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| From | "Sager, Greg" <greg.sager@bankofamerica.com> |
| Subject | Re: Chicago IPO review |
| Date | Mon, 10 May 2004 04:37:07 -0500 |
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Date: Fri, 07 May 2004 08:43:25 -0000
From: "Boris" <boris@mchsi.com>
To: audities@smoe.org
Subject: Re: Chicago IPO review
Message-ID: <c7fi7d+4gir@eGroups.com>
That "Deranged Dick" (Cliff Johnson) remains one of THE best frontmen
I have ever seen.
I have literally watched that band evolve from day one and glad to see
they are still "ON!" PLUS a wonderful cover of Leslie Gore's "Maybe I
Know" that set as well.
I heartily second Bob's and Boris's comments about Off Broadway, a band that
never seems to do a bad set. I know that David Bash counts their performance
at last year's IPO as one of the all-time-best sets he's ever seen at *any*
IPO, and they weren't far off that mark with this year's set, either. Plus,
they get bonus points for their Replacementsesque eclecticism when it comes
to covers; in addition to improving upon Lesley Gore in their IPO set at the
Abbey Pub last weekend they also covered two Beatles songs, Henry Mancini,
and Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl".
But I can't give Cliff Johnson my Best Frontman Award for IPO Chicago 2004.
That rightly belongs to Boston's hidden weapon of mass rock'n'roll
destruction, the amazing Rock E. Rollins -- whom David and I decided most
closely resembles Tony Soprano crossed with Meat Loaf, with a dash of George
Thorogood's guitar-playing thrown in for good measure.
While Off Broadway gets my Best Set Award for IPO Chicago 2004, here's the
rest of my best-ofs:
The Best New Band Award goes to the Golden Apples, an Austin quartet who did
an amazing job of channeling first-album Big Star without looking like they
were trying to do so. Runner-up is the Merseybeat-but-not-really of Spain's
the Winnerys.
The Earworm Award, in recognition of the song that did the best job of
burrowing into my head and not coming out for several days, goes to Spy
Radio for "Radio Shack".
The Most Likely To Make A Splash On College Radio Award goes to Bruise.
The Clever Ending Award goes to Lovetap, an Omaha band that really burned up
Gunther Murphy's with an outstanding, hard-rocking Sunday afternoon set. At
the conclusion of the drum fill that winds up their set-closer, "Quiet
Josephine", the drummer yelled into his mic in time with the fill, "Let's
... get ... some ... runs!" You have to watch Cubs games on TV to understand
why this was so funny.
The Criminally Neglected Entertainment Commodity Award goes to M.O.T.O.,
because Paul Caporino & Co. have been doing it for well over a decade now
with wit, energy, and damned catchy songs without getting 1/10th of the
press or notoriety of many of the other veteran bands that played the
festival.
The Bruce Brodeen Extremely Highly Recommended Award goes to Kelly's Heels.
If you do not own a Kelly's Heels album, seriously rethink this
near-criminal neglect from which your CD player suffers.
The Best Stage Patter Award goes to drummer extraordinaire Joe Parsons of
Myracle Brah. Something tells me that he's won awards of this sort before.
You've heard of stand-up comedians? Joe Parsons is a sit-down comedian.
The Wish I'd Heard His Songs With His Band Behind Him Award goes to John
Brodeur, who did his set without the Suggestions. With songs that good, a
solo acoustic set comes off as something of a tease.
The High Energy Award is shared by two of the punk-pop bands from L.A.'s
Kiss Or Kill scene, the Dollyrots and Bang Sugar Bang. You have to love a
band that ends its set by having the guitarist take a flying header over the
drumkit.
The Most Improved Material Award goes to the Wes Hollywood Show. Wes's new
stuff is outstanding, and his new album *Moonraker* is one of the best that
I picked up at the festival.
The Most Improved Performance Award goes to Cherry Blossom Clinic, who were
a much better live act than I had remembered them being last year.
The Best Performer Armed Only With An Acoustic Guitar Award (always
highly-coveted, because the field of contestants is usually rather large)
goes to Dag Juhlin.
The Versatility Award goes to Million Yen, who reversed last year's
high-energy set and the muscular rawk of their last album with a rather
downtempo set (including a cool cover of 10cc's "I'm Not In Love") that was
just as outstanding.
The Best Is Yet To Come Award goes to the Oohs, who debuted what sounds like
their two best songs yet during their Saturday afternoon set.
The Best Cover Award goes to Eric Howell and the Implants, who (as a coda to
Eric's witty "Disturbance at the Harrison House" original) covered "Tomorrow
Never Knows" by the Beatles and used a DJ wreaking havoc at the turntable in
lieu of the backwards-tape effects that distinguish the *Revolver* version
of the song. It was a fresh update that really worked.
The Coolest Guy On The Planet Who Can Also Work 350 Riffs From Other Songs
Into His Guitar-Shredding Solo During His Finale Award goes to ... who else?
Jeremy Morris.
And the Is It Possible For This Guy To Actually Write A Bad Song? Award goes
to Andy Bopp of Myracle Brah, with an honorable mention to Mike Jarvis of
the Lackloves.
Once again, thanks to David Bash for making it all possible. Can't wait to
man the merch table at IPO Chicago 2005!
Gregory Sager
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