The Best Of Fall TV - Part 5 (Tuesday Nights)

Okay, so I’ve been slacking on the Tuesday TV schedule – so let’s jump in and get through this quick and easy, like pulling off a Band-aid…

1. Fringe (Fox) – (Started September 9th) J.J. Abrams seems to have a pattern for picking his leads: one cute female (relatively unknown) and one attractive male, preferably from some kind of show that had a teenybopper audience – possibly add in a dash of comic relief to spice things up. In this show, the hot mama in question is Anna Torv (playing FBI Agent Olivia Dunham), the hunkey man-type is Joshua Jackson (formerly of Dawson’s Creek fame – playing super-smart Peter Bishop) and John Noble (playing Dr. Walter Bishop – Peter’s father, also ridiculously intelligent, and nutty as a squirrel turd – thus the comic relief). (If you’re wondering what the parallels are, in LOST their counterparts would be Evangeline Lilly, Matthew Fox (previously of Party of Five) and Jorge Garcia (Hurley – not wicked smaht, but equally funny.)) What you’ve missed so far: melting people on a plane, rapidly aging serial killers and psychic lab experiments – oh, and they pulled the eye out of a corpse to do… oh, I forget, but it was pretty gross. What could sink this show? Right now, Fox is actually doing a pretty decent job promoting Fringe, so they’re not a problem – yet. But if they don’t let Olivia get over her dead ex soon and start to crack a smile? Even the crazytown antics of Dr. Bishop won’t be enough to lighten the mood after a while. We need levity injected into a show with such a serious backstory. Final words: the shadowy conspiracy in this mythology series has a name: The Pattern. Oooooh, the evil pattern. Is it the government? The scary corporate scientists? Needlework designs fom Hell? I’ll never tell - XOXO.

2. The Mentalist (CBS) – (Started September 23rd) Patrick Jane works as an independent detective who uses his honed observation skills to assist law enforcement in solving crimes. Add a spunky sidekick in the pharmaceutical biz, a spunky female cop as a love interest and a head detective nicknamed Lassie? Yeah, isn’t this already a show on USA called Psych? Oh, but this one isn’t supposed to be funny? Okay. Worth checking out, but if you have to choose between this and House – not sure how many will tune in…

3. House (Fox) – (Started September 16th) So, Dr. Wilson may or may not blame House for the death of his girlfriend – but he definitely doesn’t want to be friends anymore, so he’s moved away. A character replacement that seems to be working oddly well? The private detective House hired to get background dirt on his patients – oh, and he hired him to spy on Wilson, but that’s really no surprise. And yes, the new team is still intact (Foreman, Thirteen, that guy from Harold & Kumar and the cranky ex-plastic surgeon). Also still going strong – the weekly lumbar puncture, House’s crankiness/general insanity and a steady increase in the amount of gross and gooey procedures. Bottom line: if you don’t know how good House is by now, we may need a psych consult – or another L.P. just to be safe…

4. The Shield (FX) – (Started September 2nd) Whether or not you agree with Vic Mackey’s strongarm politics, he’s always gotten the job done. Granted, he might’ve burnt some people’s faces off along the way, and maybe he stole a truckload of money from the Russian mob – nobody’s perfect. The thing to remember about this show, though? This is one of the cable network successes that proved that original scripted programs could exist beyond the major networks. AND they could be just as edgy as anything on HBO or Showtime. So give this show some love – it’s the final season, and I’m betting they don’t bow out quietly.

5. Eli Stone (ABC) – (Starts October 14th) A mid-season replacement from last year that came out with a success story – a pickup for season 2! And there are few shows as deserving – the quirky dramedy about a lawyer whose George Michael-centric hallucinations turn him into a modern-day prophet is funny, well written and populated with a fantastic cast. Jump on board when it starts up again – I’m sure the “Previously On” voiceover guy will tell you anything you missed – just a hunch.

See you soon for more – but not much more, we’re almost caught up. Again, for the full premiere grid go here.

Gregsky Scores! Local Blogger Gets National Nod

When it comes to sports, my best friend would attest to the fact that I don't know what end of a baseball to pick up. But when it comes to humorous rants? I may know a thing or three. And that's why I know how good the Around the Rink With Gregsky blog is - featuring hockey news, views and general coffee-induced madness. And knowing that the writer is one funny mother (shut your mouth!) helps, too. Humor, intelligence and imagination - a hat trick of talent if I ever saw it, eh?

