The Scene – July 10th at Lupo’s, Part 2: Senior Discount and Someday Providence

Senior Discount pumping up the crowd

Senior Discount pumping up the crowd

Continued from Part 1

Fighting back away from the bar I could hear Senior Discount well into their set, by the time I made it back outside and made my way through the crowd they were working on wrapping up what I believe to be their original song “Ataxia,” with a refrain of “I swear I’ll kill you, I swear I’ll fucking kill you” I find it hard to mistake. It was some in your face, loud punk rock, that got the audience pumped up. I made quick work of my first brew as Senior Discount began their song “Smile.” Once I had a free hand, I broke out my trusty Nikon and had a chance to clip the remainder of the song:

07.10.09 Senior Discount performing “Smile”

Tom Wells was stage right blazing lead guitar all night long, Chuck Staton took center stage providing lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Stage left, Alan Souza thumped out the bass lines all night, and Christian Staton round out the foursome behind the drums. Chuck introduced the band and with a few ball busting jabs, and the next song, a Pixies cover. I could never claim to be a punk connoisseur, but judging by the audience reaction, they played a familiar song, very well. I took the chance again, to sip my suds and prepare for the next song they would play “And Thats Goodbye…”

07.10.09 Senior Discount performing “And Thats Goodbye…”

The title track from their new EP, it was another lyrically angry and spiteful song, but musically started slower and a bit more up beat than others they’d been playing. Tom showcased his most intricate guitar work, Chuck sang delicately then powerfully and rocked out the rhythm while dancing around the stage. Christian knocked the skins off the drums and Souza bobbed to and fro while banging out the bass line. Breaking out a smirk inducing SKA cover, Senior Discount played “Kiss the Girl” of Little Mermaid fame. The crowd started dancing and rocking out, I decided to make my way across the audience where less flailing elbows were seen. All set I was impressed with their humor and stage presence, they were masters of involving the crowd and quick-witted, sophomoric humor. Chuck began the romantic story of Tom losing his anal virginity, as star of the tale disappeared behind the stage, the band started in on “Tom’s Not a Virgin Anymore:”

07.10.09 Senior Discount “Tom’s Not a Virgin Anymore”

It was hilarious, catchy and perverse. I chuckled aloud. It lent meaning to the “Tom’s Not” shirts I saw many fans donning, and helped to define their stage characterization of themselves. Souza provided his busiest bass work of the set and Christian was drumming out a cool fill on his snare that had almost a marching band feel. In Tom’s absence, Chuck played some good lead riffs, which caught me off guard as he had been previously providing strictly rhythm, as he told Tom’s tale. Lyrically it was a well written, and had great yet unfortunate poetic imagery. I could have lived without the instant mental image of Tom in a purple Teletubbies suit doing the Bevis and Butthead dance behind some pants less guy grabbing his ankles, but it did make me crack up. The whole song seemed to build to Tom’s climactic return to the spotlight, performing an exciting solo from atop the van parked behind the stage. Once Tom made his way safely back to the stage, Chuck introduced an older song and requested the crowd to “go crazy and have fun” for “The VBW Song:”

07.10.09 Senior Discount performing “VBW Song”

It started slowly and gradually built to a screaming frantically paced traditional punk rock song. As the song opened up, so did the crowd, granting Chuck’s wishes. I made my way back towards the interior doors to avoid the rush as Senior Discount wound down their set with another cover, Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Punk really isn’t my genre, you probably won’t catch me rolling down Westminster rocking out to “Tom’s Not,” but I was really impressed with their showmanship, antics and dedication to “the shtick.” If Punk is your scene, and you haven’t seen them yet, I’d suggest you do, you won’t be disappointed. Hell, I’d go see them again, just for the entertainment value.

Someday Providence between songs on the main stage

Someday Providence between songs on the main stage

Meandering through the crowd I made my way back inside towards the stage for Someday Providence‘s set. Currently consisting of Tommy Garner on guitar and lead vocals, Eddy Maher on electric bass and Tom “Fuzzy” Moran on drums they seemed to have gone through some lineup changes since last I’d seen them play out, as I remembered four members on stage the last time. The trio provided the same brand of good-time reggae flavored rock I’d come to expect through my on-line listening. Fuzzy began the beat as Tommy and Eddy prompted the crowd to clap along as they started their night with “The Girl Who Wears The Sun:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “Girl Who Wears the Sun”

