Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
My favorite Boston band ever* had a little reunion and made Sally O’Brien’s feel like the Abbey Lounge. The Decals are the best. Honest.
* This would be true even if I wasn’t married to a member of the band.
When the Pipeline! at 25 shows were announced, I kinda freaked out over some of the reunions that were scheduled. Orangutang? Quintaine Americana? Kudgel? Must see. Oh, they’re all on the same night? Mind blown. Right near the tippy-top of my Bands-I-Will-Not-Miss list was Night #9 opener Crazy Alice. Their brand of off-the-rails Superchunk meets The Replacements meets Hüsker Dü nonsense is right up my alley. I’ve loved these guys from the first time I saw them shortly before they disbanded. Thanks to Bob Dubrow and his crazy idea to get every band in Boston to reunite, I got another chance to see one of my favorites.
They were the best damn chickens in the fair.
The Decals played their first show in 10 years at Bands For Babs. I was right up front watching my favorite Boston band of all time playing some of the best you-done-me-wrong punk tunes this city has ever seen. Just as I was thinking that I must be the happiest person in the room, I looked over and saw Barbara “Babs” Walsh herself standing up, singing along to every song.
OK, Babs, you win this time.
Full Disclosure: I’m married to a member of The Decals. I still think it’s safe to say that their set was awesome.*
* Because it was.
There was no way a benefit for Barbara Walsh was going to happen without AM Stereo being a part of it. Their set at Bands For Babs was the second time I saw them in a week. I was as happy as a clam.*
* I had to look up the origin of that phrase. It was buggin’ me.
This is why I love AM Stereo. “Drink Club” pairs great lyrics with reckless abandon. Disaster rock.
While your here, check out some photos from the show.
I love AM Stereo. How much do I love them? I just saw them twice in a week and if they played again tonight I’d be there. This set of disaster rock* was to celebrate the release of Nicole Tammaro’s new rock photography book. I’ll have pics from Bands For Babs coming up soon.
* Boston’s finest since 1998!
When I want it done wrong I gotta do it myself.
I love this song. This is disaster rock in action.
AM Stereo brought their disaster rock to the Great Scott stage Friday night. They played a bunch of old favorites and some tunes off of their fantastic new record, When You Wish Upon A Bar.*
* When You Wish Upon A Bar features design by the lovely and talented Nicole Anguish at Daykamp Creative and photography by yours truly.
*AM Stereo are criminally underrated. Their sound is cut from the same cloth as The Replacements, but ends up coming off more like Superdrag meets Superchunk. Superdrunk, if you will. Just listen to the songs. “Drink Club”, “Money Store”, “The Company Line”… damn, there are so many great ones. They’ve got meaning and still manage to knock you silly. I love these guys.
Oh, they also played their song “Southern Rock Radio”, making them the third act in Radio’s young history to play a song with the club’s name in the title. Remember this when we talk about Watts’ set from this night…
* Purveyors of Boston’s finest disaster rock since 1998.