Outpost in the Burbs presents Robyn Hitchcock on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at First Congregational Church of Montclair. Imogen Clark will open the night. Doors are at 7:30pm, showtime is 8:00pm.
With a career now spanning six decades, Robyn Hitchcock remains a truly one-of-a-kind artist – surrealist rock ‘n’ roller, iconic troubadour, guitarist, poet, painter, and performer. An unparalleled, deeply individualistic songwriter and stylist, Hitchcock has traversed many genres with humor, intelligence and originality over 30 albums and seemingly infinite live performances.
From The Soft Boys’ proto-psych-punk and The Egyptians’ Dadaist pop to solo masterpieces like 1984’s milestone I Often Dream of Trains and 1990’s Eye, Hitchcock has crafted a strikingly original oeuvre rife with sagacious observation, astringent wit, recurring marine life, mechanized rail services, cheese, Clint Eastwood, and innumerable finely drawn characters, real and imagined.
Hitchcock began his solo career with 1981’s Black Snake Diamond Röle, affirming his knack for eccentric insight and surrealist lyrical hijinks. 1984’s I Often Dream of Trains fused that approach with autumnal acoustic arrangements, deepening the emotional range of his songcraft. Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians were born that same year and immediately lit up college rock playlists with albums like 1986’s Element of Light. He signed to A&M Records in 1987 and earned early alternative hits with “Balloon Man” and “Madonna of the Wasps.” Hitchcock returned to his dark acoustic palette with 1990’s equally masterful Eye before joining the Warner Bros label for a succession of acclaimed albums, including 1996’s Moss Elixir and 1999’s Jewels For Sophia.
Having first reunited for a brief run of shows in 1994, The Soft Boys came together for a second go-around in 2001, releasing Nextdoorland to universal applause. Hitchcock joined the Yep Roc label in 2004, embracing collaboration with friends and like-minded artists such as The Venus 3 (Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin), Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings (2004’s Spooked) and legendary producer Joe Boyd (2014’s The Man Upstairs).
Hitchcock moved to Nashville in 2015, where he quickly found a place among the Music City community, recording 2017’s self-titled Robyn Hitchcock and 2022’s Shufflemania! Indeed, Hitchcock has proven an irrepressible collaborator throughout his long career, teaming with a boundless series of fellow artists over the years, including R.E.M., Andy Partridge, Brendan Benson, Johnny Marr, Sean Ono Lennon, Grant-Lee Phillips, Jon Brion, The Decemberists, Norwegian pop combo I Was A King and Yo La Tengo to name but a few.
Along with his musical efforts, Hitchcock has appeared in several films, among them collaborations with the late Jonathan Demme on 1998’s concert documentary Storefront Hitchcock and roles in 2004’s The Manchurian Candidate and 2008’s Rachel Getting Married.
Tickets are $33 and available for purchase online. First Congregational Church of Montclair is located at 40 S Fullerton Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey.
Opening act Imogen Clark is not just an artist; she's a storyteller, a fighter, and a dreamer. She spent her teen years at Penrith High by day, playing Western Sydney bars at night, learning how to make her voice heard and honing her chops as an electric live performer. Today, she stands as a testament to transcending familiar boundaries, driven by her roots and an unwavering ambition that led her to global stages from the US to Europe.
Her songs, blending pop-rock and indie-pop, are like pages from her diary, capturing moments, memories, and confessions from her journey, battling anxiety and insecurity to fight for who she is and what she believes in, magnifying intimate emotions to arena level anthems.
A sought-after collaborator, Imogen has worked with iconic figures and contemporary indie stars alike, including Alex Lahey, Colin Hay, Jim Keltner and members of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello’s Imposters, Gang of Youths, Dawes, My Morning Jacket and more.
utpost in the Burbs is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in Montclair dedicated to building community through music and volunteerism. For over 35 years, the Outpost has presented concerts by internationally known artists such as Judy Collins, Roger McGuinn, Jorma Kaukonen, Jimmy Webb, Richie Havens, The Jayhawks, Nick Lowe, Richard Thompson, and Shawn Colvin. In addition to presenting concerts, Outpost volunteers have donated many hours of their time for programs affiliated with the Human Needs Food Pantry of Mont- clair, the Community Food Bank of NJ, MESH (Montclair Emergency Services for Hope), and a monthly community food program run by Outpost volunteers in Orange, New Jersey.
