The Hearth (acoustic) and Birch Hill (electric): aka "Play White Lies" and "You're Such a Radical" Part 3

After the Lone Star Roadhouse show, what could be better?  Really?  But the last two Nils Lofgren shows I saw back in 1990 (now 30 years ago) had some special moments and surprises.

About a week before we were set to go to The Hearth in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, my friend Sue Hill called the place to get tickets and directions.  I remember the guy on the phone kept her for quite awhile as his family was from around where she lived in South Jersey.  I remember Sue writing on a white board by the phone all the cryptic directions, hoping we'd make it there and not get lost the next week.

The Hearth in Pipersville, Pennsylvania was a small place with long tables set up in long rows like a dinner theatre type place.  Nils was going to do two acoustic shows one at 9 and one at 11.  So he just had himself, his brother Tom and Tom's bandmate, Paul Bell.

Since Nils was such a consummate musician, I was looking forward to an all acoustic show.  Interestingly, Nils did bring his electric Fender Stratocaster for a few songs.  Kind of a way to embellish his amazing songs.  

As usual, we got there early and we could see Nils coming out of the kitchen, then checking on equipment.  A little later, Tom and Paul set up some more guitars.

I went up to Paul Bell to say "Hi!" as he was setting up.  He was tuning his guitar.  We talked small talk but I did ask him about this amazing acoustic guitar solo he plays on the song "Some Must Dream."  He said, it was all Nils as Nils wrote the part and he just practiced and played it.

Before the show started, Nils was playing pool by himself while Bruce Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise" played on the juke box.

Here are the songs for each set:

Early show
Everybody Wants, Dreams Die Hard, Day by Day (new), Keith Don't Go, Wonderland, Some Must Dream, Delivery Night, Moon Tears, I Came to Dance, Can't Get Closer, The Sun Hasn't Set on This Boy Yet, Goin' Back, Back It Up, Cry Tough, Just a Little, Shine Silently

Late show
Everybody Wants, Dreams Die Hard, Girl In Motion, Keith Don't Go, Wonderland, Across the Tracks, Delivery Night, I Came to Dance, I'll Arise, The Sun Hasn't Set, New Holes in Old Shoes, Take You to the Movies Tonight into Back it Up (just like on the record), Lesson to Learn, Mud in Your Eye, Just a Little (Beau Brummels cover), No Mercy, Man at the Top (Bruce Springsteen cover), Shine Silently, Cry Tough.

Throughout the second set, this guy stood really close to the stage, drink in his hand and repeatedly said, "Nils, play 'White Lies'."  They kept telling him to come to the next night's show as that was where they would play it with the full band.  It was funny to see, but you felt sorry for the guy as he seemed to be in some form of heartache or just drunk.  It was too close to call.  Sigh.

The next night, Nils Lofgren and the New Keys were set to play up closer to New Brunswick in a town called Old Bridge Township off of the infamous Route 9 (sung about in Bruce's "Born to Run").  The place was called Birch Hill.

Apparently, it was some sort of old swim club from the 1920's but had been converted into a club for live music, with a dance club next door and, of course, a bar.  I saw no sign of a pool on my visit.  And who would want a pool as it was pouring rain (which I loved coming from a dry desert!!)???

When we got in, the band was setting up.  I talked to Ronnie Newmyer (bassist), Chuck Sullivan (drummer) and Paul Bell (guitarist).  The New Keys were opening for Nils again and I let them all know it would be my last show to see them.

Everything was running late.  There were equipment problems too.  The opening act, the Billy Joel tribute band Turnstyles didn't come on until 10:30 or so.

The New Keys had a shortened set due to the equipment problems and the overall lateness of the evening.  However, when they did the song "You're Such a Radical" Tom Lofgren started to talk about dedicating this song to a certain someone who came "all the way from Arizona" leaving the "Sun Belt" to come to all of this rain in dreary New Jersey.  They dedicated the song to me!  How cool!  A guy who we met at the show was taping the show (you know, with a cassette player) and he sent me a copy.  I have it somewhere in all of our tapes.  That was so cool!

Nils didn't come out until 12:35.  Yikes!  Officially May 27!  This club was huge and had picnic-like tables at the back of the room.  Lots of space open by the front of the stage.  We eventually snuck up there and sat down (except for the encores).  My friend Sue Hill got a lot of great pictures that night.  The place had a lot of red light on the stage but some of the in between lighted shots came out really good.  I am pictured in several of the pictures.  Here are a handful of them.

Nils playing acoustic guitar

Nils and New Keys:  from left, Spencer Hoopes on keyboards; Tom Lofgren on guitar; Nils Lofgren; Chuck Sullivan on drums; Ronnie Newmyer on bass; and Paul Bell on guitar.  Can you find me?  I am sitting on the floor off to the right in this photo (nearest Ronnie).

Moon Tears:  The Brothers Lofgren Circus Act

It was a fun show and we met some neat fans who sent us pictures and a tape of the show.

It was a great way to end a series of shows.  I certainly would be looking forward to future shows.  More to come...