Heritage Bar - 4/30/11 Yonkers, New York

Spiccoli and myself arrived an hour early to enjoy some Guinness (plural) and try some of the Heritage Bar's food menu but the dining room was mobbed (as was the bar) so we had a few pints before the rest of the band arrived. Once again the mood was boisterous but there seems to be the drinking OR dancing factions (amongst the crowd) of which there was both, One of my favorite places to play and the staff is most generous indeed.

New songs premiered tonight were "Heart Of Glass", "Born in the U.S.A.", "Material Girl" and befitting this most Irish of Bar's, U2's "With Or Without You"









The new business cards are in.



The Heritage Bar serves the Most Delicious Guinness Stout Ever. I Dont know what their secret is and they aint tellin'

- Animal

Kodiaks - 4/15/11 - Farmingdale, New York

Kodiaks is a very large space and apparently extremely popular as it was packed to the tables when we walked in, the band set up gear and I had the unique opportunity of eating a Taco Bell Supreme Burrito while standing around near the employee locker room so in the least I was certainly humoring myself.

We played well enough as an ensemble but to my ears the room itself "Ate My Drums" and cymbals, the returning sound I expected was to be clear but much of the high end vanished and the attack was muffled to death by the architectural shape and construction amounting in a lifeless "whacking on a cardboard box" experience, O.K. Maybe not quite that bad.







The railed in ledging right behind the drum kit afforded me a photo from this nice and unique perspective, Above.



Sean and Ginger were on board to balance and amplify the house sound.



- Animal

O' Flanagans - 4/9/11 - New York City

We were treated to a Fun, Frenetic crowd who Didn't take long to start dancing and having a proper Saturday evening and it was a Win Win (pronounced "winwin" but spelled "Throatwobbler Manegrove") situation for all concerned.

In classic eighties Back To The Future 2 form Both McFly's were in attendance at this show, one McFly onstage and one McFly in the audience.





Diamond Dave alerting me on the fly about a change in song selection and from the looks of this photo he is also awakening me from my deep slumber.







- Animal

Port Jazz - 4/8/11 - Port Jefferson, New York

There were people up and dancing and some viewing us from the side of the stage but we have reached a pretty good level of proficiency and played to some pretty manic crowds that it makes me wonder why there isnt even more dancing feet, I suppose I am getting a bit spoiled and ahead of myself but I finally play an almost perfect set with No Mistakes (I missed the snare drum once) or discernible tempo problems and it's to an almost indifferent crowd too young to remember these songs and preferring some monotonous techno beats to dance along with, not that I am really complaining.

Doc Brown and Spiccoli really rose to the occasion and Rocked Out with conviction amidst and due to the polite applause and I got to look at my reflection in the mirror behind me all night. Port Jazz had us play one ninety minute set for the evening so it was a cakewalk for the band.











It was a pleasure to give my new Sabian AAX Fast Hats their first performance run and they sounded sweet.



Dont expect too much from food prepared at an Ice Cream shoppe (Ralph's in this case) and that is just what I received. The Frankfurter (pictured here with Mustard and Relish) had a slight agreeable tang to it and thats all but the Knish could have been heated through a bit more. Decent Mustard and it was after nine p.m. so am I really surprised ?.

- Animal

JCs Restaurant - 4/2/11 - Manorville, New York

An active motion of intent such as taking photos of people in action as opposed to musicians and performers in action oftentimes will reveal a photo such as the one above, Well... I Like It A Lot.

JCs Restaurant was a great place to play with a circumference riding veranda (overrated patio) outdoors and on the inside in the bar a nice wooden stage and widescreen monitors arrayed behind keyboardists ,drummers and those who play with their back (or fronts) to the wall. The crowd was into the music and dancing which grew proportionately as the evening wore on the band got hot and more drinkies were imbibed. This was the night when Billie Jean (bless her heart) drove Spiccoli and me back to our red eye LIRR train (or face a 2 hour delay) to make the 2:10 a.m. to Penn Station and in my fleeing haste I left my cellphone at the gig (on top of the floor tom is what my minds eye tells me) which was retrieved by Doc Brown and is currently being held for questioning.











- Animal

Napper Tandy's - 4/1/11 - Miller Place, Long Island

And Now some wacky photos from the live on the stage perspective (as seen from the live on the stage perspective), between songs, pre-set, still life and moments when photos are not usually taken by active band members... like during performance.



about to Metal.









Pre-Gig Dinner was from Zara Pizza & Restaurant located in the nearby strip mall.
Being a former Italian Brooklyn Snob Food Critic (IBSFC) I was surprised to find this Long Island SQUARE Slice to be very nicely textured but sadly was lacking a bit in flavor.

Cheese? texture yes/flavor no, almost like a salt-free cheese.
Sauce? a bit jar sauce tasting even for a jar, kinda bland, NO OOOMPH!!!
BUT!!! nice chewy dough reminiscent of the L & B Spumoni Gardens Square compensates very nicely.



There's such duality in nature.

To the man that ran into me at Penn Station saying "Animal!, White Wedding!, I auditioned for you guys two years ago, Im auditioning for X-Factor next week" You made my night and I wished you the best of luck as you did me. We are all in this together.

- Animal