The Bad Penny (beta)

Lo-fi pop singer/songwriter Jimmy Cicero – who is something of a mystery man, having performing under different aliases over the years – will appear a couple of times in Boise this evening. In addition to playing the keys with headliner Black Marble at The Shrine Social Club, he’ll take the stage earlier in the night as one of the opening acts (along with The Serfs). Expect to hear one or both songs from his recently released 7-inch “I Will Always Love You”/ “On Your Side.”

Hey, Jimmy. How did the first three shows of the tour go? Any highlights and/or lowlights?

Great shows. I wasn’t sure at first how it would play out doing my own set and then playing keys in Black Marble most nights. But it’s been pretty comfortable. Happy to be onboard, double-duty-style.

Will this be your first time playing in Boise?

I played Neurolux many years ago in a different project. This will be my first time playing Boise under my real name.

Congrats on the release of your 7-inch. What inspired its creation?

I wanted to release something immediately for the tour and thought it would be nice to do something limited and physical, not available on streaming. I hand stamped the labels. Had the lacquer cut locally. Had the vinyl manufactured locally. 

Does the 7-inch presage a future EP or album?

I’m sitting on a finished album right now and figuring out a plan for releasing that. I also usually try to record and write as a practice, regardless. 

How did you approach making music differently with your new record?

It’s a very different process for me. I realized I was a baritone and had been singing in the wrong range my whole life previously. I also record, produce and mix all my music at home on my own now. I embraced a lot of my earliest influences [on the new 7-inch].

What’s the best show you’ve ever performed?

Under a different moniker I performed at a festival in northern France in 2015 on a beach. That one sticks out. Just a beautiful day traveling and taking the ferry too. So many fond memories of intimate shows in Europe as well.

What’s the lamest show you’ve ever performed?

Even “lame shows” are pretty great. I’m grateful for any opportunity to play music. I’m all too familiar with the soul crushing feeling of playing to seven people in Davenport, Iowa, on a Tuesday night or whatever. That’s life. That’s part of what being a real artist is about.

How did you link up with Black Marble?

Chris mentioned one of my old projects in an interview years ago and asked me to open a show for him. We kind of just became friends from there. He is a good homie. We hang out in L.A. I love his music. Felt very natural to jump in on keyboard for his band.

Do you have any plans to do anything specific in Boise while you’re here, or will you be too strapped for time?

I’m stoked to be in Boise. I romanticize a lot of the United States that I haven’t been able to spend much time in. I’ve had a growing interest in this region of the country recently. Unfortunately, not much time to hang out. Salt Lake City tomorrow.

Jimmy Cicero plays at The Shrine Social Club with Black Marble and The Serfs. Tickets are available for $32.75 here. Doors open at 7 p.m.; the show starts an hour later.

This entry was posted on 08/30/2026 at 1:59 pm and is filed under Concert Previews, Interviews with tags Black Marble, Jimmy Cicero. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.