Daily Loaf

Poor Pete Yorn. He deserves a fate better than the hand he was dealt last Thursday night at Push Ultra Lounge, a hip downtown St. Pete nightclub. The New Jersey native has built quite a name for himself since the release of his excellent 2001 debut, Musicforthemorningafter. He’s slowly but steadily racked up a solid fanbase thanks to his consistent string of impressive albums, appearances on a slew of film soundtracks and constant touring. Adding to his notoriety is his latest effort, a critically-acclaimed album of duets with actress/singer Scarlett Johansson entitled, Break Up. For all his glowing achievements, all Pete Yorn got from the trendy St. Petersburg crowd was noise. A lot of it. And I don’t mean the between-song noise associated with appreciation and adoration for each number performed. I mean that devil-may-care, incessant conversation type of noise. And damn, was it annoying. [Photo by James Ostrand.]

While I’m no prude and no stranger to the trappings that come with a bar show, I certainly wasn’t prepared for the complete and utter lack of respect and interest in Yorn’s performance. It seemed as if paying attention to him was the last priority of most of the attendees. Talking, to each other and on cell phones, texting, taking photos of each another — activities that most were fully immersed in for the bulk of the night.  My friend Kim put the evening’s ridiculous scenario into perfect pop-culture perspective. She said it felt like we were in a nightclub scene from a Melrose Place episode, hanging out, talking and looking cool while some nameless, faceless, innocuous singer was on stage plugging away. The difference was, of course, that some of us who were jammed into the club were actually there to see (and to TRY to hear) Pete Yorn. And boy, did we try.

Yorn took the stage at around 11 p.m. and swiftly launched into “Shotgun,” a tune from his cleverly-titled fourth studio album, 2009’s Back & Fourth. With his crack five-piece band behind him, Yorn looked and sounded determined to deliver another steady, solid rock ‘n’ roll performance like he’s come to be known for in recent years. Again, the night was hampered by a sound system that didn’t seem loud enough to compete with the gabfest that was taking place.

It’s a shame, too, because aside from pulling out some rarities from his own catalog, Yorn also treated the crowd to his own readings of New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” as well as a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.” For 95 minutes, Yorn showed off his own brand of R.E.M./Springsteen-influenced charisma and his hook-filled, catchy self-penned songs. I only wish I could have heard them a little better.

Alas, as the night wore on, the motormouths slowly filed out and those who remained were, seemingly, the actual Pete Yorn fans who’d come to the night’s performance to hear it. But, as Pete began the encore portion of the set and we were lucky enough to be treated to “Rock Crowd,” a song that has yet to be committed to vinyl, a couple who looked as if they’d just popped out of an Urban Outfitters catalog leaned over and asked me if I minded taking a picture of them. I gladly (but begrudgingly) obliged. I guess I was in the minority Thursday night because I went to a rock show to hear and see a rock show. I can be so old-fashioned sometimes.

Set List:

Shotgun
Life On A Chain
Lose You
Bizarre Love Triangle
Blackie’s Dead
Paradise Cove
The Man
Country
Murray
Turn Of The Century
All At Once
Last Summer
Search Your Heart
Closet
On Your Side
Strange Condition

Encore:

Crystal Village
Hungry Heart/Don’t Wanna Cry
For Us
Rock Crowd

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