The show was billed as the Pat DiNizio Trio. Jazz saxophonist Sonny Fortune who plays on Pat's CD isn't on this tour. I'm actually a Fortune fan (his From Now On CD is really great, for those of you who like instrumental jazz.) so I was a little disappointed that he wasn't there. That is until the show started. But more on that later. Suffice to say that this could have been billed as The Pat DiNizio Experience.
We were the first ones in the place and bought a round of beers and took our table. After sitting there for half an hour talking about how great this going to be, Pat walks in and heads towards the bar area (for cigarettes, it turns out). This is my chance, I figured. I walk over there, buy a beer and see Pat talking with a couple guys. Then it hits me; what do I say? This is a guy whose music I've listened to for 12 years and one of the 2 or 3 artists that I really like. This is a guy that my wife and I flew to Chicago to see play on New Year's Eve. I mean we flew there just to see the Smithereens play. OK, we took 2 extra days to see the city, but we went for the show. I'm a little intimidated. I take a deep breath, I apologize for interrupting, and say that I just wanted to tell him that I really dig his music. With genuine appreciation he thanks me, asks my name, shakes my hand and introduces himself as Pat. I'm floored. We talked for 5 minutes or so, and the whole time he looks me in the eyes as we speak. He's not preoccupied, he's not looking around. We have a real conversation. He tells me he needs some coffee, thanks me again and hopes that I enjoy the show. My brush with greatness. Besides being brilliant, he's a genuinely nice, regular guy. I can't think of a bigger complement to pay him.
Anyway, after enduring two opening acts it was time for the show. I was curious as to how the tunes would sound with a trio; much of Songs and Sounds has the sax. Pat opened with "Where I Am Going", and answered the question with a distorted guitar and a slight rearrangement. Different from the CD but very cool. Next was "Nobody But Me". Pat's voice was outstanding, not just on this song but throughout the evening. The mix was perfect. Pat's voice was up-front, very strong but not overpowering the music. Again, perfect mix. While Pat's always an intense performer, I thought he was particularly so this night. J.J. Burnell and Tony Smith too. Everything just seemed cohesive, perfectly timed and enthusiastically performed. I've seen 45 or 50 concerts by many artists, but this was a special show.
Pat performed a couple more songs from the new CD, then the band left the stage leaving Pat and his guitar. He said that he was going to do some Smithereens stuff acoustically. I love hearing otherwise non-acoustic songs done acoustically, maybe because I play guitar and try to do that people's songs or maybe to hear the artists other vision of a song but either way, I dig it. Pat said he'd take some requests. "Cigarette" was shouted by almost everyone there and was the best version I've heard of it. "Afternoon Tea" was next, followed by "Only A Memory". His last acoustic song was "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" which might seem like an odd choice but let me tell you, I was mesmerized. He didn't simply play the old parts acoustically, but completely new ones and some slight changes in the vocal line. To quote the song, I was half-way paralyzed.
Throughout the show, Pat played every song from Songs and Sounds. "A World Apart" was beefed up a little; sounding a little less country-ish than the recorded version. Others, like "Today It's You", he played the sax parts on guitar, taking nothing away from the songs at all. As a matter of fact, I like hearing songs a little different than the recorded version anyway. If I want to listen to the album, I will, so I want the live performances to add something. And they did. "Everyday World" and "124 MPH" were also stand-outs for me.
The last song and encore was an extended version of "Blood and Roses". During the song they broke off into a seemingly improvised instrumental jam before bringing the song back around. The song and jam lasted 8 minutes and was a fitting conclusion.
This was an amazing show. Pat proved once again that he is among music's elite; an uncompromising artist who writes mature, relevant and eloquent songs in a voice uniquely his own and performs them flawlessly and with intensity that few artists could even think of mustering. But if you're a fan, then you already know that.
I got to Cambridge quite by accident, having lost my way going into Boston. When I stopped at a gas station to ask a guy where Cambridge was, he said I was already there. Lucky me! The area was so typically east coast; the beautiful stone and marble buildings (of Harvard University, or M.I.T?) flanked by pizza shacks, drug stores, deli's, and everything in between. An ethnic restaurant called "The Middle East" sits among all of this, and would be the stage set for an evening of intimate club music.
I walked into a place where a hip, thirty-something crowd was dining among friends. A lot of these people looked like beatnik grad students doing art school or something. Or maybe I'm just a nerdy, corn-hoppin' midwestern guy from Minnesota? Hard to tell. I got a pint of some dark and stinky lager from the bartender, and started to walk around just to scope out the place when I unexpectedly spot Mr. DiNizio in the back chatting with a few people quite casually. "Way too cool!" I thought. I joined the small crowd and in turn introduced myself to Pat, shaking his hand while my hands were still frozen from being outside. We exchanged some casual conversation for a few minutes in the back room strewn with the usual props--pay phone with a variety of tattered phone books, bulletin board with show listings, waitresses ringing orders up on terminals and clanking dishes. A very real but intimate setting.
Pat is a kind New Jersey Gentleman. He sported a couple day's razor stubble on top of the goatee, and has a relaxed but stocky "no bull" presence that hints at his love for Mama DiNizio's family pasta recipe. (How's that for a politically correct side step?) He was inviting and open to any chat. I told Pat I was from the Twin Cities, and he commented what a blast it was to play the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis last summer, a show I missed while on vacation. I shared with him my first 'Reens show at Glam-Slam in Minneapolis several years back during the "Blow Up" tour and he recalled how charged fans were that night. He was right, the place was wild. He saw I had my CD cover from the new album, and he asked me how I liked the new music, offering to sign it for me. I rattled off a couple favorite new songs ..."124 MPH", "Liza ", he interjected; "Liza, yea ...that was a song I wrote for my daughter, yea ...here, let me show ya a picture of her." So right there "Daddy" whips out his wallet! Sharing the space with this darling little girl's picture was a guitar pick with Pat's picture on it. Again, a very intimate experience. We chatted only as much as strangers can chat comfortably, without approaching the fictitious rock star/obsessed fan roles in the least. Pat had to use the men's room. I called my wife to let her know that I got to Cambridge safe, and I was having a really interesting time so far.
