LEGENDARY NEW HOPE VENUE JOHN & PETER'S GETS ITS DUE IN NEW BOOK FROM AMY YATES WUELFING

LEGENDARY NEW HOPE VENUE JOHN & PETER'S GETS ITS DUE IN NEW BOOK FROM AMY YATES WUELFING

Now, the venerable venue is getting the oral history treatment by one of the genre’s best: author and co-founder of DiWulf Publishing House: Amy Yates Wuelfing. Still Drinking, Smoking, Rock & Rollin’: Over 50 Years of Continuous Music at New Hope’s John & Peter’s

Amy, author of the critically acclaimed oral history No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes and the anthology Hard Times Magazine: An Anthology of ‘80s Punk & Hardcore has embarked upon this labor of love with Joan Arkuszewski and Loren Hunt. Crafted through hours of interviews and archival research, with a lot of Covid lockdown time producing the bulk of the writing, the comprehensive oral history lays out the narrative of a small, charming dive of a bar that has persevered through the decades by providing the local community with entertainment and a sense of belonging.

It’s not the most famous venue in the annals of rock. Sure, it’s lauded and loved by musicians and patrons far and wide, but New Hope’s most eclectic (and that’s saying a lot for a such a town) spot for live music is more than just a venue. Part watering hole, part town square, part living history, John & Peter’s has stood for five decades and its stage has seen an amazing array of performers, artists, and personalities. Boasting live music 365 days a year, John & Peter’s has showcased more than 48,000 musicians and entertained more than 640,000 guests since the first performance took place in 1972.

George Thorogood

John & Peter’s started as a hippie coffee shop with an emphasis on original live music. Before long, it morphed into a tiny “dive bar” that’s hosted thousands of musicians from every genre, along with drag queens, comedians, and the legendary weekly jam known as “The Invitational.” 

More than just the music, J&P’s is the creation of its easygoing founder John Larsen, whose principles of inclusiveness and generosity continue to this day.  Gay, straight, young, old, black and white all find a place to call home. No questions asked, no judgements passed. George Thorogood, Frank Stallone, Ween, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Norah Jones have all graced J&P’s stage. Same with blues great Clarence Gatemouth Brown, pop favorite Richie Sambora, jazz virtuoso Stanley Jordan, as well as the undefinable Tiny Tim and Penn & Teller.

It’s the idea of one man starting a coffee shop that became a beacon for artists in every medium. One person can make a difference to an entire community, and this, even more than the music, is what makes this such a rich and textured story.
 — Amy Yates Wuelfing

Now, the venerable venue is getting the oral history treatment by one of the genre’s best: author and co-founder of DiWulf Publishing House: Amy Yates Wuelfing. Still Drinking & Smoking, Rock & Rollin’: Over 50 Years of Continuous Music at New Hope’s John & Peter’s

Amy, author of the critically acclaimed oral history No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes and the anthology Hard Times Magazine: An Anthology of ‘80s Punk & Hardcore has embarked upon this labor of love with Joan Arkuszewski and Loren Hunt. Crafted through hours of interviews and archival research, with a lot of Covid lockdown time producing the bulk of the writing, the comprehensive oral history lays out the narrative of a small, charming dive of a bar that has persevered through the decades by providing the local community with entertainment and a sense of belonging.

“As bars and clubs become more and more homogenized, preserving the history of a place like John & Peter’s is priceless,” says Amy. “It’s the idea of one man starting a coffee shop that became a beacon for artists in every medium. One person can make a difference to an entire community, and this, even more than the music, is what makes this such a rich and textured story.”

John & Peter’s is often mentioned with the same reverence of storied cantinas and vaunted, intimate gathering places like CBGB. One of J&P’s distinctions is that it remains the longest running nightclub in the country dedicated to musicians who play original material. Stories of wild nights, amazing performances, and general rock n’ roll weirdness (I totally stole that from Jon Wurster) abound, and Amy, Loren, and Joan have set out to capture as much of the history as possible through an exhaustive series of interviews with the staff, the owners (both new and old), the New Hope community, former Flyer Craig Berube (a fixture at J&P’s during his tenures with the Philly team, both as player and coach) and, of course, the artists.

Back to blog