Tickets said 8:00pm so me and my buddies Jimmy and Kev took the train down and got to the club about 7:15. We went downstairs where the show was taking place and literally no one else was there yet. Checked out the merch table and each picked up a signed poster (only 30 available...not sure if that was overall or just for this show) and the boys got a shirt and some CD's. I grabbed some beers and we planted ourselves in a spot over on the right side of the stage.
By 8:00 the place was about 2/3 full when New York Junk took the stage.
They are always good and by the end of their rockin set the place was jam packed.
We then witnessed the quickest set change ever. I believe it took The Threads four minutes tops to get ready before kickin off their fantastic high powered set.
I shot a whole lot of video at this show and here's one of The Threads doing "Scream and Shout"
After the Threads we wondered aloud which side Wayne Kramer would be on (we knew Tommy Stinson would be right in front of us) and it turn out that Wayne's awesome photographer Tracy Ketcher happened to be right next to us and let us know Wayne would be right here too. NICE!
Then the setlist was taped down (oh yeah, it came home with me) and we saw Cheetah Chrome (of The Dead Boys) would be joining the band for a few tunes. We already knew Jesse Malin had been rehearsing with them and Handsome Dick Manitoba (of The Dictators and the owner of the best bar in NYC, Manitoba's) was announced on the poster (although a bit of a bummer he only did one song - although what a killer performance - video below). The only other special guest we didn't know about was Lynne Von. Debbie Harry of Blondie showed up at the late show, but alas not at ours. Excellent job by all special guests.
The band soon came on stage and it was a loose, at times chaotic, killer set. Sure some lyrics weren't right here and there and sure Tommy didn't have much patience waiting for some of the special guests to come on stage (or waiting for some whiskey to be brought his way), but goddamn it was true rock n roll...literally in our faces.
It was a 17 song set and below are the nine I got on video. It really is so close it's almost like you're there, so I'll let you watch and enjoy for yourself. Below I'll also post about 40 or so photos from the show as well. Afterward I had the pleasure of meeting Wayne and Clem whom I've never met before. Tommy unfortunately was not in the hang around mood this time out, but I did get his pick (Thank you again Tracy!) as well as Wayne's. A damn near perfect night of good times and great music.
Setlist:
Born To Lose (Tommy on vocals) - video
Baby Talk (Tommy on vocals)
All By Myself (Walter on vocals)
I Wanna Be Loved (Jesse Malin on vocals)
It's Not Enough (Jesse Malin on vocals)
Chinese Rocks (Walter and Tommy on vocals) - video
Get Off The Phone (Walter on vocals)
Pirate Love (Jesse Malin on vocals and Cheetah Chrome on guitar) - video
One Track Mind (Walter on vocals)
I Love You (Lynne Von on vocals) - video
Goin' Steady (Cheetah Chrome on vocals and guitar) - video above includes this
Let Go (Wayne on vocals)
Can't Keep My Eyes On You (Clem on vocals)
Do You Love Me? (Wayne on vocals) - video
You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory (Jesse Malin on vocals) - video above includes this
Kick Out The Jams (Handsome Dick Manitoba on vocals) - video
Too Much Junkie Business (Walter and Jesse Malin on vocals) - video above includes this
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Click on any of the photos below to enlarge them to full screen. Also follow on twitter @MostPeopleBlank Then, of course, as always - Rock on and Enjoy - Paul
I have to do a special shout out to this gal. She was perhaps the most "excited" fan in the house and during the second or third song of the set just wandered on stage and was mesmerized by Tommy's bass playing to the enjoyment of Wayne. Then you'll see below as she dances front and center when Wayne was singing "Do You Love Me?" You'll also see an appearance by her in one of the videos. All I can say if she is reading this is - ROCK ON!
Me with Wayne Kramer and Clem Burke