Months ahead of the release of his next album “Afterglow,” Aericana folk-pop singer Peter Bradley Adams will be stopping by Santa Barbara for the second night of his West Coast tour, bringing a stripped-down acoustic set of old and upcoming material to SOhO Restaurant & Music Club. His September 13 performance will be the latest of many shows the singer-songwriter has played at the venue, during which he hopes the audience will appreciate his delicate brand of acoustic music more in person than on his albums.
“I hope they like it better live than on the record,” he said.
According to the singer-songwriter’s website, which describes him as a perfectionist, Mr. Adams released the album “A Face Like Mine” in 2017, with which “he may well have caught” his own vision of perfection. However, in an interview with the News-Press, he said he has tried to curb his perfectionist tendencies, lest he over-produce his music and make it sound “antiseptic.”
“I’m trying not to be so perfectionist oriented. I think it can be a bad thing sometimes, for me,” he said.
Whatever production or additional instrumentation he adds to the acoustic guitar and piano parts he plays on his studio recordings, when it comes to performing live Mr. Adams plays with a stripped-back approach with only his acoustic guitar. Because the album versions of his songs “don’t rely so much on the other instruments,” it isn’t very difficult for Mr. Adams to re-arrange his music for a live setting.
“Most of my music works stripped down, which is why I can tour without a band,” he said.
When asked what his fans can expect from “Afterglow,” Mr. Adams said the new album won’t be dramatically different from his past output, though there will be some new sounds like subtle electronics and woodwinds. He added that the latter won’t be used in a “normal way.”
Though he is originally a piano player, Mr. Adams’ performances center on the acoustic guitar, as it is the instrument on which he writes his music. His lyrics aren’t limited to a specific few themes, but they do have some connection to his personal experiences. However, his songs aren’t totally autobiographical.
“It’s a mix of my own experience and me being a storyteller. I don’t want it to turn into a journal entry,” he said.
Mr. Adams told the News-Press he’s very pleased with how the “Afterglow” songs have played live despite the audience not having heard the songs. He anticipates the new record’s first singles will be released this fall, followed by the full album in the spring of 2020.
Just like the songs from his previous albums, his favorite track from the upcoming album changes with each night he performs. At the time of the interview, he said he felt particularly good when performing the song “Black and Gold and Blue.” When asked which songs he’s written in general are his favorite, like many artists he said the new stuff.Mr. Adams’ September 13 performance at SOhO will begin at 6:00 p.m., with doors to the venue opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased on the venue’s website www.sohosb.com. SOhO Restaurant & Music Club is located at 1221 State St.
