2007, Jan-Mar

Reigning Sound; Ribeye Brothers
@Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY - March 11, 2007

When I wasn't making an ass out of myself at the bar ordering a "Malibu Bay Breeze with Grapefruit" (that's a Seabreeze, doofus), I was enjoying a textbook great night of rock n roll. The Reigning Sound are on fire lately, serving as the backing band to Mary Weiss, the former lead singer of the legendary Shangri-La's. Now armed with a keyboard (maybe once again armed, for all I know), I actually prefer this smoother, more soulful incarnation than the smashing guitar madness that first impressed me years ago (not that I am one to be impressed of course, I'm a nobody). Greg Cartwright is an affable, loveable frontman who just enjoys what he's doing and seeing him on Conan tomorrow night will be a great moment for all his longtime fans.
Opening act the Ribeye Brothers put a new spin on hard rockabilly-ish roadhouse rock - a controlled but thunderous metal voice eminating from the controlled force that is Tim Cronin. As a guy who loves to pick on New Jersey, this band gave me one less reason to do so.


The Dirtbombs; The A-Bones; Dirty Excuse
@ Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY - February 17, 2007
*You'd think I would have known that the leaders of the A-Bones are the legendary founders of Norton Records, but that would have meant I would have known about Norton Records, and that would have meant I had credibility.

Night 2, the Dirtbombs were straight up solid. Solid, solid, solid. maybe the best I've ever heard them. We didn't even have a requisite Mick opening-riff snafu. It was perfect, flawless - from beginning to end.
In contrast to night 1, the opening acts were AMAZING. Dirty Excuse were straight-up classic rock infused with the hooks and riffs they need. The A-Bones are Rockabilly. Pure rockabilly. And that means, a pure good time. The fact that they are from Brooklyn makes them all the more amazing.

The Dirtbombs; Tiny Masters of Today; Boy/Girl
@ Maxwell's
Hoboken,NJ - February 16, 2007

For a change, I hung out in back (and helped protect the merch from being swiped). In exchange for my efforts, I avoided a mosher asshole (who Mick Collins promptly chided) and I was able to hear the band clearly and crisply. To really appreciate the Dirtbombs' two-bass attack, check them out at Maxwell's in the back. You can feel it. The end featured Mick and Troy switching places with Ben and Pat. It seemed like a totally different band. Especially with Ben looking like a mountain man. Though Ben did the singing and the shakin' around, it was Pat who exuded top quality frontman coolness. Not to mention, the man just looks good with standing in front of a mic with an axe strapped to him. Also, that was the darkest version of "Land of 1,000 Dances" I've ever heard.

The opening bands - sorry to say - horrible. Boy/Girl was noise. Tiny Masters of Today weren't that bad - and they are kids still learning their way (yes, there is more than one two-kid, dad-on-drums trio out there) but the highlight for me was the unexpected cover of House of Pain's "Jump Around".

Finally - I have a message for drunk Pete. You seem like a nice guy and all, but wisen up. If you attend one more show - Maxwell's or elsewhere - and you stage crash again - I am going to take you out back and smack you around. Got it?