Music-Survival-Guide

Jimmy Gnecco & Band w/Nick Perri Group, NYC 11.09.14

Rockwood Music Hall in NYC opened its doors at 9pm this past Sunday night for what was literally to be one of the hottest shows in town. The sweltering room filled with about 50 some odd people was calm on a mellow Sunday night. I stood in good conversation for 15-20 minutes or so as we waited for the show to begin. I’m a diehard OURS fan and the bonus this evening was the opening band Nick Perri Group. I’m familiar with Nick from his short time spent with Shinedown for The Sounds of Madness album and before that Silvertide and equally short involvement with Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party as live guitarist. I was aware that he was a force to be reckoned with but I did not however get to witness the true hype until show time came.

Nick and his band peacefully walked out onto the stage in full thrift shop regalia moving into what appeared to be a laid back opener until only about 40 seconds in when the show instantly kicked into high gear with some hard and gritty bluesy rock. You become instantly aware of Nick whether you are familiar with him or not. His energy is quite contagious. The whole band is a tight and well oiled machine that not once let go of its hold on you throughout the 9 song set. Singer Joshua Bartholomew looked much like a rock and roll scarecrow with his gold locks and earthy attire belting out spine tingling vocal glory. It’s interesting how music can be tasty; Nick and his band truly make mouths water, complete with a hair raising rhythm section.

Nick Perri Group, Rockwood Music Hall, NYC 11.09.14 photo by Soda

Halfway through the set the band tore into a blazing instrumental in which Nick spent most of the 3 some odd minutes dancing with his guitar in the crowd flipping his Pantene perfect hair all over the place. AND just when you thought it couldn’t get any hotter the quartet slams us head on into a flawless cover of Zeppelin’s “Black Dog”, if you closed your eyes you could swear Robert Plant at his peak was howling through the microphone, a truly divine cover.

Closing the set was a tune called “Graveyard Moon” which had a bit of an old school Black Crowes vibe to it. When all was said and done they left the stage in nothing but embers which only had about 20 minutes to settle before OURS came back out to keep the fires burning. I asked Nick at the end of the night what the future held for him and his band from LA, it sounds like 2015 is going to be a busy year for them so keep your eyes peeled, you’ll be doing yourself a service.

Soda w/Nick Perri, NYC 11.09.14 photo courtesy of Vellum Magazine

Turning our attention to the stage once more Jimmy Gnecco and his cult, OURS, walked out onto the stage. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the way the show was billed, “Jimmy Gnecco & Band”. I was happy to see the OURS line-up, minus Race but with a new drummer (which has become standard for the band.)

The set started off fairly slow, and for OURS, this is strange as moments into their shows you are usually grabbed by the throat with the intensity they display, much a kin to a religious experience. After about 3 songs in we learned that Jimmy was fighting a bit of a fever, and having played the night prior in New Jersey he was a little weak. But after said third song, “I’m a Monster” he announced ‘that’s how you chase the fever away’ which lead into an absolutely blistering version of “Murder” with one of Jimmy’s students from School of Rock (Saddlebrook, NJ) as a back-up guitarist. Always generous in that aspect, we have come to see many younger guys pop up at OURS shows as openers or as guest musicians.

The momentum did not stop after “Murder”. Nick Perri and his drummer John then also came back onto the stage as Jimmy was telling us a bit about how he actually viewed OURS as a soul band. Such a statement would ring true with the now 7 piece band smoothly jamming out a version of “Been Down” off of their latest offering, Ballet the Boxer. Soulful indeed, the song was delivered with true passion and a hair raising triple guitar assault as Nick, Static and Jimmy pinched and bent notes up and down their fret boards.

OURS, Rockwood Music Hall, NYC 11.09.14 photo by Soda

Being in such a small venue at a show of this caliber is extremely rewarding. Jimmy & friends gave us a 2 hour plus performance with countless gems off of Distorted Lullabies, Mercy, Ballet The Boxer and his solo offering, The Heart. Complete with stories of leaving the record business behind and heartwarming new songs about his Mother, “Fallen Flower”. Even mid set, fashion designer Christian Benner joined the band onstage in which he surprised Jimmy with the fact that he and a few fans had put the money together to have him a custom made leather jacket created, “Another reason for PETA to be upset with me…” (Jimmy once being vegan.)

So much can be written about a top quality rock show like this, 3 plus hours of music, songs from OURS that haven’t been played in ages, surprises and more…fear not, there is still hope for quality in a crumbling music market my friends, you just have to look for it…dig for music, you will find gold and it will be well worth it.

This show makes one final stop in Philly tonight the 12th at Milkboy. If you are nearby, treat yourself to a stellar night of music!

WWW.OURS.NET