Category Archives: Live

by Salvi C. | December 5, 2010 · 4:30 pm

Hanukkah Gift No. 5: The Dictators at CBGBs, December 2003

The guys played a 2-night stand at CBGBs on Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, to provide footage for a live DVD. Not everyone on the DFFD editorial staff made it to these shows, due to a close encounter with a blizzard.

The Friday show seemed snake-bitten right from Jump Street. The stage power blew in the middle of the first tune, and the momentum was never really recovered after that. HDM lost his voice part-way through, but struggled on. Attendance was affected by the snow storm. The highlight of the night was watching RTB play a one-man duet of both guitar parts for “California Sun,” and making it look like he does this kind of thing all the time. Which he probably does.

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Filed under Dictators Assembled, Live, Special, The Cincotta Archives, Tomfoolery

by Salvi C. | November 21, 2010 · 7:34 pm

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.

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Four Times the Manitoba, Four Times the Fun

How can you not love Halloween? Throw on some zombie make-up or pink hot pants, and even the meekest shlub gets to indulge their inner wildman.

The Motorz, those shy and retiring wallflowers from America’s #1 party town, Madison WI, took advantage of this year’s Halloween to give voice to their inner Handsomeness. It was the Frequency’s Halloween bash, and The Handsome Dickz were the guests of honor before a crowd of Mexican wrestlers and women in chicken costumes.

It was non-stop Manitoba Madness!! The guys had obviously spent time listening to HDM’s spoken word cds, because the raps were as entertaining as the music was. Mad-town was taken to task over being the back-pack capital of the world, and the audience was constantly reminded what an honor it was for them to see the band. It’s always a good thing when the band is having as much fun as the crowd.
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Filed under Cool covers, Live, Live Review, Tomfoolery

by Salvi C. | October 22, 2010 · 1:24 pm

There Is No Such Thing As Too Much Handsome Dick

Lay-dees and Gentle-men! Tonight’s headline bout is a no-holds-barred, 7-man tag-team match! In this corner, from Parts Unknown, wearing the Mexican wrestling masks, and weighing in at a combined 57 stones: Handsome Brian, Handsome Nobbler, and Handsome Rick Sticks, formerly known as Los Coyote Men, now collectively known as The Handsome Dicks. The Handsome Dicks are flogging their debut EP, “Do The Chupacabra Stomp With The Handsome Dicks,” and can be seen on Saturday, 10/24, as part of Buckfest 2010. Check ’em out if you’re on that side of the pond. (I have no idea why they changed the band name. Maybe they didn’t want to pay their back dues to the Federacion di Lucha Libre.)

And in THIS corner, from Madison, WI, wearing matching flannel and Bucky Badger sweatshirts, weighing in at a combined 720 lbs (723 if they’ve had breakfast), Kyle Motor, Dan Motor, Aaron Motor, and Josh Motor, usually known as The Motorz, Wisconsin’s finest purveyors of sweet and hot r & r, but who for the evening of Saturday, Oct. 30, when they play an all-Dictators set at the Frequency in Madison, will be known as The Handsome Dickz.

If you find yourself at the Frequency gig, come up and say “Hi Sal” to any of the 3 large men who will be up front on the Ross side. The next beer will be on me. Offer void to former Olympians.

— Salvi C.

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Filed under Cool covers, Live

by Thunderbolt Patterson | October 20, 2010 · 10:18 pm

The Thunderbolt’s London Road Trip

LONDON, 10/6/2010
We hit the lovely Cumberland Hotel on Marble Arch and waited for our rooms, which could be expected since we got there at 10:00 AM. Got in just after noon and slept the rest of the afternoon, at which point my rhythm section partner (bassist Danny Tamberelli) and I were pointed to our “local” THE THREE TUNS. Wonderful pub; great drink and grub. At this point I will give a shout out to our hosts Josh and H., as well as all the gals of “The Tuns.”
Danny has a friend living in South London, so we jumped on the tube and pub crawled between the bridges Tower and London, and made it back on the tube in time to get back to the hotel.

CUMBERLAND HOTEL LONDON, 10/7/2010
No rain, no fog, just sunshine and warmth…time to do some sightseeing with my young ward, Daniel. Walked up Hyde Park and over to Buckingham Palace, then on to Big Ben/Parliament/Westminster Abbey…then a pint. Continued walking to Piccadilly Circus and then a stop at The Three Tuns on the way back to the Cumberland…which is a fantastic hotel, right next to the Marble Arch. Ice Cube would say “it was a good day”…I would too.

