Whenever I start feeling old, I try to listen to some Ted Leo + the Pharmacists.
“But if you tell me that I'm getting old, you better take a good look at yourself, sir,” sings the faux-hawked front man, Wednesday night at the First Unitarian Church—the closing verse of fiery rocker “Some Beginner’s Mind” (a fan request obliged on the spot.)
Leo turns 40 next year, but there’s certainly no lack of passion in the clean-cut rock star’s live show—in fact, you can measure the exact amount of passion he exudes, in the glistening sweat beads dripping down his face. For Leo, singing a song is never just singing a song—it’s investing a little piece of yourself in it, and nurturing it to fruition.
It’s been a long time since Leo’s played Philly (not counting his TV Casualties appearance—that was, as Steve put it, Ted “Danzig” Leo), and you can tell he’s happy to be back. “Thank you so much for coming out on a rainy Wednesday night!” he tells the audience about 5 times, regaling the crowd with tales of boogers, World AIDS Day, and an Italian pasta commercial featuring a gorilla (“I strongly recommend you look it up on YouTube,” he advises.)
