Welcome Home: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Throw Down in Boston
This post is brought to you courtesy of the many fine ska/punk tunes streaming online at various bands’ websites. I got all caught up in the music for hours (it’s been a while since I’ve listened to either genre), which is why I’m posting early Thursday morning instead of Wednesday night, when I intended to.
The last week of 2007 is proving pretty special for Boston music lovers because for the first time in almost five long years, hometown ska-core creators The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are playing live gigs at the Middle East, their old haunt in Cambridge. Formed in 1985, the much-loved eight-man group gained the attention of a legion of fans thanks to the members’ brash sense of humor, relentless touring, and eleven releases melding third wave ska with hardcore punk, not counting this month’s full-length compilation album Medium Rare, the band’s first new disc since 2002.
Casual or old-time music listeners probably know the Bosstones best for their Billboard-topping hit “The Impression That I Get” from the 1997 album Let’s Face It. Late-night talk show watchers might even recognize charismatic lead singer Dicky Barrett’s voice from his current day job as the announcer on Jimmy Kimmel Live. But, fans and Bostonians who have a deeper history with the group are well aware that a prominent aspect of their massive popularity is the annual multi-concert Hometown Throwdown gigs they played each year around Christmas from 1995 until 2003. The sets at area venues provided a chance to relax amongst and give thanks to friends at the end of countless days on the road.
After the last Throwdown, the guys in the band sort of went their own way, never officially breaking up yet leaving their followers aching for a reunion. The loyal got their wish in October when, on the heels of a month of rumors, the tickets for the first Throwdown in nearly five years went on sale and reportedly sold out in a lightning-fast seven minutes.
So, music history’s wheels started spinning again Wednesday night at the Middle East on the occasion of the first concert in the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ 10th Annual Hometown Throwdown. Although it might be close to impossible to score tickets for any of the scheduled dates during the five-night blowout, I’m sure that’s not preventing tons of wannabetheres from invading Central Square, home of the Middle East, just to get a whiff of the local legends passing through again at last. Heck, I might have to wander over one night myself.
You, too, can participate in all the hoopla from the comfort of your computer screen by taking a look at the following Road to the Throwdown episodes produced by the online music site Mi 145. I also highly recommend clicking the links at the very end of this post to get an audial taste of the ten lucky bands sharing the stage with the Bosstones (I’m listening to Florida’s Victims of Circumstance right now). Don’tcha just love this Internet thingie?
The Impression That I Get
See that guy hopping all over the place? That’s tour manager and “Bosstone” Ben Carr. I remember the very first time I saw this video I was like, “Who is that dude doing nothing but dancing?! Cool!” And that is pretty much all that Carr does onstage—dance, dance, dance. How can you not have a blast watching that?
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