Tag Archives: Hoboken

The Feelies feeling independent

Posted on July 2, 2011 | Leave a comment

The Feelies at Maxwell's on Night 1 of the 2011 Independence Weekend. (Photos © 2011, Steven P. Marsh)

The Feelies kicked off Independence Weekend, as they’ve been doing for ages, at Maxwell’s in Hoboken last night (Friday, July 1)

It was a homecoming as always at Maxwell’s since that was the band’s home club for its entire existence.

Last night was the first of a three-night stand. The hometown crowd was not disappointed, with The Feelies starting just a bit after 9 p.m., the posted showtime, and playing until almost 12:30, with just one short intermission.

Click through to the jump for more photos and info about the first night show. Also, check out a great Paste Magazine slideshow of a day in the life of The Feelies from their recent Philadelphia show at World Cafe Live.

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The Feelies gear up to play

Posted on April 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

The Feelies at Maxwell's in Hoboken, N.J., in 2009. (Photo copyright 2009, Steven P. Marsh)

Now who could possibly know better what The Feelies are up to than the daughter of one of the band members? (Well, maybe her dad, but don’t tell her that!)

With that in mind, I reached out to the delightful Katie Demeski, daughter of the great New Jersey band’s drummer Stanley Demeski and his wife Janice. One of Katie’s blogs, How Strange, Innocence, is a leading source of reliable information about what the band is up to. It’s not the quantity so much as the quality of her information that makes the blog worth checking.

But a day or two ahead of the release of Here Before, the band’s first new album in 19 years, I checked in and realized she hadn’t blogged about The Feelies since last Sept. 8, when she reported the band was going into the studio. Granted, she’s in college and holding down a job, so it’s not like she has a ton of free time.

Luckily, when I messaged her, she was just about to do a quick update. It’s live on her blog now, with pretty much everything you need to know about their upcoming shows, plus some info about Speed the Plough, a band that’s part of The Feelies’ extended family. .

Suffice it to say The Feelies aren’t in any huge hurry to hit the road simultaneously with the release of their album. In fact, the band’s first public show (not counting a students-only gig this month at SUNY Purchase) comes at The Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn, on May 13, a full month after the album’s release! That show, not surprisingly, appears to be sold out.

Please go to Katie’s blog for more details, including some tantalizing information about an outdoor gig in Brooklyn. I don’t want to spoil it for you.

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Catching up with The Feelies

Posted on July 5, 2010 | Leave a comment
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The Feelies

Since you landed on this post, you’ve probably already checked out the Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone? post about The Feelies‘ Fourth of July weekend shows at Maxwell’s.

But if you’ve fallen behind on your Feelies news, here’s a collection of great items on the web about the shows, the band and the NEW ALBUM, for which the band has been writing new songs for a couple of years. Production is supposed to start any day. Read on for more.

Jim Testa‘s known The Feelies since Day One, so his voice in Jersey Beat is authoritative. Click here for his review and his insights about the new album.

Katie Demeski, daughter of Feelies drummer Stanely Demeski, blogs about a number of things, but mostly ruminates on her dad’s band. She posted some videos of her dad practicing here, gives her impressions of The Feelies demos here, talks about the in-the-works Feelies album here and weighs in on Feelies offshoot band Speed the Plough‘s new album here.

And The NJ Underground, a site aimed at younger music fans, did a good piece on The Feelies. Perhaps this accounted for the rather high percentage of young people in the audience at Maxwell’s last weekend.

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Tonight may be your last chance to see The Feelies this year!

Posted on July 4, 2010 | Leave a comment

Glenn Mercer and Bill Million of The Feelies at Maxwell's in Hoboken, N.J., on Saturday, July 3. (Photos copyright 2009, Steven P. Marsh)

As has been the habit of The Feelies since their comeback in 2008, they booked shows around a holiday — in this case the Fourth of July at the band’s musical home, Maxwell’s in Hoboken, N.J.

Glenn Mercer's singing: strong and clear

This year the band booked three shows starting Friday and ending tonight, on the holiday itself. If you love The Feelies and you haven’t seen them yet this year, now’s the time to book. Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone? made it to last night’s gig, and we’re glad we did.  The set was much the same as always — The Feelies have typically played the same set, with slight variations, at every show since the reunion. This is a band that likes predictability. But frontman Glenn Mercer‘s singing seemed stronger, clearer and more confident than ever, and the overall sound was crisp and clear —something that has not been a hallmark of many recent shows.

One thing worth noting, though. The band did do quite a few new songs — some of which have been in rotation for awhile, with a couple of other, even newer tunes, one of which remains untitled. It was a real treat to hear new material. It sounds strong and very much in keeping with what fans know and love The Feelies for without sounding like retreads.

Bass player Brenda Sauter played and looked great, and wasn't wearing the wrist brace she usually sports.

