Images: Frank Portman of The Mr. T Experience, Justin Bridges of The People’s Whiskey October 22, 2016 at the Golden Tiki

I’ve been listening to The Mr. T Experience for 20 years now and Dr. Frank’s songwriting has  grown with each release while never losing the wit, charm, social ineptitude or quirkiness. Despite a fork in the fanbase after the 1999 release of Alcatraz for it not being the textbook pop punk of the two preceding releases (Love Is Dead and Revenge Is Sweet and So Are You ), I would argue that the newer songs are no different in regards to what makes them great. He is a master at layering in double entendres and clever rhymes with seemingly simple three chord bliss (that is often not three chords).

Nowhere is this more apparent than when it’s just Frank and a guitar. His lyrics are allowed to share the focus with the melody and his guitar playing is more articulate. Dr. Frank playing an acoustic guitar…on a small stage in the corner…in front of an oyster shaped love seat. Singing slightly awkward love songs with servers constantly scurrying across the 3 or 4 foot gap between the small crowd of folks gathered…who know all the words. It’s the perfect metaphor for his musical career. Despite a catalog of songs somewhere near the 200 mark and an ear for catchy pop songs with the most clever lyrics, The Mr. Experience never had the mainstream appeal of certain other bay area bands. Bands who were influenced by The Mr. T Experience….

He played an almost hour long set that covered the last 25 years of a 30 year music and writing career. There was an open call for requests and it was peppered throughout with classic MTX songs like “You, Today,” “Hell of Dumb,” “You’re the Only One” and “Even Hitler had a Girlfriend” as well as the title track from the new Mr. T experience record, King Dork Approximately (which is also the name of Frank’s new book that it comes with, duh). We were also treated to songs from his solo record (“Show Business is my Life” ) and 4 or 5 unreleased songs of Frank’s that he plays when he’s “drunk enough.” That may be a misquote (and a miscount), I was drinking rum and some sort of mystery tropical fruit juice out of a fake coconut when he told me that.

Even after almost 20 songs, it felt like the show ended way too soon and we were all left wanting more.

-Lance Louden

Photos by Emily Matview | https://www.flickr.com/photos/holdfastnow/