Pat lingered awhile in the back room chatting casually with friends. Before going into the club area he lets me know, "I'm going to be taking requests for Smithereen's tunes during the show, so let me know if there's something you wanna hear." I was still amused by it all, "Okay, thanks" I said.
The show itself was conducted very casually with little in the way of the music or the personalities on stage. This was basically a show which seemed to get back to the roots of performance. The boys were having fun on stage with no worries about perfecting a routine. Straight up good music in a no-frills venue.
At 11:30 PM, the guys come on stage casually ...J.J. Burnel and Tony Smith still had their jackets on! The music was Pat's entire new album "Songs and Sounds" with a few Smithereens tunes thrown in for good measure. The show started very strong with hook after hook from his new albums' best singles. As promised, In the middle of the show Pat did his acoustics set which consisted of Smithereens songs requested by the audience.
Here is the list of songs in order with commentary about the live performance and studio versions.
Where I Am Going (Jennie's Song)
Sounded a bit under-produced on stage ...but maybe that's the point. Reminded me of being in a small coffee house in Greenwich Village listening to beat generation poets. Best heard with a pack of cigs and a strong coffee. Not as much a song as a short work of poetry/philosophy. Wish I knew more about this one.
Nobody But Me
Strong guitar, drums, bass, vocals. This song rocks heavily. Serious thrust on the trap set from Tony Smith. Captures Pat's more serious side ...he means business on this one. Some serious words in this song for someone. Very good, very strong.
124 MPH
Playfully done. Strong instruments by everyone. Again, strong instruments by everyone., although J.J. Burnel didn't quite capture the background vocals playing live as well as he did on the album. Pat's guitar leads in the song capture strong sentiment for surfboards and muscle cars. The song could be a hit with youngsters and baby boomers alike if it had video/airplay. Great song live and studio.
Everyday World
Enjoyable, but probably not as strong as other songs when done live. This is not to say it's not good, just that other songs seem significantly stronger, especially when played live. The album has better production with horns and background vocals.
No Love Lost
Great song live or studio. Seductive and very thoughtful lyrics, if not reassuring in a very intimate way. Very real. Great singing by Pat. The song has more than one mix, and playing live they did a longer version with more guitar parts. Album has the benefit of extensive arrangements played on saxophone by Sonny Fortune. I'd like to see a guest appearance by some sax player for this song in future shows. Could be a hit with good promotion.
Today It's You
Fun beat, strong drums by Tony Smith on this song both live and in studio. Great fills. Playful bass line from JJ Burnel. Again, sobering thoughts for some girl out there. Not too complicated, but very good. Hit potential.
I'd Rather Have The Blues
Pat humbly introduced this song by saying it was his "Ill-fated attempt to play jazz." He then said, "It's called 'I'd Rather Have The Blues' than what I've got.....(sigh).........I'd rather play it like Ted Nugent than with the technique I've got." The audience chuckled a bit. It's another great song. Clean urban jazz with seductive vocals. Saxophone makes this song happen ...again, a guest performance would be great for the future!
Liza
Great song anytime/anywhere with the realized potential for being dressed up into a full production or stripped down to acoustic guitar and singing. The song was excellent live. Excellent.
The acoustic set started here with requests taken from the audience.
Acoustic Set
Behind The Wall Of Sleep
This happened to be my request, but he probably would have played it anyway. He told the audience that he actually wrote the song for the girl "right up front here" which happened to be by me, so I confirmed it with her. I think her name was Kim, and she was certainly tall, and cool, and pretty. A classic song, the audience sang to it. ( The "sometimes I even weep" part.) After the song, (Kim?) jumped up on stage and gave Pat a hug. Sweet.
Cigarette
Great song. Audience sang a bit. Always fun to hear.
Only A Memory
Great, etc.... Especially fun to see Pat do the guitar leads on this one! Really cool. Audience sang background vocals. Very fun.
House We Used To Live In
Great, etc... Audience sang background vocals again. (house/house, we/we, used/used, used to live in....)
End of Acoustic Set
Okay, J.J. Burnel and Tony Smith come back on stage and start up again. At this point Pat thanked the audience (genuinely) for letting them perform the whole album, knowing well a lot of people haven't heard much of it yet. Then he jokingly stunned a few people by saying, "Now go f* yourselves....goodnight." ( ! ) It was funny to see. Also quite humorous was seeing one of Pat's tatooed roadies swapping spit with some cute little tart behind a bunch of stage equipment during a couple songs in the second set. And to think these guys get paid too!
Somewhere Down The Line
The studio version benefits from extra production, including piano. Not the strongest song on the album, although I really like the guitar parts.
You Should Know
Drums&Bass, Drums&Bass, Drums&Bass, Drums&Bass, Drums&Bass, Drums&Bass,
Drums&Bass, Tony Smith and J.J. Burnel really played this one up live and in studio. Tony Smith pretty much did a short drum solo on this song. Very fun live song...great guitar also....energetic and loud. Great song.
Running, Jumping, Standing Still
High energy jam with a good beat. Everyone plays hard and loud on this one also. Energetic and loud. Good song.
Blood And Roses
Pat thanked everyone for coming and pretty much ended the show, then I think memory recall happened and he regrouped the band to start this Smithereens' classic. (J.J. Burnel already had his shirt off!) The song went on for maybe almost ten minutes. Fun!
After the show, Pat and friends came out and mingled with the fans a bit, signed autographs, dripped sweat on people, etc. I would recommend buying the disc and giving it a good listening to before the show so you can fully appreciate the new songs, most of which are very good. All in all, the show was less produced but every bit enjoyable to a Smithereens' fan. If you go, be sure to bring your CD sleeve and a good pen that shows up well on the black background.