We’re hearing that it’s not clear when the band will play again, since no other gigs are booked so far this year. And a member of the band’s team says the quintet is going into the studio after tonight work on a new album.

Doors for tonight’s show are at 8 o’clock at Maxwell’s, 1039 Washington St., Hoboken, N.J. Showtime is 9 p.m. There’s no opening band, so get there by 9 or you’ll miss out. Tickets are $25, and still available here.

If you drive, allow extra time. It’s the Fourth of July, and there will be crowds of people out to watch fireworks. It’ll be hellish getting around, and parking will be extremely difficult, especially if you usually count on parking along Sinatra Drive, which is closed for the weekend. Take public transportation if possible.

Click to the jump for more photos from last night’s show.

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The Bongos at Maxwell’s

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Leave a comment
The Bongos at Maxwell's. (Copyright 2009, Steven P. Marsh)

The Bongos at Maxwell's. (Copyright 2009, Steven P. Marsh)

If you didn’t go see The Bongos at Maxwell’s in Hoboken last night, you missed a magical evening. The band was tight and very much into performing for a (surprisingly light) hometown crowd. You have another chance to see Richard Barone, James Mastro, Rob Norris and Frank Giannini tonight at Hiro Ballroom in Manhattan, where they’re performing a CMJ show.

The Bongos' set list at Maxwell's.

The Bongos' set list at Maxwell's.

They played two solids sets, performing just about every song in their catalogue — which isn’t huge, since they only recorded two full albums and one EP in their 1980s heyday. But they played every one of them with great joy and energy. Plus, they threw in a couple of covers and a couple of their own songs that were never released.

They were joined by Dennis Kelly, who played synthesizer in the band’s early days, and Nick Celeste, a singer and guitarist who worked with Richard on his first post-Bongos project, Cool Blue Halo, in 1987.

Check out more photos of last night’s show after the jump.

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It’s time for The Bongos

Posted on September 19, 2009 | Leave a comment
Richard Barone just Twittered about a Bongs reunion next month.

Richard Barone just Twittered about a Bongs reunion next month.

What can I say? Bongos frontman and rock raconteur Richard Barone just an hour ago used his Twitter feed to forward a message that will thrill many NYC-Hoboken rock fans:

RICHARDBARONE: The Bongos at Hiro Ballroom and Maxwell’s in October? Stay tuned….

Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/RICHARDBARONE

How awesome is that news? There couldn’t be a more appropriate venue than Maxwell’s for The Bongos, and Hiro will do just fine too.

As the man said, stay tuned…

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The Feelies on the Fourth

Posted on July 7, 2009 | 2 comments
Glenn Mercer, Stanley Demeski and Bill Million of The Feelies at Maxwell's on July 4, 2009. (Copyright 2009, Steven P. Marsh)

Glenn Mercer, Stanley Demeski and Bill Million of The Feelies at Maxwell's on July 4, 2009. (Copyright 2009, Steven P. Marsh)

It would be easy to get used to making a tradition out of celebrating the Fourth of July with The Feelies.

Although their long-awaited comeback started at Maxwell’s in Hoboken

Bill Million and bassist Brenda Sauter.

Bill Million and bassist Brenda Sauter.

on June 30-July 2,  2008 (and those shows thrilled me) , they announced their return in a big way  two days later, opening for Sonic Youth in NYC’s Battery Park on the Fourth of July. The sun, sweat, humidity and the huge crowd just made the experience more intense. The band did not disappoint.

Percussionist Dave Weckerman seems content to stay in the background.

Percussionist Dave Weckerman seems content to stay in the background.

As you’ve probably read here earlier, The Feelies took over Maxwell’s for three nights this month, from July 2-4.

On that last night, thousands crammed the streets and waterfront of Hoboken to see the Macy’s fireworks, while dozens of true believers ignored the holiday hoopla and chose to watch the guitar pyrotechnics of Glenn Mercer and Bill Million instead.

I didn’t mind missing the fireworks outside, not at all.

Glenn Mercer

Glenn Mercer

The Feelies are a band that doesn’t offer too many surprises. Their shows are like your favorite jeans, well-worn, broken in  and perfectly comfortable. They feel good — and just right. They don’t throw many curve balls — even the multiple covers they did as encores over the three nights had little variation from night to night. But none of that matters to a true Feelies fan. In fact, curve balls might ruin the equilibrium.

At the July 4 show, I was positioned very close to the stage. That made for clearer shots of individual band members or pairings of players, but didn’t give me a chance to shoot an overview. So this will give you a very different perspective than the previous night’s shots.

Rich Barnes of Wild Carnation (and Brenda's husband) helped out on keyboard.

Rich Barnes of Wild Carnation (and Brenda's husband) helped out on keyboard.

My position made it tough to spot local heroes in the audience. But at the end of the night, I spotted Georgia Hubley and Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo returning to the music room as the majority of the crowd was filing out. You can always count on them being at a Feelies show. The only other face I wish had been in the crowd was filmmaker Jonathan Demme, who featured The Feelies as “The Willies” in his 1986 movie Something Wild. I guess that was his payback for making  Stop Making Sense two years earlier about the Talking Heads instead of The Feelies!

