FOR THOSE ASKING, YES I WAS SURPRISED! The big surprise I am referring to is BIG BAD B-RAD’S 30TH B-DAY BASH. 4 epic bands, ONE UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT! Easily FREELANCE SWEATPANTS most tight nit performance to date! The set featured a myriad of bands that WE HAVE PLAYED WITH OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. WET ELECTRIC( FREELANCE SWEATPANTS CONCERT DEBUT), BIG TOE( AN OFF SHOOT OF LAZER SHARK) and THE FANTASTIC CLOSER IN ANT & ANG BAND delivered unto this writer a birthday show rivaling that of DAVE GROHL’S AND HOWARD STERN’S.
Kicking off the big 30 shindig was WET ELECTRIC. The Pat Cooney lead band chugged through a powerhouse set influenced by the likes of THE MISFITS AND THE STOOGES. Featuring their big song “REAP WHAT YOU SOW” The band brought energy right off the bat. Keeping the crowd engaged and rocking throughout the night. Late into the set, they played a cover of the Stooges “NOW I WANNA BE YOUR DOG”.
If there is a theme to an evening involving aging, it’s that ROCK N’ ROLL KEEPS YOU YOUNG AT HEART. No one expressed theme more than the bands………….. term still to be determined, UNCLE GARY. GARY, THE ROCK N ROLL ANIMAL who LOU REED probably wrote the album name after( and Gary also subsequently INSPIRED LOU’’S DANCE MOVES ON the album cover if you happened to witness GARY DANCE). Gary was in his glory, getting to hear THE STOOGES, STONES, STAPLETON AND CLAPTON all in one rocking NIGHT.
UP NEXT, usually the big headlining band decided to take a backseat to MY OVERINFLATED EGO The band played arguably their TIGHTEST AND LONGEST SET IN A LONG TIME. Kicking things off with the EVER RELIABLE CROWD PLEASER “HOLD ON” the band got the crowd itching for a good time( or a bar fight) There needed to be no intro to WHAT TO DO NEXT. Everyone knew that when SEAN sang “GOTTA GET OUT” that meant you had to cheer it back louder. I looked around and at one point the chants got so LOUD, THE FOUNDATIONS THEMSELVES WERE SHAKING! The jammy grooves of “HIT THE ROAD” were next.
Despite having two songs with the theme of leaving front and center of the setlist, the crowd only wanted to get CLOSER TO THE STAGE. “FLOOR SONG” set the bluesy template for the musical masterpiece that would be the next song. A cover song. The song featured ALAN “IRON LUNGS” DECECCO rocking the HARP. Alan wailed on the HARMONICA as he was flanked by son AJ “ASSKICKING JAMMEISTER” DECECCO onstage for a powerhouse cover of CHRIS STAPLETON’S “BAD ASS AI USED TO BE” The crowd was now fully locked in. Listening to a band who decided to call themselves DECECCO AND SON AND THE BADASS BACKERS for that epic minutes & half minutes.
STROKES was next featuring SEAN’S patented BEER TRICK. JUSTIN’S drumming had been so on point throughout the night that at one point he DROPPED A STICK! He must of played with his hand or something as the band managed to keep playing as if the incident never occurred. That is how tight JUSTIN has become as the bands drummer in a 4 year span. NEW SONG ALERT, NEW SONG ALERT, SOMEBODY ORDERED A NEW SONGIE. The band announced the debut of TALKING HEADS inspired rocker “BETTER OFF DEAD”. Judging from the crowds reaction to the new tune, it won’t be lying in a grave anytime soon.
“OH WHY” was brought back for a second time this year to the delight of longtime band fans. It’s grungy new update helped make it slot right into the bands loud sound, letting the audience know why they are called THE BOYS WITH NOIZE! Speaking of, the Sean heavy set was handed over to shred master DOM. Crushing, slicing and seasoning this solo with the right amount of spice during “NEW MATERIAL”, the real life chef turned guitar virtuoso gave the audience a feast for the EARHOLES.
“MASTER OF DISGUISE” rounded out the main set, though like it’s name it was a deceptive ploy as both the AUDIENCE and Dawson Street PUB’S RUSS wanted more! “HIGH ON A PLANE” was revived with the band bringing the house down with the passion of a CLOSING ACT, but yeah whatever. They set the bar high for other acts to EVER COME DOWN FROM.
BIG TOE (an offshoot of LAZER SHARK, as JOE SIRIANNI was absent) took the stage. PAT MCCABE, KEVIN LONGHITANO AND PHIL DIRENZO showed the audience a masterclass in solid musicianship. The band had been together for over ten years and it showed in every performance. PAT wailed at the solo on Jimi Hendrix’s “HEY JOE” so hard, you’ think THE JOE who Hendrix wrote about owed PAT MONEY. The band played a few of their rockers ’40 DAYS N NITES”, “MY BAD LOVE” killed it because of PHIL’S FILLS.
MARY HINKLE, the bands powerhouse secret weapon, killed it with covers of AMY WINEHOUSES’ “VALERIE” AND ADELE’S “ROLLING IN THE DEEP”. At one point during Mary’s set, a spectator turned to me and asked if I think “Mary should be on AMERICAN IDOL”. I replied by saying “IDOL is sill on?” If it is, MARY has a yes for my vote dawg. “CAROUSEL ON FIRE”, a song with made up lyrics on the spot by Pat closed out the epic made up on the spot night.
CLOSING OUT an epic night was band who GUITAR PYROTECHNICS right off the bat, and didn’t stop for an epic hour and 40 minute show stopper! THE ANT & ANG BAND, blues rock VIRTUOSOS, powered through a fantastic set that even featured the ERIC CLAPTON VERSION OF “I SHOT THE SHERIFF”. Their songs “GRAVY N GRITS”, “DANCING IN FRANCE”, and newly played single “CRAZY” are not to be slept on. GUITAR PLAYER ANTHONY GATTO delivered one fiery solo after another, even played OVER THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!
As one bar patron put it that night, “It’s nice that your friends can do something like this for you.” To all my friends, family and the bands that put this incredible evening together, THANK YOU FOR A TRULY EPIC NIGHT!