., "I can't feel my f***ing legs..la la la la la la la la la la) while a lovely and talented singer mainly banged a tambourine and did backup vocals. The whiner made sure we knew he was too cool to perform for such a tiny crowd in that dank nook by mentioning that he left his harmonica in the car (mumble, mumble..."could go out and get it"...mumble mumble) and that the rest of the band overslept the gig. Charming! Not. Freedy does not need an opener, just a bit of appreciation for the great success he's had, rather than disappointment at the shrinking of his audience.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    wonderful sondwriter, great performer

    by BK79 on 2/22/13World Cafe Live - Philadelphia

    I felt almost obligated to write a review of Freedy having recently seen him at World Cafe Live in Philly and upon seeing no decent reviews written on here. Freedy is an exceptional author (forget musicianship for a moment) ... most of his songs are crafted like little novels, with a majority of his characters being down on their luck though generally likeable. It often easy to overlook the lyrics as the melodies are what drives the songs and Freedy is a master at matching somber lyrics to catchy tunes. The show at World Cafe live was not unlike I'd seen him previously. A solo act with mostly just acoustic remnants from past albums, a few covers thrown in and some unreleased music sparsely thrown in the fray. On this particular evening Freedy was gracious enough to even take several requests from the fans which steered the direction of the performance. As always he remained lighthearted and jovial with the crowd leading to an exceptionally relaxed and casual atmosphere. However, the bottom line is that the show was stellar and Freedy was kind enough to stay late for autographs. Definitely worth checking out if he comes to your area.

  • Rating: 2 out of 5

    An off day

    by BadReputation on 7/14/09Shank Hall - Milwaukee

    Freedy was joined in his performance by a pal from Madison, who also served as the opening act in place of the opening act that was billed. It was obvious they'd rehearsed little. Most of the show played like a rehearsal itself, or like a slightly drunk sound check, as Freedy ("Fred" to his friend) and pal exchanged jokes and wisecracks that seemed aimed much more at each other than at the audience. They moved through a mix of newer and older material, showing little commitment any of it. Although it's often fun to see a performer in a relaxed setting, the musicians have to know that their audience came because they love the music--even if the performer himself would rather put it aside for a while.