Somewhat Relative

An acoustic jam trio from the swamps of Jersey

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12/18/15: Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park

Last Friday night,Somewhat Relative hosted our third annual benefit for The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, and we raised 64 pounds of food for those in need in our community this holiday season!

Thank you so much to Jenn Hampton and the Parlor Gallery for letting us use your lovely space and being such gracious hosts. Thank you to Angie Sugrim and Aster Pheonyx, Audra Thomas and Amanda Kelly of Autumn City for playing with us (and being so damn amazing). Thank you to every single person who came out and donated. Cheers!

And, thank you to Chris Kelly Images for capturing the evening. You can view his shots here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/…

And by the way, here's what we played:

Alex Biese solo set:

1. Christmas in Prison 2. This Island Earth 3. Tangerine 4. All Your Favorite Bands

Somewhat Relative:

1. Northern Sky (tease) >> 2. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 3. Peggy-O 4. Caravan 5. What's the Worst That Could Happen? 6. Shake It Off >> 7. Atlantic City 8. Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad >> 9. Send Me Home 10. Royals (with Angie Sugrim)

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Hot off the digital presses, we’ve got a new live album for you! This is Alex and Jen’s acoustic duo set from Claddagh in Highlands on Friday, May 22, as part of the Souper Groove Music Festival Showcase Series! 1. Song for Cassie (Cryin’ in my Beer) >> 2. Beat it on Down the Line 3. No Matter the Odds 4. Atlantic City 5. Spanish Pipedream 6. What’s the Worst That Could Happen? >> 7. Pulaski 8. Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad >> 9. Send Me Home

Encore: Royals

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Some awesome video from last night, courtesy of Katie Biese! 1/17/15 at Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park. Featured songs include "Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer)," "Spanish Pipedream," "What's the Worst That Could Happen?," "Royals" (featuring Angie Sugrim) and "Keep Runnin." 

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1/17/15: Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park

Last night, we had the honor of kicking things off for the Indie showcase at Asbury Lanes for Light of Day Foundation's WinterFest. There was a lot going on around town all night, but there's nowhere we'd have rather been than home at the Lanes, playing for all of you lovely and amazing people. Our dear friend Angie Sugrim of The Obvious joined us for a cover of "Royals," and Lost In Society (as Booger Sugar), El Noordzo and Metalachi absolutely crushed it later in the evening. All the the thanks in the world for everyone who made the show possible, including (but certainly not limited to): Angie, Jenn Hampton, Tony Pallagrosi, Jean Mikle and everyone at Light of Day and the Lanes. Here's what we played: 1. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 2. Keep Runnin 3. What's the Worst That Could Happen? 4. Spanish Pipedream 5. Royals (with Angie Sugrim) 6. Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad 7. Send Me Home

Photo by Chris Kelly. More shots by Chris here.

Photos by Katie Biese here.

Thanks again to everyone who came out and made last night so special. We'll see you down the road.

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"What's the Worst That Could Happen?" live at the Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, 12/18/14, video by Brian Brandl.

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12/18/14: Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park

We had the honor and pleasure of hosting our second annual benefit for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties at the Parlor Gallery on Cookman Avenue in downtown Asbury Park! 1. Northern Sky (tease) >> Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 2. Don't Think Twice (It's All Right) 3. Caravan  4. What's the Worst That Could Happen? 5. Brokedown Palace  6. Drivin' on 9 (with Angie Sugrim and Dan Astorri of The Obvious) 7. Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad >> 8. Send Me Home Angie and Dan and Remember Jones killed it with their sets, and everyone was lovely and amazing.

We raised 66 pounds of food, as well as a significant monetary donation, for the FoodBank. One week before Christmas, we joined forces to help out some people who could really use it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you to Angie Sugrim and Daniel Astorri of The Obvious, thank you to Anthony D'Amato and his whole Remember Jones crew, thank you to my Somewhat Relative bandmates Fred and Jen. It was a pleasure and an honor to share the bill with you amazing and lovely and supremely talented folks.

Thank you to Jenn Hampton and Parlor Gallery for providing our benefit with a home. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful place to spend the night. Jenn, you're the best.

Thank you to everyone who came out and listened, hung out, partied, drank wine, drank beer and, most importantly, contributed to the FoodBank. Your support means more than you can imagine.

And, in case you missed the big announcement, our next show is Saturday, Jan. 17 with Metalachi at Asbury Lanes, as part of Light of Day Foundation's WinterFest!

We'll see you in 2015!

Photos by Chris Kelly here.

