Elliott Murphy @ Gibert Disc, Paris - May 3rd, 2025

Elliott Murphy has called Paris home for decades and plays here often — he even marks his birthday most years with two nights at the New Morning. Yet somehow, despite all that, we’d never managed to catch him live. It just never worked out. Sure, we did see him join his old friend Bruce Springsteen on "Born to Run" at the Stade de France back in 2013, but that hardly counts. So when an afternoon showcase popped up at one of the city’s best record shops, it felt like the perfect chance to finally make up for lost time. Murphy, out promoting Infinity — his latest album, officially his 52nd release (though if you skip live records, compilations and EPs, it’s closer to his 31st) — was in town, and this time we weren’t about to miss it.

Before Murphy even reached the makeshift stage, the city was already putting on a show of its own. An early burst of summer heat gave way to a sudden hailstorm, flooding parts of Paris in dramatic fashion. Yet inside, the turnout was strong — a mix of loyal fans and a few lucky souls who had clearly wandered in without realizing they were about to witness a rare, intimate set from one of America's finest living songwriters. For 45 minutes, Murphy, joined by his trusted sideman Olivier Durand, delivered a beautifully unhurried performance. Classics like "You Never Know What You're in For," "On Elvis Presley’s Birthday," "Green River," "A Touch of Kindness," and "Last of the Rock Stars" sat comfortably alongside "Infinity" highlights such as "Night Surfing." It was a wonderful, easygoing set — the kind that quietly reminds you, amid the chaos and grind of city life, how time can sometimes slow down just long enough to let magic in.

SETLIST (under construction):

Click HERE or on the button below to subscribe to Apple Music