Stew Review
 by Leeming

A December 25th performance by pop poppins is synonamous with getting everything you asked for on Christmas - they just don't happen often enough.  However, this year was one of those years in which the moon and stars and sun all align at the right time until "Voila!" The next thing you know, pop poppins is playing at the Curtain Club on Christmas night
and all is right with the world.  For now.

Seeing Bill Petrie (the guitar player for pop poppins) last Wednesday night at the Aardvark really put me in the mood for this show, and the band did not disappoint.  They opened with an energetic rendition of "On Top Of A Building" and never looked down.  In fact, that song  was just a sign of things to come, as they continually pulled out their old standards all night
while avoiding the campiness of songs such as "I Like Love".  It was obvious that pop  poppins had come to entertain.  And they did not fail.

"I Want To Be Your Lover" was next, and by this time the four members of the band (Bill,  singer Broose, bassist Mark, and the consummate drummer Michael) were really beginning  to gel again.  The fourth song, "Fall Back", showcased the harmonizing talents of Broose and  Bill, as well as sarcastic comments between the lines by Bill.  Never let it be said that he is  not a showman.  They followed with their first big radio hit "Be Patient" to a very appreciative  crowd.  With all the head-bobbing going on, I'll bet Dallas area chiropractors will be seeing a  boom in business for the next few weeks.

The next two songs, "Sending A Lovely Letter" and "Beautiful Eyes", were as crisp as could  be.  It is hard to believe that the band had not played together for over a year (as confirmed  by Bill after the show).  In fact, they had no set list and were just winging it all evening - not  that anyone would notice.  For the next song, Broose took over on guitar while Bill handled the lead vocals.  After hearing Bill sing "Give it to me" and witnessing Broose play a solo on  Bill's Strat, I began to wonder if there are any other local musicians/singers as talented as this  duo.  And that doesn't even take the drummer, Michael, into consideration.  He is clearly the  best local drummer I have ever seen.  I dare anyone to argue that point.

For the sake of brevity, I'll skip to the last portion of the show.  The final three songs began  with the band's "On A Moving Train", which was on one of the early "Tales From the Edge"  compilation discs.  The energy from the band and the crowd was at a high point now,  perhaps on top of that building.  And, once again, no one looked down.  That was followed by the very apt "It Hasn't Been Long".  The way that all the band members clicked, it truly  seemed like it had not been long since they have been gone.  The hour and a half set ended  with a spontaneous version of "Shy", which is a sweet semi-acoustic number from pop  poppins' first release "Delight In Disorder".  However, tonight, madness in a truly artistic fashion ensued.  After the first verse, Bill ended up playing bass, Mark ended up on guitar,  and Michael was playing tambourine.  The instrument swapping continued throughout the  song while the lyrics changed from the original to "Steppingstone" and even the Pet Shop  Boys' "West End Girls".

All in all, it was a very rewarding show.  The members of pop poppins seem to have an  uncanny feel for the others, which is a rare feat in any conglomeration of artists.  I know that Broose has tasted success with Too Much TV (and his art exhibits), while the drummer Michael has had his cup of coffee with Course of Empire.  But, when something fits as well as this band does, it shouldn't end.  I have always believed that pop poppins was ahead of its  time.  There is no band to compare them to, so they have been pigeon-holed.  I think that  that is the wrong reaction.  We should reward them instead.  And, I can think of no better  moniker for this band than "Band of the 00's".  Seeing is believing.  So see them.

Leeming