BORDERLINE CLUB, LONDON, 10/8/2010
Gig day. Got a call at 9:50 AM from my boss (the legendary Richard Lloyd) that we had to go to the venue at 10:00 AM to check the gear and sound check. Who soundchecks at 10 AM, and why did I not have this information yesterday?

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Diary of a Bad Man

It’s hard to believe that the 4th anniversary of the closing of CBGBs is already upon us. Patti Smith got the headlines, but the two Dictators shows that preceded Patti were really the heart and soul of the weekend. There are a thousand stories to be told from those nights. Here’s mine.

To set the stage: there we were, at the end of the Saturday gig. We had just been thrilled by the Dics’ fantastic performance, capped by the surprise encore appearance of Tommy Ramone to sing “Blitzkrieg Bop.” “Goosebumps” and “tears” were the popular descriptives from everyone in attendance.

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Filed under Dictators Assembled, Live

by DFFD123 | September 27, 2010 · 10:47 pm

They Reigned in Spain

They’re not mentioned in Zagat’s travel guide. They go unmentioned in all World History classes. Despite these oversights, it’s an undisputed fact that one of Spain’s greatest imports was the Dictators. September 27 marks the anniversary of their first ever live gig in Spain, at the En Canal club in Madrid in 1995.

The foundation for the tour of Spain was laid earlier that spring. The band had played 2 “farewell” gigs at CBGBs in May, where they were approached by a promoter who set up the September tour.

Spain and the Dictators immediately started a mutual admiration society, and the band returned for 8 more tours over the late ’90s and early ’00s, to big crowds and bigger purses. There was a reason why the Dics played more gigs in Spain than they did domestically, and that was because they could make more $$$ in a 5 gig tour in Spain than in 20 gigs here at home. Keep THAT in mind the next time you complain about paying an $8 cover to see your favorite band.

The set from 9/27/95:

1. Haircut and Attitude
2. Faster and Louder
3. Baby Let’s Twist
4. Stay With Me
5. Tallahassee Lassie
6. Weekend
7. Call Me Animal
8. Next Big Thing
9. The Party Starts Now
10. I Am Right
11. Search and Destroy
12. New York, New York
13. You Had It Coming
14. Two Tub Man
15. Minnesota Strip
16. Sonic Reducer
17. Slow Death
18. California Sun

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Filed under Dictators Assembled, Live, The Cincotta Archives

by Robbiecube | September 19, 2010 · 10:59 am

Under the Thunderboss

Poptown Records “THUNDERBOSS” Release Party
BillyMarks West, NYC
Sept. 12, 2006

Approximately sixty-seven minutes after booking my flight to Boston to hang out with Salvi, and to finally see the almighty Radio Birdman play at the Middle East on Sept. 9, I got the call; Thunderbolt Patterson, Ross the Boss, and Dean Rispler, aka THUNDERBOSS, were playing a set at Poptown’s release party for “THUNDERBOSS,” at J.P.’s favorite hangout, BillyMarks West in NYC. And J.P. hisself had cordially invited us to attend!

Salvi and I found our way to BillyMarks, strolling in the door as the band did a brief soundcheck. Mid-song, J.P. spotted Salvi, and yelled “SAL!” After finishing the check, J.P. came over to chat and thank us for traveling so far for his little bash. Not a problem, Mr. Bolt. As J.P. worked the room, we spoke quite a while with Dean, Ross and C.J. Sciøscia. J.P.’s daughter filled snack bags with crunchies, while his wife sold T-shirts and CDs, and searched for gaffer’s tape. Once behind his drumkit, J.P. explained that he and his missus were on the eve of their 17th wedding anniversary … awwww.

Karen (our wunnerful webhostess) and her hubby John arrived, followed shortly by a dapper gent, who turned out to be J.P.’s Dad. We were introduced to Mr. Patterson, and spent most of the non-musical portion of the evening yakkin’ with him. The man’s led a fascinating life being, among other things, a member of the US Diplomatic Corps, traveling the world with his family. Granddad was a professional wrassler, Dad’s a diplomat, J.P.’s a rock drummer/thespian. Now that’s a colorful family lineage! Adrianna, J.P’s sister, arrived from Maryland just as the first set began. Given the family history, I wondered what her chosen calling was. Geophysics? Gourmet chef? Rockette?

Ross had taken his legendary black Les Paul out of protective custody for this gig. Dean played a cool Epiphone bass, J.P. played his usual Pearl kit. With the Poptown/NFL Film Crew in place, THUNDERBOSS launched into their seven-song set, wrapping it up with a rip through Jeff Beck’s “Rice Pudding,” with a dash of Jimi tossed in by Ross. An excellent, smokin’ set, but much too short. But…

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