The Fleshtones, The Plimsouls and Blasé Debris — The Hangar on the Hudson, Troy, New York
August 14, 2022
On the first weekend after a multi-week-long blanket of searing heat and humidity loosened its grip on the northeastern United States, energy restrained by the oppressive weather was coiled tight and ready to be unleashed. When the potential transmuted into the kinetic, the epicenter of this great release was, without doubt, in Troy, New York, at about 4pm Eastern Time at an old-school, real rock & roll venue – Art Fredette’s Hangar on the Hudson.
Recently, I’ve been reading about several bands I like playing there, and I was able to make the trek from the DC area back “home” to Troy (12181 was once my zip code) to check it out for myself. The space is comfortable, the staff are welcoming, the sound is punchy and the attitude is 100% rock & roll right out of the garage. While most people stand, there is seating available, and people of all ambulatory abilities can partake of the bar and the music. Art Fredette is also the founder of streaming radio station RadioRadioX.com – and this stellar lineup was put together to help celebrate four years of RadioRadioX. Learn more about them here:
Since I was a kid, I’ve always had a Sunday malaise, which usually gave way to full-on depression in the afternoon. Art seems to have found the cure for this by scheduling shows at the time of day when the dread was darkest. Timing is everything.
Speaking of timing, NY Capital Area band Blasé DeBris took the stage right on time – possibly even a few minutes early, and there was no gradual transition from zero to full-throttle. The band had a significant local draw, and for good reason – the energy and the mood were right from the first notes of the Munster’s theme to the last thrash of their cover of The Ramones’ “Chinese Rock.” Guitarist and principal vocalist Duane Beer’s voice combines a timbre suited to death metal with a sensibility and humor worthy of The Cramps.
Check out their site for more info about the band and their upcoming shows: https://www.blasedebris.com/home
Lead guitarist and original Plimsouls member Eddie Muñoz assembled Danny Vozzo and Guy Pollioni as rhythm section and rounded out The Plimsouls’ lineup with Split Squad bandmate Michael Giblin covering guitar, lead vocals and frontman duties. Together they delivered an authentic, tight, bright, deep and fast-paced 45 minute set of Plimsouls classics, leading up to the one-two punch of “Now” and “A Million Miles Away.” Both newer fans’ curiosities as well as long-time Plimsouls purists’appetites for familiar songs no longer played out often enough anymore were more than satisfied – until, perhaps, a next time.
https://theplimsouls.bandcamp.com
The Fleshtones – a pure rock & roll unit that’s hung together since 1976, and never “phoned in” a performance even once – proved that they were as vibrant, energetic and downright fun as ever. With the guitar and bass grinding away from within the green room, Bill Milhizer, Keith Streng and Ken Fox claimed the stage in preparation for Peter Zaremba to dominate the room. The fans rocked, rolled and spun repeatedly on the “Wheel of Talent” for an unrelenting hour. Zaremba repeatedly connected with the audience, Fox and Streng sustained the mood and attitude with their vocals, gestures and acrobatics for which The Fleshtones are famous. Standout moments of their set included their cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Child of the Moon” and original “Manpower Debut”, both from their recent album Face of the Screaming Werewolf, which was produced by Plimsouls frontman du jour Michael Giblin as well as “I Surrender.”
I’ve often said that one has not attended a real rock & roll show unless one leaves the venue a little more scarred – in a good way – than he or she entered. From this whole tremendous afternoon, I’ve sustained gash after delicious gash – and it will take a long time for me to heal – in anticipation of the next spin on the Wheel of Talent.
Find the Fleshtones music here: https://thefleshtones.bandcamp.com