If ever a show seemed like something special, this Thursday night show at Bowery Electric seemed like an epic performance. “If you left to go upstairs and buy a soda you could miss a set”, Jahn Xavier told me. Jahn both opened and closed the evening, the latter with Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls. Jahn mentioned Deefrance and Certain General as show highlights and Tom McCulloch of (a band I always loved) Tuff Darts also mentioned Certain General, which makes a consensus!
Here is what Jahn wrote on his Facebook wall (I am mixing and matching with permission): “Last night’s CBGB festival gig was filled with wonderful musical moments. I’m not going to list all the amazing bands, as I’m afraid that I might forget some – I watched 20-30 minute sets from 7pm to 4am, so I’m still processing it all. Playing with my beloved friend Sylvain made the night for me.”
” Parker Dulany (of Certain General) is my favorite front man in rock and roll. I do not say that lightly. He killed it last night.”
“I went home happy. I was surrounded by dear friends and great music, and I came out of it with more money than I had the night before. Getting paid to have that kind of fun? I’ll take it. Thanks to Jane Friedman and BG Hacker for putting it together, and inviting me along.”
Jane and BG are promoters and curated the event and you got to think, what a deal, right. If I had to do it again, I would still go to the Del Lords (though I would also have followed the Del Lords with a trip to Bowery Electric though I probably coul;dn’t have gotten in. Why? Because Elvis Club is such a great album I had to see the band live.
Meanwhile, who exactly did play? Just about every living star from the era… no Verlaine, no Hell, no Patti (though yes to Lenny Kaye), otherwise a clean sweep!!! I wanted to see Jahn, Lenny, Bebe, Richard Lloyd, Tuff Darts… really everybody!