LIVE: Super 400/Charlie Watts Riots @ McGeary’s, 7/7/11
Three is a magic number.
A pair of Nippertown trios graced the outdoor McGeary’s Summer Stage last Thursday for the Alive at 5 after-party. Leading off the night was the superb Charlie Watts Riots, who are new to the trio configuration. If anything, it makes guitarist Seth Powell, bassist Mike Pauley and drummer Joe Putrock sound more immediate. The nattily clad lads led off the set with a barrage of tracks from their CD “Long Story Short,” followed by healthy helping of new, post-CD tunes that more than held their own. They closed with a cover of the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” The Charlie Watts Riot are downright Canadian in their Power Trio-ness!
Next up was the area’s ultimate power trio Super 400, and they sounded oh so good, playing songs from the set-lists written on their forearms. Joe Daley’s stick work seemed to be especially crisp. Kenny Hohman’s voice was in tremendous form, and you know his guitar mastery has not left him. It’s especially good to see bassist Lori Friday moving well after a serious car accident earlier this year. We are very lucky that it turned out not to be career-ending. Next, let’s wish for her to be pain-free. Super 400 also regaled us with a British Invasion number, “Happy” by the Stones. The Brit theme continued with a high energy sit-in by Powell of the CWR for some Kinks action.
When the aliens come and ask you to give up Nippertown’s best band or face total world destruction, you had best tuck those Times Union and Metroland readers’ polls behind your back and point to Super 400 for the good of all mankind!
Next up for Super 400 is their annual blast at Troy’s Rocking the River free concert series at 5pm on Wednesday, July 20.
Review and photographs by Matt Mac Haffie
I saw super 400 the day before and they still got it, whatever it is.
Dang I wish I could have made this one.
This was a killer show and a total shame that more people weren’t in attendance.
It was criminal that more people were up the street in front of Jillian’s, watching yet another paint by numbers cover band doing sub-standard medley’s of bon jovi, journey and the like.