Fri, Mar 27th Chris Barron & the Time Bandits, Manchester, CT
Yes, *that* Chris Barron. Ex and current Spin Doctors. This is a side project that is some new stuff and a sprinkling of SD covers. Not as trippy and jammy as the SD were but enjoyable anyways. SD “covers” definitely missed Eric Schenkman’s guitar. His drummer, Phil Cimino, was over the top loud. Maybe the first time my ears were ringing after a show just from a drum kit.
Fri, Apr 3rd, Girls, Guns and Glory / Yarn, Manchester, CT
Raved about GG&G before and a few people here can preach the gospel as well. We anticipated they were the headliners but they opened and only played about 45 minutes or so. Took them to the end to win over the crowd, who was clearly biding their time checking their cellphones waiting for Yarn. Yarn comes from the Dave Matthews jam-band school. 2 acoustic guitars, sax, bass, drums and a primo mandolin player that had that thing sounding like a screaming electric on a few songs. Just a fun, fun band that, after listening to their disc from last year, have cranked it up a couple notches.
Mon, Apr 6th, Eric Ambel & Roscoe’s Gang / Reducers, New London, CT
Set in an old barn theatre on the grounds of the Eugene O’Neill theatre, this somewhat sparsely attended show surprised me once again as Ambel opened for local “legends”, the Reducers. Eric was very subdued and was nothing like I thought he’d be. Did a great take on “Judas Kiss”, covered a couple Yayhoos songs, proclaimed that “George Harrison has always been my favorite Beatle” before covering “Beware of Darkness”. He finished with a disappointing take on “Song for the Walls”. Roscoe’s Gang this time was a female bassist who was average and a drummer who was over the top loud. Maybe the second time my ears were ringing after a show just from a drum kit. His name? Yup. Phil Cimino.
The Reducers brand of pop-punk stole the night. 30 years on and they still rock the house.
Wed. Apr 8th, Michelle Malone, Somerville, MA
A 2-hour drive to see this blues-rock singer-songwriter would have been worth a 4 hour drive. Her new album, ‘Debris’, takes a rockier turn then some of her past efforts and she’s clearly having a blast on stage. New backing band, Trial by Jury, just rocks…and no, the drummer is not Phil Cimino. After the show, after selling some merch, a fan said how she didn’t play her favorite song. Michelle then grabs an acoustic, pulls up a chair by the stage and proceeds top do it solo for aboput 15 of us still left in the club. After the song, she says “Did I not do anybody else’s favorite song?” Yours truly says “Feather in a Hurricane” and she says “no shit” before ripping into it. She finished by doing “Willin’” (w/the band coming over to sing harmonies). Now *that* was a show.
You can see the video for “Feather in a Hurricane” here: http://www.singingfool.com/Title.aspx?publishedid=811119
