The Figgs ~ 2012 June 1 and June 2 ~ Church of Boston, Boston, MA
Band Personnel: Mike Gent (guitar, lead and backing vocals); Pete Hayes (drums, occasional lead vocals); Pete Donnelly (bass, lead and backing vocals); special guest John Powhida (vocals and bass on a couple of songs)
Set List
For complete set lists of both shows, I refer you to SetList.com for June 1 and SetList.com for June 2.
Scroll down past the videos for review; photo gallery to the right.
Videos
"Jumping Again" (June 1):
Brain Be Gone (June 2):
Camden Love-In (June 2):
The Bar (June 2):
Review
On two consecutive nights at Church of Boston, the Figgs proved that as far as live shows are concerned, no rock band does it better. The trio of Mike Gent, Pete Hayes and Pete Donnelly have played together for 25 years -- a feat they will be celebrating later this summer at shows in their ground zero neighborhood of upstate New York -- and those years of performing and recording together have created a seamless unit on stage. It seems that the songs spring organically from a collective mind among this talented and handsome trio of rock 'n' roll dudes.
I first learned about the Figgs in 2005 when they backed up Graham Parker on the Songs of No Consequence tour; they had also been his band for the album. Gradually over the years I have acquired all of their official albums. The band started as a loud, punky, melodic quartet. With the departure of early member Guy Lyons (some of whose songs the trio still play), the band trimmed down to the perfectly balanced three pointed star of today. Although they retain their loud, punky core, musically the band have branched out and continue to do so with each new album. Much critical acclaim has gone to Low Fi at Society High, the first record they put out on an actual label, and often cited as an indie rock classic; but in my opinion, the Figgs have just released their finest album to date in their current double album, The Day Gravity Stopped.
This is a true band -- Mike and Pete D. share lead singing and songwriting duties with a dazzling equality that is extraordinarily rare. Drummer Pete Hayes gets the occasional songwriting turn as well, and comes up with some genuinely great songs. There are at least two Figgs albums on which Hayes' songs are the best ones.
I'll confess that I was a trifle nervous about getting to Church of Boston. The directions looked pretty complicated, and I remembered from my previous visit to this venue that parking could be a concern. But Concert Going Partner offered to drive so that I could use my legendary map reading skills to get us there, and we planned to arrive early so there was still plenty of room in the lot.
The first night, June 1, was a pleasant spring evening in Boston, sunny and warm. We got into the venue, where high tables and stools were scattered about for sitting before the show. Boston sports (both Red Sox and Celtics) were playing on TVs that were then turned off during the show. The show was opened by a power trio called My Own Worst Enemy, two guitars and a drummer. The two guitarists traded lead vocals, they were high energy and well received by the crowd that was starting to fill up the dance floor area in front of the roomy stage. I liked their set a good deal (and I'm not saying that just because later on they generously gave me free copies of their two CDs).
The Figgs opened with six songs from the new record, the last of which was "Do Me Like You Said You Would," the guys' first venture into blue-eyed soul in their quarter century of great music. With encouragement from Mike the crowd joined in on the easy singalong. After a brief group of older songs, the band returned to the new record with two very beautiful acoustic songs, Mike's "Jupiter Row" and Pete's "Always Time." These two songs showcase nicely the difference between Mike and Pete as songwriters. Mike's song is thoughtful, contemplative, containing wistful nostalgia; Pete's song is a really nice, sincere love song.
Next up was an older song that Mike has revived recently that was recorded on a 1998 single that "nobody bought." It was a two sided single with a song by Guided By Voices and two other bands. Mike said the Figgs song was the best; Pete admitted he never even listened to the other songs on the record. The song is called "Who Hung That Sign?"
Another three older songs followed, proving the Figgs have a good sense of how far to push the crowd with songs that many of them may have never heard. These shows were billed as record release parties, but since Gravity has been out for a couple of months, quick-buying fans have had a chance to familiarize themselves with the songs by now.
Next up was a "special guest" -- Boston area singer/songwriter John Powhida, formerly of the Rudds and now head guy in a band called John Powhida International Airport (or JPX for short). Both B-side and A-side of a single recently co-written with "J Po" were then performed. (B side is Pete's "All the World Will Fall" and A-side is the J Po/Mike Gent composition "The Central Stumble.") John stayed on stage for his moment in the spotlight, his lead vocal on the Talking Heads' "Life During Wartime." There are many, many words in this song. John had them written in a notebook, and in order to be able to read them as he sang, he seated himself on the front of the stage during this song. It was fun! But "This ain't no party" was just simply a lie!
