Billy Pettinger (Billy The Kid) & Joe McMahon (Smoke or Fire) are Billy + Joe

Billy + Joe were simply splendid opening up for Tim Barry on Wednesday evening at the Local 662. I first saw Billy + Joe in February with PJ Bond. As I’m a big fan of PJ’s, I was already predisposed to like Billy + Joe. Then I heard Billy + Joe live and I was positively smitten. Fast forward just a few months and I’m pretty sure that their new EP, Breathe, is going to be one of my favorite records of 2012. Take a listen to one of the tracks, Falling here and then pick up the EP on iTunes here. It’s often tough to be the opening act but Billy + Joe clearly have it down on how to capture the attention of a restless crowd seamlessly interspersing a few covers in between their splendid originals.

Billy + Joe Setlist @ Local 662 on April 25, 2012

Tonight they played a cover of one of my favorite Archers of Loaf songs, Web in Front, check out a version they recorded here for their covers project where they covered 31 songs in 31 days (which ended up with some bonus songs totaling 33 songs):

From social media observations, it’s clear something isn’t going right for Billy right now – just an FYI kid – you are loved in the sunshine state! I can’t wait to see Billy + Joe again in FLA – reportedly at Fest 11, if not sooner.