The Plimsouls "Resouled" at Bowery Electric, New York , NY 2/3/2017

I've been a fan of The Plimsouls since I first heard "Zero Hour" in the classic 80's comedy The Last American Virgin. Not too long after that I saw Valley Girl, which not only had three of their songs but the band itself playing "live" in a club scene. This was when was a preteen, sometime in the mid/late 1980's. The original band broke up in 1984, but reformed (unbeknonst to me at the time) in the mid/late 90's. And I managed to miss them when they toured yet again in the mid 2000's.

This time The Plimsouls have been reformed (or "Resouled", if you will) by lead guitarist Eddie Munoz with a new backing band. Original Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Peter Case and bassist Dave Pahoa are not in the current line-up (original drummer Lou Ramirez hasn't been part of the band since their initial break-up). The new members, whose names I do not know, were all fine and well and they replaced the absent-member's parts admirably. However, anytime a band replacs such important members like the lead singer, who wrote all the lyrics, etc. with new band members, I feel like I'm giving points for effort when I'm not only watching the band's performance but reviewing their set/performance.

The Plimsouls "Resouled" are a fine cover band that also happens to feature a member of the band they're playing tribute to on lead guitar. They played all the classic Plimsouls songs; "Now", "Zero Hour", "Hush, Hush", "I'll Get Lucky", "Lost Time",  "Oldest Story In The World" and the band's biggest hit "A Million Miles Away". I love these songs, so it was nice hearing them all in alive context. The Plimsouls - the original band proper - have always had a reputation as a great live band. After all, the band have as many live albums as they do studio albums.

I'm glad I (finally) got to see "The Plimsouls Resouled", but I really hope I do get to see The Plimsouls reform one day and see
Peter Case sing these songs he wrote with the band he wrote them for.

Buzzcocks: Irving Plaza, New York, NY (10/1/2016)

Manchester (Bolton), England's The Buzzcocks have been touring to celebrate the band's 40 anniversary. The band played Irving Plaza earlier this month, and by and large the show was a success. Given the longevity of the band (read: age) I wasn't expecting them to be so full of natural intensity. However the band gave credible, excellent readings of the majority of all the classics. The sound, as it generally always is at Irving Plaza was wonderful. It's still my favorite venue for rock shows in Manhattan.

Just a few songs in, it was crystal clear as to why they're the acknowledged pioneers of Pop Punk. The busy yet efficient drums parts, decidedly individual yet lovelorn lyrics, thoroughly melodic basslines, the crystalline crunch of the guitars and the harmony vocals of leaders Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley. Their brand of  Ramones wall of guitars with their own romantic concerns spawned the likes of The Descendants, Hüsker Dü, Green Day and Blink 182. 

The band performed a twenty-one song set in just over ninety-minutes. The classics "What Do I Get?", "I Don't Mind", "Ever Fallen In Love", "Promises", "Love You More", "Autonomy" and "Orgasm Addict" were all performed and sung-along-to-loudly by the crowd (whose ages seem to range from teenage to retiree). My favorite songs of the evening were "You Say You Don't Love Me", "Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore" and the sublime "Harmony In My Head". The best performance was the bands' trance-y "Moving Away From The Pulsebeat".

A great show from a legendary band. 

Bryan Ferry: Beacon Theatre, NY, NY 7/29/2016

I first happened upon Roxy Music in about 2002. I became a huge fan shortly thereafter. Roxy last toured the US in 2001, and I'd passed up on seeing Bryan Ferry twice already so it was high time to see the legend, in the flesh (+ blood). Ferry is 70 years old and, after seeing what a year this has been in way of music casualties, as a bona fide I needed to see him. I'm relieved to say that it truly was worth the wait.

His band was absolutely stellar and obviously very well-rehearsed. His setlist was a list of Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry fan-favorites and greatest hits. The tour was in support of his fifteenth solo album, 2014's Avonmore, and the title track started the night off. His biggest solo hits (in the US) "Slave To Love" and "Don't Stop The Dance" followed. A ton of early Roxy Music classics were also successfully tackled; "Editions Of You", "Ladytron", "Beauty Queen", "Virginia Plain" and lengthy versions of "If There Is Something" and "In Every Dream a Heartache" as well.

Ferry's voice was in fine form and he hit every note perfectly. He was as suave as one could hope he would be. Women of ALL ages were out-and-out screaming for the man in-between songs. One should only hope to be in his condition at age 70.

