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Adam Jones breaks the fourth wall at The Blarney Stone
“I consider performing for a crowd to be its own discipline.”
Adam Jones: breaking the fourth wall to connect with the crowd.
It’s been fifteen years since Adam Jones made his debut at The Blarney Stone Pub in Clairemont. “One evening back in 2009, when I stopped in for a weekend nightcap, I heard another band covering a song that I played regularly at the open mics. I was sitting in ‘Liars Corner,’ and said to a waitress I’d befriended, ‘Hell, I can do that as well as they can.’ To which she replied, ‘If you wanna put your money where your mouth is, I‘ll talk to the owner.’ That turned into my getting a month of four-hour Thursday night shows that I was completely unprepared for, but somehow didn’t totally screw up. That eventually turned into another month of Thursdays, which eventually turned into a four-year Thursday night residency — Thanksgivings included.”
Given the consistent milieu and regular patrons, you might envision a Cheers-type atmosphere, where everybody knows your name. Jones says it goes beyond that. “It certainly was, and it really did shape how I approach things when I’m on stage. I consider performing for a crowd to be its own discipline, apart from being a musician. They’re related, obviously, but it really is working a different muscle. Thanks to the fact that I got my start at a neighborhood bar, the way I’ve preferred to work said muscle is to break down the proverbial ‘fourth wall’ as much as I can. One of the highest compliments I’ve been paid is that when you’re at one of my shows, it feels like you’re sitting in my living room and we’re all just hanging out together. This has allowed me to have a much deeper connection with the folks I’ve played for than I ever would have thought possible. I’ve attended the weddings of couples whose relationships I watched grow with each successive show. I still keep in touch with former audience members who have moved all over the country. I’ve attended memorials for regulars that have passed away. I know each performer’s mileage will vary, but at least for me, maintaining a Cheers mentality has made my run at this all the sweeter.”
Covid saw a slowdown in live performances everywhere, and the addition of personal stress took Jones out of the loop for a bit. But he’s back now, with a new resolve and a new four-song vinyl offering called Now and Then. “I’m intentionally offering them for sale only at my live show. In that true Cheers spirit, I think it’s super cool to have an actual human connection with whoever has one of the 100 or so copies, and for the rest of the listening public, the tracks are available on all major streaming services — if they wanna throw me a fraction of a fraction of a cent or two.”
The personal connections have led to unique experiences for Jones. “A good buddy of mine that I met during those first few months of playing Thursday nights at the ‘Stone is a chaplain at Donovan State Prison. He was able to hook up a gig for this group that he runs, and I got to cover ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ in an honest-to-God prison. I guess for a few of the guys in the audience, it was the first time they’d ever seen live music, period, so that was pretty damn special as well.”
Not all interactions have been as genuine. Once, a man in the audience who sported a British accent introduced himself as Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra. “I headed home and immediately Googled ‘Jeff Lynne,’ and realized that the old British dude could not have looked more different than the face I saw on my screen. We’d all been had. I’m still trying to write a song about the whole experience. Might have a percussion section of me smacking my forehead and groaning.”
As for the future, Jones sees San Diego as sharing in some of the mojo associated with notable music towns like Los Angeles and Nashville. “DIY music production and distribution are more approachable than ever, which hamstrings the typical industry gatekeepers. Local recording studios like Studio West aren’t just cranking out awesome stuff, they’re also educating a new generation of professionals. Super creative venues like Lou Lou’s Jungle Room are opening and booking a ton of local talent. I just hope the trend continues, and I’m gonna do my damnedest to be an active part of it.”
Here's something you might be interested in.
Adam Jones breaks the fourth wall at The Blarney Stone
“I consider performing for a crowd to be its own discipline.”
Adam Jones breaks the fourth wall at The Blarney Stone
“I consider performing for a crowd to be its own discipline.”
Adam Jones: breaking the fourth wall to connect with the crowd.
It’s been fifteen years since Adam Jones made his debut at The Blarney Stone Pub in Clairemont. “One evening back in 2009, when I stopped in for a weekend nightcap, I heard another band covering a song that I played regularly at the open mics. I was sitting in ‘Liars Corner,’ and said to a waitress I’d befriended, ‘Hell, I can do that as well as they can.’ To which she replied, ‘If you wanna put your money where your mouth is, I‘ll talk to the owner.’ That turned into my getting a month of four-hour Thursday night shows that I was completely unprepared for, but somehow didn’t totally screw up. That eventually turned into another month of Thursdays, which eventually turned into a four-year Thursday night residency — Thanksgivings included.”
Given the consistent milieu and regular patrons, you might envision a Cheers-type atmosphere, where everybody knows your name. Jones says it goes beyond that. “It certainly was, and it really did shape how I approach things when I’m on stage. I consider performing for a crowd to be its own discipline, apart from being a musician. They’re related, obviously, but it really is working a different muscle. Thanks to the fact that I got my start at a neighborhood bar, the way I’ve preferred to work said muscle is to break down the proverbial ‘fourth wall’ as much as I can. One of the highest compliments I’ve been paid is that when you’re at one of my shows, it feels like you’re sitting in my living room and we’re all just hanging out together. This has allowed me to have a much deeper connection with the folks I’ve played for than I ever would have thought possible. I’ve attended the weddings of couples whose relationships I watched grow with each successive show. I still keep in touch with former audience members who have moved all over the country. I’ve attended memorials for regulars that have passed away. I know each performer’s mileage will vary, but at least for me, maintaining a Cheers mentality has made my run at this all the sweeter.”
Covid saw a slowdown in live performances everywhere, and the addition of personal stress took Jones out of the loop for a bit. But he’s back now, with a new resolve and a new four-song vinyl offering called Now and Then. “I’m intentionally offering them for sale only at my live show. In that true Cheers spirit, I think it’s super cool to have an actual human connection with whoever has one of the 100 or so copies, and for the rest of the listening public, the tracks are available on all major streaming services — if they wanna throw me a fraction of a fraction of a cent or two.”
The personal connections have led to unique experiences for Jones. “A good buddy of mine that I met during those first few months of playing Thursday nights at the ‘Stone is a chaplain at Donovan State Prison. He was able to hook up a gig for this group that he runs, and I got to cover ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ in an honest-to-God prison. I guess for a few of the guys in the audience, it was the first time they’d ever seen live music, period, so that was pretty damn special as well.”
Not all interactions have been as genuine. Once, a man in the audience who sported a British accent introduced himself as Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra. “I headed home and immediately Googled ‘Jeff Lynne,’ and realized that the old British dude could not have looked more different than the face I saw on my screen. We’d all been had. I’m still trying to write a song about the whole experience. Might have a percussion section of me smacking my forehead and groaning.”
As for the future, Jones sees San Diego as sharing in some of the mojo associated with notable music towns like Los Angeles and Nashville. “DIY music production and distribution are more approachable than ever, which hamstrings the typical industry gatekeepers. Local recording studios like Studio West aren’t just cranking out awesome stuff, they’re also educating a new generation of professionals. Super creative venues like Lou Lou’s Jungle Room are opening and booking a ton of local talent. I just hope the trend continues, and I’m gonna do my damnedest to be an active part of it.”
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