BURP./THE PEACOCKS/CLASS PRESIDENT – THE MIDDLE EAST

By Rick Fleck

It appeared to be a Lowell invasion of The Middle East in Cambridge Friday, March 1st , and they sold out the house. All four bands – The Ghouls, Class President, The Peacocks, and Burp. – have ties to the music department at The University of Massachusetts Lowell, either as current students, past students or alumni. The music department at UMass Lowell is considered to be one of the best in New England. Its presence in the former mill town has made Lowell one of the hottest live music destination in the Greater Boston/Merrimack Valley area.

Experience shows me that when I go to shows with multiple bands, the “quality” or experience of the bands tends to rise as the night goes on. Tonight, that was not the case. The bands were complementary and there was a steady presentation of talented, fun, exuberant rock ‘n’ roll all night long. My understanding, talking to some in the crowd, was that Burp. was the biggest draw and their fans were definitely out in force. But, the house was full before The Ghouls first hit the stage and it stayed that way until the final curtain.

The Ghouls, alt-rock with a punk emo veneer, kicked things off with an intriguing performance. Launching into their show with the song “Pocket of Gold,” frontman/singer/guitarist George Danahy seemed to be playfully toying with the audience at times. For example, he would rush to the lip of the stage in mock seriousness, only to pull up short with a disarming grin. During an unexpected and inspired cover version of “Careless Whisper” by Wham!, he kept going unheeded and leapt into the crowd. The packed floor somehow made room to give him the space he needed to unleash a blistering solo.

The funny thing is, The Ghouls are not really a “guitar god” kind of band. But I’m finding that young bands care less and less about labels, pigeonholes, and clearly defined genres, and follow their songs wherever they may lead them. I love seeing a talented band like The Ghouls who have a frontman you just can’t take your eyes off. Like it or not, a frontman can make or break a band, and The Ghouls have a rare find in Danahy.

Rounding out this talented quartet is Peter Trainor on guitar, giving the band the luxury of dual guitarists, both who can play lead. Laying down a solid musical backbone, including flashy moments of their own, were Jacob Babcock on bass and Bryce Maher of drums.

The Ghouls ended their set, appropriately enough, with the song “Goodbye.” This is a band I need to keep an eye on. I am very interested seeing what different directions they take with their craft. The Ghouls are a band with the chops and creativity that could take their music and stage performance anywhere and everywhere.

Photos Rick Fleck

Class President were next to the Middle East Upstairs stage. Here we had another frontman who was pleasingly different from the run-of-the-mill ones that I’ve grown to expect. Looking like the kid next door that you wouldn’t object to taking your daughter out on a date, soft spoken and seemingly a bit shy, Eddie O’Sullivan metamorphized into a pop punk madman when the music kicked in. He had a stage presence that invoked a blend of Billie Joe Armstrong and a young Iggy Pop.

Starting with “Gordon Bennett,” Class President played through a tight progression of songs including “Boy Wonder,” crowd favorite “Annie,” and a cover of the Foo Fighters “Everlong.” “Everlong” was expertly played, well placed in their set, and a helluva lot of fun. Class President ended their set with the rocker “One More Year.”

The audience was a mix of UMass Lowell students, fellow musicians, friends, and fans. Class President is the music, as a Boomer, I tend to associate with this demographic – the young fans who eschew the pop pabulum they’re force fed and look instead for other musical kicks. College rock, indie rock, post punk – whatever you want to call it, has brought in an enthusiastic crowd.

Songs like “End Up” and “I Need a Break” could rock with the best of them and also included quieter more introspective moments, mirroring what it means to be a young adult trying to make sense of the fucked-up world they’re inheriting. It’s important to have artists like Class President to provide the soundtrack for these transitory times. Good rock ‘n’ roll has been playing this role since the days of Chuck Berry and Elvis. As The Who would say, “the kids are alright.”

The Peacocks are a band I have a bit of a relationship with. I first saw them almost a year ago to the day at the Lowell music venue Taffeta, where guitarist Josh McDonough left me speechless. They then performed live on the WaveRadio Boston live stage in October and I was lucky enough to be there. I’ve gotten to know the guys and I was drawn to the show at the Middle East primarily to see them.

The Peacocks are an archetypical power trio fronted by a singer/guitarist, much in the vein of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and the Pat Travers Power Trio. Not surprisingly, their set included an incendiary cover of Hendrix’s “If 6 was 9.” You have to have a big pair or a lot of talent, or both, to cover a Hendrix song. McDonough pulled it off with ease and a healthy dose of showmanship.

My favorite song by The Peacocks is “Troublesome Child.” It’s a set staple and I hope it remains that way. It’s a loving throwback to the blues influenced hard rock power trios of the early 70s. It’s full of confidence and bravado. You could slip it into a classic rock set between ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughan and it would be right at home. The Peacocks introduced exuberant new drummer Graham Nasson and the new song “Shelter in the Breeze.”

“Shelter in the Breeze” brings a twist to The Peacocks growing repertoire. Not featuring an extended guitar interlude, it was more of an introspective piece, and a perhaps a preview of things to come. McDonough’s guitar playing in the song reminded me less of Hendrix than it did early Scorpions guitar maestro Uli John Roth. The synergy between bassist Ethan Whipple and McDonough is remarkable. You can tell they’ve played together for a long time. I expect big things in the future from The Peacocks. See them in a small club while you still can.

Finally, we had the band that many in the crowd came to see, Burp.. Burp. is Leo Folan on lead vocals and guitar, Joe Milia on drums, Matt David on bass, and Nathan Richer on guitar. Burp. closed the night with style, energy and plenty of volume. They have an enthusiastic and loyal following; a fan base that appears to know all the words to all of the 16 songs that they fit into their face-paced set.

There was quite a variety to the songs as well. “My Back Hurts” started the show with an energetic rush of punk rock adrenaline. “Ms. Nothing” was an out-of-left-field, dare I say plaintive, ballad performed by Folan solo on acoustic guitar. It was a show highlight. “Fake I.D.” was a slow-building rager with a very creative vocal approach that was present in many of the songs. Think of Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips and you’ll be in the right ballpark. I loved it. Folan’s vocals captured and held your attention. “Fake I.D.” had me jumpin’ and laughin’ simultaneously.

What more can you ask for on a March Saturday night in Central Square? The encore that preceded everyone heading out into the refreshing night air was Toxic by the one and only Britney Spears. I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of cover songs and this was one of the best I’ve heard in a long time. In addition, I love it when a band takes a song, changes and rearranges it, and makes it their own. I surprised myself that I knew all of the words. I had a blast singing along with the power and overdrive that Burp. imbued the song with.

Boston is rife with bands that may not be household names, but should be. This was a complete package of up and coming bands that deserve your attention. If you live in the Greater Boston area, check their social media pages for dates and go see them. The Middle East Upstairs is a great intimate venue (200-ish capacity) for bands like these to cut their teeth. Burp. posted on their Instagram “Thank you to everyone who came out and helped us sell out a venue we grew up going to! It was a dream come true and we are beyond grateful!” It’s a rock ‘n’ roll circle. Keep the circle going!

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