Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams

Across the Schuylkill River, a new tradition has emerged in recent years: Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams' annual "New Year's Eve Eve" celebration. The World Café concert -- which sells out months in advance -- is a hometown gig for frontman and songwriter Joziah Longo, and that only magnified the band's alchemic energy last year. As hundreds of family members, friends, and fans roared with approval after every song, the sextet pulled goodies from its eclectic grab bag of folk, classic rock, country. and psychedelia -- then, in a nod to his South Philly heritage, Longo grabbed a banjo and led his merry crew through a Mummers medley that included "Oh! Dem Golden Slippers," "Happy Days Are Here Again," and "When the Saints Go Marching In." Many in the crowd were dancing around the venue and twirling umbrellas when the band closed the show -- as it does every performance -- with its own Mummer-like tune, "Alice in Space."

Just as many Louisiana zydeco musicians carry a piece of Mardi Gras with them no matter what time of year, so the Circus shares a bit of the Mummers' spirit at every stop. That heritage is only a small slice of a much greater philosophy, though. While a lot of talented bands build a strong fan base behind a solid catalog of songs, only a few create a sense of family and a rich mythology through their music. The Circus is one of those few.

Hailing from New York's Hudson Valley, the current Circus lineup original members Longo (lead vocals, harmonica and acoustic guitar), wife Tink Lloyd (cello, accordion, flute, and theremin), Sharkey McEwen (lead guitar and mandolin), and Tony Zuzulo (drums and percussives), now augmented by Longo and Lloyd's twin sons, Chen (bass guitar) and Orien Longo (keyboards and percussives). No, none of them is actually named Gandalf Murphy (as if that even seemed likely), and don't expect a trapeze artist or a liontamer as part of the act -- the extra-long band name merely mixes larger-than-life grandness with a touch of self-effacing silliness, much like the music itself. Similarly, Joziah Longo -- with his ever-present derby hat and Guy Fawkes goatee -- provides aw-shucks banter onstage that's a comforting counterpoint to the more serious explorations of life's larger questions.

Stylistically speaking, a Circus concert is capable of going just about anywhere. "Desire," a plaintive invocation for renewed hope in a troubled world, can be followed by the funky roots-rock of "Moondog House" or by "Circus of Dreams," which Longo often introduces as "a tip of the hat to those early folk pioneers, the Who." After teaching folks how to yodel, a singalong piece Longo picked up at family parties as a kid, the band may launch into "Flapjacks from the Sky," a soaring seven-minute "hillbilly Pink Floyd" epic about UFOs and their connections to a higher power. There might even be a revved-up version of the traditional pirate song "Cape Cod Girls," a favorite from their annual Halloween show, known as the Grand Slambovian Hillbilly Pirate Ball. Or, as seen last fall, they may do a medley of tunes from The Wizard of Oz. Yet somehow none of it feels out of place.

The band's distinctive blend of sounds -- knitted together by Longo's inviting baritone and McEwen's versatile guitar skills -- feels instantly comfortable and familiar, like a half-remembered melody hidden in the subconscious. The Circus borrows musical vibes from sources as diverse as the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Hank Williams, but listeners never get the idea that Longo and company are stealing -- merely trying to harness the same kind of power.