They played the entire Songs and Sounds album and about half way through it(I believe), Tony and JJ left the stage and Pat did a few Smithereens songs on his Epiphone Casino guitar(got great sounds out of that guitar). These songs were: (he took requests from the audience):
Cigarette
Strangers When We Meet
Elaine
Especially for You
After that, JJ and Tony came back and they finished the album, then did Blood and Roses and ended the show with a rap type of song I've never heard(something about '5 minutes'.......It was great, Tony Smith was impressive, right there at all times and did a short drum solo that was enjoyable. JJ Burnell sounded great too, nice dirty bass sound, they all sounded good together. Pat joked around and at one point, had a couple young ladies come up on the stage to dance next to him and JJ, pretty cool. After the show, Pat signed some autographs and my wife and I had the pleasure of meeting him, we talked briefly and he signed a poster for me.
And it's true folks, Pat is the nicest guy, very friendly and appreciative of his fans. It was an experience I won't forget. Looking forward to the next gig, hope he comes back to New England soon.
Where I Am Going
Nobody But Me
124 MPH
No Love Lost
Everyday World
Liza
I'd Rather Have The Blues
(J.J. and Tony leave the stage, Pat performs solo):
Sick Of Seattle
Strangers When We Meet
Kiss Your Tears Away
Only A Memory
(J.J. and Tony return to the stage)
Somewhere Down The Line
You Should Know
Today It's You
(impromptu drum solo)
A World Apart
Running, Jumping, Standing Still
(Encore)
5 Minutes (Stranglers song, lead vocal by J.J. Burnell)
Blood And Roses
The Bayou, Washington (Georgetown), DC
Where I Am Going
Nobody But Me
Everyday World
124 MPH
No Love Lost
Liza
I'd Rather Have The Blues
(Pat solo)
Afternoon Tea
Behind The Wall Of Sleep
Only A Memory
Cigarette
Blues Before And After
(Band returns)
Somewhere Down The Line
You Should Know
Today It's You
(Impromptu "Act Naturally")
A World Apart
Running, Jumping, Standing Still
(Encore)
5 Minutes
Blood And Roses
Pat's latest tour is definitely a showcase for his solo project, as it should be. Anyone expecting an evening of Smithereens songs, re-interpreted by the Pat DiNizio Trio would have been dissapointed, as other than the set ending "Blood And Roses," the band stuck to the "Songs And Sounds" album, playing it's entire context, though in different sequence each night. After 6 or 7 songs with the full band, Pat sends J.J. Bunell and Tony Smith backstage, and performs a rotating selection of Smithereens songs, depending on audience shouts, and whatever Pat feels like playing at the moment, semi-acoustically.
I say "semi" because rather than trotting out an acoustic guitar, Pat has instead had his Epiphone Casinos (two of them, the now familiar silver-flake finish, and a second, candy apple red color) modified so he can flip a few switches to produce a very convincing acoustic sound, which he also used at times during the band songs.
With the absence of Sonny Fortune, Pat fills in for the sax solos with guitar solos, helped by a numer of effects pedals. It's definitely an opportunity to hear Pat's lead style more extensively than usual. Pat plays in a more fluid and jazzy style than Jim Babjak's more raw, raucous approach.
The Baltimore show, in a fairly small venue that assaulted us between acts with a variety of dance music at excruciating volume, was said to have been the most sparsely attended of the tour thus far, attracting only about 50-60 people. The DC show was better attended, though some wintery weather may have kept the attendence down to around 150 or so. In Baltimore, the band was a bit looser and playful, joking, and jamming, extending the endings of songs, encouraging an impromptu Tony Smith drum solo. Pat complained that his guitars kept slipping out of tune, and he changed them often, sometimes mid-song. The DC show was technically tighter, but less playful, the acoustic set was marred by an obnoxious Stranglers fan who kept flipping Pat the bird, and who threw a cigarette that hit Pat mid-song, causing an angry, but swiftly over-with roadie/patron confrontation. Though clearly angry, Pat quickly diffused the situation with a laugh, and by continuing with the show.
There is said to be considerable interest in this tour from Stranglers fans, as the band hasn't toured here in around 3 years, and this is the first time J.J. Burnell has played in the USA since then. Both night, the encore kicked off with a version of an old Stranglers song, "5 Minutes" sung by J.J. (Oddly, the geek who was causing such a fuss left before this song, probably the moment of the show he'd have enjoyed the most!). Though it was performed both nights this weekend, it's apparently not yet a regular part of the set...in DC, J.J. started into "Blood And Roses" while Pat started the guitar riff to "5 Minutes." J.J. looked at Pat and said, "Again?!?"
Well, as it turns out, you couldn't have asked for a more intimate setting than this Borders bookstore locale. What I assume was originally the reading room, was rearranged, before my eyes, into a pseudo-bookclub/nightclub (or the best they could come up with under the circumstances). A cheesy curtain hung in front of the "art books" shelves and served as a backdrop to a lone stool and microphone stand.
The turnout appeared to be light at first, but the place started to fill-up closer to the actual performance time. Pat arrived punctually and proceeded to step behind the makeshift curtain in order to tune his guitar. Unfortunately, there was probably not more than two inches of space back there, so it couldn't have been easy for him to tune the guitar and battle the encroaching curtain at the same time. Shortly thereafter, Pat emerged from behind the curtain clutching his acoustic guitar and took a seat before the bookstore audience.
Two elderly gentlemen, who were apparently confused about what had happened to their reading area, remained seated for what I could only imagine was their first encounter with the songs of Pat Dinizio. One guy turned to the other one and said: "Hey, I think we're gonna see a concert." They ended up staying throughout the entire performance. Apparently, Pat was able to successfully instill some "Smithereens appreciation" into these two newly converted fans.