Tommy strummed out a reggae rhythm while singing his distinct pop-rocky lyrics. Eddy was playing a happy bass line strolling back and forth and prompting further clap-a-longs. Fuzzy was drumming out a good rock beat and crashing cymbals frequently. Their songs have a natural sing-a-long quality but I quickly noticed I was positioned amidst some hardcore Someday Providence fans who knew every word. Playing what I believe to be a newer song, they broke into a rockier number with “I’ll Get By:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “I’ll Get By”

The crowd was electrified but seemed unfamiliar with the song. It started with a heavier alternative rock sound and transformed into another song with great hooks, luring the audience to participate. The trio did a fantastic job of filling out the songs without having any true lead instrumentation. I was singing and bopping my head side to side by the end of the tune, I couldn’t help myself. Noticing the battery light halfway through the song I was simultaneously taking the clip and digging in my man purse for my spare hunk of lithium and copper. Managing possibly the quickest battery change I’ve every managed I missed only a few measures of the introduction to “Drank Too Much:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “Drank too Much”

By this point the entirety of Lupo’s was elbow to elbow music fans, singing and swaying around, the crowd was certainly loving the set. Playing the first cover of the evening, Someday Providence began Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker,” an appropriately classic feel good rock song:

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “The Joker”

The astounding popularity of the song choice seemed to solidify audience participation from everyone in attendance, even those fans not familiar with Someday Providence’s original works. Tommy surprised the hell out of me when he diverted from his decidedly rhythmic guitar playing, and tore up a solo during the song’s interlude. Seemingly outside of his comfort zone he played some mean licks. Eddy was playing to the crowd and pacing laps about the stage as Fuzzy was tapping out the steady rock beat and singing backing harmonies all night. Journeying back to original material they played another newer, and ever more relateable song, “House Party,” after all no true Rhode Islander needs a reason to party:

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “House Party”

The audience seemed to hang on every word, anxious to learn the tune for the next performance they’d see. As Tommy rapped the final verse, Eddy bound to the stack banging on his bass. They followed with what I believe to be a new numbers, of which I have yet to determine the title:

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing Song of Unknown Title 1

Fuzzy lead the first song off pounding on his floor tom, by the time Tommy and Eddy started in the song had a great dancey feel to it. Next they played a slower, what I would call Rock and Flow song, “No One’s watching:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “No One’s Watching”

The guitar’s jazzy rhythm with the added rock and rap elements made for a great song, quite infectious in the hips. Playing their second and final cover of the evening, paying homage to the recently passed King of Pop, Someday Providence rocked a version of The Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “I Want You Back”

They did a fine job of adding their own style and Tommy was careful not to try to match Michael Jackson’s pitch or range. Emotions were still running high after his passing, and one woman near me was certainly excited to hear their interpretation, following her exclamation I made sure to look around, making sure I hadn’t missed his ghost or something. Giving the Nikon and my arm a rest I took a break with the camera, enjoyed their performance of an original, “You and I,” and made conversation with the other patrons around me. I massaged my shoulder and got ready for the end of their set that was bound to be coming, well rested I was ready to clip their next piece, a song with its own self fulfilling prophecy “Sing With the Radio:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “Sing with the Radio”

Another selection from their most recent studio work, 2008’s “Thanks for Listening” extended player. Musically it had elements of punk and showcased a heavier edge than many other Someday Providence songs, while the lyrics maintained their positive, singable message. Pleasantly expecting their next set list choice, they closed out the night with “Summertime in Rhode Island:”

07.10.09 Someday Providence performing “Summertime in RI”

A favorite track in WBRU’s summer rotation it came as no surprise that the whole of the audience was singing along with the band’s most popular single. I didn’t find their songs to be particularly deep, if you are looking for thought provoking poetic lyrics, they may not be for you. What they did really well was write songs that catch your attention, make you want to sing along, and feel as if you were there when it happened. Throughout the set they played solidly, and danced between genres keeping the entire set fresh and concise, providing good time party music, at a good time party.

To Be Continued….

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2 Responses to The Scene – July 10th at Lupo’s, Part 2: Senior Discount and Someday Providence

  1. Pingback: The Scene – July 10th at Lupo’s, Part 1: The Cobra-matics and Baylock « Sully’s Cafe

  2. Pingback: The Scene – July 10th at Lupo’s, Part 3: Agents, Scotty, Badfish to Tazza « Sully’s Cafe

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