Marah - Stone Pony, Asbury Park, N.J. 12/11/2015

       I felt very fortunate to have seen two of my all time favorite bands in one week. I was lucky to get to see Squeeze at the beginning of the week, and the great Philadelphia band Marah at the end of the week.
       Marah is playing a number of shows celebrating the 20 year anniversary of their breakthrough album Kids in Philly. This group of shows also marks the return of Serge Bielanko to the Marah line up, along with Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner on lap steel.
       The last time I saw Marah was in January 2006, also at the Stone Pony. That show, up to now, was the best Marah show I had seen. After years of revolving line ups and different sounds, they seemed to find their strongest line up and were making maybe their best music.
        Last night was easily the best Marah show I have seen. They were tighter than they have ever been, and
showed why they have been acclaimed as one the greatest rock bands around, maybe the best. 
         The current line up, and hopefully one that will remain, was made up of Dave & Serge Bielanko on guitars and lead vocals, Christine Smith on keyboards/accordion & Vocals, Adam Garbinski on guitar, Dave Petersen on drums, Mark Sosnoskie on bass and Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner on lap steel.
         Although the show was said to include  all the songs from the Kids in Philly album, that did not turn out to be true, but it did not matter at all. The set drew heavily on that album, but also included several songs from Angels of Destruction, and If You Didn't Laugh.....You'd Cry, two of the best CD's I have.
          Here's hoping that this is the beginning of a long period of touring. They deserve to be heard by more people and to reach a far bigger audience.
           I also want to thank the the nice gentleman who helped with a couple song titles I was not sure of. Amazingly, he had the setlist memorized
           Here's the setlist:

                               Set 1

                        Freedom Park
                        Point Breeze
                        It's Only Money, Tyrone
                        Coughing Up Blood
                        The Catfisherman
                        Body
                        Santos De Madera w/Emilio Zef China on violin
                        Why Independent Record Stores Fail w/Emilio Zef China on Violin
                        Sooner or Later
                        Barstool Boys
                        Family Meeting
                        Dishwasher's Dream

                               Set 2

                        East
                        Limb
                        Angels of Destruction
                        My Hearts is the Bums in the Street
                        20,000 Streets Under the Sky / Demon of White Sadness
                        Walt Whitman Bridge
                        Songbirdz
                        The Hustle
                        The Closer
                        Wilderness

                        Holly Jolly Christmas
                        Reservation Girl