Another gentleman, caught unawares, left when he realized that his quiet reading area had been transformed into an ungodly rock 'n roll shindig. Pat had some fun with him by acting indignant. "Hey!" Pat called out to the departing reader," Hey, mister!" The embarrassed man's only reaction was to pick up his pace and exit more quickly. Pat just grinned at the crowd like a wicked schoolboy.
Even though the crowd was probably miniscule in comparison to the audience at one of his legitimate concerts, Pat still put his "all" into the songs he performed that afternoon. He played the Smithereens classic "Only a Memory" before attacking "Somewhere Down the Line" from his excellent new solo album. At one point, he asked for requests from the audience which resulted in an acoustic performance of "Elaine". Pat explained that this particular song had been left off of their debut album. It was going to be missing from their second album, "Green Thoughts", as well, until somebody over at Capitol decided that it might be a hit. He started strumming the opening chords and then added, ironically, "It still wasn't a hit".
"Especially for You" was another request that provided Pat with the opportunity to relate an interesting tale. Pat claimed that he had written this song as an homage to composer Burt Bacharach. He said that he wanted Dionne Warwick to record the song before she got sidelined by that "Psychic Network Hotline" thing. I can truthfully say that I still found it extremely difficult to envision a Dionne Warwick rendition of this song -- even after hearing Pat's lovely version.
Somebody suggested "I'd Rather Have the Blues" (another song from Pat's solo CD) and Pat smiled sheepishly, since he appeared to have forgotten the lyrics. Whether this forgetfulness was feigned or not, Pat agreeably attempted it, anyway, saying that he would just make-up any lyrics he couldn't remember as he went along. At any rate, he plowed throught the song admirably.
There was a temporary lull while other requests were called out that didn't seem to catch Pat's interest. Pat acknowledged that most of these requested songs were not conducive to an acoustic format. When someone cried out "Girl Like You", Pat demurred by asking, "Who wrote that?" I tried to help out by suggesting the ballad, "Maria Elena". Pat thought for a moment and said: "Maria Elena. Hmmmm.... when was the last time I played that?... a month ago?" Seemingly uninspired by the requests, Pat broke into an earlier request, "Blood and Roses". He had not played this song earlier in the performance, because he claimed that it was the song he used to close his show. True to his word, Pat played a masterful rendition of the early Smithereens hit and then ended the musical segment of his appearance.
At this point, a table and chair were set up for Mr. Dinizio to meet people and sign autographs. This was the first time I had ever had the opportunity to meet Pat, and he was a genuinely nice person- just like I had always heard he was. I introduced myself as the person who had drawn the cartoons used on the Smithereens' fan club website, and he thanked me for doing them and supporting the band. After some small talk, he signed one of my Smithereens CD booklets, "To Todd-'the best cartoonist'-Pat Dinizio 1/26/98". Before I left, he gave me a hearty double-handed handshake and thanked me again. A real nice guy...and I didn't even have to slip him a bribe to write that "cartoonist" praise on my CD booklet. (No, really, I didn't).
All in all, it was a rewarding and memorable afternoon. There were some great tunes, some talk, and some laughs. I came away with some newfound admiration for Pat Dinizio as a performer and as a person... and not just because he wrote some nice things on my CD booklet. (No, really, I swear).
Where I am Going
Nobody But Me
124 MPH
Running, Jumping, Standing Still
Everyday World
No Love Lost
Band intros
A World Apart
Today It's You
Liza
Somewhere Down the Line
You Should Know
I'd Rather Have the Blues
Blood & Roses (extended jam)
encore: Five Minutes
Pat's first visit to Philadelphia since last February's Tin Angel show was much like the "SONGS & SOUNDS" release (Velvel) it intended to promote: It was very enjoyable, sounded great -- but was way too short.
The trio played a tight, compact set, clocking in at just about an hour for an enthusiastic crowd of about 60 people. The tour bus was literally parked on the sidewalk outside the venue, so it seemed as though the trio was just passing through, on the way to the next town.
Pat seemed a bit more energized than the past few performances I've seen (solo acoustic), and this has to be because of bassist J.J. Burnell and drummer Tony "Thunder" Smith. Tony was beaming smiles when he wasn't trying to make J.J. crack up, or providing tight vocal harmony to Pat. "Thunder" indeed, as I literally felt his powerful drum beats vibrate though the floor.
Pat's chatter with the audience was a bit limited. In addition to introducing the band, he asked if anyone in attendance had also been at the Tin Angel show. During a quick fix to Tony's drum kit early in the show, someone called out for " 'Cigarette,' while we wait!'" but Pat declined the invitation. The midset-acoustic reading of Smithereens tunes was dropped from this show. Also odd that Pat never hyped his first solo album, I guess assuming we already knew about it and that's why we were there.
Most of the songs from "SOUNDS" were pretty straight interpretations of the studio versions, with Pat filling in the missing Sonny Fortune's sax parts with some guitar licks.
However, there a few twists tossed in just to make in interesting. Pat really slowed down -- and added a bit more pathos to -- the set opener, "Where I Am Going." "Nobody But Me" followed, as seamlessly as it does on the disc.
The trio then offered a rapid-fire "124 MPH" and "Running Jumping Standing Still," with Tony providing soulful harmonies. His voice blended nicely with Pat.
Tony really added a powerful back beat to "Everyday World" and "A World Apart," giving them just a bit more strength than the studio versions. In between, "No Love Lost" was a bit quicker than the studio version, and almost sounded a bit rushed. I was looking forward to hearing this acoustically, which might lend a bit more sincerity to it.
The trio, apparently hitting all four musical cylinders by now, added an even sharper edge to "Today It's You." Pat's vocals seemed especially emotional on "Liza," and he phrased the lyrics a bit differently.
The band really cut loose on "You Should Know," as on the earlier "Running," which really showcased Tony's flair behind the drum kit.
The trio wrapped things up with an smoky, and bit longer, "I'd Rather Have the Blues," and extended "Blood & Roses," the song the crowd got into most. After all this years, I still never get tired of Jim Babjak's guitar solo in this tune, and something seems to be missing anytime he's not there to play it.
