SHOW REVIEW: Sam MacPherson’s Heartfelt Hometown Return
It’s December 19th, 2024 –as the days of the twelfth month wind down, the holiday season is in full swing. This means family and friends have travelled far, gifts have been bought and wrapped, hometown friends rendezvous, and people are recounting old glory on nights out and about.
It also means it's time for the third annual Sam MacPherson Home Town show.
Crowds packed into the esteemed Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey to hear the singer songwriter’s testimony. Local band October Man opened with their catchy indie rock hooks, and Colts Neck-based singer songwriter Tor Miller followed by reminding us how no one’s ever loved him like a horse girl.
Then of course MacPherson set the tone, opening with his recent single “I’m Not From Anyone Else”, a tribute to his state, and apt for one of New Jersey’s most iconic music venues.
Photo by Stella Feinstein
As the night went on, he showed off many songs from his new album, with many live debuts. The buzz around the new album was palpable in the smoke machine laden air, as the songs recounted tales of ambulance shifts, hometown romances, and people watching from the lifeguard stands.
MacPherson first addressed the crowd to introduce himself, saying how he “grew up down the street in Red Bank”. Cheers met the greeting, as name-dropping a beloved Monmouth County borough like Red Bank is a surefire way to garner favor with a Stone Pony crowd.
MacPherson bounced between his two telecasters throughout the night while his brother Jack reinforced him on guitar, along with his exceptionally talented drummer and bassist. MacPherson occasionally picked up an acoustic guitar, such as to perform the recent acoustic driven single “August Always”, a song that seems engineered to make you think about that one summer in your life, and despite how fleeting it might’ve been.
Photo by Stella Feinstein
Despite all the new material, he wasn’t a stranger to his older hits, treating the audience to songs like “Crash Course”. His final goodbye was debuting a new song live, leaving everyone with a preview of what’s to come (apparently an album recorded right in Asbury Park). The driving beat and shimmering guitars brought the hometown show home.
He sent the crowd out into the chilly December night, having gone through a full musical journey of leaving, loving, living, coming back home, and leaving once again. Based on the live debuts, his album sounds like it will have a heartland influence, it will be loud, it will have feeling - it will be New Jersey.
MacPherson’s next show dates are yet to be announced, but if his hometown show was any indication, 2025 will be a big year for him, so keep an eye out.
Photo by Stella Feinstein