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If it’s a national holiday, it must be time for The Feelies

Posted on July 2, 2009 | 1 comment
The Feelies spent last Fourth of July in Battery Park in NYC, opening for Sonic Youth. That's Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan in the lower right corner, just to the right of North Jersey singer-songwriter Ed Seifert in the white T-Shirt. (Copyright 2008, Steven P. Marsh)

The Feelies spent last Fourth of July in Battery Park in NYC, opening for Sonic Youth. That's Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan in the lower right corner, just to the right of North Jersey singer-songwriter Ed Seifert in the white T-Shirt. (Copyright 2008, Steven P. Marsh)

The legend is that The Feelies only played on national holidays. While that’s not quite true — the reunited band has been playing more often than just holidays, even doing an acoustic show at The Whitney Museum last week — the band does like its holiday shows.

The Feelies' Glenn Mercer and Dave Weckerman talk to a fan in Battery Park.

The Feelies' Glenn Mercer and Dave Weckerman talk to a fan in Battery Park.

This year is no exception. The Feelies start at three-night celebration of the Fourth of July at Maxwell’s at 8:30 tonight, followed by 9:30 shows tomorrow and Saturday. They’re promising two sets each night, so it should be a good party.

Tickets are still available here, and presumably at the door for tonight’s show. Friday and Saturday appear to be sold out, but there’s always a chance of an extra ticket at the door.

Maxwell’s is at 1039 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. (201) 653-1703.

The Feelies open for Yo La Tengo at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, N.J., on New Year's Eve 2008.

The Feelies open for Yo La Tengo at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, N.J., on New Year's Eve 2008.

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The Box Tops take it to the streets

Posted on April 25, 2009 | Leave a comment
hobokenfest1

Washington Street is packed for the Arts and Music Festival.

Alex Chilton and The Box Tops are bringing The Letter and all the rest of their enduring rock hits to Hoboken next Sunday (May 3) for  the Spring Arts and Music Festival along the Mile Square City’s main drag, Washington Street.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

While The Box Tops will headline, members of The Feelies will represent the Hoboken scene by contributing their signature sound in three supporting bands: Wild Carnation (Feelies bassist Brenda Sauter‘s longtime band), Yung Wu (Feelies percussionist Dave Weckerman‘s recently reunited side project, which also features Feelies founder Glenn Mercer) and East of Venus (a Hoboken super group featuring Feelies members Mercer and Stanley Demeski,  Bongos bassist Rob Norris, and Michael Carlucci of Winter Hours).

East of Venus features Glenn Mercer, Stanley Demeski, Michael Carlucci and Rob Norris.

East of Venus features Glenn Mercer, Stanley Demeski, Michael Carlucci and Rob Norris.

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and offers three stages with more than  300 acts for all ages. It also features the usual street fair attractions (or annoyances, if you’re just there for the music). But it’s a cool town and should be a great day. Here’s a slightly goofy video clip from last year’s festival:

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Keep in mind that Hoboken is not hard to get to, but parking is brutal under normal circumstances. On festival days, especially if the weather is good, parking is nearly impossible. So take public transportation (PATH or NJTranst) if at all possible. You won’t have trouble getting around on foot. And you’ll thank me for persuading you to leave your car at home.

Here’s the tentative schedule. Enjoy!

Live Performances on 3 stages!

(schedules are tentative and subject to change)

Observer Highway Stage
(located on Washington St. bet. Newark & Observer Hwy)
12:00pm – Mad Happy
1:00pm – Yung Wu
1:30pm – Wild Carnation
2:00pm – East of Venus
3:00pm – Val Emmich
4:30pm – The Boxtops – with Alex Chilton

Sixth Street Stage
12:30pm – Bandwidth
1;15pm – The Verdict
2:15pm – 2nd Fiddles
3:15pm – Clueless
4:15pm – Joe Taino –
5:15pm – TBA

Kidz Stage
(Third Street)
11:15am – Hanna Valente
12:00pm – Polka Dot Pals
1:00pm – A Year with Frog & Toad* – production by The Theatre Company @ DeBaun an affiliate of DeBaun Auditorium –
2:00pm – Bonnie Bess the Pirate – http://www.after3theatre.org
3:00pm – Polka Dot Pals
4:00pm – A Year with Frog & Toad*
5:00pm – Polka Dot Pals

*A Year with Frog & Toad: Interactive excerpts from The Theater Company’s production of “A Year with Frog & Toad”. Arnold Lobel’s well-loved characters hop from the page to the stage in Robert and Willie Reale’s musical, which follows two great friends, the cheerful and popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad through four fun-filled seasons. Performed by an adult cast of 5 playing over 15 different characters. www.debaun.org

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