The band didn't even leave the stage, but just stood to the side, before returning with the encore "5 Minutes" (from the Stranglers' catalog), which featured a nice vocal trade-off between J.J. and Tony, to cap off the night.
Although very enjoyable -- and musically pretty tight for a show so early in the tour -- the North Star bar show was just like the disc "SONGS & SOUNDS." It touches on some interesting styles of music (jazz and blues) that you'd really like to hear Pat dig his musical claws into. And just when you're starting to follow where he is going, the journey comes to an abrupt end. Here's hoping he comes back very soon to take us to it's end.
I’m a 23-year-old law student at Vanderbilt University. Before tonight, just about all of my exposure to Pat and friends had been their best-known and most-accessible work: their radio-friendly singles from my high school days ("A Girl Like You", from ninth grade; "Too Much Passion", from eleventh), a college buddy’s copy of "Blow Up", and my own recently-acquired copy of "Attack of the Smithereens", which I purchased one day after I discovered that I just couldn’t get "Girl Like You" out of my head in class (and I qualify that statement with "just about all of my exposure to Pat and friends" because I also have the Sonny Bono tribute CD, compiled by a fellow from Pittsburgh whose band’s web site I design and maintain, which contains Jim and Dennis’s bizarre cover of "You’d Better Sit Down, Kids", a version that I hope would never get stuck in someone’s head).
I had read and heard good things about Pat for a while, so when I heard that he would be coming to Nashville, I figured it would be something worth checking out. A positive account from a friend of mine who saw him in Pittsburgh clinched it. I then stumbled across Dave’s site, and wrote him a note about it; as a result, I got hooked in to writing something about the show.
In the days leading up to the gig, I tried to acquire a copy of "Songs and Sounds"; I had made a casual hookup with the disc on a listening post in the Borders Music in Pittsburgh, but now sought a deeper, more meaningful, relationship. Unfortunately, my efforts at comparison shopping at the local record stores were futile; usually, the comparison ended up being between having the CD and not having it, with a strong tendency in favor of the latter (one store did have it on vinyl, but I just have a CD player down here). Such are the problems of being on an indie, I suppose.
As a result, I ended up going to the show without having heard any of Pat’s new tunes. But that situation changed when I got there: he opened the show with the first song from "Songs", and proceeded to play the album all the way through. Generally, I find it difficult to evaluate songs when I hear them live without having heard them before. In this performance, however, the DiNizio band easily communicated the strong hooks and catchiness of their new songs.
The band was strong. Early on, Pat provided the crowd with the impressive musical resumes of drummer Tony "Thunder" Smith and bassist J.J. Burnell. Smith drew a decent amount of the spotlight, and deservedly so: his playing mixed power and variety, and, sticking his tongue out in glee ever so often, he looked like he was having a great time back there. Save for a few harmony vocal turns, Burnell generally ceded the spotlight to the other two; he seemed content to do his funky little bass player dance off to the side. Looking like the local rabbi in his yarmuke-esqe ski cap, beard and glasses, Pat was a ersonable band leader.
Before the show, I struck up a conversation with a guy who had seen the Smithereens several times; he informed me that, in the course of his energetic performances, Pat usually has to replace his microphone several times. I think he went through three or four tonight.
After playing a song about preferring the blues over his current reality, Pat announced that they had reached the end of the album. Now, it was time for the classics, albeit in altered form. Breaking into "Blood & Roses," the band started out with the original version, detoured into a funky jam, and then turned back into the original.
The trio then left the stage. Only Pat returned for the encore; accompanied by his electric guitar, he played a short set of Smithereens classics. It reminded me of seeing Bob Mould on his most recent tour. First, Pat played a slow version of "Top Of The Pops", my favorite Smithereens song (which, as it turned out, was not totally unaccompanied: a few of us in the front chimed in with the missing "top top, top of the pops" chorus when appropriate).
Throughout the show, the crowd had been sitting down, away from the stage (even if some of the people apparently were there merely to go to a bar -- which, considering the $10 cover, seemed a bit incomprehensible -- it was a decent turnout, much better than the crowd of 20 that my friend reported from the Pittsburgh show). After "Top Of The Pops", Pat said something about wanting a crowd a bit closer to him, so we obliged. He finished the show by playing "Strangers When We Meet," "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" and "House We Used To Live In," again accompanied only by electric guitar and fan "harmony" vocals.
Now, I tend to prefer seeing songs fleshed out by a whole band. This is probably related to my belief that, for the most part, the words of rock and roll songs are an overrated component of what makes a good song. Pat’s performances, however, worked completely; he did a good job of bringing out the emotional cores of his songs. This wasn’t totally surprising. Earlier in the week, I had read an article in the local free paper previewing the show; it recounted what seemed to be a glorious performance by Pat at a songwriters acoustic show in Nashville from last year. I enjoyed being able to focus on what some of those classics were about, away from the distractions of their glorious tunes. This was especially the case with the bsessional "Behind A Wall Of Sleep".
The solo set ended the show. At a little over an hour, it all seemed too short. Pat came out to talk to his fans, which impressed me. As befits an indie release, the CD was on sale at the show, so I bought a copy on the way out.
On top of the price of the concert ticket, you had to pay $25 per person just to be admitted to the park. Needless to say, this kept away lots of fans. Teenagers more interested in opening act Collective Soul dominated the crowd and many of them left early. The empty seats outnumbered the hard-core fans. I felt embarrassed to be a Dallas resident and wouldn't have blamed the band if they boycotted our town.
In November 1994 the Smithereens returned to played Fort Worth's jazz/folk club Caravan of Dreams, another odd choice. At one point during that show, DiNizio looked out at the people – all of whom were seated calmly at tables – and said, "What is this, dinner theater?" In protest he had chairs brought up on stage and played the next number from a sitting position. So Pat's last two trips to Dallas didn't provide the rowdy receptions he's accustomed to.
