Sep 243 min read

JOEY HARKUM AT SOUNDCHECK STUDIOS

Photos by Joanna Gleason

Review by Jean Senat Fleury

In front of a group of dedicated fans Joey Harkum with special guest Chris Ballerini performed on Friday Sept 20, 2024, at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, MA.

South Shore native Chris Ballerini as an opener wrote songs and performed all over New England since returning from Alaska in 2015. He formed the band SixFoxWhiskey shortly thereafter, releasing three studio albums and several singles with the group. Chris left the band in 2022 to record his debut solo album, a collection of genre-bending songs from the heart inspired by acts like Bahamas, Pinegrove, and the Wood Brothers.

Chris has opened for acts like The Elovaters, Ripe, Kung Fu, and the Rustic Overtones, and held featured slots at major festivals including the Levitate Music and Arts Festival and Levitate Flannel Jam.

At Soundcheck Studios Chris Ballerini has played a series of songs, most of them from his album All or Nothing. For example: Cavalcade (Chris Ballerini and the Drift), Just So (Chris Ballerini and the Drift), The Pearl (Chris Ballerini and the Drift), The Mood is Right (Chris Ballerini and the Drift), Edges (Chris Ballerini and the Drift), Got Your Back (Chris Ballerini and the Drift), Cold December Mornings (Chris Ballerini and the Drift).

For the second part of the night Joey Harkum and his band took the stage. Songwriter and acoustic guitarist from the state of Maryland, Joey Harkum is known for his music that borrows elements from rock, reggae and hip hop. The artist found his inspiration from different sources. He wrote songs about his life, his friends and families as well as trials, tribulations, joys, sorrows and any other things that he experienced in life.

Known for his deep and poignant lyrics telling stories of joy, love, loss and sadness, Joey brings the human experience to life through his music that culminated in the release of Live at Buffalo Iron Works in 2018. He released his album Storyboard in March of 2021 and Tar which was released in spring 2022.

Joey Harkum exhibits a broad stylistic range, a blend of folk, hip hop, rock and reggae. In 2022, Harkum released a series of singles including a collaborative track with the hip-hop artist Wax, titled: “Life is a Gift”. He released another collaborative single, “The Setup” that featured the likes of his old band Pasadena, experimental hip-hop artist Matthew Edward and Pittsburg based producer and musician Banjiboi.

In Pembroke, the Baltimore singer-songwriter delivered good music and good vibes. He had played a list of songs and most of them recorded on his new album The Art of Revenge. Joey’s fourth studio album (release date: March 1, 2024) could be included in the list of 50 best solo albums of the year.

From the past decades, Joey Harkum is known as the founder of Pasadena, a band formed in 2000 that featured Will Finley, Haron Hooper, Cory Streett and Sara Kryscio.