I don't want you to think that, in all the excitement over the Little Dickman Records / CoolDad Music holiday benefit, I forgot about the great show put on by Plato Zorba to celebrate the release of Pageant of the Transmundane at Asbury Lanes on Saturday night. Oh no. I was there for what would be my third of four consecutive events this past weekend -- not counting the swim meets at Rutgers (Friday) and Seton Hall (Saturday) -- and I'm happy I made it.
I got inside just as Los Pocos Locos took the stage. The Long Branch trio reeled off originals, surf standards, and some not so standard surf arrangements of other familiar songs. At one point, guitarist, Dirty Sanchez (Steve Clar) made his way around the whole venue picking away at his wireless Strat.
Little Lesley and The Bloodshots kept up the retro feel with a set of rowdy rockabilly. Little Lesley has a big voice and plays a stand-up bass that's at least a foot taller than she is. I'd seen photos of the band, and I waited impatiently for the moment when Lesley would scale her instrument while playing. It came about halfway through the set and was really cool. The band played through -- and eventually overcame -- some sound problems, finishing strong with Lesley placing her bass on the floor in front of the stage and playing it among the crowd.
Plato Zorba closed out the evening with a set than ran past midnight. Guitarist Robert Butkowski -- who wowed us all on Sunday afternoon with is other project, Black Flamingos -- mesmerized everyone with his surf / jazz virtuosity. The rest of the band -- Ryan Gregg (keys), John Fortunato (drums), Joey Garofalo (bass) -- more than kept up, adding their own flourishes to the overall sound.
There were lots of friends in the house and a few joined the band onstage for some non-instrumental covers. The Battery Electric's Ron Santee took the mic for "Have Love Will Travel," and Hot Blood's Mat Kiley -- along with the entire front row -- did vocal duties on The Misfits' "Halloween."
I had lots to do on Sunday, so maybe I should've gotten to bed a little earlier. I'd be kicking myself if I missed this one, though. Here are some pics to show you what I mean. The rest are at Flickr.
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