ADAM EZRA GROUP – LIVE AT FTC – NORWALK
By Ralph Beauchamp
The shows at the Fairfield Theater Company (FTC) are always special. The venue hosts some of the best musical acts around. This evening the esteemed Adam Ezra Group graced their stage. We last caught the band when they headlined the final night of the Black Bear Music Fest where their performance set off fireworks as the dusk and rain fell.
The Adam Ezra Group, led by the dynamic frontman and guitarist Adam Ezra, create a unique blend of folk, rock and Americana infused with an exceptional brew of roots music. Their sound delivers both buoyant grooves and beautiful passages of reflection. Besides Ezra, the group consists of Corinna Smith (Fiddle), Poche Ponce (Bass) and Alex Martin (Drums).
Their sound is energetic and deeply meaningful. Their music features heartfelt lyrics, impressive guitar melodies coupled with a rhythmic backbeat and soulful vocals. Each song reflects the band’s ability to capture their listeners on an emotional level. In addition, Adam Ezra is a consummate performer who is able to draw in his fans. They resonate to the music and the personality that is Ezra.
At this particular show at FTC, the Adam Ezra Group showcased their ability to deliver passion and energy to the venue. Corinna Smith was not able to perform this evening but her stand-in was equally fantastic. Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki is a renowned fiddle player who has toured with the group in the past. The first thing Adam Ezra did upon entering the stage was to thank all the attendees for their support. He truly is appreciative of the loyalty of the band’s devoted fans.
Opening with “Steal Your Daughter”, the band set the tone for the night. Funky and groove-laden, the song lifted everyone’s spirit. The audience was immediately enlivened. The 2025 single “Sweet Beautiful Thing” followed and the band was already in the zone. “Letter” from the Adam Ezra Group‘s newest full length, Revelate, continued the splendid vibe and the house was feeling no pain.
All the while, Adam Ezra spun his inviting stories. Each one drew laughs and applause. Ezra easily makes his audiences feel right at home. It’s like seeing the band in your living room. “Takin’ Off” and another Revelate track, “Erica” kept up the enticing flow. “Tightrope Walker”, “All Right Today” and “Life of a Thief” were next. The Adam Ezra Group closed out their first set strong. “Switching to Whiskey” was remarkable and their rendition of the Band’s “Ophelia” brought down the house.
After a brief intermission, Adam Ezra returned to the stage solo. He engaged the audience with one of his many stories about being a musician and proceeded to play a two song acoustic set. It included the fan favorite, “Pocket Full of Seashells” which is a sincere song written to his first daughter about constantly touring and time lost with family. The song is always well received.
After the slightly melancholy offering of “Seashells”, Adam roared back with an explosive cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together”. Starting with a slow burn, he turned up the heat in a crazy emotionally charged animated version that had the audience in ecstasy.
Photos Mark Turek
Welcoming his band back, the Adam Ezra Group started the second half of the show showcasing a myriad of fan favorites starting with “The Last Ride of Bobby McGee”, an original song based on the Janis Joplin classic. The bands version is a continuation of the original, urging the listener to live life as hard as you can because no one knows what the future may hold. Ezra sang it with an impassioned urgency.
The title song off of Revelate followed. Both Adam and Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki played dual mandolins for an epic version of the song. “Getaway Cars” was next. It’s a new track just played a handful of times and it follows the band’s theme of road ballads. It truly has hit written all over it.
Five foot stomping, crowd clapping numbers finished up the night. “The Devil Came Up To Boston”, “Let Your Hair Down”, “Pink Champagne” and a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecilia” followed with the Adam Ezra Group song, “The Toast” closing the set. The audience, always involved, lifted their drinks in unison showing a sign of appreciation during the signature chorus “raise up your glasses.”
As always, the fans, new and old, were overjoyed with tonight’s performance. Everyone loved the band’s combination of rich vocals, enticing harmonies, cinematic musicianship and eclectic rhythms. Everyone left with a lasting sense of connection and joy and a search where the Adam Ezra Group would be playing next.
AN EDITOR’S NOTE:
This is AMP‘s 1,000th feature. I never felt that this online publication would last 10 years and 1,000 reviews. I have to thank Scott Steinberg for all his support and making AMP always look edgy and bold. He is a rock. Kudos to all the fabulous writers and photographers who contributed in making AMP a solid media outlet. Our reviews and interviews are sincere and straightforward. I also want to thank our half a million readers. Hopefully they enjoyed learning about the new and gnarly talent that has graced our pages. This year we had over 200,000 hits. Here’s to 250,000 next year.
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