O' Flanagan's 6/30/12 New YorkCity

Of all the shows we have played at O' Flanagans I seriously thought "this is going to be the rehearsal one". There was a couple having dinner and one of Diana's friends in the dining area where the stage is located and a decent amount of patrons at the bar in the other room but not the usual amount of people possibly due to the fact that earlier in the day it was nearly 100 degrees outside in this second mini heatwave New York was having, Turned out I need not worry and you can also see in the photos that we drew some people into the bar and the bar into the dining area to check out our performance.

Premiered tonight was the Full version (non-medleyed) of Twisted Sister's anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It"



99 Red Balloons on the wall
99 Red Balloons
If one of those Balloons should happen to fall
98 Red Balloons on the wall.



Jamie got a real Rock Star pic of Rob here entertaining the crowd.



It was a late night for all of us (O' Flanagan shows end at 2:30 a.m.) but the next morning around 10 my iPhone started going off with texts concerning whereabouts of the Wig Bag, I took this photo and proceeded to send an "We have the Wigbag for Ransom" text but due to Apples Fancy Pants spell check it went through twice as "We have the Wigbag for Random" thus killing my joke and ruining the ruse.



The menu states clearly "ALL burgers served with French Fries" but the Mexican Burger comes with Nacho Chips and Salsa (I wanted all of this plus Fries) instead, Luckily Jamie's Chicken Fingers came with Fries.

Last time I had a Burger here it was Delicious, this time the bread was a tad stale. The Mexican Burger comes topped with Cheddar Cheese, Salsa, Scallions and fresh Jalapeño that have a real kick.



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This Is show # 177

- Spike

O' Flanagans 5/11/12 New York City

It's Bisque A Long Time Coming,... The Lobster Hats.

It has been an aspiration of Dave's for some time (over a year) that we include the B-52s song "Rock Lobster" into our repertoire just for the props alone!!! Tonight this has come to fruition and I had a Blast performing it. White Wedding's rendition (see video below) premiered in our third set. incidentally "Rock Lobster" is also one of my favorite 80s songs recorded in 1979 and one of the greatest Warner Brothers singles of All Time.

The band played well tonight however not flawlessly and I had an effortless (comfortable limbs) drumming experience aside from my "extra" quarter note after the end of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock & Roll" to which Eric replied "Good Job".

I Love this guy.

While trying to "hail" a cab tonight for our trip home (Drum Kit and Guitar/Amp in tow) and after a tiring night (it was after 3 a.m. now) I said at one point within earshot "If It All Works Out..." to which Jamie and Eric clearly heard "Do You Wanna Go Work Out ?" that perplexed and humored all concerned or so I was informed.

Four new songs were Premiered tonight, "Keep Your Hands To Yourself" by the Georgia Satellites, "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Billy Joel's "You May Be Right" and "Rock Lobster" by the B-52's. Exciting, YES.

A fan gives the band the Mollochio, It Didn't work.

"NO!!!, Its pronounced Beef Wel-LING-ton you silly person"



"NO!!!, Its pronounced JOAN JETT!!!"



I Love to Singah about the Moonah Innah Juneah and a Springah, I Love to Singah.



"Bond,..... James Bond."



Snap It Pal.



After the first set I needed a shave and craved an 80s Orange Soda but not just ANY 80s Orange Soda!!!

Had To Be A Sunkist. It's been well over a year I had me a Sunkist and Orange is still the Most Evil Soft drink flavor out there, Talk about making you want to keep drinking More & More Soda !!!



Jamie was our camerawoman not only for all the pictures (of people) seen in this entry but also for our Live video feed to Ustream.com via J.C.'s iPhone via the World Wide Web via the Internet.



A Most Delicious Bacon Cheeseburger with (dare I say almost too much Bacon) Tasty Steak Fries garnished with Dill Pickle Slices, Bermuda Onion Patty, Tomato Slices and Romaine Lettuce Leaves.



Jamie had the Teriyaki Chicken and while she felt it was a bit heavy on the Teriyaki Sauce the "inner asian" in me thought it was just right.



Premiere Performance of "Rock Lobster"

This Is Show # 170

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- Spike

Heritage Bar - 4/21/12 Yonkers, New York

The band played really well tonight and were all very pleased with our performances as a unit and as individuals. Collette rose to the occasion once again and played to the crowd with showmanship and Eric got to meet one of his musical heroes Prince Rogers Nelson who is quite the showman himself (see photo above).