The Roxy Music classics "More Than This", "Avalon" and "Love Is The Drug" were all greeted with something resembling standing ovations. Perfect readings of  "Oh Yeah (On The Radio)", "Let's Stick Together" and a cover of the John Lennon (tribute) "Jealous Guy" and an emotional performance of the instrumental "Tara" from the Avalon album all made the night even more special than a Roxy/Ferry fan could have even hoped for.

Photos by: Bill Wikstrom

The Cure: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY (6/20/16)

The Cure are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year (they formed in 1976, and started recording in 1978). To celebrate their career the band are on tour to (unofficially, at least) celebrate this. And from the offset of the tour, things were reportedly looking good for long-time/hardcore Cure fans. The band had been performing obscure songs they hadn't since the 1980's. And the band played a three-night residency at New York's famous Madison Square Garden. Despite being a longtime Cure fan, I hadn't yet seen the band perform live. So I was especially looking forward to this show.

The Cure line-up in 2016 is, of course, Robert Smith on vocals, guitar and occasional six-string bass, longtime David Bowie-band member Reeves Gabrels on lead guitar, longtime Cure member Simon Gallup on bass, Roger O'Donnell on Keyboards - who made a welcome return to the fold after a long absence - and Jason Cooper, who has been with The Cure since the mid 90's. The band has a wonderful uniformity of sound and sounded fantastic together. It was also fairly obvious that this was a fun show for them. Gallup and O'Donnell's playfully interactions were revealing of that. Smith still sounded in good voice and still looks as he has always (slightly chubby, black clothes, frizzy hair, some lipstick).

The band opened with the mid-tempo "Out Of This World" from Bloodflowers followed by the wonderful "Pictures Of You" and the fine "Closedown" both from Disintegration. I was overjoyed when the band launched into "High" - a personal favorite from the Summer of 1992's Wish - "A Night Like This", "Push" (which had nearly everyone up dancing) and "In Between Days" (the band's first Billboard Top 100 hit) all of which came from The Head On The Door album. The performed most of their US hits ("Just Like Heaven", "Love Song", "Lullaby") notable absences were "Friday I'm In Love" and "Fascination Street", both of which were performed at the previous MSG shows.

The band performed some classics that they don't always perform - all of which were favorites of mine;  the lilting "The Caterpillar", the bonafide psychedelic classic "A Forest",  the new wave synth dance pop classics "The Walk" and "Let's Go To Bed", the late 80's club classics "Hot! Hot! Hot!" and "Why Can't I Be You" (both of which had the entire place up and dancing frantically), "Play For Today" and "At Night" from their Seventeen Seconds album, the rarity "Bananafishbones" and "Shake Dog Shake" from The Top, "Close To Me" and "Kyoto Song" also from The Head On The Door. The band played for over three hours performing 31 songs with four (!) encores.

Opening band The Twilight Sad were a fitting opening band and were a pleasant surprise.

Overall, The Cure were amazing and exceeded all expectations that I had going in to the show. If you're a Cure fan and are hesitant about seeing them. Don't be. I highly recommend seeing them if/when you have the chance.  

Photos by Bill Wikstrom.

Brian Wilson: Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour, Northside Festival, McCarren Park, Brooklyn NY 6/12/16

The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album is one of the most acclaimed albums of all-time. Rolling Stone Magazine has placed it at #2 in it's 500 Greatest Album Of All Time list. Paul McCartney has famously said that no one is educated musically, until they've listen to it. The late George Martin has also said that "Without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper never would have happened. Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds". It basically went on to inspire an entire genre of music (Baroque Pop).  So,
to celebrate it's 50th anniversary, Brian Wilson took the road with his very adept band and Beach Boy Al Jardine and one-time Beach Boy (circa 1971-1974) Blondie Chaplin.

They headlined the Northside Festival at McCarren Park in Brooklyn this year. The band opened with a half-dozen Beach Boys classics - "California Girls, "I Get Around", "Surfer Girl" & "Don't Worry Baby" sung by Brian with his wonderfully capable band, plus "Wild Honey" and "Sail On Sailor" with Blondie on lead vocals. Then the band performed the entire Pet Sounds album in sequence. which includes the classics: "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sloop John B", "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times", "Caroline, No" and "God Only Knows". Plus a whimsical singalong version of "Row Row Row Your Boat" as per request of Mr. Wilson, which was a pretty hilarious highlight. 

