Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
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.
A couple of weeks ago, we presented a show at TT’s with our good friends over at Boston Band Crush. Sidewalk Driver was on the bill. I may have posted some pictures of these guys before. I kinda sorta like ’em a little bit. They’ve got these songs. Really cool songs. Songs about magnets and Tad’s face. And they play the hell out of ’em. They do all that while blowing confetti all over the friggin’ place.
One of my favorite things about a Sidewalk Driver show is telling my boys about it the next morning. As I was describing this particular show, Big Little One suspected I may be embellishing the tale a bit.
“You’re teasing.”
I assured him I wasn’t, although I understood his skepticism. It all sounded to fantastic to be true. It was too much for his six-year-old brain to process. I paused a minute to let him take it all in.
Then I told him about the parachute…
Sidewalk Driver at Brighton Music Hall is always a good idea. Friday night was no exception. These glam-poppers played a nice mix of recent tunes* and songs from FATBAG. They debuted a fantastic new song called “My Face” that found Tad confettiizing in ways previously unknown.** They even busted out a cover of The Turtles’ classic “Elenore.”*** Gee, I think Sidewalk Driver is swell…
* They opened their set with “Kidnapped.” It’s probably my current favorite Sidewalk Driver tune. That’s like picking a favorite guitar, though. They’re all special.
** “Confettiizing” is a real word. OK, it isn’t.
*** Boy Wonder used to cover that song. I had flashbacks during Sidewalk Driver’s rendition. Happy-happy-sing-song-sing-along flashbacks. What a great tune that is. Between this cover and their recent take on The Monkees’ “Star Collector,” Sidewalk Driver is sending me to ’60s pop heaven.
The morning after Sidewalk Driver’s semi-final set at last year’s Rumble, I described the spectacle that took place to my then-4-year-old son. He listened in astonishment.
The morning after Sidewalk Driver’s recent show at Brighton Music Hall, I told my now-5-year-old boy that Tad made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stage.* He laughed hysterically.
I’m not sure which reaction made me happier…
* Yes, this is real. It was one of the single greatest moments of my concert going life.