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Willis Earl Beal debuted his new live band at Joe's Pub (pics), streaming his song w/ Cat Power, hosting NYC art show

photos by P Squared Photography

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe’s Pub – 8/26/2013
Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal puts on quite a show. He swings the mic stand, balances on stools, swigs from whiskey bottles, dances like he’s either about to kill someone or fuck someone, and sings like his life depends on it. It’s powerful stuff. But it doesn’t feel like a choreographed night, and it’s more than just “having fun.” This is not what having fun looks like. It looks like, at any moment, Willis Earl Beal could snap. The emotions are high, and there is a very thin air of discomfort in the audience that makes things more exciting than your typical show, where you know that no matter what, shit is probably going to stick pretty closely to “the plan.”

I haven’t figured out what Willis’ plan is. I’m not sure if he has, either, and that’s the most exciting thing about watching him. In 2013 we might be running desperately low on rockstars, but fuck it, as long as I can see a Willis Earl Beal show once a year, I’ll survive. – [Pigeons & Planes]

Willis Earl Beal debuted his new live band on Monday (8/26) at Joe’s Pub. The show was also the first he’s played for his new album, Nobody Knows, which is out September 10. He played nearly all of the new record, plus “Cosmic Queries” from Acousmatic Sorcery. Beal just posted a live recording of “I Ain’t Got No Love” from Joe’s Pub to his Soundcloud and you can stream it — and check out pictures from his set — in this post.

Beal will be back in NYC for an in-store of sorts, presenting an art show at Other Music on the day of Nobody Knows release (9/10). He’ll be there signing copies of the album, but not performing live. Apart from a show in Chicago next week, Beal has no other North American shows currently on the docket. You can however check out another song from Nobody Knows — “Coming Through” featuring Cat Power — and the live recording and lots more pics from Joe’s Pub below.

Willis Earl Beal – Coming Through (featuring Cat Power)

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013

Willis Earl Beal @ Joe's Pub - 8/26/2013