Song Spotlight: Joe Bourdet's Amongst the Pines (a night at Zebulon)

Joe Bourdet and his band The El Caps was the opening band for Leroy from the North's album release party at Zebulon. I've crossed paths with Bourdet a couple times. The first time was in 2023 during the Americana West Fest where he shared the stage with Leroy from the North. (You can read my Buzzbands coverage of the festival here and find a photo of Bourdet.) Last year, I caught a short set at the pre-Halloween event titled Murder Ballads & Dark Songs. In neither or those two occasions did I catch a full set.  

Joe Bourdet at Zebulon

Per his website bio, he has this description of his music, "True blue ​folk rock with a taste for the grandiose and the unrequited . . .  His work often explores themes of nature, transience, place, and the quiet complexities of ones inner world."

Bourdet comment of the set: It is wonderful to almost see all your beautiful faces. 

Audience comment of the set (partial joke): Cool vest. Do you take EBT?

Joe Bourdet at Zebulon

Many of the song titles reflected well on his bio statement of exploring themes of nature. There was "El Capitan" and "Songbird Revisited." Even his Dan Fogelberg "Illinois" cover is a place in the United States. The near 50 minute set allowed ample time for the band to showcase their music skills. 

The most precious moment came at the end of the set when he told the background story to his unreleased song "Don't Just Look." His grandma who lived to the age of 104 would always tell him, "Don't just look. See something." He also asked the audience not to post the song to social media, because he didn't want the AI robots to steal it. 

Joe Bourdet at Zebulon

The song spotlight goes to another song that explores the nature theme. That song would be "Amongst the Pines." I have a special connection to the mountains from my youth. My parents spent five years working at a summer camp and so I spent plenty of time walk next to pine trees and walking over pine needles and cones.

Come wander out amongst the pines
When the full moon relieves the day

The song benefited from the super-sized set length. The recording of the song is 3 minutes and 14 seconds. The song about appreciating the serenity of spending time walking through forests of pine trees was extended north of the 8 minute mark. The percussion instruments took a subtle lead role, giving a subliminal sense of forest animals (not the dangerous ones) enjoying their play time while humans walked past them.   

Joe Bourdet at Zebulon

Setlist (not in this order): N.M.F.F., Illinois (Dan Fogelberg cover), El Capitan, Songbird Revisited, Spaceship Orion (Ozark Mountain Daredevils cover), Unwritten Story, In My Life, Amongst the Pines, Don't Just Look.