Episode 45: David Sweeny, aka Johnny Showcase
I really didn't know what to expect when I sat down with David Sweeny, who might be better known around Philadelphia as Johnny Showcase and his band, The Mystic Ticket. When we had talked over e-mail, he asked me if I wanted David or Johnny. I wanted David, because I really was intrigued about talking about a stage persona in the third person with the person who invented him.
It was a really enjoyable hour or so with David. I had never met David before, only Johnny. And, to be fair, I've never met Johnny personally, just seen him onstage from the audience. It was great to talk about David's history, where he came from, how he came to create Johnny, and how he loves to blur the lines between theater and pop music. As a lover of the unique, and especially unique performances when it comes to breaking out of the traditional rock band tropes, David's approach to making a stage show is something I've come to really appreciate.
The end result is the same, though. David wants you to enjoy the show, to enjoy Johnny, Rumi Kitchen, and The Truth (his two back up singers). He wants you to dance. He wants you to feel the funk. He wants you to truly have a great time. So, while there may be a few different levels happening at once, the most important level is the one of connecting with the audience and having fun. Cheers,
DD