Performances from this band are infrequent (presumably due to conflicting commitments to their other bands), so it was a rare opportunity to catch them live. Onstage, lead guitarist and songwriter, Jim Babjak, made mention of this lack of accumulated stage time. He admitted that this was something like only the fourth time they had ever performed live. Overall, the stage patter was kept to a bare minimum and the band let the music do their speaking for them.
Although most of the set consisted of tunes contained on the group's previously released limited edition demos tape, there were also some Babjak-penned songs from the Smithereens' albums as well. The Smithereens tunes included "Love Is Gone", "Now and Then" as well as "I'm Sexy" (from the "Date With the Smithereens" box set). Highlights from the performance included the Buzzed Meg original "You Get Me So Excited" and the Who's "Heaven and Hell". Each of these renditions featured virtuoso guitar interludes from Jim. Meanwhile, Kurt's vocal abilities seemed to complement Jim's tunes quite nicely while Vince Grogan's supple guitar work and Dennis' drum show extravaganza provided much more than ample accompaniment.
Pat DiNizio had been conspicuous in the audience while watching his fellow bandmates perform. It was not altogether a surprise, then, when Jim brought Pat up onstage to play a number - after introducing his pal offhandedly as someone who played with him in a band. This number would turn out to be the debut of a brand new Smithereens song - one that might actually appear on the forthcoming Smithereens album. Entitled "The Last Good Time", it whetted one's appetite for the rest of the album. While some parts of the song sounded like a new direction for the band, it still sounded oddly reminiscent of that indefinable Smithereens sound. This one may, admittedly, take a few more listens to fully grow on me. Supposedly, some songs that had been premiered earlier at the Court Tavern's "Smithereens Workshop" have since been left off of the finished new album. Therefore, it is anyone's guess as to what the next album will actually sound like. (For instance, one departure in style, Billie Holiday's "Gloomy Sunday", might still reportedly make it onto the new album). Anyway, as always, it was a pleasure to see Jim, Dennis and Pat performing together again - even as some kind of offshoot "Smither-'three'ns".
Knowing that Pat and the rest of the Smithereens were movie buffs, I cornered him after the show and asked him if this new song, "The Last Good Time" was inspired by a 1994 film with the same title. His definitive(?) answer was: "No. I don't think so. Well, maybe...".
Make no mistake about it, though, Buzzed Meg stepped out of the imposing shadow of both the Smithereens and the Grip Weeds to put on a fine show of their own. Hopefully, Buzzed Meg's debut album will someday be a worthy contender to the lasting legacy of their better-known day jobs.
The setlist:
Love Is Gone
Paradise
Pretty Dream
Now and Then
They're My Friends
You're So Cool
You Get Me So Excited
I'm Sexy
When I Was Young
Seven and Seven Is
Heaven and Hell
Copyright © 1999 Todd Sinclair