The Welch Boys Sixth Annual Pine Street Inn Benefit
Dot Rats / The Welch Boys / The Blue Bloods / Beantown Boozehounds / The Warning Shots / Tin Can Hooley / Lenny Lashley’s Gang Of One
Great Scott, Allston, MA 11/15/14
This is another benefit show generated by the punk community. Doesn’t it seem like there’s one every other week? The last review I did was Refuse Resist reunion show and that was a benefit. New Years Day will be the Punk For Princess Polar Plunge for Children’s Hospital. It just explains why I call us the best musical community in Boston- it couldn’t be for the music now, could it? All kidding aside the Boston Punk community has the biggest, best hearts and that’s why we rule!
Tonight is the sixth annual benefit show for the Pine Street Inn put on by The Welch Boys. T.J and the lads deserve the greatest of accolades for doing this. When I had more loot I used to give to the Saint Francis House, a homeless shelter in the Combat Zone. It’s the best charity in the world to me! But onto the show.
I missed Lenny Lashley’s set but with good reason. My mom was going to the Blake Estates pizza party this evening, it’s a mostly, senior citizen housing complex, nearby where we live.
I’d heard Lenny was going on first, about eight.
“So, I can take you back about seven-thirty, is that okay,” I said.
“Well, that will be hardly anytime for me to enjoy my pizza,” she said.
“How about eight-thirty?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
I arrive tonight at nine and he’s finished. But there’s nothing I can add to a Lenny Lashley performance for you, is there? You’re all familiar with him, know him as one of our best songwriters on our scene. And if you were unlucky enough not to see him tonight like me- well, that’s too bad. If you did get to see him- well, then your lucky indeed.
I do get to see Tin Can Hooley. They are a traditional Irish music band. It seems they’re doing a mighty fine job of it but critiquing Irish music is not part of my job, you see- so I’ll just pass.
Mark Lind’s newest band, The Warning Shots, is more my speed and they start they’re set off, as usual, with my favorite song by them, “No Holiday.” I worked for Mark once for a couple of weeks as a temp worker, mostly answering phones. He was a great boss except he used to say, “That’s good but try it once more with feeling.”
This band plays some great pop/punk stuff, they turn in a rousing set and really set the crowd off reeling.
Hmm, this place is packed. Who do I see here? There’s Gina and C.E., Heather the nurse pops in, Jo and Carolyn and Jake are here, along with Big Mike and Tina.
But now I see it’s Beantown Boozehound time and all mayhem breaks loose. They are mostly x-Zippo Raid, a band once led by the beloved Joe Zippo, and they create drunken, musical debauchery wherever they play. And they play a combo of Oi, Street Punk and Rock’N’Roll I’d say.
They start with their great song, “On The Road”- no, not by Willie Nelson or Jack Kerouac and end with “Drunk Driving Again.” A song about breaking the law with chemicals and heavy machinery- always a guaranteed good time!
Unfortunately, Chad breaks his beloved mandolin during the later song and somewhere a chorus of seven swans are weeping. The remains of the mandolin are hung upon the wall of Great Scott’s after the set and what a hell of a set these hooligan’s turn in!
The Blue Bloods are next and they’re excellent new CD was reviewed by us recently. Much like The Welch Boys they’ve been around awhile, are one of the most popular local bands. And much like the Street Dogs, work in a style that combines punk’n’roll, street punk and hardcore.
And yes, they just played the Refuse Reunion show and we’re equally great tonight.
Now it’s time for The Welch Boys, host of this great event. They describe themselves as hardcore/punk/Oi and I would add a little bit of the Irish punk sing-a-long punk, too. They turn in a great set for this great benefit. The highlight being, for me anyways, when promoter Viviam, who’s birthday it happens to be today, clamors onstage to sing along with T.J.
Big Mike is surprised that his friends the Dot Rats are the last to go on with their fiery, incendiary set that they usually play. I’m not sure I’d like to be in a band that played after them.
Their style is more rap/punk, not my favorite style, usually, but in their hands they turn me into a believer. More punk in attitude than style as one of their songs is called, “I Don’t Give A Fuck.” And I think they capture the flavor and intent of punk more than most bands who play straight ahead punk or hardcore.
I always look forward to seeing them, they never disappoint and they keep the moshing going to end this crazy night.
I think charity for the homeless is a great cause because I feel, “there but for the grace of God go I,” and without the help of my family, at times, I would be there, too.
And the punk family, punk community is a great one. You can take the great music by the bands created tonight alone, or combine them with all the great thought and work that went into making this benefit. Either way it’s great and together what you have is a special night by a special community for a great cause.
(Slimedog)
