The 54-year-old songwriter better known as the creative force behind Clem Snide played an Ybor City listening room gig last year and opened for Great Lake Swimmers in Clearwater last February, and is now headed to a St. Petersburg backyard in January. Perpetually on the road, this time he is supporting a 2024, album, Oh Smokey.
“Eef will perform a setlist curated by audience requests, delivering a cozy, bonfire-lit ‘hootenanny,” Jerry Span, host and lifelong Bay area music scene supporter told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
Portland songwriter Joy Pearson provides direct support at the gig alongside homegrown folkie Adam Randall. “Together, they’ll create a lyrical tapestry perfect for a starlit night,” Span added.
Show posters at local record shops included live flowers that have since started to wilt away. Span said that was intentional because, “The poster was alive. Now it is dying. That theme is so present in his music.”
Local artist JD Hardy, fresh off “Skyway” at Tampa Museum of Art, provides video design and art for the show, which will also feature large-scale contemporary oil paintings from Kenny Jensen.
Tickets to see Eef Barzelay play a house show in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Jan. 4 are available for $20.
This article appears in Dec 5-11, 2024.