Live Review - Pete Francis @ Joe's Pub

It was the first scorcher to hit New York City this year, a steaming 92 degree's in the city that never sleeps and the best way to unwind, relax and cool down was with an intimate show of a few hundred at Astor Place's Joe's Pub for Pete Francis. The former Dispatch member and solo artist is back on the road in support of his latest, The Movie We Are In. It is interesting for the crowd to see Francis play a venue as small as this, considering the band at one point in his career sold out two back to back nights at Madison Square Garden and played to over 100,000 people in Boston for the Final Dispatch. Yet, here he is, stripped down and with a great backing band that featured the likes of founding and former FireFlies member Adam Christgau on drums. Francis took the stage at a venue that would have been the perfect setting for a Friends episode, yet instead of coffee it was beer flowing and Francis, who looked like he just rolled out a bed, looked very relaxed and refreshed to be home. The New England native is now a New Yorker and as this tour unwinds, he looked very happy to be back home. Playing an array of solo tracks and Dispatch covers such as "Small Change," the folk meets alternative singer seems to be enjoying and embracing his solo career. After all, he has been doing the solo thing for a while, I saw Francis back in 2004 when he first started as a solo act, yet now he looks most comfortable and poised for whatever comes.