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2015 Rat Beach Patty

The C Note

October 10 and 11, 2015

Rat Beach Party
Outside the C Note at the Rat Beach Party

The Rat Beach Party, in its third year, continues to be a little rock festival that could. This year's action moves down Nantasket Avenue from the Red Parrot - a place with its own set of charms - particularly the light - to the more made for rockin' C Note. The room is laid out well with a big bar, room to move and solid sound. Kudos to Greg from Hardwired at the board, not to mention Barbara at bar and Caesar on the door. Finally, double ditto to the genial man behind the curtain, Mike Weddle.

C Note
C Note

Over four nights and close to forty bands, Weddle manages to cobble together an eclectic, vibrant mix of experienced Rat related, dues paid, work-horse bar band regulars. Most of the musicians have carried the local rock torch loud and proud for years. The crowd, a mix of players and friends of players, made up with constant energy what it lacked in total mass. I caught the Saturday and most of the Sunday card. Blowfish covered most of the Sunday line-up in this week's BGN news post So, like he said. As for Saturday…

Charlie Don't Surf
Charlie Don't Surf

Charley Don’t Surf play hard and loose with the Clash catalog. If they played at 11 pm instead of 3 pm the place would have been chanting along and doing the punk rock boogie to that crazy Kasbah sound.

Moose and Mudbugs
Ed Moose Savage

Moose and the Mudbugs still kill it with Moose’s wicked catchy off kilter originals. He is, as always, a creative and inspired front man with a tight, Ken Kaiser led band. His entourage got the dance up despite the afternoon light.

Climate Change
Climate Change
Michael Weddle and Matt Gilbert

Climate Change is host Mike Weddle’s band. Interesting mix of genre’s: folk, politics, prog with a relatively restrained Matt Gilbert on guitar. Extra class points for having ultimate power and taking a late afternoon slot.

Melt
Lindsey Kyte of Melt

Melt has plenty of chops, interesting arrangements and a way talented and nuanced singer in Lindsey Kyte. They seem to be shooting for the suburban crowd rather than a Thursday night at Bohemia.

Ledger Band
Robert Ledger Band with Moose

Robert Leger Band oh yeah. These guys bring it on everything. They jump on the backs of all the classic rock and roll forms and show the kids how it’s done. Bob’s set ending rave up on Lou’s Rock and Roll kicks all skinny white asses.

Jim Melanson
Pop Gun's Jim Melanson

Pop Gun take their hard rawk serious. Big twin engine riffs and punch drunk bass and drums pound their viewpoint into your head. A new tune backs off on the pedal and sounds good in contrast. Finally hear the incendiary hard hooked Zombie Man live.

Love and Flame
Love and Flame

The Count’s Love and Flame did a mostly Lou Reed set. It sounds good on stage. His eminence John Macey sings Sweet Jane. The twin guitar and horn skronk fest in the middle of Waitin’ for the Man is full of ill intent.

Fox Pass
Fox Pass

Fox Pass funny when a band you’ve seen a few times suddenly clicks in your head. Forgive ysef. Fox Pass hit all the right buttons on the power pop juke box. And that was before Jim Melanson from Pop Gun joins them for a couple of Tom Dickie and the Desires numbers, Downtown Talk and Competition.

Rat Beach Party
Lizzie Borden Band

Liz Borden Band ups the indie ante. She leads the band through a slew of catchy rockers. The vocal harmonies enrich the tunes. She’s generous with her time. Mo Kavanaugh takes a couple of emotive lead vocals. Ditto for Seth Kellog’s sweet take on the Velvet’s Oh! Sweet Nuthin’.

Hardwired
Hardwired

Hardwired reward the hahd rock and metal aficionados. Nabil Ghosn’s hits the riffs while Steve Patricelli reels and squeals the fancy fret work and whammy bar. Mild mannered, and way helpful soundman for the day, Greg Campia sends his doppelganger up to lurch about stage and bark out the vocals. Jeff Clark on bass and Stephen Foresta on drums keep up the low end bpms.

Barbara
Barbara at the C Note Bar

Everyone is loose. There is an ocean out front. You can buy a thick clam chowder for short money next door. The Rat Beach Party and Weddle take a musical ragbag of odds and sods and assemble a rockin’ little thrift store steal. See ya next year.

Ledger
Bobby Ledger
Charlie Don;t Surf
Charlie Don't Surf
Climate Change
Climate Change singers
Dancers
Dancers
Melt
Dan Inzana of Melt
Foz Pass
Fox Pass
Fox Pass
Fox Pass
Hardwired
Greg of Hardwired
Moose
Ken Kaiser of Moose and the Mudbugs
Kenne
Kenne Highland of Love and Flame
Rat Beach Party
Lizzie Borden Band
Rat Beach Party
Love and Flame
Rat Beach Party
Matt Gilbert of Climate Change
Michael Weddle
Michael Widdle of Climate Change
Rat Beach Party
Ed Moose Savage and Beth
Rat Beach Party
Pop Gun

Litehouse

Clara Wellons of Litehouse

Tony Kaczynski of Litehouse

Kim Ackland of Black Souls

Black Souls

Matt Burns of Litehouse

Trusty Sidekick

Kate of Highway Cathedral

Joe Fagan of Highway Cathedral

Cal Cali of Glider

Glider

Thigh Scrapers

Red House

Red House Jam

 


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