in celebration of the music of artists who passed through the venerated cbgb (before it was turned into a high-end clothing store), our summer session group performed at rev hall’s show bar on 9.30.23.
here are my songs from the setlist:
- Sabotage
- Can’t Stand Losing You
- Bastards of Young (vocals)
- Uncontrollable Urge
- Making Plans for Nigel
- Message in a Bottle
- Rock Lobster (backing vocals, percussion)
while very familiar with the song, sabotage was the first hip-hop groove i drummed for, and provided challenging syncopation that differed from the “snare on two and four” i was used to. it has a half-time feel, and every verse was different. the key was internalizing that feel and just vamping with the patterns from memory. the beastie’s performance on letterman was great inspiration.
this season i really developed a love for the playing of stewart copeland, and had fun with the clave and floor tom hits in can’t stand, (which i picked up a couple weeks before the show due to a drummer leaving). message‘s fast tempo and interplay between the hats and clave were very enjoyable to learn. the police is one of the few groups i’d be game for playing in a tribute band.
nigel was probably the hardest to internalize, it’s so odd compared with most of what i’ve played (e.g. the intro took a lot of practice to coordinate timing with the band). but once it gets going, it just plows along — great grooving with bassist sean. i like to imagine the hat chokes are like steam released from factory machinery. and i got to use my beloved wuhan 18″ china.
my fave this round was uncontrollable urge, which was real fast (and tiring when mixed with show jitters). jeff rocked vocals+guitar with his energy dome.
we closed with rock lobster, where i had the pleasure of doing backup vox, including the demented sea animal noises. it all hung out that song.
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