Karp Foley Band

Yay!!! It’s house concert season again! Not that there has to be a specific house concert season, but for some reason things slow down in the realm of house concerts over summer in the Tampa area.  Last night I attended the first house concert I’ve been to since I saw Vance Gilbert in April. It’s good to be back…

But Karp Foley Band was worth the wait. Their style was considerably different from the past house concerts I’ve attended. They played with a full band: two guitarists (Peter Karp & Sue Foley), a bassist (Niles Terrat), and a drummer (Mike Catapano). This was a bit unusual, since most concerts consist of a show by one or two people at most. The presence of the full band contributed a lot of energy to the show. Ultimately, they rocked the house!

This isn’t to say that other house concerts lack energy. That’s absolutely not the case. But typically it’s a different sort of energy. It’s a swaying in your seat, or laughing, or crying energy (or all of the above at various times). During past house concerts I’ve been too, the energy hasn’t been physical so much as emotional…

So it was interesting listening to this music that really had people moving in their seats. I was wishing for a dance floor. My friend, who I met at a recent Sarah Mac Band concert and recruited to the house concert scene, suggested putting a dance floor above where the band was playing (hint, hint, Randy 🙂 ).

Musically, everyone was incredibly talented. Both Peter and Sue are amazing guitar players. They dueled, they complemented each other, and everything in between. Peter was also a fantastic piano player, which he showed in songs ranging from folksy to be-bop. The rhythm section was also fantastic, and they really showed their chops (where does that phrase come from?) during a couple of solos sprinkled throughout the sets.

At the beginning of their second set, they did move into slower, more folksy music for a little bit. The romantic in me really connected with the more folksy songs from their “He said, She said” album, which was created from letters they wrote over the course of a year after first meeting each other. 

After sharing those songs, they amped things up again. There will always be a soft place in my heart for the blues. Fast blues, slow blues, it doesn’t really matter. I love it, and it moves my soul and usually my body.

There were plenty of ways that this show was the same as other house shows I’ve seen though. First off, this show was different from all of the others. This may sound like a contradiction, but it’s not. Every show I’ve been to has been different and wonderful in its own way. Karp Foley Band kept that trend going.

The crowd, the hosts, and the food were all there too. The crowd might be different from past shows I’ve been too, but the people are so welcoming and inviting. This show was no different. I’m always amazed that the concerts hosts will open and share their home with so many people, some of them complete strangers. This show was extra special, because this was a birthday celebration concert for one of our hosts. So for his upcoming birthday, Karp Foley Band obliged Randy with a bluesy rendition of “Happy Birthday.” And, of course, people always bring delicious dishes to share. I made Sriracha hummus.

My friend said someone texted her, asking if she was watching television. I thought, “How could anyone be home watching television when there are house concerts going on?” This thought was only a partial joke… 

So, I’m glad to be attending house concerts again. I’m glad to be hanging out with my house concert family, and I look forward to extending that family when I attend future shows.