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Judging by his eerily magnetic stage presence and initial crowd reaction, not to mention the quality of his music, Citizen Cope may be a breakout star waiting to happen. With upcoming tour dates with Santana, that bright future may be closer than we think. Yet as compelling as Citizen Cope’s performance at the 9:30 Club might have been, it paled next to the electric show put on by The Clarks. By now veterans of DC’s noted rock & roll club, the Clarks proved they most certainly belong, and, if the evening’s attendance is any indication, they may soon outgrow the very venue that they have come to call home. Of course, that might have something to do with the way the band continues to deliver good, solid rock music.
The latest Clarks show in Washington, DC included a nice tip of the hat to tours of a few years back, when the band was vigorously promoting Let It Go. The opening pair of “Snowman” and “Highwire” roared to life as they did during the band’s many forays into Arlington’s Iota in years past. Add in the forgotten “Treehouse” and “Better Off Without You” and fans could begin to wonder if the Clarks even had a new album to support. These early tunes, though, continue to remind this fan what a truly special album Let It Go is. Years later, the band still trots out a great many of that album’s numbers as concert staples, including some of the live shows’ biggest hits.
As most fans know, Another Happy Ending is the band’s latest work, so it was inevitable that the band would swing the evening in that direction. “Superstar” led the way, but was quickly trumped by “Help Me Out,” a classic song that elicited such excitement that even lead singer Scott Blasey was slightly dismayed. Before long though, the Clarks were tearing through a sizeable chunk of Ending, including back-to-back-to-back offerings “On Saturday,” “Maybe,” and “This Old House Is Burning Down Tonight.” Short of the encore, the crowd’s favorite moment had to be the band’s delivery of one of its most recent hits, “Born Too Late.” A huge radio performer in the band’s native Pittsburgh, it clearly delighted a crowd containing quite a few displaced Pennsylvanians.
As the band has grown over the years and watched its popularity outside of the Pittsburgh area grow along with it, the four members of the Clarks have managed to convey the same laidback feel onstage. Guitarist Robert James might be a little more flamboyant with his solos now, but the musicians still seem like the sort of guys one could hoist a pint with at a local pub. Blasey dances and twirls onstage as though he has not a care in the world, smoking cigarettes (despite talk of quitting) and downing shots with casual pleasure. The band’s attitude allows fans to feel welcome from the outset, all the way through the final searing chords of “Chasin’ Girls.” For the Clarks, it is so far from the last call.
Setlist:
Encore:
Submitted 2/9/03.
If you have any questions or comments about this or any other concert, please feel free to e-mail me.