Bridging rock and classical music, Andrew Lipke wows at Sundays On Stage

One of Philly’s finest musicians, Andrew Lipke put on a phenomenal free show last past Sunday afternoon, wowing a receptive crowd at the Burlington County Library Auditorium in Westampton, N.J. Backed by both his rock band The Prospects and his classical accompanists The Azrael String Quartet, the first in a series of spring Sundays on Stage shows, the concert drew fans and newcomers alike. The 75-minute show featured songs from Lipke’s ambitious 2011 album The Plague, such as the classical and rock amalgam “Up to Here,” as well as a sampling of work from earlier Prospects days, like the glorious “No Way Out.” Pieces from a forthcoming album based on Hermann Hesse’s Siddartha were also played, including the bewitching “Ascetic Blues.” For most of the show, the quartet and the band layered their parts, making for a rich, varied sound, and the venue itself played a perfect partner to the musicians with its great sound system. The arrival of a new Lipke release cannot come soon enough, and one can only hope for more upcoming performances like this one to challenge and reward one’s expectations of rock dynamics.

Setlist
Get It Over With
Holy War
Reunion
Erased
Head Down Vagabonds
Ascetic Blues
Listen
Passing By
The One
Up to Here
Mindgames

ENCORE
No Way Out
Sleep Like a Child