We Were Promised Jetpacks concert review and interview Webster Hall 3/8/14

3/9/14 16:32

I just woke up from a nap.  There has to be a good reason for me to take a nap.  Exhaustion or sickness, I’d give into the boredom nap once in a while.   This morning we came home close to 1 AM.  I made a tea and slurped it in our dark bedroom while Ali snored.  I kept an eye on the clock with a strange anticipation sort of like waiting for the New Year’s Eve ball to drop.  I assumed at 1:00 the clocks would magically jump to 2:00.  I am here to tell you - it did not happen.  Not sure when the magic happens, but I put my head down and slept on my side facing my wife, even as she had her back turned towards me.  I knew in a few hours I’d be up and drive Emma to church, dropping her off to watch the kids in the nursery.  I thought I was deacon for the 11:00 which I was not.  In a delirious state of mind I attended church and for the life of me I’m trying to recall what Reverend Diane said in the morning message.  You’re not reading this to hear about my naps or the message anyway.  I understand.  Talk about the concert.  First, we picked up Amanda in the city and spent a couple of hours in the city…Strand Books…OK to the concert.  Well to start, did I tell you about the time when I was kicked out at The Cramps concert when Webster Hall was known as The Ritz?  True story, but for another time…Opening up for We Were Promised Jetpacks were a strong Scottish two piece all-girl band, Honeyblood whose songs varied, sort of power pop with a snarl.  They are Stina Tweeddale (vocals, guitar), Shona McVicar (vocals, drums) who with full blonde hair and fists pumped pounded on the drums, ala Moe Tucker from Velvet Underground.  They don’t have an album out as yet, but come the fall Fat-Cat- Records will release their debut.  I’d like to see them back in the area headlining.  Both musicians were hanging out at the merch table and were very grateful for the recognition as well as the opportunity to open for We Were Promised Jetpacks.  Promoting their live album EREY (live in Philadelphia) At 21:00 We Were Promised Jetpacks were on the stage, opening with a new song for their forthcoming album.  In all their set consisted of five new songs from their forthcoming album.  Quiet Little Voices was next and the set was scattered with the new songs mixed with their staples like Roll Up Your Sleeves, It’s Thunder and Lightning, Ships With Holes Will Sink, Boy in The Back Seat.  From our perspective on the balcony, the crowd swelled from the sides to the back of the venue, including those of us in the safe distance on the balcony.  I don’t recall as many crowd surfers or even an all-out assault of slam dancing at any of the previous shows.  Last night was the seventh time I’ve seen the band.  I saw one kid whip his elbow across the head of someone he crashed into.  There were only a few in the mist of the hits and the pent up male macho aggression, but their antics I have to say - distracted from the performance.  I'm all for slam dancing at a punk show.  I get it.  It's part of the show - at a punk concert.  Even Adam Thompson, singer for WWPJP made a comment the wanna-be punks were stealing some of their thunder.  The surfers lasted till eventually slipping and crash landing onto their bony shoulders and soft heads once the crowd got tired from keeping them up. There were no bodies left on the floor when the show was over.  To their credit, the band played throughout their set - not taking breaks and kicking last night’s performance to a new extreme.  Adam said thank you a few times and how the band looked forward to coming back to Webster Hall after a couple of years.  The band is playing with an additional musician, Stuart McGachan, who is an old friend, he plays keyboards, guitar and backed up on the vocals.  After the show, what else, but we waited to see who from the band would come out. Stuart was at the merch table soon after the show ended, and told Amanda and Emma the rest are still back stage.  The band now has roadies who take down their instruments and equipment which was different from the previous shows; normally it was Mike and Sean and one roadie breaking it down.  Let’s face it, they are getting bigger, more popular and will be playing in larger venues.  So, after waiting for quite a bit, eventually Mike and Sean came out.  I spoke to Mike for a couple of minutes, but only after Ali left me to retrieve her coat from the check.  You see I was not allowed to talk to the guys from the band.  I was told to let Amanda be in her element.   Anyway, Mike said the show was close to a sell-out.  Webster Hall holds 1,400 and they sold 1,200.  Most of this tour has been sell outs…and yet Webster Hall was the biggest venue so they were very pleased with the turnout.  I sensed there was some concern about the ticket sales there since they were a little slow.  They were surprised how empty it was at 20:00 and yet knew most wait for the headliners to come on.  I told him there was a different energy, they came out and kicked ass.  It was true he said, they were not stopping for anything and wanted to give New York everything they had.  Look out for the shows in Austin which they’re going into with a storm.  I asked how long the band has been together, 11-years…has it ever got tired?  Any in- fighting?  No…Mike said they’re all good friends.  And if you were there last night, you witnessed the bond which only friends can have when they are having a great time; the way they looked at one another with smiles and bumped into each other a few times…they were in the element…maybe I will get them to play at my fifty-year old party - which I discussed with Mike and Sean.  I’m not sure Amanda or Ali would allow it to happen.

