The Stompers ~ 2013 November 30 ~ Bull Run Restaurant ~ Shirley, MA
Band Personnel: Sal Baglio, lead vocals, lead guitar; John Biafore, guitar, backing vocals; Jeremy Brown, electric piano, backing vocals; Dave Friedman, electric organ, backing vocals; Steve Gilligan, electric bass, backing vocals, lead vocal on "What's a Little Rock 'n' Roll Between Friends"; Lenny Shea, drums; Little Bubba on saxophone on "Palisades Park"; featuring The Stompettes on backing vocals on several songs: Susan Cattaneo, Ruby Bird, and Erica Rodney Rothenberg
Set List
Tallahassee Lassie {Freddie Cannon} - This is Rock 'n' Roll - She's An Angel - First Kiss - She's the One - Temptation - Shutdown - Good News Now - East Side Girl - One Heart For Sale - Just Like Rain - The Weight {The Band} - What's a Little Rock 'n' Roll Between Friends {Steve Gilligan} - Under the Boardwalk {improv, whie soundman fixed a monitor issue} - Palisades Park {Freddie Cannon} - American Fun - Rock Jump & Holler - Coast To Coast ... encore ... Never Tell An Angel - This May Be The Last Time {gospel} - All I Want To Do Is Rock 'n' Roll
Scroll down past the videos for review and photo gallery.
Videos
"She's An Angel":
"Just Like Rain":
"Palisades Park":
Review
I was happy to be seeing The Stompers again for the second time in four months. It was almost like the 1980s all over again, with multiple shows by this great Boston band coming fast and furious in the club listings.
Another way the show was like the 1980s all over again was the presence of a second guitarist, the skilled and personable John Biafore, who sometimes played with the band during the late '80s and early '90s, before they took a decade-long hiatus. Although Sal Baglio continued to play most of the lead guitar, you could tell he was happy to have a second guitarist in the band, since it gave him the flexibility to put down the guitar and play the Rock Star, which he did especially during the song "Good News Now," taking a seat in the front row of the audience and inviting singing along by some of his neighbors, and shamelessly flirting with others.
During band intros, Sal made a point of saying that they were 13 years into their second go-round as The Stompers, and that the band would continue to come out and play as long as the audience would come out and see them. The enthusiasm with which this band is greeted by fans old and new seems to guarantee that they will be playing quite a few more years to come. Besides playing in The Stompers, every one of these musicians has other bands and musical projects; Steve Gilligan has a solo record out (from which he played one song); Dave Friedman, birthday boy, is working on a solo record; and each of the others plays in several bands.
The lovely and talented Stompettes again graced the stage and they were fabulous. Last time I saw them, at the Blue Ocean show, they were dressed in red dresses; today the dress code was denim jackets. They stood over on stage right, behind Jeremy Brown and next to Steve Gilligan, except for one song when Sal beckoned them up to his mike for introductions. That gave me a chance to get some good pictures so please peruse the photo gallery to the right. Their backing vocals were excellent, but no more so than on the breathtakingly lovely "This Could Be the Last Time," which was given the full gospel treatment, including a low bass voice in the mix, belonging to Dave Friedman. I never realized that the Rolling Stones song was an adaptation of an old gospel classic. Sal and company bypassed the Stones completely and went back to the song's origins.
An additional musician was "Little Bubba" who left his job as Merch Boy to join the band on stage with his saxophone during "Palisades Park." Check out the video (link is above). And check out The Stompers next time they come town. If you like honest-to-goodness rock 'n' roll delivered with good cheer and a healthy sense of gratitude, you can do no better than The Stompers.
More Stompers
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