Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
One of the cool things about Joan Jett is that she’s equal parts punk and rock. The Joan Jett tribute show that Nicole Tammaro put together at The Rosebud had gobs of each. A good chunk of the punk flavor came from The Acro-brats… er… I mean… Leather Snatch! These guys tore through Jett’s catalog with attitude to spare. Oh, and when they invited Chrissy Vaccaro and Erin Wikens up on stage… crazy fun!
Township
Ladywood
2007
Township has a brand new record coming out this weekend. I thought It would be fun to look back at the first release I picked up from the band a few years ago.
Township has ‘70s boogie down to a science on Ladywood. Throughout the four song EP, the band successfully channels Foghat, Mountain and Thin Lizzy without completely aping their forefathers’ sounds.
It’s all good fun even if it has been done before. The songs have big sing-along hooks and good old fashioned solos. While the guitars grab your attention first, it’s worth noting John Sheeran’s exceptional bass playing. His parts are melodic and always fit the groove of the song. Marc Pinansky has a voice that suits the material well.
I originally picked up Ladywood for the song “Give It To It”. It’s a classic rock monster. What sold me on Township is that the rest of the EP does not disappoint. “Summer Of Dudes” sounds like it could have been an AM rock radio staple. The verses of “Moanin’” hint at early Aerosmith, with slinky guitar riffs and stunted adolescence lyrics. “S.O.S” has a reggae tinged verse and a driving chorus which may be the high point of this collection.
Where to get it:
Is there anyone who has seen Gene Dante perform and doesn’t think he’s a rock star? After what I witnessed at The Rosebud, I would doubt it. The leather-clad Mr. Dante and his band put on quite a show during the Joan Jett tribute…
These are The Other Girls.
Andrea Gillis, Michelle Paulhus, Amy Griffin, Linda Shore and Melissa Gibbs have all made their mark on the Boston music scene. They’ve played in some of the best original bands in town. Every once in a while they get together to play some cool covers. For this show, they got together to play some really cool Joan Jett covers. It was, after all, a tribute to Joan Jett on her birthday… er, the day after her birthday… uh…
You know what? You shouldn’t need a special occasion to play Joan Jett covers. Hell, half the songs she did were covers. Joan Jett rules. Kudos to Nicole Tammaro for recognizing this and putting a show together in her honor.
Corin Ashley and Dave Aaronoff play together quite a bit, so it was no surprise to find them closing out this bill. Watching them, I got the feeling that if they weren’t on stage at TT’s that night they very well could have been playing these songs on somebody’s couch. It’s just what they do.
Just about a year ago, the Springsteen faithful gathered at TT’s for a tribute show. The thing I remember the most about that night* was Eric Salt blowing everyone away with his version of “She’s The One”. Still one of the best covers I’ve heard. He was playing as part of Jenny Dee & Friends that night, but when they gave him the mic he absolutely stole the show… from everyone.
With that memory burned in my brain I was happy to hear that Eric Salt was taking part in this year’s Springsteen tribute. Eric and his band delivered. I’m going to propose a local club rule wherein every Bruce Springsteen tribute in the Boston area must have Eric Salt and Uke Springsteen on the bill. It’ll be like the “two-week rule”, but nobody will complain.
* Aside from playing with Jonny Pape in a band that would eventually become Paper Snakes, of course.
I love Uke Springsteen. I really do. I’ve raved about him in the past. A Uke Springsteen set is heartfelt and hysterical in equal measures.
I’ve often thought that Uke’s version of “Atlantic City” is the work of a genius. Well, I can now say his version of “Blinded By The Light” is just as brilliant.
Amazing.
This morning I had the pleasure of shooting the first promo shots of four of Boston’s newest bands.
One Night Band 3 is happening TONIGHT! Get yourselves down to The Middle East Downstairs to catch all the crazy action. Not sure what One Night Band is? Check out this here link for the lowdown. As part of the day’s festivities, the bands had to get a promo shot taken before they could embark on their musical journey. I handled four of the bands, Joshua Pickering took the other four (you can see all of the pictures here).
This morning was a blast. Tonight should be tons of fun. All of the proceeds go to Zumix, a very worthy cause indeed. C’mon down!
Walk Of Shame
Golden Owl
Flying Blue Squirrels
BatmanHalen
Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents
“Bandit of Love” b/w “That Moon Was Low”
2011
Holy smokes! Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents are back to steal your heart and soul. The A-side of this digital single is a number called “Bandit Of Love”. It’s pure girl-group goodness with a spy music twist. This thing just jumps out of the speakers. What a band! What a recording! Let Jenny and the gang take you back to a time when music was fun, even for the brokenhearted.
Once you catch your breath, grab your best girl and head back out onto the floor for “That Moon Was Low”. The Graham Parker-penned B-side is a ’50s style slow dance. Lovely.
Where to get it:
Brendan Little took to the TT’s stage as part of a Bruce Springsteen tribute night. For two songs he was joined by Emily Pilowa on vocals. He then performed a pair of songs on his own, including a stark version of “Born In The USA”.