Thank you for reading this.

The Del Lords ride into NYC on a summer storm after 23 years

6/29/13 15:50

I checked the Del Lords site and saw…drum roll please by the drum master…Frank Funaro…The Del Lords were playing Thursday at Bowery Electric, their first NYC appearance in 23 years.  To be fair the band played a couple of years back in the city at the now closed historic Lakeside Club, but that night the band played under the thin veil as rumors swirled… The Elvis Club.  That show and another at a house party in Rhode Island was a prelude for a summer/ Spanish tour back in 2010.  I bought my ticket for Bowery Electric and you know the deal, who wants to go email was sent out to the likely candidates, can’t do it, not permitted, hosting a training session…hold everything; it’s The Del Lords in New York city, it’s like July 1984 came swirling in with the rains and humidity and like a blast of the past.  After getting a veggie sandwich and a homemade lemonade from the vendor, I headed over to the club and went down stairs.  The place was packed, but I saw Frank setting up and went over to say Hi.  Frank grew up around the corner from me and would tell his sister Jill to tell me whenever the band played on Long Island.  I saw a few times, Sparks in Huntington.  Waited outside Horse Feathers in East Northport, and saw them play The Ritz and of course the classic night The Del Lords opening for The Smithereens at Fordham.  So, when I saw Frank and called out to him, he gave me a thumbs up.  I made my way to the bar; climbing up steps and then back down to the floor with the pint in glass, found a place next to a rustic brick wall.  The place was jammed with thin and worn men and women with grey hair and sagging breasts, faded tattoos, but there was a spirit in the room that was undeniable, an excitable resonance for our old hearts and ears, the secret was out… The Del Lords are back. The men walked down a stair case and took their positions on the stage…Scott said, “How’s everyone doing?  It’s been a long time…” and the crisp music blared amongst calls of, “We missed you!”  “Welcome back!”

The Del Lord’s voices were strong and I was impressed with Eric Ambel taking the lead vocals as well as incredible licks as the lead guitarist.  Their sound is fuller, more mature and there was an ease on the stage, they enjoyed each other and could sense the energy as people danced and rocked their heads to pure American Rock and Roll…

Set List:

Drug deal

I’m gomna be around

Cheyenne

Burning in the flame of love

Flying

When the drugs kick in

Poor man

Judas kiss

Damaged

Me and the lord blues

About you

Get tough

I play the drums

Encore: heaven and southern pacific

I hung out with Frank for awhile, even helping to take some of his equipment to back stage.  Frank introduced me to Eric and Mike DuClos their new bassist, as well as to Scott and mentioned to them I grew up a 100 yards from his house and I saw the band way back in the day.  I hope the day doesn’t set for this band, hope they keep on down this road they’re heading on and making taking on more fans.  On the way home I listened to their new album, The Elvis show.  The album is diverse and sets their music on different roads.  It’s stripped down more than their heavily produced albums from more than twenty years ago. This gem opens up with the catchy, When the Drugs Kick in…Here I go….here I go again…as if they didn’t stop playing or partying since 1990.  I was impressed with countdown and the slide guitar on Chicks man, I assume that’s Eric on the slide.  Flying which is also very catchy, “Everyone loves a winner, till they get too big…”  Scott sings an emotionally, “All of my Life”…I put out that fire before it starts…the Buddy Hollyish pop Everyday….which has the band singing back up which was their unique sound.  Me and The Lord Blues sounds like a heavy metal song and is different from the other songs on the album, “Where is my God of Mercy…is killing me…” The slow Mississippi drawl of You can make a Mistake one time, carries on the heavy load of distorted feedback as if they recorded this on one take in a grungy basement…save me from myself…one time…she told me my very existence was a sin…while Frank taps a steady beat with a click clack…then there is the easy listening Silverlake, it’s just a matter of time. The album closes with a powerful rendition of Neil Young’s Southern Pacific.  This album is the what you want to listen to when you're driving on the highway, taking the family out on a long drive and you can slip into the streams and watch steam rising off the road.