Thankfully the Pat DiNizio Trio chose the Galaxy Club for its Dallas tour stop. Another new venue for Pat to play – but one much more suited to his Songs and Sounds. In the days leading up to the show, I resisted temptation and intentionally avoided the online reviews on Dave's Smithereens Page. I knew my enjoyment of the show would be enhanced by the element of surprise. I assumed Pat would play some Smithereens classics – but I really wasn't sure. And I didn't want to know the playlist in advance.
I headed down to Dallas' Deep Ellum district – our semi-bohemian part of town and the home of the best live music venues around. I arrived just in time for opening act Clarissa, a trio from Chapel Hill, N.C., to take the stage. The Galaxy Club was nearly empty. There were 20 or 30 people either standing at the bar or sitting at tables in the elevated rear of the club. The area in front of the stage was empty. I took a seat at the back of club and proceeded to read the local weekly free paper by candelight and pay slight attention to Clarissa, which turned out to be pretty good. I couldn't help but remember the scene at the Caravan of Dreams. It had been over three years since I'd last seen the Smithereens in those two shows with the deadbeat crowds. I have to admit I was concerned.
When Pat, drummer Tony Smith and bass player J.J. Burnel took the stage at around 11:15 p.m., there were 50 or 60 people on hand. Pat stood at the front of the stage and, putting both arms above his head, motioned for the crowd to approach the stage. I stayed seated. When Pat started shaking hands with the people down front, I wished I had left my seat.
I was stunned with the choice of Where I Am Going as the opening number. When the band moved straight into Nobody But Me, I remembered reading that the Smithereens played the entire Especially For You album, in order, during the 10th anniversary show. When 124 MPH cranked up next, I headed towards the stage and knew we were in for the entire Songs and Sounds rundown.
The renditions were very true to the recordings. It was fun to watch Pat play lead guitar over what would have been the saxophone and keyboard parts on the record. He seemed to be having a big time. After Running, Jumping, Standing Still, he explained to the audience that the band was going to play Songs and Sounds in its entirety. "I know that's a lot to expect from an audience," he said. "You're very patient. Thanks for comin' out."
Everyday World seemed to jump-start the crowd. It was a little edgier than on record, as was the semi-mellow No Love Lost. When the rousing A World Apart followed No Love Lost, the crowd cheered the opening lyric, "I've been drinking every night since you've been gone." Today It's You, Liza, and Somewhere Down the Line followed with fairly straightforward interpretations. You Should Know featured an extended jam which highlighted drummer Tony Smith, who throughout the night seemed to be having the most fun of anyone in the club.
Leading into I'd Rather Have the Blues, Pat explained, "I always wanted to write a song like this – a smoky, jazzy kind of tune. But I didn't know how. This song is from a 1955 film called Kiss Me Deadly. Anybody here ever see that movie?" I raised my hand – apparently the only film noir buff in the room. Pat looked in my direction and said, "Only one guy!" He then pointed out that I'd Rather Have the Blues was written by Frank DeVol – the same guy who wrote the Green Acres TV theme. I'd Rather Have the Blues smoked – or should I say smoldered - one of the real highlights of the show.
With the track list of Songs and Sounds covered, I anxiously awaited the next tune. I was ready for some 'Reens, but I'd have to wait. Pat asked the crowd to chant, "J.J., J.J." while asking bass player J.J. Burnel if he was ready to sing. Burnel asked Pat to get the crowd to chant his full name: "Jean Jacques." We obliged and Burnel and Pat led the band into 5 Minutes by the Stranglers, which rocked.
Not being very familiar with the Stranglers, that tune was scorching enough to send me to the internet after the show until 2 a.m. to study the Stranglers discography. The last chord of 5 Minutes was still echoing through the Galaxy Club when Burnel went into the bass intro of Blood and Roses, bringing down the house. Pat handled the guitar solos with flair and feistiness. Somewhere Jim Babjak was smiling.
The band left the stage to as strong an ovation as 60 people can give a band. After a few moments Pat returned by himself. I hoped we were in store for a multi-song mini-set and we were. He began with Top of the Pops. After the first few chords, the crowd sang, "Hey, Hey" and "Walk On!" right on cue. Next was Especially For You. Pat dedicated A Girl Like You to "my good friend Tracy," who was standing front and center. A guy in the back yelled for Blue Period, but Cigarette followed. A guy in front (who turned out to be an old friend of Pat's) obviously well-versed in Smithereens protocol, lit up a smoke and handed it up to Pat so he'd have the traditional Cigarette prop. Pat inserted the burning cigarette between two strings on the neck of his guitar and began playing. Pat wrapped up the 90-minute show with a crowd-pleasing rendition of Behind the Wall of Sleep. After reaching out to shake some more hands, Pat told the crowd, "God bless. See you next year."
The crowd may have been small, but I'll take it over the Six Flags group any time. These were real fans. As I looked around and saw complete strangers singing along with tunes such as Everyday World, I couldn't help but feel I was among my people. And I just hope another three years doesn't pass before we all get together again.
Pat DiNizio's show at Borders was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. He arrived about 15 minutes late, guitar in hand. Smiling, he waved to the audience and apologized for his lateness, saying he had gotten lost. There was a very good turn-out and it seemed the room was filled with enthusiastic and appreciative fans of all ages.
As the show began, Pat announced that he would immediately start taking requests. One brave soul in the back started things off by requesting "Beauty and Sadness" to which Pat simply replied, "uh, no" and then laughed. The audience was clearly amused by his antics on stage (such as feigning forgetfulness to some of his own lyrics.) He then launched into "Only a Memory" to get things going. Things got silly when, on the second song "Behind the Wall of Sleep" he broke a string. As Pat calmly and patiently replaced it, someone said "Hey, why don't you tell us the story behind that song?" Pat said, "Hey, good idea, you should be my manager!" He then jokingly said that he hadn't changed his own guitar strings in 20 years. By that time he really had the audience in a jovial mood.