The band closed things out with sincere readings of "Good Vibrations", "Barbara Ann", "Surfin' USA" and "Fun, Fun, Fun" - all of which produced a fantastic audience response. It should be noted just how great his band were and how authentic they sounded with obvious love and respect towards to original arrangements of the songs.

Madrid's Hinds, a garage rock combo and were touring in support of their Leave Me Alone album. They were a welcome, if small, surprise. And made for a fine opener who perhaps deserved a better response. Ex-Vampire Weekend member Rostam, backed by a string section also performed as well.

The Fleshtones & Los Straitjackets featuring Deke Dickerson at The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY, Friday 10/31/14

The Fleshtones - originally from Queens, now of Brooklyn - and Nashville's luchador-masked Los Straitjackets (featuring Deke Dickerson)  were the bands performing this year at Brooklyn's The Bell House Halloween show.  And there were many costumed-patrons there to celebrate the festive holiday as well. I've been a fan of both Los Straitjackets and The Fleshtones for many years and the thing that these bands share: their blends of surf and garage rock stylings with various other elements unique to the individual bands. Neither bands ever fails to deliver an entertaining performance and both make it look all too easy.  

                                     

I'd seen these two bands (along with Southern Culture on The Skids) perform last Halloween-season at Brooklyn Bowl, so I'd come to know what to expect. The Fleshtones deliver solid, dependable 60's styled R&B-infused garage rock: "Super Rock", as they've long dubbed it. And the fully-formed fourteen-song set they delivered was excellent, and I believe, took  more than a few audience-members by surprise. The band casually strolled onto the stage from the side of bar, while playing one of their Halloween standards, "Dance With The Goulman" via wireless bass & guitar. Lead singer Peter Zaremba walked around with a bucket of candy and distributed it to the crowd. The band then launched into their big should-have-been hit from the original motion picture soundtrack (and title-track) I Was A Teenage Zombie.

 The band performed songs from their newest album - their twentieth in all - Wheel Of Talent ("What You're Talking About", " Remember The Ramones" & "Veo La Luz"), as well as songs from their last few Yep Roc releases - the band's label since 2002 -  from 2008's Take A Good Look ("Feels Good To Feel"), 2005's Beachead ("Pretty Pretty Pretty") and from 2003's Do You Swing? (a cover of the Coastliners' "Alright"). Despite a fan gripe that The Fleshtones rarely venture into their wonderful and woefully-overlooked I.R.S. Records catalog of material, the band's choice of  material was satisfying.

I've yet to see a band more forthcoming in their performance without grossly overstating things than The Fleshtones. Bands half their age (their average mean-age for the band members is 50) have much to learn from these guys. Bassist Ken Fox, Drummer Bill Milhizer and Guitarist Keith Streng are still as vital as ever. They've been preaching the word since 1976 and show no signs of slowing down. If these guys are in your town, by all means check them out!

The Fleshtones, above, in mock-heroic pose. And the band in human-pyramid mode.

Before exiting the stage Fleshtones lead singer Peter Zaremba reliably informed the audience that
"only the Fleshtones know how handsome Los Straitjackets are".

Los Straitjackets performing above, in perfectly-synced surf guitar pose.

Instrumental surf rock masters Los Straitjackets are currently on tour supporting their newest album Sings The Great Instrumental Hits!!! with special guest vocalist Deke Dickerson. The album tackles instrumental hits such as "Pipeline", "Miserlou", "Popcorn" & "Theme From A Summer Place". However these songs had lyrics all along and Dickerson is here to reinstate them back to the public consciousness. Deke Dickerson is an excellent surf rock guitarist, but he is a just an okay vocalist.

So, to have one of the great modern-day surf rock bands perform with a just-okay vocalist is anti-climatic to say the least. I overheard someone behind me mumble "uh-oh, it's the show killer" when Deke, dressed like a Dracula Elvis, gamely sauntered out for his first song.

The band performed only three instrumental songs, the last being a spooky version of "Theme For Halloween", before being joined by Deke (who overall put on a pretty good performance). If you've ever seen Los Straitjackets perform and are a fan of their instrumental greatness, you can only imagine their set being tainted by a vocalist, let alone an average one. If the band are on tour without a guest vocalist, they must be seen to be believed.

 

All photography copyright: Bill Wikstrom.