Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
There’s weight to Aaron Perrino’s work. His songs have a message. His voice is commanding. The combination is powerful.
Doesn’t a Sidewalk Driver show look like fun?*
* It is.
I’m looking around Oberon. It’s been a pretty crazy evening.* Sidewalk Driver is playing and people are dancing and singing along. Oh / you can’t help it / ’cause when you see it / you want to touch it. It’s one of the band’s newer songs. “My Face” is yet to be released, but that doesn’t stop people from getting snagged by its hook. They inevitably join in. That’s how good Sidewalk Driver is. Shut up.
Now, if only they’d put a little effort into their live shows…
* Tonight’s Bayou Bacchanalia was a fundraiser for the production of The Bacchae. If the show is anything like tonight’s festivities, it’s going to be pretty wild.
Oh, look! It’s Sidewalk Driver opening for Spacehog at Great Scott. No big deal.*
* Yes, it is.
When Boston Band Crush puts on a Holiday Spectacular, Sidewalk Driver is going to be involved. That’s a given. The fact that this was the last show to be presented by the beloved music blog made their appearance all the more fitting. There was a lot of love in the room. There were inflatable unicorns in the room, too. Those poor inflatable unicorns.
Richard Bouchard was “dragged” on stage during “Dancing With Her Friends.” The joy of the moment was palpable. These are the moments we need to hold on to.
Sidewalk Driver performed as Spinal Tap for Halloween. Chocolate and peanut butter ain’t got nothing on this combo.
By this point in the Radio first anniversary show, any pretense of civility had long since been abandoned. We were now in the spray champagne and jump onstage to provide “backing vocals” part of the evening. If only there had been a band to come along and blast shimmering confetti all over the place while cranking out some glammed-out-pop-rock hooks the night would have been perfect…
It’s the lovely and talented Nicole Anguish’s birthday* and she wants to go see Sidewalk Driver. Who am I to say no? Tonight’s show at the Davis Square Theatre is a benefit for Crash Safely, a group raising money to help end Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The band is pulling out all the stops. We’re treated to a tornado whirlwind of confetti blasts, addictive melodies, killer harmonies, wailing guitar solos, driving rhythms, high-kicks, hijinks and songs about Tad’s face.** A glorious cover of “She Bop,” the hilarious back-story to “Jenny Don’t Really Like The Boys” and a special birthday dedication made the night all the more magical. Is it too late to convince Sidewalk Driver to play a show on my birthday.
* She of Daykamp Creative and The Decals, who are doing a reunion show Thursday night at the Bands For Babs benefit!!!
** OK, one song about Tad’s face. The rest were about natural disasters, radio, dancing with friends, kidnapping and the wonders of magnets. Some of those may have been metaphors. Most probably were not.
Last year, One Night Band 2 alumni Bedss came out to shut down One Night Band 3 with a drunken rousing rendition of “Cum On Feel The Noize.” This year, the drunken rowdy sing-along tradition continued. Mötörböat rocked the hell out at last year’s event. They returned to the scene of the crime to close out the 4th edition of this treasured Boston institution. Mötörböat tore through a couple of their original tunes like they had firecrackers in their pants. Then a cast of thousands* got up on stage to end the night with a drunken spirited cover of “You Shook Me All Night Long.”
* OK, a cast of tens. This included One Night Band participants past and present, organizers and, well, just about anyone else who wanted to jump on stage.
The last of the year’s new crop of one night bands was Grandfather Time Bomb. Annie Hoffman, Caroline Toth, Evelyn Pope, Jared Egan and Walter Sickert formed a group with a sinister undercurrent. It was a flash of dark rock on a bright night for Boston rock. One Night Band 4 birthed eight new bands, raised more than $3000 for good causes* and still had one more surprise to come…
* Zumix and Girls Rock Campaign Boston!