So, to see him getting his due - couldn't be more ecstatic. USA Today quoted his blog post last week (check it out here), a huge feat for any of us who are writing with passion about what we love - and, y'know, not getting paid for it. This is huge - congratulations, Mr. Gregsky, you deserve it!

The Best Of Fall TV - Part 4 (Wrapping Up Monday Night's Schedule)

For a full synopsis of the shows I'm recommending here, use the handy time-travel feature to the right (the archives, silly). I did promos for most of these programs in May and June. For now, let’s focus on what’s coming up for the new season.

1. Chuck (NBC) – (Starts tonight) Here’s the one I’ve been waiting for – just an amazing blend of over-the-top action with zany comedy thrown in. So where did we leave off? Oh yeah, Casey was ordered to kill Chuck once the new Intersect was complete. Jeez, I hope they don’t kill off the main character, huh? On the bright side, it looks like Chuck may get to go on a real date with Sarah tonight – and she doesn’t even have to wear the Wienerlicious outfit. Dang. (For a better description, check out my previous post here.)

2. Life (NBC) – (Starts tonight) Okay NBC, let’s hope you know what you’re doing. They’re taking this sophomore drama, a complex conspiracy theory show interlaced with a weekly procedural, and pumping out two episodes a week for its first two weeks. One episode on Monday and one on Friday, until it switches to Fridays full time on October 17th - where it will hopefully not die a slow death in that dead zone of a night. For now though, a strong premiere episode featuring a new serial killer. This one lets his victims suffocate in trunks, strategically places them around town, and sends a riddle as to their location. Sounds like we might need Batman for this one – or Charlie Crews, since this is his show. (Check this out for a better show description.)

3. Prison Break (Fox) – Okay, this one has been on for nearly a month now, but I’m just getting around to checking things out on Tivo. While it is most certainly a guilty pleasure of a show, Prison Break has done a pretty good job of reinventing itself this season. We’re finally starting to get a glimpse of The Company, the uber-mysterious organization that has been trying to kill Michael and friends from day one. But now, with Michael “officially” leading his team to take down The Company? It’s been a fun ride so far, let’s hope they can keep it up…

4. My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) – (Starts October 13th) Guess what’s taking Life’s spot in the Monday rotation? Yep, this Christian Slater vehicle. I’m sure you’ve seen the ads – Slater plays a character who is unaware that he is leading a double life as both a suburban nobody and a secret agent. Is it schizophrenia? Hypnosis? Will one of the personalities sound oddly similar to Jack Nicholson? I guess we’ll find that out together…

5. Samantha Who? (ABC) – (Starts October 13th) Chronicling the life of an amnesiac (Christina Applegate) who used to be a bitch, but is now (at least temporarily) a sweetheart. This sitcom was a wonderful departure from the usual crappy formula, largely due to the phenomenal cast. Hopefully the second year can live up to the promise of the first. (And obviously, we’re very happy about Applegate’s full recovery this summer.)

Maybe tomorrow I can actually get to the Tuesday schedule. Or maybe I’ll sleep in again. Time will tell…

The Best Of Fall TV - Part 3 (Thursday Nights)

So, how fun was that presidential address last night, huh? I got home expecting to see Criminal Minds, only to see W’s big dopey face talking about the wonderful shape our economy is in. Grrrr. Not much new to report for Thursdays until October 9th, but we do have a few favorites that are returning tonight. (And a couple that started last week on the CW…)

1. Supernatural (CW) – There just aren’t enough monster-driven shows anymore. I mean, sure, Lost has its fair share of scares, but even those are some kind of high-tech island security so it just doesn’t inspire the same kind of fear. But Supernatural? Besides the demons they fight on a weekly basis, who are always good for some good old-fashioned civilian disemboweling, we also get a rogues gallery of monsters from a variety of mythologies – from your usual baddies like vamps and ghosts to more odd fair, like the “Anti-Santa” that dragged its victims up through a chimney. Great creature-feature flair with a generous dose of humor makes this another show that I can’t wait to watch. And last week’s season opener certainly didn’t disappoint. (*Spoilers ahead) They didn’t drag out the whole “Oh, Dean’s been ripped apart by a Hellhound and dragged into the fiery pits” storyline – I mean, boo-hoo, right? No, they brought him right back – and in the opening sequence, we see Dean dragging his sorry butt out of his own grave. Quite the comeback. Of course, things can never be simple for the Winchester boys, so why would his resurrection come without strings attached? Let’s just say that Angels might not be the folklore the boys thought they were, and that this season might start a whole new path…

2. The Return of Funny On NBC: My Name Is Earl and The Office – Ah, Earl – I love you so. But last season, you left me to go to jail – and you dragged out that bit for waaaaay too long. Then you got out and married Alyssa Milano, who seemed like she was perfect for you! Hooray! But then she turned into a psycho and made things unpleasant once again. Boo! But by the end of the season, things got back on the rails, Earl was set to start working the karma list again, and goodness prevailed. So hopefully this season will make me renew my love – and what better way to start than with tonight’s double-shot. Two new episodes! Then The Office takes over, and I confess I have no idea what’s going on – I’m one of the few people who didn’t catch on from the start, so I’ve got years of back story to fill in, which seems daunting. But this thing has one of the funniest men alive, Steve Carell, along with a fantastic cast – so what are you waiting for, go watch it…

3. Ugly Betty (ABC) – Christie (13) from Ohmagosh, Michigan writes: “OMG – So, like, Betty totally had to choose between Gio and Henry at the end of last season. I mean, Gio is, like, completely dreamy, so it seems like a no-brainer – but she totally had that fairytale romance thing going with that nerd Henry, even though he knocked up that skanky ex-girlfriend of his! And Henry was all like “I’m down on one knee with a ring” and stuff, so, it has to be him, right blogman?”
Or not. Since Christopher Gorham (the actor who plays Henry) has signed on to Harper’s Ferry, a midseason show on CBS, I wouldn’t expect much in the long-term for a Betty-Henry pairing. And what about all those other loose ends from the finale? Was it going to be Wilhemina or Daniel running Mode? Was Tony Diaz going to stay with his wife or move on to Hilda? And wasn’t Christina still Wilhemina’s baby mama? Presumably, we’ll find out at least ONE of those answers tonight…

4. Smallville (CW) – (This show started last week as well) Yes, I’m still going to watch. Lex was supposed to be Clark’s bald-headed arch-nemesis for all time, and Michael Rosenbaum did a superb job playing the role (to the point where he just looked abnormal WITH hair, as seen in Sorority Boys). And Lana – okay, she was getting a bit melodramatic towards the end, right? I mean, even IN the coma? Still, the fact that both of these characters will only be in a handful of episodes from this season isn’t going to help the show – but adding Green Arrow as more of a regular should boost things a bit. Oh, and we’ll see more of the Young Justice League. And hopefully a lot more for Chloe and Jimmy, who have become the most fun part of the show. Now if they could only get the rights to introduce that young Bruce Wayne character – then, we’d be talkin’!

5. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX) – (Another show that started last week – but the plots are insane, you can pretty much just jump on whenever you want…)
Here’s a quick synopsis of the FX sitcom: Take the premise of Friends, and substitute the main characters with self-centered misanthropes. Now switch out the coffee house for a dive bar. Then get Monica and Ross hooked on crack, turn Chandler into Phoebe’s creepy stalker and have Joey bang Rachel’s Mom. What’s that retching noise – oh, you get the basic idea? I find that once you stop questioning whether or not you’re going to Hell every time you laugh out loud, it’s a lot easier to digest. The fact that the double-dose of goodness in last week’s premiere saw this band of freaks switching gears between possibly being cannibals and selling gas door-to-door as part of a get-rich-quick scheme just makes sense – if you’re insane enough to follow their logic. And once you can do that, you’ll laugh so hard that milk will come out your nose – even when you’re not drinking any. It’s THAT funny. But make no mistake – you are going to Hell for laughing. And I’ll be right there next to you, since this is one of my favorite shows…

That’s it for now – I’ll preview the other new Thursday shows soon. And again, for a premiere grid go here.

The Best Of Fall TV – Part 2 (Wednesday Nights)

Okay, on to the Wednesday shows…

Hold on, what the hell happened to the Tuesday shows?
Ummmm… would you believe that the zombie hordes came back and I had to fight them off again? No? Okay, I overslept yesterday – I promise to get back to it soon. Are we okay?
Yeah, but don’t let it happen again. I was sitting in front of the TV all Tuesday night with no idea what to watch, and now my head hurts. But I do like that commercial with the monkey washing the cat!
Who doesn’t? Listen, I’m sorry I broke your brain, but we’ve GOT to move on…

New Shows – Wednesdays Are Slim Pickings

1. Knight Rider (NBC) – Oh boy! A talking car again! Mommy, can we please watch this show?! Yeah, they’ve resurrected another old show on NBC – I guess they didn’t learn from the poorly handled debacle that was The Bionic Woman. From what I hear, though, the Knight Rider TV movie that aired earlier this year (and served as a back-door pilot – tee-hee, that sounds naughty) was very well-received – thus the new show. Still a talking car show, however you cut it. I’m still holding out for that long-delayed crossover remake of Diff’rent Strokes and The A-Team, with Gary Coleman in full Mr. T costume – “What you talkin’ ‘bout, Fool?!”

2. Gary Unmarried (CBS) – Am I mad that Jay Mohr abandoned his comic relief post on Ghost Whisperer? Sure. Am I willing to overlook that slight if this lets him live up to his comic potential? Certainly. I just worry that no show will ever allow him the freedom to be the hilarious a-hole that he was in Action (available on DVD) with his mentor, Buddy Hackett. At any rate, THIS show focuses on Gary as he deals with trying to balance his old life (his ex-wife and two kids from a 15-year marriage) and his new girlfriend. Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s basically New Adventures of Old Christine if the lead was male, add one child. I’m counting on Mohr to spice that up – plus, I’ve had a little crush on Paula Marshall (who plays Gary's ex) since the original version of Cupid hit TV in ‘98…
(*Side note – you do know that Rob Thomas, the genius behind Veronica Mars, is revamping Cupid as a midseason show, right? No, Jeremy Piven will not be back to reprise the title role, but did I mention Rob Thomas?! Fan-frakkin’-tastic news – that might even tide us over ‘til the Veronica Mars movie…)

3. Do Not Disturb (Fox) – I’m just saying that this show is new – I’m NOT endorsing it. Granted, all I saw was a leaked pre-season pilot, but it was B-A-D spells lousy. Ritzy hotel with skinny model-types at the front desk in uncomfortable-yet-sexy attire and high heels, while people in the support department downstairs want to work upstairs - yet might be too “large” to meet requirements. That ongoing battle creates hijinks, and supposedly, hilarity will ensue. Did I mention that Jerry O’Connell was in this wreck – he hasn’t picked an appropriate vehicle since he stepped through his last wormhole in Sliders, so if that says anything…

Old Standards

1. Bones (Fox) – I’m not a huge fan of procedurals, but the fact that I rush home to watch this show should speak volumes. Funny and dark, this show pairs the investigative talents of the FBI – specifically, agent Seeley Both (played by the phenomenal David Boreanaz) – with those of the “squints” at the Jeffersonian Institution in Washington D.C. – led by Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (played by the lovely Emily Deschanel – yes, Zooey is her sister). Each week, a fairly gross set of bones is found, and the team sets about investigating – generally with a great deal of internal bickering, simmering sexual tension and outright slapstick comedy. And the fact that Boreanaz broke the mold of the dark-and-brooding vampire from his years playing Angel (on both Buffy and his eponymous spin-off) to portray this light-hearted, smiling character is a testament to his abilities, and to the show’s writers. The truth is, Bones has accumulated one of the finest ensemble casts in TV. Luck, coincidence, perfection – call it what you will. Just watch, though – things just seem to keep getting better…

2. Criminal Minds (CBS) – I know, I know – I said I don’t love procedurals, yet I’ve lumped two together in one section for one night. Sue me, I’m fickle! First off, don’t believe anything you read in USA Today – they’re infamous for bashing this show, saying that it’s too dark and violent. Well, for those of us who LIKE the darkness? Let’s not forget that it’s just entertainment, kids. Another fantastic cast, although not quite as amazing since swapping out Mandy Patinkin for Joe Mantegna as team leader. But the dynamics between the rest of the team (especially the silly and fun tech agent, Penelope Garcia) keep the foundational bonds strong. And tonight, we finally get the answer to who got blowed up in the season finale – they showed multiple agents getting into their SUVs, but no clear shot of which one was exploding. While I quietly hate them for making me wait, I NEED to know, dangit!

More soon, people – but for those of you who want a handy chart with premiere dates and fun links, go here.