The requests started pouring in and Pat graciously weeded through them. They were mostly Smithereens staples and Pat obliged as many as he could, including... "Blood and Roses", "Blue Period", "In a Lonely Place", and "Cigarette". Somebody in the audience even requested "House We Used to Live in"... as a waltz! This amused Pat, along with everyone else. He then proceeded to do the song (NOT as a waltz). He really had a good rapport with this audience and at one point even commented on how nice this was. A request was made for "Blues Before and After" and being somewhat baffled he attempted it with an -I'll try anything once- attitude, giving it a very different, bluesy sound. Afterwards he commented on how much it sounded like Eric Clapton's remake of "Layla" and that it was the only way he could think of to do it.
He did a few of his new songs including, "No Love Lost", "Somewhere Down the Line", and "A World Apart" which he introduced as his ill-fated attempt at writing a country and western song. All of these songs, the crowd seemed to enjoy as well.
Towards the end of the hour long, request filled set he did "Especially for You" (my personal favorite of the evening)... finishing up with "Maria Elena".
His voice sounded beautiful as usual and both Pat and the audience seemed delighted. No mention was made of Grammy in the Schools and no Q & A session took place which I thougt a bit odd, but just figured they were running short on time. People lined up for autographs (inluding me) and he took a few minutes to chat with everyone.
I had the opportunity to speak with Pat later that night at his concert. I felt nervous talking with him, but he was a lovely guy, and quite a character indeed!
It was a memorable night, and now my only hope is that he'll be back in town, this fall, with The Smithereens! ... Patienly waiting ...
Oh, wait. No it wasn't. But Pat DiNizio's groovy show at Hollywood's House Of Blues (Feb. 12) was a storm unto itself, El Nino be damned. After a lackluster opening act (Exit, a Stone Temple Something knockoff), and a much better second opening act (The Delphines, featuring Kathy Valentine and Gina Schock of the Go-Go's...how's that for Pure Pop Heaven?), The Pat DiNizio Trio took the stage shortly after 11:00PM and rocked the House.
Pat and Company played his Velvel album, "Songs and Sounds", in its entirety. I briefly thought that, without the benefit of studio trickery or extra musicians, DiNizio's live sound might be found wanting. That brief thought was immediately blown from my brain; J.J. Burnel's fat bass was like Sensurround. (Check out his wacky, stork-like leg movements on stage!) And now I know why drummer Tony Smith's nickname is "Thunder"...his pounding shook the House to its very foundations.
Pat told an amusing anecdote regarding the album's closer, "I'd Rather Have The Blues" (mentioning that the song's author, Frank DeVol, also wrote the theme from "Green Acres", something I was already painfully aware of), and ended the set with a rousing performance of "Blood And Roses". Two encores followed; J.J. handled the vocals for the first one, a song I am unfortunately unfamiliar with (the guitar player Pat brought onstage was a stranger to me, too; perhaps someone can fill me in). The second encore was just Pat and a guitar, with sparse, dramatic readings of "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" and "House We Used To Live In".
And then he was gone. Clamoring for more, we left the House Of Blues with the joy of Pat's music still ringing in our ears. Thanks to Pat and his Trio for an evening of outstanding music. I look forward eagerly to his next big thing....
After he played his album in its entirety and the Strangler's song "Five Minutes" he played and acoustic set of Smithereens songs such as "Only a Memory" and "Behind the Wall of Sleep", etc... I had a chance to talk to him after the show, and let me tell you, he is so incredibly, genuinely nice. He told me that he hasn't exactly written any songs for the new Smithereens album, but that he has a couple shows left and that after them he will concentrate on his songwriting efforts. I can't believe how nice of a guy he is, I think he even remembered who I was, which is so emotional and incredible to me.
Anyway, I can't wait until the new Smithereens album. Pat told me that that he'll continue to make good music as long as he lives, which is a good enough response for me. Long live Pat DiNizio and the Smithereens!
My wife and I stopped in Madison, Wisconsin to pick up a good friend of mine (also a huge Smithereens fan) and his girlfriend, and we drove to Chicago. Unbelievably, we got a prime parking spot just outside of Borders and we proceeded to go in. If you've ever been in that area, you know finding any parking space is not an easy task.
The show started just after 2:00. Luckily, just before Pat went on, a girl studying at the table directly in front of where Pat was to perform got up and left. Needless to say, that's where we sat. (What was that girl thinking???)
Suprisingly, the turnout at Borders was rather small. I would have thought that a city like Chicago would have been packed the bookstore. This was certainly not the case.
Pat immediately asked for requests. Somebody shouted out "A Girl Like You". Pat responded with a laugh- "Not yet." He obviously wanted to start out with something a little easier on the voice. After all, he had a gig at the House of Blues in about eight hours. (I decided not even to submit my request for "Evening Dress".)
The first request Pat played was for "Blue Period" from Smithereens 11. He explained how the song was written for Belinda Carlisle, and how gracious Pat was that she sang on the record. Obviously, Belinda was not in attendance (ahhh...), but it was a very nice, stripped down version of a Smithereens classic.
Next came the mandatory request for "Cigarette" from Especially for You. Pat laughed- "I can't light up in here!" That comment got a laugh from the crowd, which started to grow larger at this point. He went on to say "I did something very bad in California. I lit a cigarette on stage at the House of Blues expecting to get arrested and using for publicity... Nothing happened."
Pat then suggested aloud that he should play one from his solo effort. He proceeded to play "Somewhere Down the Line" from Songs and Sounds. It was a fantastic, yet very simple version of my favorite song on his record. In my mind, it was the highlight of his performance.
Again, without a request, Pat went into the classic "Behind the Wall of Sleep" from Especially for You.
