The BGN News Archive

    This Friday June 10 at the Paradise - we of course went to see The Dogmatics, The Neats, Band 19 , Last Stand and Classic Ruins playing a show in support friends who will ride in the Pan Mass Challenge it definitely was a blast from the past event ...
    Classic Ruins debuted a new song written by Billy Borgiolli called "Forget About It"....of course they sounded awesome as usual!!...
    Band 19 was great! Fritz Erikson was on fire this night!! Whew...at one pit his glasses came flying off and landed several feet away and of course Richie Parsons is always a great entertainer to watch up there...luv him! ...
   Last Stand came on, full of power...since they were on the scene a lot later than most of my favorite bands I'm not all that familiar with their music but I know from talking to folks that everyone was psyched to see TK and were also blown away by his performance on stage...
    The Neats were excellent but I wish they'd do "666" and the like......that was my (and others) favorite sounds from them...Eric's voice is always amazing.
    ah yes last but not least The Dogmatics were up next...they were full of energy especially Peter O'Halloran...for a few songs he brought out Paul's old stand up bass and played it, going nuts!! I love watching him, he will always look like an over-grown little boy to me...cute. It was loads of fun and there were tons and tons of old familiar faces in the crowd. You can check out a page of photos Pan American Challange at the Paradise....

    And on Sunday June 12th - we went over to The Charlie Chesterman Benefit atTT the Bear's - this is a benefit to raise money for Charlie Chesterman's costly battle with cancer - my mother had colon cancer so the cause id dear to my heart....beside Charlie being a much beloved member of the Boston music community!!
   As promised they started promptly at 12:30 pm with a set by The Upper Crust. These guys have gotten new wigs and new stately and shiny outfits and they look as majestic as they should ...for men of their station....and the British Invasion stuff they do is just loads of fun and they have such a great sense of humor....great set!!
    Next up was a bunch of rockabilly and then some R'n'B...great great music!!
The Roy Sludge Trio featuring Duke Levine got on stage.....WOW!!! Roy has an AMAZING voice and he does a lot with it...they are true to their roots, truck drivin' , beer swillin', heart achin' songs...and Duke Levine is just such a fabulously talented guitarist!! And I love the stand up bass so they were real blow me away material!!
    Next up were The Raging Teens, more awesome rockabilly, more stand up bass...gotta love it...and their lead guitarist Amy Griffin who floors me with her picking and her excellent rockabilly sound....they have a new drummer; he's that super handsome Mr. Charming bartender at The Plough and Stars!! ...everyone was dancing to these guys and singer rhythm guitarist Kevin is great to watch, so much fun!!! Peter O'Halloran got up with the band to do a number on the stand up bass, which was so cool since we didn't get enough of it on friday night at The Paradise.

    And Wooooo away we go kids..Scruffy The Cat reunion was next!! Oh yeah...they hadn't rehearsed and hadn't played together since they broke up something like 20 years ago...I remember seeing them a few times at Johnny D's in Allston....keyboard player Burns Stanfield literally walked in the door and onto the stage with his coat on like two minutes before set time!! They rocked to say the least.....some serious time traveling there...
    The Ray Mason Band was up next, all impressive musicians to say the least!, They were more mid=stream but really great.....they did a Charlie Chesterman song...
    The Weisstronauts were next....these guys are mostly instrumental...and the most wonderful George Hall is the guitarist for the band....the lead singer or the guy that stands in the place where the lead singer stands...and who does do the singing for the few songs they have with lyrics was an awesome mix of nerdy cool...I mean real not fake.....

    Barrence Whitfield was rocking the r'n'b numbers big time...plus he has the Roy Sludge guys backing him up for added punch!! and was joined by Peter Wolf for a couple songs...everyone went nuts as expected.....

    Brian & David Charles played next...more influenced by stuff that came after the 80's...though they did a Charlie Chesterman songs as well. The party was still going but it was time to head home to write the news and get the pics ready....

    you can see way more pics Charlie Chesterman Benefit....

    Also if you were not able to join us for the show and would like to donate you can do so by going to Charlie Chesterman's webpage ....

   On a sadder note: We want to mention RIP Seth Putnam, lead singer of Anal C&^t...he passed away suddenly this weekend of a heart attack, condolences to friends and family....so young at 43!!!!!

    Now for stuff coming up this month and after.....
Also don't forget that during June The What Cheer/Rock'n'Roll Yard Sale folks have secured a month long series of Rock'n'Roll Yard Sale events at The ICA in June!! (click to see specifics )..so coming u for the rest of June is
    Friday, June 17 - DJs + Collectors Spinning Vinyl in the ICA café and Friday, June 24 - Record Sale + DJs + Collectors Spinning Vinyl The Record

    And mark your calendars now for the Rock'n'Roll Yard Sale in Union Square Somerville in August on the Sunday, the 21st,

    And of course the Del Fuegos reunion at The Paradise to benefit Right Turn; June 23rd with the Nervous Eaters and the 24th with the Lyres. Can wait for that one!

    June 17th there's an excellent show at the Middle East Up with The Paul Collins Beat , Muck and the Mires , Watts , The Dirty Shames
    Also on Friday the 17th, Lizzie Borden and Jet Set are doing a show at Jacques in Bay Village. I wish they would regularly, as in every weekend , have cool shows at Jacques...maybe this means they are starting to again??
    Saturday June 25th at The Beachcomber in Quincy is an awesome, practically all day event: Hotrods & Hooligans- Fisher House Benefit-Greg Burke Memorial Show. A Hotrod Show during the day and a punk rock show at night with The Pug Uglies, Welsh Boys, Dead Friends, Cradle to Grave and Lenny Lashley

    Then in July Harvard Film Archives is having a few days (July 1-11), of Classic Punk Films from the 70's and 80's...more info to come on that....just wanted to make you aware to save some dates on your calendar.

   Frank Rowe...crosses the line to 60 in a celebration at The Midway on August 13th Oh its gonna be a excellent evening......

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