If you’ve ever seen Max Armstrong performing live in the past, chances are he was surrounded by band members and performing fast paced rock music. His run of New York solo gigs aren’t as high profile as say a gig by The Junction or 4th Street Band. This was Max doing what originally got him into music. It was still rock music but not in the same light as The Junction or 4th Street Band. Here’s how it went:

His first of five New York solo gig is tonight at The Egg, Albany, NY. The crowd is up for it and it looks like it’s gonna be a great night. The crowd were warmed up by a fairly new face, Jack Frost was asked to open for Max Armstrong in this run of New York gigs, He got a good reception but we all know why we were here, To see Max Armstrong trying out his solo career.
The lights went up and out came Max, acoustic guitar in hand and a grin across his face, “How you guys doing, tonight” followed by cheers, “I’m gonna play you some songs tonight and hopefully we’re gonna have a good time.” and with that he begun the intro to Teenage Heartland a song released by The Junction and peaked at #17 in the USA singles chart. It was a stripped down version of the song, sung with more emotion than the original.


He then introduced What’s Going Wrong With The World We Live In “I was 14 in 2001 and I never really grasped the magnitude of what happened but now I’m aware and since that devastation this country has had a grim shadow cast over ever since, I’ve can’t remember a happy America but things will start to get better and this country will start to live up to it’s potential, I promise you all.”

Up next was a brief performance of New York City Sunset a B-Side to The World We Live In, and it was a regular during The Junction’s New York performances and has become a live favourite, the crowd sang along with ease and it was evident that these people had something to believe in tonight.

Max took a drink from a bottle of water before playing an acoustic version of 4th Street Band’s Top 40 US hit Look Around Son, This Is Yours, it’s an emotional song about a father who has been given 3 months to live and is preparing his son for his death. Lighters were in the air during that performance and Max spoke about his relationship with his father after the song “Me and My old man never spoke about our feelings to each other, I remember when I was about to leave town for New York, my mom and I hugged and we both said I love you and me and my dad shook hands from about 2 feet, we both wanted to say I love you but we didn’t because “That’s not what men do.”, man I regret that a lot now, I just wish one of us had of just said it out loud, you know.”

Next up was a very brief version of A Kiss To Build A Dream Upon before quickly moving into the intro to The US Of Mess, “This is a call of arms to all those in charge/Bring the men home/and mend broken hearts”. the song was written in 2006 when George Bush was still in office.
Next up Max had a story to tell “I was getting my ass kicked when I was in 6th grade until a skinny looking kid came over and helped me to my feet, I remember a quiet voice saying “Are You Ok, My names Robin, what‘s yours.” anyway 10 years later and we’re best friends in a rock band, please welcome Robin Krieger.”
They performed a cover of the Tom Petty song Two Gunslingers and a rare medley of Sweet Home Alabama/Sweet Child O Mine and were clearly having fun onstage together.

Robin stayed for the final song of the night before the encore called Hallelujah Is A Word I Won’t Use the song was a huge hit for 4th Street Band and got the loudest cheer of the night, when the song finished the lights went down and they made their way backstage.
2 minutes later the lights went up again and Max returned on stage “I’ve got four new songs if you want to hear them, they’re pretty new and I haven’t played them live before so please bare with me.”
He opened the encore with recent single Sam (I’m Dreaming Of You) which had everyone in the room singing along to the chorus.


Next up was more of a rock song which meant a change of guitar from acoustic to electric, “Killer Johnny”.
It’s a song with an angry feeling about it and possibly worrying lyrics “One day he lost total control/He pulled out a gun/He shot four times and then that bastard run” the song tells a story about a loner who nobody knows, he decides to take drastic actions to get himself known.
Next was the anthemic Dear Times Square which was followed by the ballad Lead Us Home.
All in all it was a great performance with many talking points and of the 4 new songs there’s at least 3 hit singles in there.

SETLIST
Teenage Heartland
What’s Going Wrong With The World We Live In
New York City Sunset
Look Around Son, This Is Yours
A Kiss To Build A Dream Upon
The US Of Mess
Two Gunslingers (Tom Petty Cover)
Sweet Home Alabama/Sweet Child O Mine - Medley
Hallelujah Is A Word I Won’t Use

ENCORE:
Sam (I’m Dreaming Of You)
Killer Johnny
Dear Times Square
Lead Us Home

Edited by user 17 May 2010 01:58:13(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified