It finally happened folks. THE BAND LEFT PENNSYLVANIA. THE BOVINE BANDITS lived up to their name and STOLE FREELANCE SWEATPANTS AWAY! The night was spectacular. The venue was an exquisite marriage of COOL LIGHTING, A SORRY LOOKING BASS DRUM and the feeling of SHEER LOVE FOR ROCK AND ROLL!
Kicking things off were HAMMER SPACE, FORMERLY TRIVIAL PURSUIT. Don’t bother PURSUING THEIR FORMER MONIKER, THE SELF PROCLAIMED FIRST TIME LIVE ARTIST’S REVEALED THAT TRIVIAL PURSUIT DIED IN A BOATING ACCIDENT. Though you couldn’t put the bandages of the arm of this writer, it seemed as if HAMMER SPACE had been playing together for years. Playing a mostly cover song set with TIGHT COVERS of ELTON JOHN’S “BENNIE AND THE JETS” and an instrumental of “DAY TRIPPER” that would make JEFF BECK PROUD!
Once HAMMER SPACE HAMMERED IN THAT TONIGHT IS ABOUT ROCK AND ROLL, FREELANCE SWEATPANTS BROUGHT THE PUNK ROCK THUNDER! Kicking things off was a fresh “007” featuring licks from SOON TO BE MARRIED, DOM SPIER. The crowd was into it. COUPLES DANCED, people bopped their heads, and then SEAN asked HOW NEW YORK WAS DOING before launching into the fitting “GOTTA GET OUT”. Though AJ may have FORGOTTEN HIS SOLO, that fact was not LOST on the AUDIENCE. “SPOOKY” and “HIT THE ROAD” followed, then the groovy “COUCH” had audiences sitting ANYWHERE BUT thanks to tight GROOVES FROM JUSTIN.
THE FLOOR MAY HAVE BEEN DECKED OUT LIKE A 70’S DISCO LOUNGE, but make no mistake, this was an old school CBGB’S PUNK SHOW! While the venue may no longer exist in NEW YORK, THE SPIRIT STILL DID in songs like “NEW MATERIAL” which featured someone in the audience yelling to DOM that he was his GUITAR HERO. Even heroes can bleed as DOM bled on his guitar during that song, making it a NIGHT TO REMEMBER!
The second half of the set may be seen as an audience loser, though in fact it ALLOWED THEM TO CATCH THEIR BREATH. AJ’S killer “OTHERSIDE” solo went over amazingly. “STROKES TYPE THING” and “UPSIDE DOWN”relied on tight interlocking grooves from the REST OF THE BAND. With new song “KNOCKIN” the audience had no idea it was its live debut due to how TIGHTLY THE BAND PLAYED IT! The closer “HIGH ON A PLANE” recaptured the AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION. Once again, the band brought NEW YORK back to its PUNK ROCK ROOTS WITH A COVER OF LIAM LYNCH’S “MY UNITED STATES OF WHATEVER!”
Following that amazing performance, BOVINE BANDITS MILKED THE COW for ALL IT’S WORTH. Providing great instrumental jams, by my account 3 drummers and some amazing songs from their new EP SUPRAVENTRICULAR! The highlight for this writer was seeing their new, FANTASTIC SINGLE “MONEY” in its glory. The song truly is WORTH A LISTEN!
Night two, back in CONSHOHOCKEN, THE HOMETOWN HEROES returned from a lengthy journey. Tired, BATTLE WORN, but nevertheless STILL ROCKIN. Both artists played the same set, albeit with some noticeable changes. AJ redeemed himself and rocked the “GOTTA GET OUT” solo the way it was MEANT TO BE PLAYED. And BOVINE BANDITS took us on a trip to FUNKY TOWN. Oh and there was this killer band, THE DEAD EYES that featured a VIOLIN PLAYER who also PLAYED A KILLER FEEDBACK SOLO!
Our audience may have been dismayed by the 11:30 start time, though it didn’t stop our friends in LAZER SHARK for attending the show! Special shout out to JOE SIRIANNI and PHIL DIRENZO from attending. WE CAN’T WAIT TO JAM WITH YOU AGAIN!
Overall, a solid weekend of BLOOD, SWEAT, BEERS AND ROCK AND ROLL. For now, we take some time off, make you MISS US A BIT, then come back with something TRULY SPECTACULAR!
SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS: BOVINE BANDITS, LAZER SHARK, THE DEAD EYES, RUSSELL EISENLOHR, PIANOS, AND DAWSON STREET PUB!
SETLIST for PIANOS and DAWSON STREET PUB
007 (INTRO)
GOTTA GET OUT
SPOOKY
HIT THE ROAD
COUCH
OTHERSIDE
DAY IN/ DAY OUT
NEW MATERIAL
STROKES TYPE THING
KNOCKIN’
UPSIDE DOWN
HIGH ON A PLANE
WHATEVER (LIAM LYNCH COVER)