Pat then asked the crowd for a request from the Green Thoughts LP. After shooting down my friend’s request for "Drown in My Own Tears" ("A little early in the day for that one…" Pat quickly replied.), I then requested "Elaine". He acknowledged it, but then another request came for "Only a Memory". Pat said he’d try it if we’d sing along. I was slightly bummed at first about Elaine not being played, but "Memory" is my all-time favorite Smithereens song, so how could I complain? Here was Pat DiNizio a couple of feet away on his Gretch acoustic guitar playing the classics. "In a world of pain I have no peer." What a great line. By the way, Pat caught me not singing and proceeded to stare at me until I joined in on the chorus... I quietly obliged with a smile.
He then played "A World Apart" from his solo album. He made a point of thanking "his friends at WXRT for playing the hell out of this song." Unfortunately for us in the Twin Cities, no radio station has enough taste to play the Smithereens, yet enough Pat’s solo stuff. Enjoy it, Chicago. Right when Pat was starting the song, a patron got up from her seat at the side of the stage and walked right in front of Pat. Of course, Pat immediately stopped playing and proceeded to make a spectacle of the poor girl. Pat excused her because she said she was looking for a better seat so she could see him play. It was pretty comical.
Pat then fulfilled a request for "I’d Rather Have the Blues Than What I’ve Got". He explained that he had never tried it acoustically, but he would give it a whirl. He explained the history of the song (from the 1955 classic "Kiss Me Deadly".) It was recorded on the Capitol records label "a label of which I had no small experience, let me tell you," Pat said coyly.
Again, Pat shot down yet another one of my requests ("No Love Lost" from Songs and Sounds) but he then played my wife’s favorite Smithereens tune- "In a Lonely Place" from Especially for You. No problem. I’d here "No Love Lost" later that night at the House of Blues.
Pat then told the crowd of about 75 people that he was going to do two more songs. The first would be from Green Thoughts. Pat explains: "I originally wrote this as a tribute to the songs of Burt Bacharach- the kind of song that Dionne Warwick might have recorded." He then went into one of the most underrated Smithereens songs- "Especially for You." He dedicated it to Karen and Faith, the heads of the official Smithereens Fan Club, who were in attendance. Very nice gals, by the way.
The last song, Pat dedicated to "everybody". It was the Smithereens classic "Blood and Roses" from the Green Thoughts release. Pretty interesting hearing Pat do the bass line on his acoustic guitar.
After the show ended, I talked to Pat for a couple of minutes. Amazingly, he recognized me and knew my name from previous meetings and seeing earlier reviews on Dave’s Smithereens Page. He expressed his great appreciation for Dave’s hard work on the website. I think that same feeling is shared by hundreds...
Until the next time-
Michael
On Sunday night the 22nd of February, Chicago welcomed Pat Dinizio back to town, to the House of Blues (in Marina Towers) to showcase songs from his new solo effort, Songs & Sounds on the Velvel label. This 41-year old guy still can rock with the best of them. Decked out in a big red pull over sweater and his trademark, "Pat in the hat," Dinizio generaled over the stage with two Epiphone Casino's and a big Marshall cabinet.
Pat played the first five songs in order on the CD with a furious attack. The songs lacked the production and instrumentation of the CD, largely due to his choice as a trio. This was not a problem though. Finally stopping to address the sparse Sunday night crowd, he paused to introduce his excellent bandmates. On bass, from England, of the Stranglers, J.J. Burnel. (Pat found out it was J.J.'s birthday today) So Dinizio led the crowd into an accapella version of Happy Birthday. Turning to the drumset, he praised his drummer of the evening, the great Tony " Thunder" Smith, fresh from his hiatus with Lou Reed's band.
No Love Lost seemed to be a crowd favorite, then Today it's You led up to the single. A World Apart has garnished a lot of airplay on WXRT, and the fans obviously knew this one the best.
One of the highlights of the night, was the hauntingly beautiful version of Liza, a song Dinizio had written about his new daughter. Pat mentioned to me afterward that he gets to come back once a month to Chicago to see her. Stripped down to guitar, bass and drums the songs meaning carried throughout the House of Blues. Looking around, I noticed more than one lady reaching for their man's hand as the song had struck an obvious nerve. Pat was more than just a pop songwriter from New Jersey at that point. He was human, just like you or I. Many of Pat's strengths are emotional memories that he reveals in his songs.
The trio finished the set with a drawn out version of a song he claims he stole, because he just couldn't write one quite like it. The CD's final song I'd Rather Have the Blues. Lead guitar is not his strong point, but he delighted and chuckled through the song as he sat on his stool. Blood and Roses got the crowd frenzied up and craving more as the band left the stage.
Returning quickly, Dinizio dared the crowd to come forward for this one. A Strangler's tune, 5 minutes sung by Burnel and Smith recognized by a few, would be the final song for the trio. The band came to the front of the stage for their final bows of the tour. The crowd roared with approval.
Pat came back out and stood off to the back, egging the crowd on. With guitar in hand, Dinizio took the spotlight alone to provide the crowd with the songs they came to hear. Miles From Nowhere, led to Indigo Blues, into Top of the Pops. The crowd knew every spot they had to sing. House That We Used To Live In, was appropriately the House of Blues tonight. Dinizio then delivered his finale of the night, A Girl Like You."
Being the last show of the tour, he chose to thank the crowd for being there and supporting him. I'm sure some thought there may be more, considering it was the final show, but for the 90 minutes he did give, it was his all.
Earlier in the day, Pat performed solo acoustically at Borders, Books & Music. I managed to catch three-quarters of the set, due to parking problems in the hectic downtown area. Nonetheless, he delighted the polite crowd with songs they threw at him. While I was there he performed Blood & Roses, In a Lonely Place & Especially For You for his fan club girls.
Afterwards, I got to talk to Pat, and share something in common. I brought my sixteen-month-old daughter with me, because she loves music and guitar in general. He said he had just come from seeing his daughter who lives in Chicago, before the Borders performance. If that was any indication, he was inspired to perform two great sets in a city where I am sure he has very strong, mixed emotions.
Sometime later this year, Pat promised me a new Smithereens record. Some of us still appreciate the simple things in life...