The Best Of Fall TV - Part 1 (Monday Nights - Yes, Belated)

Fall TV actually started a couple of weeks ago, so why the delay? Well, networks seem to be unfurling their new schedules slowly, possibly due to the writers’ strike having stunted the progress of new shows. At any rate, they’re just tossing out a few new nuggets every week. So, are those nuggets gold or something that came out of Lassie’s posterior? I’ll try to clue you in during the next few weeks – but my Tivo has been smoking and rumbling with the amount of new stuff in the “To Do” list, so be patient!

This week in particular is a big one, so stick with me – I’m taking you onto the front lines:

1. Returning And New Monday Comedies On CBS – You can either try to give your funny bone more Calcium, or just tune into CBS tonight. I can promise that the 8-9pm hour of How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory is possibly the funniest 60 minutes of the week. (Alone, I think My Name Is Earl could probably still kick either of their butts. But together? I’m pretty sure Leonard would trip Earl while Barney taunted him while he was down.) Tonight, we get introduced to Worst Week – which is yet another British remake, and could go either way. The plot seems a bit thin – a groom-to-be makes a (repeatedly) bad impression on his future in-laws. But there have been worse ideas that have turned into great shows, so I’ll try it out – plus, Week features Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith) from That 70’s Show. Who knows?
(Some might question my omission of Two And A Half Men. I’ve never gotten around to watching it, and I simply don’t have time to get hooked on any more TV. ‘Nuff Said.)

2. Monday Is Heroes Night On NBC – Three. Hours. Of. Heroes. Wow. So what’s going on tonight? Well, the first hour is a catch-up clip show. You can’t have a huge conspiracy/
superhero/serialized drama without the ability to catch new viewers up before your new story arc starts - that would just be silly. Will they gloss over the fact that season 2 of the hit drama found them losing viewers because they kinda went off the track, storywise? Will they play down the idea that the strike ending that story might have been the best thing that could have happened? Most definitely on both counts. But that just gave the writers/creators time to sift through fan feedback and retool.
So whats’s up for new stuff? Well, the fact that the name of the new arc is “Villains” should clue you into some of it. At the end of last year’s finale, we saw Sylar regaining power, so you can bet your sweet patootie he’s involved. And there looks to be a slew of big bads we haven’t seen yet.
And Dark Claire. Yeah, they’ve been doing the promo shots implying that the former cheerleader will end up as one of the baddies. But with Peter’s/Hiro’s ability to time travel, we’ve seen that all futures are not destined to be – so we’ll wait impatiently and see. At it’s best, this show had the ability to do what an old Buffy episode did for me on a weekly basis – it left you with a “What the f…?” moment that made you both hate the writers for making you wait until the following week for an answer and simultaneously love them for making you invested enough to need to know. I’m hoping for another season like THAT.

3. Terminator-y Goodness On Fox – (*WARNING - Spoilers ahead*) I know I’ve already talked up The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but it needs to be said again. It’s fun. It’s pretty. It’s pretty fun. Seriously though, the opening montage to the first episode of the second season (yes, it started on the 8th, so sue me) alone is why the show is worth watching. There was no dialogue, only music (the incomparable talent of Shirley Manson of Garbage – who also happens to play the new uber-villain – doing a remake of “Samson & Delilah”). Yet, during that opening sequence, we wrap up the cliffhanger from last season with Cameron walking out of the blown-up Jeep while Sarah and John escape their bonds and defeat their captor. Sounds peachy, right? Did I mention that Cameron accidentally started a house fire on her way in (which threatens to burn our heroes alive), and that she tries to kill John when her damaged processing chip orders her to “Terminate”? Things are never simple for this crew.
And Shirley Manson’s villainous move at the end of the episode? Morphing from a urinal to reveal that she’s a T-1000 style Terminator? Besides bringing a whole new meaning to Porta-Potty, it tells me that this second season has a few new tricks in its bag. (And even more impressive would be how the geeky Brian Austin Green from Beverly Hills 90210 has transformed into grizzled freedom fighter Derek Reese – and has actually been believable.)

That’s all the tidbits for now – there will be more updates from here on, and even more Monday night stuff. Just hold on ‘til then, kids…

A Link To The Emmy Winners

If there's anything I hate, it's sorting through a bunch of web results just to get a quick list of winners after an awards show - so here's a quick link to the Emmy winners from last night's show - just click here.

As for commentary - I didn't actually watch the program. Mainly because I know that I'd get grumpy when the very few genre shows that I like that even got NOMINATED were overlooked for more generic fare. Ah well - at least Pushing Daisies won for Comedy Directing, and I do loves me some Tina Fey and Jon Stewart...

