Southside Preservation Hall is proud to present the Chris Berardo Trio performing in the intimate setting of the Rose Chapel.

Doors 4:30pm
Show 5pm
BYOB

Chris Berardo’s latest album is also his oldest. The New York-born/Connecticut-based singer-songwriter recorded American Dust in 1997. For its 25th anniversary, Berardo is releasing it digitally for the first time on September 27th, with the first single, “Old Man’s Eyes,” available across digital media platforms on August 26th.

“Old Man’s Eyes” is a heartwarming, highly personal ode about parental wisdom and bonding that Berardo wrote about his father. In fact, he credits the song with saving his relationship with his dad. The song is one Berardo still performs, and he says that his fans have used it at their own fathers’ birthday parties or memorials. “To be able to play some tiny part in people’s lives, that helps them make your music a fabric of their lives, feels great,” Berardo shares.

The anthemic title track remains in Berardo’s current repertoire. Fueled by a potent mix of acoustic and electric guitar, this top-down-on-a-convertible roots rockin’ tune distills Berardo’s defiant sense of optimism, which remains strong today. “American Dust” as “a song about community and possibilities [exploring the] big broad idea of what life and what America are about,” he muses.

When Berardo first started performing around New York City in the ‘80’s he attracted the attention of superstar manager Bill Aucoin (Kiss, Billy Idol), who offered his help and encouragement. Berardo’s bands were always on the verge, but never broke through. Aucoin helped Berardo move to Los Angeles and get situated in L.A.’s music scene. Berardo honed his songwriting craft working with hit songwriter/producer/ Songwriter's Hall of Fame member Bob Crewe (Four Seasons, LaBelle).

Returning to New York from Los Angeles, he put together a band with an assortment of New York and Connecticut musicians, including his brothers Marc and Scott, mandolin/lap steel player, and the co-producer of American Dust, Dick Neal (who has produced and played on several subsequent Berardo albums), and bassist Tom Marotta (Indigo Girls). “There was no budget; there was no plan,” Berardo admits. “I just wanted to document this stuff.”

Pristine sound isn’t the point of American Dust. It’s an album about an artist rediscovering the joy of creating music for the sheer love of it. A prime example is the sole live track, “Still Your Friend.” Recorded at 3 am in Larchmont, NY's Cellar Bar, as an acoustic duo with his brother Marc, and at the end of the band’s second gig of the day, the track has uneven sound, bar room sounding performance, but it conveys the whole-hearted exuberance that is only achieved after a group and its audience are locked in. The recording is significant to Berardo because “it is just the sort of thing that made me realize what’s good about bringing music to people directly.”

Of late, Berardo has released a series of singles. His song “Somewhere Blue,” as well as a knock-out cover of the Badfinger classic “Baby Blue,” and his gorgeous original holiday tune “This Year.” These songs were all done in collaboration with longtime Reckless Kelly guitarist, David Abeyta, who also produced Berardo’s upcoming full-length album which will be released in the near future.

Although American Dust has been available over the years, it has been only on a small scale - like merch stands. It’s understandable why Berardo is excited about bringing these songs, which come from such a pivotal time in his career and life, to a larger audience. “When I hear American Dust, it actually gives me a wonderful feeling,” he confides. “I think, well look at this: you wrote 10 songs you’re really proud of, recorded them, and started a cool band that's lasted essentially to this day. So that gives me a very happy feeling.”