The Pixies' Doolittle blasts from my car on the commute

Last night on the way home I stopped at Mr. Cheapos Record store in Mineola and bought some CD’s and DVD’s for my expanding collection as well as a Christmas present for my brother.  I love records and CD’s…they are like books, I collect them.  I avoid ordering from the Apple corporate sterile library.  Why? To receive tin music on my computer?  Not for me.  I like reading the CD, holding it, seeing the pictures the artist wants to share with their fans.  Dave likes heavy metal music, cheesy 80’s bands and the store has a dense eclectic collection of music - new and used works.  I found a cool DVD collection of Iron Maiden.  Being there, I happened to find some music.  Morrisey, who I am seeing in two weeks with Amanda at CW Post,  The Hold Steady,  Joni Mitchell, and the Pixies.  I bought Doolittle since more than twenty years ago I had the tape and record.  I looked at the dark copper cover with the monkey like an old friend.  Hey, wanna come back in my life?  The ride home was a breeze through the dark traffic, insane punks cutting in and out with their compact seats stuffed in wide mufflers, backed up trucks, and slow buses.   Not a care in the world.  The whole album shifted my voice and mind back and to those years when I sang...screamed with Francis Black, I was singing out loud with the windows rolled up. The lyrics are entrenched in my subconscious.  Debasser, man I can play that song on bass, even if I don’t know a split lick about playing the instrument.   Don’t know about you but I am un chiem anclausia (thank you for printing the lyrics) Grow up to be a debaser.   And I screamed out TAME without a care who could hear me…what a song to get out all pent up aggression.  Play that one loud.  Wave of mutilation ….drive my car into the ocean.  The rows of break lights in the distance looked like the tips of the waves under the light of the December moon.  My ride was converging with the music and I was singing along, and I had the idea in my delirious older brain I can start a band and we’d play this whole fucking album – for sure.   Because I can sing it.  I’m playing the album now.  It’s loud as hell I am ringing a bell…I bleed….shaking teeth.  Under the stars each new song was welcomed into my lonely car.  Like most commuters I was locked into isolation.  From our cars we grasp steering wheels and imagine we’re either James Bond or a rock star as we drive home from work.  Inside our caves we regain our composure and retain the images we created.   Let me tell you some memories of this album.  Back when this was a new album, I was a college student and went to DC to march for student’s rights – fighting against racial injustice.  It was on that bus ride Frank Dentrone had one of the best quotes of all time - when discussing the song Monkey Goes to Heaven.  “It’s so true. This song is it. Man is five, and the devil is six, and God truly is seven.”  Yes Frank…noble words from a man who I love like a brother….On that bus ride was a beautiful Russian student from NYC.  We picked up a group of students in the city, and I remember trying to flirt with her and she was not giving me the time of the day.  But she loved Frank.  It could have been his long thin hair and his leather anti apartheid pendant.  Either way, I saw them kissing near a tree after we finished our march.  There is always time for a kiss after the riot we created in the city.  Another memory I want to share with you, well two.  I saw The Pixies on their Doolittle tour at The Ritz in the city and remember Kim Deal playing bass and her smiling as she played and I thought back then, I could do that.  My most recent memory was seeing The Pixies at Jones Beach a few summers ago.  Interpol opened as well as Sonic Youth another band I will write about.   Being the cool dad and the only way I could go to the concert, I reluctantly brought Amanda and Emma when they were twelve and ten.  There are a few songs they performed that made me shake my head in disbelief.  One of them was; I’m  Amazed.  Warning to cool parents – don’t be ignorant and take your children to see a show you don’t know completely.  I hoped the show would not scar them intellectually or emotionally.  It wasn’t that bad, since from time to time I ask them if they remembered the show…yeah, it was great….it really was great to see the band back together. I know my girls are....well at least on the surface - normal.  

Trivia question what was the name of the album before changing it to DooLittle?