Josh Caterer (Smoking Popes)
Schubas in Chicago
7/11/6
Joined by a full room of adoring fans, Josh Caterer of historical Chicago band “The Smoking Popes” played about an hour long set focusing in on rare songs and songs from seven inches. Most people in the audience still knew the words and mouthed them along with him as he sang. He began the set with Rubella and the almost heartbreaking Down the Street with the standout lyric: “Just tell me that I’m the only person who can touch you.” Soon after was another intimate fragile relationship song, Breaking followed by First Time
At this point in the set, Josh Caterer played a couple of Duvall songs including “Racine” and “Way Deep Inside.” He also played a new somewhat lengthy song inspired by his re-reading of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood entitled “The Corner.” He ended the set of his own material with a return to the Smoking Popes song, I Know You Love Me
As a special treat to Steve Miller Band fans, Josh Caterer was joined by Davey Von Bohlen to play four of their biggest hits (using at times a Zippo lighter from the audience for sound effects): “The Swingtown,” Take the Money and Run,” “The Joker,” and “Rockin’ Me.”
Josh Caterer will be performing with special guests every Tuesday of this month at Schubas and informed the crowd that he was planning to concentrate on songs from his “Born to Quit” release on the fourth week (which would be 7/25/06). According to their myspace page (where you can also hear live songs), Morrissey had this to say about the album: ” “Did you ever hear ‘Born To Quit’? It’s by the Smoking Popes. I thought that album was extraordinary, the most loveable thing I’d heard in years.”
If that isn’t a high enough recommendation for it, I’m not sure what is…
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