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For the second year, Somewhat Relative are joining forces with some of our favorite local performers and one of the prettiest places in the world, Asbury Park's Parlor Gallery, to support the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, for a show on Thursday, Dec. 18. This year's show features Monmouth County-based jam rock trio Somewhat Relative, plus very special sets by ANGIE SUGRIM AND DAN ASTORRI of The Obvious (acoustic!) and Remember Jones (the artist formerly known as Anthony D'Amato). Doors at 7 p.m., showtime is 8 p.m. We will be collecting donations of food and money for The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Countiesthroughout the night, and there is a suggested $5 donation for our dear hosts Parlor Gallery at the door.

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The band recently took the show on the road down to Jamaica! While on a family vacation, we recorded a three-track EP out on a hotel balcony. Three days later the songs are online for your listening enjoyment.

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7/25/14: Keyport Twilight Concert Series

Man, what an amazing night in downtown Keyport. It was my (Alex) first time playing as part of Espresso Joe's awesome Keyport Twilight Concert Series at the borough waterfront in four years, and it was certainly a terrific way to come back. Jim Mill, an awesome dude I've been sharing the stage with since way back at the Internet Cafe in Red Bank, opened up, and Aster Pheonyx & Audra Thomas' Autumn City brought the house down to close the show. In between, we played a set of some new tunes, some old tunes, some new old tunes. We had a blast. Check out the set list.

1. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 2. Beat it on Down the Line 3. What's the Worst that Could Happen? 4. Royals 5. Soul to Squeeze >> 6. Uncle Disney >> Soul to Squeeze 7. Hungry Heart 8. My Revolutionary Mind 9. Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad >> 10. Send Me Home

(Embedded photos by Ed Kok of Espresso Joe's).

Photos by Chris Kelly here.

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Four tracks recorded in a Freehold, NJ basement in December of 2013. Two originals, one Darrin Bradbury/Big Wilson River cover, and one jam on an old traditional and an original. It's the first EP!

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5/24/14: Roxy and Dukes, Dunellen

We closed out the night at the Bound for Greystone salute to Woody Guthrie, a show designed to protest the planned demolition of the Greystone Park hospital in Morris Plains. We also lead the day's cast of characters (including Mark Moran of Weird NJ and Brian McGee of Molly and the Zombies/Plow United) in a show-closing sing-along of "This Land is Your Land." 1. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in My Beer) 2. My Revolutionary Mind 3. Atlantic City 4. Eisler on the Go 5. Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad >> Send Me Home 6. This Land is Your Land

(Photos by On the Pier Photo.)

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2/8/14: Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park

We kicked off the night at Jamie O>Matic's Birthday Brouhaha at Asbury Lanes! 1. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 2. Soul to Squeeze >> Uncle Disney >> Soul to Squeeze 3. Royals 4. Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad >> 5. Send Me Home 

Photos by David DiMaggio here.

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12/19/13: The Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park

We organized a food drive for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean County, and the lovely ladies at Parlor Gallery were kind enough to host us. The Sunday Blues and Darrin Bradbury joined in on the fun, and Darrin sat in for a pair of tunes. 1. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 2. No Matter the Odds 3. Dead Flowers 4. Soul to Squeeze >> 5. Uncle Disney 6. What's the Worst That Could Happen? 7. Hemingway Had a Cat (w/ Darrin Bradbury) 8. Spanish Pipedream (w/ Darrin) 9. Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad >> 10. Send Me Home (Photo above by Tom Spader. Photos by Chris Kelly here.)

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9/12/13: The Berkeley Bar, Asbury Park

Back in Asbury for this Thursday night throwdown, where we were joined by Fireside Chat. Photos by David DiMaggio here.

1. Song for Cassie 2. Hungry Heart 3. Spanish Pipedream 4. Lucky Day 5. No Expectations 6. Soul to Squeeze >> 7. Uncle Disney >> 8. Soul to Squeeze (reprise) 9. Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad >> 10. Send Me Home

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9/7/13: Stay Gold Cafe, Belmar

After more than a year away, we returned to be part of Benefit for a Friend, a show organized by Eric Ginsberg. 1. Song for Cassie 2. Spanish Pipedream 3. No Expectations 4. The Sunday Blues 5. Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad >> 6. Send Me Home (Photo by Tara Matthews)

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8/30/12: Trinity and the Pope, Asbury Park

For our live debut, we played Frank Lombardi's Thursday night Jam-balaya at the dearly-departed Trinity and the Pope in Asbury Park. We were joined by two of Alex's Coffee Blue comrades, Deseree Spinks and Darrin Bradbury. 1. Wagon Wheel 2. Uncle Disney 3. No Expectations 4. Song for Cassie (Cryin' in my Beer) 5. Spanish Pipedream 6. Dead Flowers