Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
15th March 2019
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Alexis Brook. Photography by Matt Henry Mendonca.
Showcasing songs from throughout their career, up to and including their 2017 “Greatest-est Hits” album ‘Rake It In’ last night, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes proved to a full house at Auckland’s Powerstation that they are still a great covers band. Nay! The Greatest-est covers band today.
Opening the evening with an energy-filled set to a tiny crowd of early punters were local punk rockers, Dead Beat Boys. Lead vocalist James Fitz acknowledged the horrific tragedy which changed our nation earlier that afternoon before performing his heart out with a strong set including ’Bland’, ‘1993’, ‘Voices’, ‘F**k’, “New York’ (where an audience member took the opportunity of an empty dancefloor to take his wheelchair out for a spin, much to the delight of all in attendance). During their final song ‘2’ James took the opportunity to jump across the photo pit and perform, at times, laying on the dance floor where there was much more room than the instrument-cramped stage. These Boys are solid, their music is infectious and I particularly enjoyed ‘New York’. With a bunch of performances under their belt, opening for Me First & the Gimme Gimmes must be a highlight for them and they certainly deserved a much bigger crowd to perform to this evening.
Next on the bill was Fire For Glory, another local band, who performed ‘Stray Dog’ before taking the opportunity of a captive audience to celebrate the birthday of their bassist, Bex Tasker. ‘Smile’ and chart-topping single ‘Frog Prince’ were next followed by a solid cover of Fall Out Boy’s ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down’. ‘Haunt Me All You Want’, ‘Place You We Made’ rounded off a passionate set where the band thanked the audience for coming to watch them and not Slayer (who were also in town and performing that night). Closing with the title track from their EP ‘Phantoms, Ghosts & Monsters’ Fire For Glory left the audience wanting more – I highly recommend you all check out both Fire For Glory and Dead Beat Boys if you get the chance, you won’t be disappointed!
As the tech crew (dressed in matching red Thriller vests) reset the stage, the now full audience proceeded to shuffle into their prime dancing positions. The Gimmes have a theme of wearing matching outfits during their shows, and tonight was no disappointment as they hit the stage in white suits with hot pink satin shirts. Kicking off their set with Cher’s ‘Believe’, we were asked “How we doing for time? Okay, we have got one more song”. Knocking out a solid ‘Heart of Glass’, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes performed their hot-pink socks off to a crowd that was ready to beach party in their Hawaiian shirts. With a solid 24 (and a half) song playlist of their greatest-est songs paired like a fine wine with the hilarious banter between Lead vocalist Spike and rhythm guitarist Joe (Jerry to everyone else), teamed up with the dazed and confused stage support from the legendary Jay on bass was just the pick-me-up we all needed on this sombre day.
As we were invited to ‘Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out’, the worlds greatest covers band performed while the audience danced to classics such as Paul Simon’s ‘Me & Julio Down By the School Yard’, Paula Abdul’s ‘Straight Up’ and the bands least favourite artist (as we are regularly reminded), Billy Joel’s ‘Only The Good Die Young’ – lead vocalist Spike Slawson then going on to claim he’s obviously going to live for a loooong time.
Performing a fabulous Two for Tuesday (but on a Friday) country special of Stan Jones’ ‘(Ghost) Riders In The Sky’, and Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ (a personal favourite of mine), we are then treated to Evita’s ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ from The Gimme’s second album, ‘Are A Drag’. As a huge showtune fan I would have loved to hear more from this album, but with so many ‘hits’ we would have been there all night had The Gimmes played all my favourites.
Shouting at the audience Oprah style, we are informed that “You get a cover, you get a cover, not you, but you, and you… EVERYONE GETS A COVER!” as the band thrashes out Culture Club’s ‘Karma Chameleon’ before a mid-set introduction of the world-class band members, Dave Braun (Lagwagon) on Drums, Jay Bentley (Bad Religion) on Bass, Linsday McDougall (Frenzal Rhomb) from across the ditch on lead guitar and Joey Jerry Cape (Lagwagon) on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Of course, Spike Slawson (Swingin’ Utters) completes this allstar lineup on Vocals.
Launching into ‘Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomb, Bomp)’, Joey soon experienced some technical difficulties – however part of the Me First & The Gimme Gimmes package is their showmanship, so the song continued while the tech danced cables around his feet, Joey notching up his “physical performance”. Briefly taking attention away from the tech issues Spike made note that sometime Gimme Gimmes member Fat Mike (NOFX) was occupied with Ben Wa balls and unfortunately unable to attend this antipodean tour.
The constant interjections of “This next song is a cover” never get old and are just part of the charm of this band. With a four (and a half) song encore including ‘Summertime’, ‘I Will Survive’, and ‘End Of The The Road’, the band exits the stage as Joey leads the audience through choruses of Crowded House’s ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’.
I for one look forward to The Gimmes next Greatestest Hits tour.
Were you there at the Powerstation for this punk rock cover act extravaganza? Or have you seen Me First & The Gimme Gimmes perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Believe [Cher]
- Heart of Glass [Blondie]
- Danny’s Song [Loggins & Messina]
- Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard [Paul Simon]
- Straight Up [Paula Abdul]
- Only The Good Die Young [Billy Joel]
- (Ghost) Riders in the Sky [Stan Jones and his Death Valley Rangers]
- Jolene [Dolly Parton]
- Don’t Cry For Me Argentina [Evita]
- Karma Chameleon [Culture Club]
- Who Put The Bomp [Barry Mann]
- Nobody Does it Better [Carly Simon]
- On the Road Again [Willie Nelson]
- Most People I Know [Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs]
- Leaving on a Jet Plane [John Denver]
- Uptown Girl [Billy Joel]
- Sloop John B [Beach Boys]
- Somewhere Over the Rainbow [Harold Arlen]
- Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time) [Elton John]
- Untitled [The Saints] [encore]
- I Will Survive [Gloria Gaynor] [encore]
- Summertime [George Gershwin] [encore]
- End of the Road [Boyz II Men] [encore]
- Outro/Audience Sing-a-long – Don’t Dream It’s Over [Crowded House]
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