Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde perform through the snow.
Inches of snow accumulating high? Temperatures finally just above freezing? These elements did not stop couples and singles alike from celebrating Valentine’s Day in a special way. By seeing British rock duo Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde perform at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair for their concert with Outpost in the Burbs. A bonus for the ladies in attendance included roses and chocolate. Another bonus for everyone included free candy with the purchase of one of the baked goods brought graciously by everyone from Montclair Bread and Terra Tea.
It seemed as if Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde intentionally wrote up their set list and arranged the songs in order to fit the Valentine’s Day feel. This was prevalent when they kicked the set off with Doris Day’s “Sentimental Journey. ” They played with piano, acoustic guitars and smooth vocals to match.
The love-song-filled set did not exclude its more dismal sides of romance, though. Tracks such as “Yesterday’s Gone,” “Willow Weep for Me” and “Transatlantic Trauma” brought out the painful side. The last song was about being in a long-distance relationship before the age of electronic means of communication. Chad Stuart could have incorporated a little more piano sections to complement all of those songs, but his vocals along with Jeremy Clyde’s gave the numbers good service.
The comic relief made its way in between songs with “Avocado,” a direct parody of “Desperado” by the Eagles. It balanced out some of the more cliched love songs heard on most radio stations. Complete with lines such as “you’re ripening slowly” and “you better let somebody eat you,” the piano surely was met by laughter reverberating through the sanctuary.
The ever-popular Barbie and Ken dolls were the stars of another song. It was penned by David Pierce, who seemed to wonder how they were “made for each other.” There is no definite answer. They just were, because the dolls’ owners say so. Given the frequent onstage banter throughout the night, the song sounded as if it could have been written by Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde themselves, with a lyric such as “new hiking outfit in a miniskirt.”
At one time Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde played a song from a Batman television segment. They decided to channel their inner Bruce Wayne by performing “Distant Shores.” After the show, fans gathered around into the lobby of the sanctuary so that these talented men could sign CD’s, posters, and anything else. Aside from playing music from the heart, these men also have humanitarian hearts. The proceeds from one of their CD’s went to an organization to help save horses from going to the slaughterhouse.
The next show coming to Outpost is Marshall Crenshaw and Loretta Hagen, gracing the stage on Friday, Feb. 21.
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