After the show Collette, Rob, Eric and myself had some drinks in the dressing room and discussed the minute details of our individual ensemble contributions, RickRolling, other bands, the universe at large, future songs to cover and Meg White.

... after which Collette found sixty dollars which may or may not have been hers.

Rob ferried us all home in the zip car but for the commuters heading away from Brooklyn it was all Burrito's and brake lights as we passed a large convoy of sedentary police cars with roof lights ablaze in the opposite lane.

For awakening him from his slumber I apologize to Sean for accidentally texting Blog ideas to his phone in the wee hours (and what will he make of it all tomorrow ?).

Also of note David Lee Roth is a bit effeminate in real life so I hear.



Eric giving the Molocchio to Dave for an unknown reason, this is becoming habitual with us.

Is White Wedding becoming Black Wedding ?



Collette fronting the band during the Journey classic "Don't Stop Believing".

There was no one available to take photos at this show so I stepped out from behind the drums during my brief "intro" pause to snap this pic and fortunately got back in time without a hitch.



Living in the Limelight.



J.C. tickles the ivories and was a good sport dodging my flying drumsticks, he did promise to "throw them back the next time" however.

its o.k. I have his red bag for ransom.



The Heritage is a fully stocked bar as well as the home of the best Guinness this side of Dublin. One of our most favorite places to play and a home base of sorts for us.

This Is Show # 167

- Spike

O' Flanagans - 3/16/12 - New York City

Be they regulars at the bar or fans of ours it was Great to hear people in the audience yelling "WHITE FU**ING WEDDING !!!" so we had return visitors from December 17th whence the "WW" Battle Cry was first coined,..... Nice.

O' Flanagans always offers up a different crowd for us and we had our gaggle of new fans tonight that all had a Blast ourselves included. Right as we went on Rob in his Bono guise retorted to a heckler "Pogue Mahone" * which had me crying with laughter from the drum stool. I played so much better than last week thanks to the antibiotics and the antibiotics never heard such music or for that matter the Cure which also went over very nicely tonight veritably changing the architecture of the dance floor. Eric had bar patron Caesar who looked a lot like Ray Collins in finger watching awe at his Purple Rain guitar solo which also held my attention enough that I thought I missed my part while listening to Eric, So much so that I asked Dave "did I miss my cue ?" to which I thankfully got the reply "no". Also of interest after our first set a young man approached me and asked if I was using Pro-Mark drum sticks to which I affirmed positive, he claimed to be a relative of the original owners which was kinda cool and just to notice the brand name stripe on the stick is enough, what do you think I do when I'm watching drummers ? I'm looking for the stripe!!!.

* - a variant of the Irish phrase póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse"



Tonight was Nancy's last public show with the band but we are trying not to make a big deal of it. I have been wistfully nostalgic as of late with the original 80s band of yore just because they aren't there anymore but everyone is going for big things, Nancy is looking to get out of the city and I applaud that wholeheartedly brave girl. Above is a photo of 1/2 of The Airwaves or White Wedding MARK l (L to R) Spike, Dave, Nancy. OOPS J.C. heard his name, he turned around, gotta love that guy.



Broke a stick at the gig, Well, It Happens !!! (iPhone pic)



Ibanez S series, Mahogany Body, Purple Finish, 20 year vintage.



"and you were there, and so were you, and you and,... and Toto too"



Not Dr. Smith nor Blacksmith, It's Robert Smith.



White Wedding has achieved lighter aloft status.



Nancy belting it out.



A Real Banner Pic.



Dave - "I would never put anything in Nancy's drink and she would never suspect such behavior from me as well"

Nancy - (thinking) I feel kinda funny like somebody put something in my drink

Jamie and myself took car service in to allow for "munching" time but as happens O' Flanagans asked us to start our performance at 10:30 as opposed to 11 P.m. (Well,... There goes the Soup to Nuts, or even just the Soup). I had ten minutes to scarf down some Nachos Supreme (pictured above) of which I did and then lived on Snickers (Peanut Butter), Munchos and Blue Moon the rest of the evening.





This Is Show # 159

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- Spike

Heritage Bar - 3/3/12 Yonkers, New York

Tonight was our first performance with Diana and I walked away most impressed with her vocal prowess of which I heard not one single sour note and as a testament to her as a performer this was only the second or third time she sang these songs EVER!!! much less with White Wedding. On a personal note I do regret not informing her of the Heritage Pub's band policy (Free Food) and our new singer was left eating Pricey Imported British Potato Chips (that she paid for).



