Jonathan Richman, frontman of the legendary proto-punk group the Modern Lovers and now established solo artist, played a show to a packed crowd at the Bowery Ballroom in New York on April 9, with drummer Tommy Larkins. The two performed at arm’s length from each other, accompanied on stage only by a number of effects pedals and a pair of maracas and sleigh bells at Richman’s feet.

Richman’s high-spiritedness served as a contrast to Larkins’s stoicism; the latter expressionless and unmoving at his set - the former, given to laying his acoustic Spanish guitar on the floor mid-song and dancing expressively (often with maracas in hand). Richman revealed a side of Larkins’ humor with a story from one of their past tours: “I bought a beret in a shop next to the venue and showed up wearing it, ten minutes before the show started. Tommy said, “Are you gonna take that stupid hat off your head?”

His biggest solo hit, “I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar,” was met with cheers and singalongs from the audience, and performed with Richman’s signature colloquial lyricism: “Well I was dancing all alone, a little self-conscious, when some kids came up and said to me, hey Jonathan, you want a better scene? I said, oh yeah, I want a better scene, they said, well then, come with us.” “Egyptian Reggae,” another staple and beloved classic from his days in the late ‘70s (when he performed with a group of musicians under the name Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers) was brought out to similar applause.

The stream-of-consciousness rambling didn’t stop at “Lesbian Bar” - later in the night, in between songs, he placed his guitar down and went on a hilarious rant against those “off-white, grey, light blue, off-white, grey, off-white, grey painted walls” found in shopping centers.

A number of languages were used; “La fiesta es para todos,” “Le printemps des amoureux est venu,” “La festa e cosmica, galactica.” A new song was unveiled; “People Are Disgusting,” a funny, lightheartedly misanthropic tune. “When I sing ‘People are disgusting,’ you come back with, ‘People are so disgusting!’” Everyone in the crowd participated, beaming. After playing “The Lonely Little Thrift Store” by request, the final song of the night, “As My Mother Lay Lying,” a tearjerker from his 2008 album

Because Her Beauty is Raw and Wild, left things on a bittersweet note - “When your mother passes, that moment will be sad, but it’ll also be beautiful.” It was a wonderful night. Few shows would benefit from such a sparse presentation, but Richman’s immediately infectious joie de vivre and storytelling abilities kept the party cosmica.