Concert Review: Low Cut Connie Helps Grog Shop Crowd Forget Troubles for One Night

When Low Cut Connie is in town, it’s going to be a good night. And Wednesday night in Cleveland Heights was no exception.

The Philadelphia-based sextet, led by singer/songwriter/pianist Adam Weiner, has amassed a following in recent years on the strength of its albums and loose, party-vibe shows. You never quite know what you’ll get when you see the band live, and that’s part of the fun. Think 1950s rock and roll meets punk and you’re halfway there.

At the Grog Shop, that translated into a 100-minute set of originals and covers delivered with an energy that got more amped up as the night went on.

Touring behind this year’s album Art Dealers, the band started off with “I Don’t Understand You” and treated the crowd to a healthy heaping of new songs and older chestnuts.

Weiner posed, pointed, punched the air and generally acted as the band’s cheerleader when he wasn’t banging on his upright piano (sometimes on one leg, balancing on his bench). Midway through the show, he shed his blue denim jacket and, as if the spirt of the night got the best of him, tore his white undershirt.

He implored the crowd to sing and clap along, lifting versions of “Shake It Little Tina,” “Private Lives” and “Boozophilia” far above their recorded counterparts. And while Weiner is undoubtedly the focal point, much of the credit for the live show must also go to the rest of the band, a tight unit that expertly maneuvered through the many tempo and style changes.

And then there were the covers, including songs from Prince, Swamp Dogg, T. Rex and Toots & The Maytals.

There was clearly more than a party on Weiner’s mind, though. Weiner noted the fighting between Israel and Hamas, saying he has family in Israel and a Palestinian friend in Philadelphia with family “in the line of fire as well.”

“And it’s hard to know what to say. It’s a tragic time for our planet,” he said. “But I pray for peace. I pray for peace, and I pray that we can all see each other through clear eyes when we look at each other.”

He then launched into “King of the Jews” off the new album, one of the strongest performances of the night.

It wasn’t long, though, before the party continued. It was as if Weiner wanted everyone to forget the troubles outside of the venue, just for one night.

The show ended with a version of “Whips and Chains” that saw Weiner venture into the crowd. Asking that the house lights be turned on, he made his way toward the back bar and stood atop a stool, balancing as the band played on.

Texas rocker Matthew Logan Vasquez, perhaps best known as the frontman for Delta Spirit though self-described as a “40-year-old never-was,” opened with a punky and energetic set. Playing as part of a trio, Vasquez showed that his tastes stray far from the indie rock and Americana for which he is known.

Eric Heisig is a freelance writer in Cleveland. He can be reached at eheisig@gmail.com.

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