Next up: Pete Hayes Time! Pete Hayes leaves his post at the drums where Mike fills in, while Pete Donnelly takes over on guitar and John on bass, to sing two songs. They were an old song of his, "A Thousand People Grinning," and his new wonderful song from the new album, "Avec U." "Avec U" is so good, so clever, so melodic, so sweet and charming, that you get your money's worth with just that one song. Pete Hayes milked his moments at the mike, flirting with the crowd and dazzling with dance moves.
Two more songs from the new record followed (making a total of 11 performed out of the 20 on the album) and the Figgs went off stage to thunderous applause and cheers for more. They returned for an encore set of four songs, during which Mike hopped off the stage into the audience and played his guitar while working his way through the crowd. The encore set ended a 27 song night (if I counted right!) and the crowd went home completely saturated with a wonderful, very full night of music.
I had a feeling Mike was a little nervous about the second of these two nights. I think he was afraid no one would come, that everybody that wanted to see them had showed up the first night, and that the chilly, rainy weather of the second day would keep people away. No need to worry, Mike; the crowd was just as good as the first night, and they were rewarded with a show that was even longer, even better than the first.
June 2's opening band was a 5 piece band called Gymnasium. They played a variety of songs and I thought the lead singer showed good star quality, but the crowd didn't react to them with the same enthusiasm that My Own Worst Enemy had received the night before. The lead singer pleaded with the crowd to approach the stage, but hardly anybody did. I felt kind of sorry for them. Well, show business is nothing if not bruising to the ego.
The Figgs opened their set with the same two songs as the first night (Gravity's "On the Grounds of Stately Homes" and "Chased") but then immediately started to vary the set list. During the night they added in three songs from the new album that they hadn't done the night before, so they wound up playing a total of 14 of the new songs between the two nights. (I had the luck to video "Brain Be Gone" and "Camden Love-In"; scroll down for links to the videos.)
Amazingly, in addition to these different new songs, they also played an almost entirely different group of old songs, so that in the course of the two nights they played approximately 50 different songs. Pete Hayes got his turn tonight a little earlier in the show and treated the crowd to his classic "The Bar," a terrific song about being really drunk. He then followed that with the charming "Avec U." John Powhida's star turn was about the same, featuring a seated "Life During Wartime." Don't think that because he was sitting he was undynamic. He was gesturing to the crowd and pointing and encouraging singing along throughout the song. Mike Gent also sat down during the song tonight while on the guitar, until he got tired of being on stage at all and wandered about in the crowd with his guitar.
The Figgs have a knack with singalongs. A cover of the Kinks' "Victoria" was a good and easy singalong. It was no surprise to me that most of the audience was singing along with the verses, not just the Victoria ... toria chorus. As the huge Kinks fan that I am, I see a lot of similarity between Figgs and Kinks, not least of which is the energy and wild abandon of the live shows. Another good Figgs-a-long was "Don't Hurt Me Again," during which Mike indicated the melody with hand gestures. Of course "Do Me Like You Said You Would" is an instant classic as a singalong. And "Said Enough" includes a very nice bit where the audience sing "it's all right" while the band sing "you said enough" over them ... reminding me of some of Graham Parker's singalongs.
The guys went off stage, marched through the crowd, went in the back door and came back out onto the stage for their encore. The encore contained some real treats! First they played the catchy "The Only One" from Pete Donnelly's recent solo release (When You Come Home). Following that was "No Time is the Wrong Time to Groove" (from Gravity), which turned into an extended, somewhat jazzy jam. Following that was my own favorite Figgs song of all time, Pete's "Cheap Cassettes." Then "Something's Wrong" and off they went.
They went off stage, but were they done? Not if the wildly stomping crowd had anything to say about it. Back they came for a different kind of encore set. Pete D. stood on the dance floor in front of the stage where the crowd cleared a space for him and he sang two songs while Mike sat on the edge of the stage providing guitar accompaniment, and Pete Hayes provided percussion with hand claps. The two songs Pete sang were two old Figgnuts that brought out the singing along in the crowd, "Hey Mr. Moonman" and a song written by Guy Lyons, "Bad Luck Sammy." Back up on stage, the band whipped through two more of their old, old songs -- Mike's "Stood Up" and Pete's "Ginger." This four song encore, I suspect, is a preview of the Figgs' 25th anniversary shows, to be happening later this summer in upstate New York.
They left to more wild whoops and cheers. But were they done? Not if this crowd had anything to say about it. Loud, loud, loud demands for more. Mike came back onto stage and addressed the crowd: "that's it, see you at Christmas." But he couldn't help himself! Joined by Pete and Pete, three more songs were played - "Set the Stage," "Chinese Handcuffs," and "Dance Lessons." 37 songs ... and the night was finally done.
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