Holy Smokes! Is There Any Better BBQ On Earth, Batman?

I’m sure you remember the most wonderful barbeque joint that the Valley has ever seen, right? I’m obviously talking about Holy Smokes, an amazing little restaurant that opened in an old church in Hatfield in 2004. Unfortunately, many of us barely got to taste many of their succulent dishes before a fire forced them to raze the building in 2007. My girlfriend still tears up when anyone mentions their beef ribs and the amazing grilled veggies. Mmmmmm… Sorry, I think I just drooled a bit.

The good news? You can still get their amazing brand of BBQ, and they’re mobile. That’s right, they’ve put the smoker on wheels and made a portable kitchen – To the Ribmobile, Boy Wonder! The bad news? You either have to hire them to cater one of your events (and I never thought I’d hate all my friends so much for already being married) or find a public festivity where they’re already set up. But even when they’ve got a booth somewhere the food tends to go fast, so you need to get there early.

Well, if you’re looking for a time when you can enjoy the food at your leisure, I might have the night out you’ve been looking for. Hope & Olive in Greenfield is doing a Beer & BBQ dinner on Sunday, September 28th – and guess who’s bringing the BBQ portion? For a $35 all-inclusive price, you get a delicious multi-course meal by our favorite purveyors of pork, as well as a Peak Organic beer along with each course. Can you say “Yum”? Damn skippy you can!

For the full list of food, go to Hope & Olive’s special events page here. Their address is 44 Hope Street in Greenfield, MA and their phone number is (413) 774-3150. See you there? I’ll be the one covered in chipotle sauce…

For more info on Holy Smokes’ catering endeavors, check their web site.

Felice Brothers - Updated Post With Set List

Just a note that I've updated the Felice Brothers show review with a (nearly) complete set list. If you were at the Iron Horse show and can help fill in the song title for #11 on the list, that'd be swell - you know where the comments section is...

Updated Update: Thanks to an anonymous donor, I have been able to fill in the final song title in the set list...

The Felice Brothers: Iron Horse, Northampton, MA – Sept 5, 2008

Did you ever wonder what side of the line a certain family’s politics fall on? I mean, brotherly advice can range from: “Where did you find Jesus?” to “Where can I bury this hooker?” The Felice Brothers kinda walk a tightrope down the middle on that one. So who are these fellas? Well, just like the band name says, three members of the group are from the family Felice: Ian takes lead vocal duties (sounding a bit like Bob Dylan - but with more clarity) and plays guitar, James (Jimmy) plays the accordion and lends a hand on vocals, while Simone plays drums and fills out the vocal roster. (Of note: though Ian plays lead, all three look equally at home on the mic.) The brothers are accompanied by Christmas on bass and Farley on fiddle and washboard. They hail from the Catskills in New York, and their musical journey started by playing in New York City Subway stations. While they only have one major label release in the US (the self-titled Felice Brothers), they have an import album from the UK (Tonight At The Arizona) and a disc that they recorded themselves (reportedly in a chicken coop – what a perfect image – it’s called Adventures Of The Felice Brothers Vol. 1) that’s only available at the live shows. And that’s not counting their original indie debut, Through These Reins and Gone. So there’s no lack of material to choose from…

When I got in to the show, the whole downstairs had been opened up by removing all the tables – and it’s a good thing, because the place was jam-packed, even with the balcony open. When the guys took the stage, I thought how amazing it is that this unassuming looking bunch of characters can produce such a raucous sound. A lot of bands will wear their Sunday best to try to look “professional” – thankfully, this band isn’t in that pretentious crowd. T-shirts, plaids and jeans all around, thank you, with James wearing his trademark wide-brimmed hat. Scruffy and scraggly all, they were picture-perfect for this rowdy evening of Americana.

And right from the get-go, we got the feel for how these guys like to party when they gave the intro to “Ruby Mae” – “This one’s about the murder of a stripper in New York City” - a lovely ditty, punctuated by Simone’s pantomime of a cabaret dance while he stood atop his drum kit. This segued easily into “Where’d You Get The Liquor”, a song that proved to be one of the big three topics for the brothers Felice: booze, guns and Jesus – all three inspire a different sense of devotion, but these guys may be the only ones to squeeze them all together for one deliciously confusing evening.

