X 

By Dave Miller

X

Marah telegraphed its punch by opening its show Monday at Lincoln Hall with the theme from Rocky.

X

The underdog band rooted in Philadelphia has soldiered on through a flurry of lineup changes, leaving frontman Dave Bielanko and keyboardist Christine Smith as the remaining main members. A big departure was Bielanko’s brother, Serge, who lives in Utah and is on a supposed paternity sabbatical.

X 

But Dave Bielanko is still slugging it out as a true believer in rock and roll. If you’re not a fellow believer, he does his best to make you one. Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle and Nick Hornby are among the band's fans. “Who’s ready to rock and roll?” Bielanko asked when he took the stage, then grabbed the audience early by putting everything he had physically into the performance whether he was jumping in the air, dropping to his knees or pouring his soul into his singing. That kind of commitment can take a toll. Late in the 100-minute set, Bielanko had a drink between songs as sweat dripped off him like he was a boxer in a ring. He picked up a guitar and appeared woozy, but then “Faraway You” started and Bielanko regained his legs, hopping on one of them as he played, falling to his knees for the umpteenth time and then standing back up, putting a foot on top of a monitor to steady himself as he continued to kick out the jams. He invested all of himself on every song.

X 

Marah played without a setlist. Calling out songs on the fly, Bielanko made his band stay in the moment. Mark Sosnoskie took advantage of the anything-can-happen atmosphere. When it came time to put down his bass and pick up his horn on “Christian Street,” Sosnoskie climbed the double-stacked speakers on the left side of the stage and became his own tower of power horn section, blowing high above the band and giving those in the balcony a closer look. While the band is also associated with Brooklyn these days, Sosnoskie’s trumpet kept plenty of Philly soul in the music. Smith, who also played accordion, harmonica and tambourine, kept the energy high. After a couple slower numbers were played, Smith couldn’t contain herself. “Let’s rock out,” she yelled in Bielanko’s direction as if she needed a fix. Bielanko obliged with “Fever.”

X    

The show was a celebration of Marah’s new album, Life is a Problem. It doesn’t officially drop until June 22, but, as Bielanko related, a delivery dropped a skid of albums at his hotel earlier in the day at 9:30 a.m. He extended an invitation to have drinks with him later in the night at the Green Mill, while serving notice to expect some surprises on the new album. “At this point in my life, I have nothing left to prove,” he said. “That’s when things get interesting.” New folk-twinged songs “Valley Farm Song,” “Within the Spirit Sagging” and “Bright Morning Stars” went over well.
X   
A modest crowd numbered less than 100 following a busy sports and music weekend in Chicago. Instead of worrying about the people who weren’t there, Bielanko focused on those who were, and played the show like the hall was full, morphing "The Closer" into Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business” in the encore as a knockout punch to a triumphant night of rock and roll.

X

The setlist:

X

“Rocky” theme
Limb
Angels of Destruction
The Catfisherman
It’s Only Money, Tyrone
Valley Farm Song
City of Dreams
Walt Whitman Bridge
Santos de Madera
Christian Street
So What If We’re Outta Tune
Round-Eye Blues
Bright Morning Stars
Within The Spirit Sagging
This Town
Fever
Faraway You
Crying on an Airplane
Formula, Cola, Dollar Draft
----------------------------------------------
The Closer/Too Much Monkey Business

X

Start: 9:25 p.m./Finish: 11:06
Totals: 21 songs, one hour and 41 minutes

past reviews