The New Jersey-based singer brings Garden State attitude to the Bay State in a sold-out romp at Brighton Music Hall
The final months of 2024 conclude a momentous year for indie-rocker Joe P. Embarking on his headlining North American tour, this stretch of shows are the biggest yet for the artist. This year also brought forth the highly-anticipated debut solo record, Garden State Vampire, which landed via Neon Gold/Atlantic Records in August.
Embarking on a solo project under the moniker Joe P — Joe Parella, formerly of the band Deal Casino— has found an enthusiastic audience for tunes both new and old. Since the dissolution of his long-running band during the pandemic, Joe’s newest chapter is one of great opportunity and recognition for the fans who have stuck beside him along the way.
Bringing these songs to life on stage, the Garden State vampire made his way to the Bay State, playing a sold-out Brighton Music Hall. The last time Joe was in town, he was playing a larger stage to a more reserved audience to open for Cold War Kids. As this show will later attest, no matter the size of the venue, the show Joe P puts forth is an equally driving force of adrenaline and clear passion for his craft.
Opening act Anna Shoemaker warmed the audience up with acoustic renditions of her indie-pop offerings, and her innate charm provided a sense of ease and excitement for the already buzzing crowd. Playing many songs off her upcoming debut album Someone Should Stop Her, including the relatable single “Game of Thrones,” Shoemaker displayed the beginnings of a new indie darling, soon to capture the hearts of many.
With a stage design cluttered with various objects and obscurities, including wig mannequins and halloween masks, Joe P and company took the stage under a mass of shrill instrumentation and sporadic lighting to kickstart the show. Opening song “Everybody’s Different” roared at a high volume and a true rock and roll spirit.
Following up with “Leaves,” an experimental track with a synth-driven sound, then the intricately layered hit “Fighting In the Car,” the band were only getting warmed up. Keeping his words reserved for later in the show, Joe’s focus remained solely on his instrument and his band, who frequently lost themselves in the music and nearly tripping over each other as they jammed on stage.
A strength and commonality of Joe P’s work is his ability to fuse together classic pop sensibilities with the grittier edge of rock and roll, in a harmonious effort to experiment and evolve his work. Without polarizing listeners of any degree, tracks like “Shadow In the Sun” and “Wonder Bread” blend all the best of his genre fluidity and provide incredible live numbers that the crowd eat up.
“She’s So Good” erupts on stage in a way the studio cut lacks, providing an enjoyable explosion of guitars as Joe belted the lyrics and thrashed around the stage to a harder-hitting rendition of the song. Quickly changing a lyric to “house in Boston,” he shows full transparency as the crowd erupted in cheers.
Taking a moment to address the crowd and reflect on a phone call with his mother where she pointed out his penchant for naming flowers in his songs, tracks “Violet” and “Lilly” both provided sweet sentiments to dear friends and displayed Joe’s softer acoustics.
Admittedly, some of Joe’s most poetic lyrics are covered by wailing guitars and incessant drum patterns. But that is part of the charm of Joe P; there is always more beneath the surface. With the aesthetic of —no pun intended— your every day Joe, the New Jersey native remains indignant to the prospects of fame. Instead, he opts for understated approaches to his music and marketing. He often creates DIY videos through TikTok and treats fans with snippets of songs live as they leave his pen.
It’s that behind-the-scenes glimpse into his creative process that fosters a close connection with his fans, but also makes the finished product that much more enjoyable. “Birthday Baby (The Girl with no Smile)” is a testament to this approach. Earlier in the year, the song had been pieced together through various Instagram stories and TikToks that showed the artist toying with lyrics and chords in his basement. Now, as a standout on his album, the song is sung chorally by fans as they relay lyrics word-for-word during its live performance.
Not venturing too far from the sound that built his career, rhythmic guitars and intimate lyrics are the backbone of Joe’s work. A master lyricist in the art of painting vivid portraits of memory and longing, his ability to bring you into his world is brilliantly conducted. His album, which was written and recorded entirely in his New Jersey basement studio, is composed of material crafted to push the boundaries of this mold, while not limiting himself to its constraints.
Some older Deal Casino songs have been recycled to fit the context of Joe P’s musical footprint and have treated fans both new and old to the hit-making powers of his highly contagious melodies. “Color TV” and “French Blonde” worked their way onto Joe’s solo EPs and still remain staples in his live set. High-charged and driving, the band let loose on these tracks in particular and the crowd fully embraces it.
Later in the set, “She Got Me” and “Guilt Hole” roar to life as garage rock stompers and find the band’s inhibitions lowered as they fully immerse themselves in the music. Boisterous and thumping with urgency, Joe and his band synchronously stomp and clamor over their instruments. Joe’s own tendency to hop side to side as the music takes over is a refreshing sight that can be attributed to his undeniable stage presence that he inhabits with ease.
“Don’t Wanna Love U” is the sprightly dance track that dons Bee Gees-style falsetto backing and a groovy baseline that call on Joe’s dynamic craftsmanship. The track presents different live, without the lush production of the studio track, yet still achieves its goal of getting the crowd moving.
Noting “Nothing At All” as his favorite track to perform, the song is understated in its instrumentation, yet lyrically revealing. Ending the main set with “All Day I Dream About,” the song explodes into a temporally layered pop-rock banger that instantly became a fan favorite with its 2022 release on the French Blonde EP.
After a spirited set that left little room for a breather, Joe returned on stage solo to genuinely thank the crowd as he prepared for the night’s end.
“This is my first headline show in Boston ever,” Joe announced, which is hard to believe given the sheer amount of devoted fans in the crowded room. “Thank you so much. This one’s for you,” he introduced the impending closing track with a knowing smile.
As fans excitedly prepared to hear the opening chords of his magnum opus “Off My Mind,” they’re left surprised as instead, his strums his acoustic guitar along to a slow, haunting version of “You Are My Sunshine.”
Perfectly transitioning the chord progressions into “Off My Mind,” he played a slowed down acoustic version with vocals led by the booming audience. Once the full band returned on stage, the song erupted into the driving force that is Joe’s biggest hit. He successfully finds his sonic niche with the song’s bellowing vocals and melodic play with words. Tempo changes amp the song up to its highest highs and find reward in the low, where he plays with anticipation and build up.
Ending the set with a clash of instrumentation and falling to the ground in a heap, it’s evident Joe P and his band spent all their energy and poured their all into the show. Standing, Joe promptly joked “I dropped out of Berklee!” before bidding farewell.
From start to finish, the set was brimming with indie rock revelry and infectious energy. While it may have been Joe P’s first headliner in Boston, it certainly will not be his last.
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PHOTO GALLERY BY: Emma Furrier
Anna Shoemaker
Joe P
