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PopEye: Bring on Marc Broussard at CapLive

The concert series continues to save York's music scene, one must-see show at a time

Posted: 07/18/2011 11:02:43 AM EDT

Marc Broussard performs Thursday, July 21, at the Capitol Theatre in York as part of the CapLive concert series. The series is a collaborative effort of WXPN and the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center. (SUBMITTED)

It's been almost three years since WXPN and the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center announced they were saving the local music scene with the CapLive concert series.

The first show was in September 2008. Crowds waxed and waned until last year, when organizers booked a lineup of must-see acts that packed the house. Now, during the dead of summer, York's Capitol Theatre is a destination for burgeoning bands and indie music lovers.

Case in point: Marc Broussard's show tonight.

He's never been to York. Locals might not be familiar with his music. But they all might be best friends by the end of the night.

Like the concert series, Broussard feels like he's hit his stride.

"It's been a fantastic tour right now," he said in a phone interview before a July 15 gig in Washington, D.C. "It's better than it's ever been. It's firing on all cylinders. I think you should expect to dance from the word 'go.'"

The show is more than a concert, he added. It has its own movements rather than just blowing through a set list.

His team of musicians has bonded over the new batch of songs from Broussard's latest self-titled album, which was released in February.

The track "Only Everything" was used in a promotion for the Daytime Emmys. His song "Eye on the Prize" has been used on ESPN.

Thanks to modern technology, Broussard said it's easy for people to hear a song and find out who wrote it. It's also easy to hear from fans.

"I'm looking at Twitter after the shows and feedback is over the moon," he said.

Broussard, who is the son of Louisiana guitarist Ted Broussard, knew he wanted to be a musician before he could read.

He was hooked when he was 5 as he watched Michael J. Fox play "Johnny B. Goode" in "Back to the Future."

His father taught him how to play the notes of the song and continued to expose Broussard to a select group of songs including "Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by The Beatles. Ted's first love, though, was jazz and instrumental tunes.

The region Broussard grew up in also influenced his blend of gospel, rock and blues.

He intently watched his father and other performers backstage at shows. Ted was careful not to expose his son to anything scandalous, but he did use fellow musicians to point out good and bad behavior. Broussard learned how having an attitude on stage could nullify opportunities.

"It was really about being kind and generous and thankful," Broussard said.

Even after being introduced to a musician's life at an early age, adjusting to life on the road wasn't easy.

"I don't think I ever could (have) imagined the ins and outs of touring," he said. "I think I probably had serious misconceptions about what it was like."

But on the road he'll be until fall and, if the record is still selling well, more dates will be added overseas.

In the meantime, Broussard said he hopes to get back in the studio in early 2012 to write another album.

But on July 15, he was still trying to wind down after the band's New York City show the previous night.

"It takes me quite a while after shows to unwind," He said. "I usually don't get to bed until 4 in the morning."

The band usually hangs on the bus and shares a few cocktails. Recently, Broussard's drink of choice is "dirty lemonade" - a concoction of Jack Daniel's and lemonade.

"It's very dangerous," he said with a laugh.

Maybe tonight, he'll raise a glass to new fans in a new town. Maybe Yorkers will find new tunes for summer soundtracks.

Whatever happens, CapLive has uncovered the potential for a vibrant local music scene.

But the scene isn't saved just yet, so bring on more shows. I know we can handle it.

PopEye is a bi-weekly column focusing on the ever-changing landscape of popular culture. To reach writer Erin McCracken, call 771-2051 or send an email to emccracken@ydr.com.