During their 21-song set, the boys took us on a roller coaster ride. The boys regaled us with tales of sin like “Whiskey In My Whiskey” (sung by Jimmy and Simone) ending in a call-and-response kind of volley that left your head spinning like a good glass of Jack. Or perhaps you like your breed of sin to have a slightly more feminine allure? Well, “White Limousine” (a new song) might have the cure for that – it’s the tale of a lady who picked up the band after their bus had broken down in Ohio. In that white limo, she showed the guys how they put the “Sin in Cincinnati”.

Or maybe you were looking to hear some cover songs? No, these guys aren’t likely to break into a round of “Mony Mony” – but if you wanted to hear some songs about influenza or the Lord? They had you covered. Examples, you say? Well, their upbeat version of Elder Curry’s “Memphis Flu” almost had you wishing for hospital whites. “Saved” (an Elvis tune, also done by The Band) was one of the most animated songs – featuring a face-off between the washboard and drums while Ian danced side to side like a marionette with a drunken puppeteer. During “Lord, Send Me An Angel” (Blind Willie Mctell), there were the requisite band intros – and then the ladies in the crowd swooned as Simone went shirtless. Then the boys got a chuckle, too, as Simone kneeled in “prayer” by Ian, only to be knocked over by his brother – these fellas are true showmen.

Also of note during the set was another new tune called “Run Chicken Run”, and of course the “last song” was “Frankie’s Gun”, the huge radio single. Of course, last songs just lead to encores – which led to another four savory bits. At first, Ian came back solo for “Saint Stephen’s End”, but he was rejoined for “Two Hands”, a Townes Van Zandt tune. This may have been the pinnacle energy for the evening’s festivities, and Simone had appropriately introduced the song by saying we were in the Midnight Church Of Sin. At the fever pitch of the song, Ian was up on the drum kit kicking cymbals, Christmas was standing on one of the amps and Farley was clapping so hard that you really believed you might “dance through heaven’s door”. Hallelujah Brothers! And thank you for the best night out Northampton’s seen in a while!

For more info and tour dates, check out the band's MySpace page here and check out a great fan site called Hey Hey Revolver here.

For those of you looking for a full set list, here it is - thanks to the anonymous contributer for filling in song #11 for me:

1. Ruby Mae
2. Where’d You Get The Liquor?
3. Cypress Grove (by Skip James)
4. Whiskey In My Whiskey
5. Mercy/Christmas Song
6. White Limousine (Cincinnati Queen)
7. Her Eyes Dart Round
8. Memphis Flu (by Elder Curry)
9. Murder By Mistletoe
10. Saved (by Leiber & Stoller/Elvis/The Band)
11. Goddamn You, Jim
12. Run Chicken Run
13. Hey Hey Revolver
14. Radio Song
15. Lord, Send Me An Angel (by Blind Willie Mctell)
16. Helen Fry
17. Frankie’s Gun
Encore Set
18. Saint Stephen’s End
19. Two Hands (by Townes Van Zandt)
20. The Devil Is Real
21. Glory Glory (traditional)

Your Labor Day Soundtrack

This is it, people - the last big hurrah of summer. The kids are dreading going back to school and whining, Grampa Joe won't put out that damn cigar and your drunk cousin Lenny just hit you in the back of the head with a water balloon filled with questionable liquid. Just remember this - if you're the one grilling the food, who's to say that the 30 second rule for a dropped burger can't hit the 2 minute marker. So what if there's an acorn in Aunt Margaret's chili dog? We've got a day off from work to CELEBRATE, dadgummit, so live it up!

You know what helps? Music. So here's some themed songs to get things rolling:

1. "Labor Day (It's A Holiday)" - The Black Eyed Peas
2. "At My Job" - Dead Kennedys
3. "What Do You Do For Money Honey" - AC/DC
4. "(I Don't Want To Work) Bang The Drum All Day" - Todd Rundgren
5. "Minimum Wage" - They Might Be Giants
6. "She Works Hard For The Money" - Donna Summer
7. "Take This Job And Shove It" - David Allan Coe (or the more upbeat cover by Dead Kennedys)
8. "Takin' Care Of Business" - Bachman Turner Overdrive
9. "Working For The Man" - The Vandals
10. "(Working On A) Chain Gang" - Sam Cooke

If you need more themed music, just break into anything from Workingman's Dead - that should cover it. So what else did I forget? Leave any suggestions in the coments, kids...