A Cavalcade of Stars!!

Don Hill’s was the place to be on this date in 2006, as Thunderboss lived up to both ends of their name as the headliners in a Poptown Records showcase night. The guys were playing their second and final show in support of the rocking “Thunderboss” instrumental CD, which is still available online at www.poptownrecords.com.

Don Hill’s was a much more upscale location for a gig than JP’s home court at BillyMark’s West, but we quickly realized that what was lost in ambiance (no snack bags, no ice cubes in the urinals), was more than made up for in overpriced drinks and menacing bouncers.

“Fun” was the secret word at the door, and JP, RTB and Dean provided it in abundance. For a guy who spends most of his time hiding in the back, JP was totally at ease being the center of attention. On the sartorial front, not many have the guns to successfully pull off the sleeveless polka dot jammie shirt look, but JP did it with both panache and style. His self-deprecating sense of humor also served him well, as he drew boffo laughs comparing himself to Don Knotts, and later shared his drum solo on “Wipe Out” with a wind-up monkey. I wonder if the monkey got a cut of the night’s purse.

— Salvi C.