The Sprained Ankles / The Welch Boys / The Warning Shots / Beantown Boozehounds / Pint Killers / Jason Bennett & The Resistance / Lenny Lashley
Great Scott, Allston, MA 2/18/17
Lenny Lashley is first to play tonight and I won’t insult you by explaining, who he is. About the third song in he mentions about talking before the set to someone about what the next song means, he explains it’s about the apocalypse and the song is called “Live Like Lions.”
It’s a beautiful, haunting song though I did not know what it was about. Oh, yeah, that someone he was referring to was me. And I feel it’s also about the inherent cruelty of life.
He plays the song “Hooligans” which mentions playing at The Rat and how we have to “rely on each other,” recalling the brotherhood of punk. Lenny is one of our best songwriters, still plays shows with Darkbuster and is a member of Street Dogs. And is one of the best bartenders the Midway has ever had.
Jason Bennett & The Resistance is next. As I’ve stated before, I’ve always enjoyed Jason, but when he inherited from the sadly demised The Radicals- Aria (on bass) and Matthew (on drums), this super-charged rhythm section just put his band over the top.
Their set of high energy, melodic punk is excellent and is topped off with a slower, poignant song “Heavy Weather.” A song about a couple bearing the struggles life throws at you while still surviving.
But to really complete their set they do a cover of a Clash tune, “Complete Control,” which happens to be my favorite song by them and causes me to loose control of my bladder.
After the set drummer Matt, bemoans some “flubs” in their execution but I point out that it’s actually, a complex song and they did a fine rendition.
After a quick change of pants it’s time for the Pint Killer debut set. This is Mark Doherty’s project and it might be his best. I reviewed their rough demo recently and every song was like finding a diamond in the rough. Great lyrics by Mark and great music by Bill Jollimore, the guitarist.
They start off with my favorite “Lights Out” and end with the emotional, reflective “Raise A Glass” (which might be my new favorite) towards the end. It’s about lost compadres, “We’ll be together in the end, my friend.” But wait! There’s time for one more and it’s a cover of Darkbuster’s “Skinhead” and the place goes wild.
This band has elements of Irish/punk, hardcore, punk’n’roll and who knows which way they will turn? But as I told Mark, before the set, I have high expectation from this band, one I hope to say, was my favorite new band of the year in December.
Now it’s time for one of the most serious bands I know- seriously fun, that is. The Beantown Boozehounds, along with The McGunks ( a band they’ve frequently shared bills with) are the most fun punk’n’roll bands I know. (And I know quite a few bands.)
They play a cover of a New Jersey band that starts out with the line, “Me and the boys are going out tonight,” and Mark Doherty hops on stage to sing along. They announce one song as by Lady Gaga but actually, it’s by Bryan Adams, “The Summer of 69” ( I, honestly, read that he claimed in an interview that this song wasn’t about the year but the sexual position it alludes to!) Oh, and they have the able Pope on drums which I barely recognized with the long hair gone and a Buddhist monk cut in it’s place!
These boozehounds play a wild, fun set doing justice to the incredibly great and insane band, Zippo Raid, that they grew out of.
The Warning Shots are next, led by Mark Lind of The Ducky Boys fame. They have a new four-way split with Blood Stained Brindle, Stray Bullets and Duck & Cover.
The first thing I notice is they don’t have their huge drummer, anymore. In fact, their new drummer is quite slim. Anyways, their new drummer fits in well as their old drummer was immense, not just in size but in talent as well.
And this band shows a lot of talent in their hardcore tinged, street punk, melodic punk style. Lots of great songs played by great musicians and that adds up to one great set.
The Welch Boys are next to play, the ones we have to blame for putting on such great benefit shows like this one and the one that took place last week, that take place every year.
And though they played great last week, they seem absolutely on fire tonight.
Standing by the side of the stage I see the fury and passion leap out at the crowd with such songs as my favorite “617” with it’s pause every six beats for an awesome machine gun drum riff.
I’ve heard the term “street punk” tagged on bands like them, The Ducky Boys and The Blue Bloods but I never realized, till tonight, how much this band truly embody the Oi spirit.
This is a very intense, moving set they play- my favorite of the night, and it’s great to find out that the young, Japanese fan in front of the stage during their set came from that country just to witness this show tonight!
The Sprained Ankles are up to take the night out and everyone I talk to loves this band except for one cranky, old guy. He complains that they’re not punk, metal or hardcore and have a keyboard player! And a female back-up singer, to boot! And at their worse, reminds him of Meatloaf!
But I think this fifties and sixties inspired music is a lot of fun for most people. And when he complains to Viviam, “Why does a band like this play these shows?” She replies, “That’s why they’re fun, ’cause they’re really not supposed to be here.”
I just think this old guy has too many bad memories of playing too many years in cover bands that played this type of music.
I think he needs to lighten up, loosen up a bit, have a few drinks and have a bit of fun.
Then, I realize, he’s already doing that. He had a great time tonight and had tons of fun.
Oh, snap!- It’s me.
(Slimedog)
