As reported earlier, we mark our end of summer with the yearly Southside Johnny show at Hampton Beach's Casino Ballroom. And, as usual, we were not disappointed.
Well, maybe just a little bit...being a native New Englander, it is my birthrigth to complain about the weather no matter what the season. So lemme just say that for September 5th, it was just a little too cool outside. Heck, during dinner we had to abandon our ourdoor table because the wind had come up and the temps had dipped down toward 60. Now, I tend to like it cool (my usual complaining-New Englander stance is to crab about it being too hot for most of the summer), but that was a little too much.
Anyway...all of the cool weather hooey was soon forgotten as opener Rock E. Rollins exploded from the stage with a very cool, rockin' and loud version of the Theme From Batman. As Rollins continued his set, I began to get that "who is this guy?" feeling. It's the pork pie hat that's makin' me think. At one point he asks if anyone remembers The Stompers...and that he wrote most of the songs for them. This before playing the big Stompers hit "Never Tell An Angel". Ah, right...now I remember. It's actually Sal Baglio! In addition to some very cool new tunes, he also played a cover of The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar". Funny how songs you thought were bubblegum tossoffs seem different when coming out of nostalgia street.
A short break followed the Rollins set and then The Jukes hit the stage blazing. I tell ya, there's nothing like a horn section blasting through a big PA system. Much of the material played came from Southside's latest record Going to Jukesville. Mixed in were "new favorites" from Better Days, as well as some very cool covers including the Allman's "One Way Out", the Left Banke classic "Walk Away Renee" and a couple of Little Walter tunes.
As for the classic Jukes tunes, there were many including: I Played The Fool, Talk To Me, This Time It's For Real, Fever, Trapped Again and, of course, I Don't Want To Go Home (during which we totally embarassed the wife's son#1 by partaking in much dancing, shimmying and arm-raising.)
There were a couple of surprises too. The first was that they ended the set with "Hearts of Stone". I guess if I had played "Having A Party" as many times as these guys surely have, I'd want to switch things up too. The second (and bigger) surprise was the appearance of "I Remember Last Night". This is a tune from the eponymous Jukes record and was a favorite of my crowd back during college. There's something about that line "The Door Flew Open" that made us want to fling our young selves high in the air (especially after a few beverages.)
The complete setlist follows.
- Baby Don't Lie
- All Night Long
- I Played The Fool
- Without Love
- Coming Back
- Sinful
- Talk To Me
- No Easy Way Down
- Walk Away Renee
- She's Still In Love
- This Time It's For Real
- Somebody To Love You
- One Way Out
- Rock n' Roll City (sung by Bobby Bandiera)
- Take It Inside
- Love on the Wrong Side of Town
- Souls On Fire
- I Remember Last Night
- Broke Down Piece of Man
- Fever
- Trapped Again
- I Only Want To Be With You
- Workin' Too Hard
- Passion Street
- Shake Em Down
- Wear My Ring Around Your Finger
- I Don't Want To Go Home
- By Babe (Little Walter)
- Mean Old World(Little Walter)
- Hearts Of Stone
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
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