Join me on Friday for a solo acoustic performance at Espresso Joe’s in Keyport, NJ. I love playing this spot because it’s a cozy setting where you can actually sit and listen to live music. Imagine that! : ) I’m happy to be joining the Wag and Don Lee for this one!
Friday, August 17th
Solo Acoustic
Espresso Joe’s
50 West Front Street
Keyport, NJ 07735
7pm The Wag
8pm Josh Bicknell
9pm Don Lee
Join me at The Hutton on Saturday, June 16th for a solo acoustic show. I’ll be playing two sets of originals and an eclectic set of cover songs full of looping fun.
Weather permitting, I’ll be playing outdoors on the patio! Hope you can make it!
Saturday, June 16th
Josh Bicknell solo acoustic
The Hutton
225 Hutton Street
Jersey City, NJ 07307
7pm-9pm
Listen on:
I’m excited to share with you a new piece of music – a cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic, Atlantic City.
This version takes the song to a place I don’t believe it’s ever been to before. To me, it conjures up a cold, windy, and desolate evening on the beaches of this classically-tragic New Jersey shore city. It sounds like something you might hear on the Stranger Things soundtrack.
It starts with a dark analog synthesizer sound that pulses slightly, conveying the constant movement of the ocean. Along with a sparse drum machine, this sound makes up the foundation of the arrangement.
As the song continues to build momentum, the bridge arrives, bringing an entirely new sonic landscape; lifting the song with brighter guitars, strings, and sounds of the ocean that propel the song into its closing. The vocal performance is stark, up-close, and at times, just a whisper. It is haunting yet intimate.
As I listen to this arrangement today, it brings to mind the current state of Atlantic City, the city. Having been released from state control, will it be primed for a rebirth? Or continue on the same haunting path?
The casinos can shine bright, but the beach can still get very cold at night.
I hope you enjoy this new interpretation of a classic.
And if you do, I’d be honored if you added it to your music library, one of your playlists, shared it with a friend, or just let me know that you listened. 🙂
Enjoy,
Josh
I’m happy to be back at The Hutton – a cool spot for food and drinks in Jersey City. The vibe is perfect for a duo. Ty and I can’t wait to play a mix of Josh originals and wide-ranging covers. We’ll be playing everything from U2 to Alessia Cara; from Chris Issack to Kendrick Lamar. Come early for dinner and stay for the music!
Saturday, April 21st
Josh Bicknell and Ty Tuschen
The Hutton
225 Hutton Street
Jersey City, NJ 07307
10pm-midnight
I love watching NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. They are an awesome way to watch bands you love perform stripped down versions of their songs. They are also awesome for discovering new music!
A few years ago, NPR decided to launch a yearly Tiny Desk Contest, where emerging artists could record their own music in front of a desk. Last year, I recorded a stripped down version of my song, “Howlin.” This year, it’s a stripped down version of “A New Start,” complete with a live vocal loop during the bridge. Hope you enjoy it!
Occasionally, my work life and musical life overlap. This is one of those times! Please enjoy, live from my place of employment, my cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” Complete with vocal loops!
I had such a great time on Saturday, February 24th playing for a great crowd at The Hutton in Jersey City Heights. Ty Tuschen joined me on guitar for an epic two and a half hour set with no break! We simply didn’t want to stop playing.
Here was the setlist.
And here are some other pics from the night, courtesy of Lola, James, and Maria!
What a fantastic night!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 21st when I’ll be playing at the Hutton again!
This week, I had a great time chatting with Mike Kuzan and Max Feinstein on the Latest Noise podcast. Check out the episode to hear our conversation about my upcoming show at the Hutton, music, photography, the creative process, creating effective email newsletters, and also a live performance of my song “A New Start.”
Hope you enjoy it!
Last Wednesday, I came home with an idea for a song arrangement. I recorded it right away and today I’m releasing the recording to you. I’m not entirely certain what sparked it, but I suspect it had something to do with having a desire for peace during this holiday season. The phrase “sleep in” stuck in my mind and I had the idea to loop it. From there, the rest of the arrangement came together quickly. The vocal loop offered a sense of motion while also adding a peaceful, sleepy element to the song. Perhaps if we all slept in a little more often, we’d have a little more peace and be a little less on edge?
Here’s to sleeping in this holiday season. The image for the cover you see above is one I captured during the blizzard in NYC on January 23, 2016. The roads were closed and for a night the Manhattan streets were quiet and peaceful.
Please enjoy my interpretation and recording of this holiday classic, Silent Night.
It is currently available to stream and download (pay what you want) from Bandcamp. In the coming days, it will also be available on all of the major streaming services like Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music.
You can now listen to a live recording of my set from this year’s Banding Together performance.
If the embedded player doesn’t appear below, you can listen here: https://soundcloud.com/joshbicknell/live-espresso-joes-101417