The Sheckies / F.U.’s / Jagger Holly / Jimmy Jacked
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 3/8/15
This is a somewhat rare event for me. “What do you mean you cock-a-many fool?” You’re always at the Midway matinees! Rumor has it you live in the basement of the club, eating cheese with the rats, drinking the dregs of the kegs down there and only come up when a punk show is taking place.”
All this is true. But it’s usually a Saturday matinee not a Sunday matinee, though I guess I’ve been to a few of them as well. For the life of me I don’t even know why you bring this up?
Jimmy Jacked is the first band in the lead off position. A band I’ve only seen once before and one of the few bands that we cover who are from Maine.
I do notice that Ben, lead singer, who actually lives in New Hampshire because the band couldn’t put up with him unless he lived in another state, is sporting short cropped hair in the style of Lou Reed circa 1972.
To describe Jimmy Jacked’s style by anything else but punk is futile. Not that they play in straight ahead Ramones style, but all influences seem to come from the original wave and they’re all excellent musicians, the drummer and lead guitarist especially.
For some reason I think of them as if you mixed the Dead Boys with Devo. But however way you figure it, this is top rate, prime cut old-school punk and a great way to start off the show.
Jagger Holly is up next. An obvious reference to Mick and Buddy. To me they sound like a band that would’ve fit in nicely at the Rat in the eighties. A kind of mix of garage rock/ power pop and independent music.
When I checked their bio they just call themselves :rock’n’roll” which suits them fine. They’re led by a good singer/ bassist and though, no way they are a punk band, they do play with enough swagger to get the heads boppin’ and toes tappin’ and turn in a fine set.
The mighty F.U’s are next and as this is turning into a throwback type of show this band represents hardcore at its birth and I believe, is one of the best hardcore bands from its time.
And they still bring it. I think some younger people may be confused with the jolting rhythms and sometimes odd song structures but this is the sound of the original hardcore. This is the blueprint, not so much Agnostic Front or The Cro-Mags.
They play a great set and I’m just a little surprised when they don’t play my favorite song by them, “Young, Fast Iranians” but they do treat us with a Johnny Cash cover, “Sunday Morning Coming Down,”- a great song and a great version, too.
At last it’s time for The Sheckies. I was told to expect something humorous but then, I’ve been told to expect that in my reviews and have been greatly disappointed, many times, having found nothing funny, at least, unintentionally.
The Sheckies, you might say, are a heavyweight class band. Meaning, though they are a trio- their combined weight might out weigh the other three bands combined weight here today.
The bassist is regular sized but the drummer and guitarist are some of the biggest musicians (or people) I’ve seen. No starving artists here! Which they don’t try to hide as both of them play shirtless (causing the girls to inch closer to the stage!)
But there’s no hiding that this is an excellent band. They play Ramones influenced traditional punk, or like they say “Pogo Punk,” though everything is done with a dollop of humor (and extra sour cream, please.) They play a set that is tight, energetic, professional and fun.
They remind me a bit of Sloppy Seconds or The Queers and when I check their facebook later Sloppy Seconds is listed under influences. This is all great, straight ahead punk and towards the end of their fun set they do an excellent cover of, who else?- The Ramone’s “Cretin Hop.”
Well, this was kind of an old school punk hardcore show today which is always fun. For me, punk comes in many flavors and I enjoy them all.
Time for me to descend back into the dungeon, to scribble some more words and await for my next ascension. That is, whenever there’s the next punk show happening above my head.
And you can be assured, I’ll surely make as ass of me then, I assure you.
(Slimedog)
