With a guitar in hand, the man behind the fan-favorite character on ‘The Office’ brings laughs to the Paradise tonight
The last time Creed Bratton played a show in Boston, The Office was on hiatus, and it was one of the very first shows he had put on to test the waters with his new material.
Now, as he brings the latest installment of An Evening of Music and Comedy with Creed Bratton to the Paradise Rock Club tonight (November 5), the singer-songwriter best known as his quirky and mysterious character on the iconic NBC series understands that fans who are unfamiliar with his live shows may expect him to be fully immersed in his character. But to the surprise of many folks, that’s not the case.
While he will be intertwining musings and behind-the-scenes stories of his time on The Office, the Coarsegold, California native will also be brandishing selections from his six-decade music career, as well as songs from his upcoming album, which follows 2018’s While The Young Punks Dance. He admittedly finds it a bit weird when people approach him and think that he’s his on-screen character, but he’s more than happy to show them that there’s more than one side to what he does.
“It’s a very organic show, and it’s developed over the years, and now, I’m doing songs from my ninth album, which I’m recording right now in L.A., and in between the songs, I’ll be telling stories like the old troubadours,” Bratton tells Vanyaland. “Obviously, I’ll go into character as Creed from the TV show, because the fans demand that they see him, and I remember how to do it. A lot of the time when people meet me, they’re either disapproving or they’re relieved that I’m not actually that guy. Sometimes, people forget that I’m an actor too.”
Unless you’ve lived under a rock since 2005, it’s common knowledge that The Office is one of, if not the most celebrated — and widely quoted — sitcoms of all-time, and Bratton is a bit at a loss for words as to why the show’s star power is even stronger today than it was when it was still airing.
Regardless, Bratton isn’t at all upset about the fact that a majority of the crowds coming to see him at these shows are showing up as a result of the show’s fandom. In fact, he fully admits that if it weren’t for the show in the first place, he wouldn’t be playing to crowds of this size or have many of the opportunities he’s been afforded since his character became an instant fan favorite when the show started.
“Before the show, I would play to a few people at clubs who knew me from my days with the Grass Roots, and now people ask me if I regret people wanting to come see the guy from The Office, and of course I don’t,” says Bratton. “I wouldn’t be up there playing my songs to these people if it weren’t for the show, so it has opened the door for people who really came out to see the show because of my character to become fans of my music.”
Bratton is glad that his character, and the show in which he resides, has brought so many people around to his music, and he’s looking forward to playing them for a Boston crowd, alongside a handful of new stories and tidbits. However, at 76 years old, while music is his passion, Bratton isn’t shying away from the fact that the traveling aspect of being a musical artist has been exhausting, but by no means does he intend on slowing down anytime soon.
“When you’re an artist, it isn’t like a day job. It’s your passion, and I’ll do it for as long as I can,” adds Bratton. “With that being said, it tires me out to fly to different places. By no means am I complaining about the life I have, because I love doing it, but what I’m saying, Boston, is see me while you can.”
AN EVENING OF MUSIC & COMEDY WITH CREED BRATTON :: Tuesday, November 5 at the Paradise Rock Club, 976 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, MA :: 8 p.m., $20 advance, $25 at the door, 18+ :: Event page :: Advance tickets