Beach Blanket Bono.



Power To The People.



The band played well AND WE SHOULD performing and rehearsing about ten times a month as Eric settles into his guitar chair and I settle into my Chicken Quesadilla, Oh Wait that wasn't tonight.

Rob had me hysterical like always and tonight Panacea (she was named after a RUSH song that I have since learned is called "Panacea" Thanks Jamie) and her table rooted Rob on by saying "We like you, You're Weird!!!" which of course Rob ran with then performed "Turning Japanese" WW Style in response to such an inspired compliment.

Sean got me and the kit drums to the show tonight, Bless him AND his EZpass, and his Angry Birds ways, and his Pink Floyd "The Wall" "Nobodys Home" lamp/reading chair setup at home and getting me and the kit drums to the show tonight.



There was a particular blonde woman in the audience who was dancing quite effortlessly, energetically and gracefully in a set of stiletto heels that impressed me a great deal,.... or did I dream it....



After our first set (and before our second) I adjourned to our table to sample Dave's and my menu choice of the night, Asian Steak Egg Rolls (seasoned steak with asian style vegetables rolled served in a crispy wonton in a thai garlic chili sauce $9.50) which were most outstanding served over the famous Heritage Bar salad which is also the Chicken Quesadilla bed that had impressed me in the past,... HEY WAITTAMINNIT!!!! That wasn't Thai Garlic Chili Sauce, that was like Ranch Dressing!!! Delicious just the same.

This Is Show # 157

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- Spike

Heritage Bar - 1/21/12 Yonkers, New York

Certainly not one of my better nights performing as I popped the bass drum head just a few numbers into our first (of 3) sets during "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" by Tears for Fears and Nancy and myself were feeling under the weather causing Nancy's cancellation making it a male 80s band show with Paul and J.C. handling vocal duties between Rob's costume changes, The crowd did not seem to notice and were as raucous as ever. Kudos to Rob for ducking a patron landing on top of him whilst in his Bono lying on the floor guise of which I only heard of after the fact.

I don't see anything from my vantage point.



Diamond Head Dave and his flying V.



Dave and myself perform "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" prior to our set. NOT!!!



My little corner at the Heritage.



Dublin style Fish & Chips served with Baked Beans, Coleslaw and Tartar Sauce in faux newspaper wax paper with Lemon wedges.

DELICIOUS.

This Is Show # 150

- Spike

O' Flanagans - 12/17/11 - New York City

Once Again,

Quite the Frenetic and Energetic crowd out on the dance floor from our opening "A Little Respect" to the closer "Fight For Your Right", We have learned to expect a certain degree of AWESOMENESS from the O' Flanagans Saturday night patrons but this being Pre-Christmas weekend "Weekend" there were a few parties being held on the premises adding to the fun and if any night was going to have the crowd yelling "WHITE FU**ING WEDDING !!!" then tonight was it !

Those Rowdy Drunkard's certainly let us know,.... Beer, Sports, Gyrations, Rock Music and use of the "F" word where applicable and

WHITE FUC**ING WEDDING !!!!!

I was entertained by the audience's reaction and playfulness in front of a capable band but also by the bands reaction towards a capable audience. Thanks to my blonde bartender friend for all the Bass Ale Pints.



This audience knew what they were in for as soon as the DEVO hats came out.



Robert Smith contemplates.



What might they be chanting and was the "F" word involved ?



She's Got Legs.



Ran into this fan as he was trying to nick a pair of Rob's 80s shades during load out and then again was informed minutes later by Paul that "theres some guy outside wearing Rob's shades" after which I went to retrieve them, they were finally returned to Rob and we posed for a pic.



Since MTA.org is So Reliable with up to date transit info (All Sarcasm Intended) as it has fed me in the past I took the quick walk over to the 79th street "D" train to find there was No Manhattan bound trains ALL weekend. On the way back I decided to check see if they had the "Lard Bread" at Palermitana Bakery (7821 17th avenue) of which a most reliable source has told me therein the Good Bread resides.

This Is The Real Deal "Lard Bread" and not the Prosciutto Bread (which is loved on its own merits) that I have been eating over the years, you can taste the Bacon Drippings in every bite of this Delicious Loaf ($3.50).

This Is Show # 147

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- Spike