Cope Continues to Rise

Citizen Cope takes over the Electric Factory Friday and Saturday night with his Rubik’s Cube-style mix of folk, rock, and R&B. We first became acquainted with Cope (aka Clarence Greenwood) back in 2001 when Nelly Furtado was “Like a bird” and he opened for her at the Troc. There he sat on a stool, hair pulled back under a hat, armed only with his guitar and his drawling, slightly scratchy voice. At first we could barely see him, but the storytelling quality of his songs and the uniqueness of his tone drew us closer to the stage. He strummed his guitar and sang about characters from his life and his town, Washington, D.C. His colorful voice painted a mural of a hustler pushing counterfeit bills and lost souls seeking salvation. We and about four other people were mesmerized, while others continued to talk through his set. We signed up for his newsletter and waited for the release of his self-titled album.

When we saw him open for Furtado again at the tail end of her tour, fewer people were talking and more people were listening. That trend continued as his second album, “The Clarence Greenwood Recordings,” increased his fan base and garnered critical acclaim. It's also in constant rotation on our iPod, though his first album will always be our favorite. We hear his latest album, “Every Waking Moment,” is his most radio-friendly offering to date.

From humble beginnings passing his demo around D.C. to licensing “Son’s Gonna Rise” for a Pontiac commercial, Citizen Cope has come a long way. Tickets are still available on Ticketmaster.

Citizen Cope
Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.)
Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18
7:30 PM (Doors)
$28

Image courtesy of Citizen Cope.com