The dBs @ Maxwells

1980s roots-poppers The dBs returned last night to Maxwells, their spiritual rock 'n roll home in Hoboken, NJ to play the first of two sold-out shows. I was among MANY OTHER white males with thinning hair in the crowd. But hey, not as thin as singer Peter Holsapple, who's gone all Michael Stipe on everyone and gone Chrome-atic.


Live photo by Steve Clay

I didn't get any pictures, as I was near the back, and the place as packed. But the band played splendidly. The dBs whetted our pop nostalgia appetite right off the bat, kicking off the set with a pumpin' Ask for Jill followed by Big Brown Eyes, then Happenstance and Black & White.

Peter Holsapple's voice was rough and ragged early on, and he was having some monitor issues, but his voice warmed up fine, hitting a peak on Love is for Lovers and Neverland. There seemed a lot of love onstage between Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple, with Stamey spending an inordinate time during the set staring at Peter. The musician appreciation society was in full force last night.

Both Peter and Chris' guitar playing was terrific - inventive, melodic leads, shimmering chords, gritty sound. The new songs sounded terrific - one in particular, with a refrain of "Wake Up, wake up, wake up, that time is gone" was a solid gritty rocker (was its chorus subconsciously nicked from Holsapple's former employer's song "The Wake-Up Bomb"?)

Gene Holder and Will Rigby held down the crazy rhythms well, though I could barely see either of them from my vantage point. In the house included Hoboken's favorite rock couple Georgia and Ira Kaplan, as well as a host of others who I don't know, but were probably somebody at sometime.

More info on the show and possible pics can likely be found on the band's messageboard here.