Category Archives: Live Review

by DFFD123 | February 3, 2010 · 12:18 am

Ffanzeen’s Dictators Double Take

Robert Barry Francos’ Ffanzeen blog features new goodies as well as archival treasures from his New York music magazine, which he published from 1977 to 1988.

A couple of weeks ago, he delivered a couple of oldies and goodies for Dics fans in a post called “The Dictators Can Sing! Two early pieces on the DFFD band.”

The first is a 1977 live report by Todd Abramson (now co-owner of Maxwell’s in Hoboken, N.J.) of an unannounced CBGB’s show, during which the band performed songs from the upcoming Bloodbrothers album:

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Jan. 24, 1986: The Musical Comeback of the Century!

THE DICTATORS RE-FORM TO HEADLINE
“THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF PUNK”

CONCERT AT THE RITZ, NYC
January 24,1986

Ross and Scott with the Dics at the Ritz in '86. Photo courtesy of CJ Scioscia

NYC? The Big Apple? Me? It was January, 1986. I was 32, and had never been east of Dayton. But when the call came from Salvi, telling me about the Dictators reforming to headline the “10th Anniversary of Punk” at the Ritz, I did what any red-blooded Dictators fan would do … I borrowed $250 from my then-girlfriend and headed to Midway Airport! I hopped a Thursday night flight to Newark via People’s Express, a budget airline that required passengers to pay in cash once the plane was in the air! People’s Express made traveling by Greyhound seem like a first-class trip in comparison. But I got there in one piece. Who knows what fell off that plane en route?

I landed at Newark, no plans, no room, ending up crashing at the Ben Franklin Inn (“Where a Penny Saved…”). Friday dawned bright and crisp, I grabbed an eventual bus to downtown Newark. A nice gentleman sat next to me immediately, asking me lots of questions, several times inviting me to hop off the bus for “a drink or two.” People sure were friendly in Newark! And I’d heard such bad things.

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Filed under Adny, Archive, Dictators Assembled, HDM, Live, Live Review, Mark the Animal, Ritchie Teeter, Ross the Boss, Top Ten

Tagged as Anniversary, Archives, Live Music, Music, Review

by DFFD123 | January 11, 2010 · 12:24 am

Return to the Lost Continental

Live music makes a surprise return to New York City dive bar-turned-shot palace the Continental on Jan. 17 with a star-studded Rock & Roll Reunion — featuring a guest appearance on two tunes from our fave frontman, Handsome Dick Manitoba.

The Continental, along with CBGB’s (RIP) and Coney Island High (RIP), was once a highlight of the East Village’s Punk Rock Club Circuit; however, unlike the other two spots, the Continental has remained, at least, a drinking establishment (and not a high-end clothing store) since it changed its business model in September 2006. But now it’s merely a place to drink and get drunk, and not a place to drink and get drunk while watching the Waldos.

As we gear up for the reunion next Sunday night — remember that the next day is a holiday, so you can stay out late — we at the DFFD Blog take a look back at the big show that closed out the club’s first chapter on Sept. 17, 2006.

A report from SugarBuzz Magazine on that final night discussed being confronted with the “mammoth power and energy” of the Handsome Dick Manitoba Band, consisting of HDM and the members of Thunderboss (aka Ross the Boss, J.P. “Thunderbolt” Patterson and bassist Dean Rispler):

Despite the one-off nature of this lineup, they were tight, shit-hot and need I say LOUD as they straddled the line between Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom and the Dictators, opening with “The Party Starts Now!” (no shit cause the mother erupted!).

Read the rest and check out some photos at SugarBuzz Magazine.

— DFFD123

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Filed under HDM, Live Review

Tagged as Concerts, Music, Punk Rock

by Salvi C. | January 6, 2010 · 11:27 pm

Review: Solo Songs and Stories With Shernoff

Andy at Café Nine in New Haven, Conn., on Jan. 5, 2009 Photo by Matt Friedlander

It can sometimes take digging to find silver linings in the cloud that is the Dictators’ current break from playing together. One positive by-product is the recent blitz of solo product and live appearances by band members. Most recently, we’ve been gifted by the rarest of the rare — solo acoustic gigs by Andy Shernoff. There were four hush-hush affairs at the Lakeside in November and December, one snow-delayed show at the Brighton Bar on New Year’s Day, and then last night’s show at Café Nine in New Haven, the first “official” road test. The DFFD brain trust have been lucky enough to catch three of these gigs, his first solo shows ever.

If you have ever been to the Lakeside — or to Café Nine — you know that it’s in your best interests to arrive early for two reasons: 1, there are maybe three good places to sit in front of the bandstand before you end up standing in the obstructed views, and B, to take maximum advantage of the 2-for-1 drink specials.

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