Review By Maia Kennedy
Photos By Maia Kennedy
Barrence Whitfield and the Savages Photos HERE
Muck and the Mires Photos HERE
The Downbeat 5 Photos HERE
Jittery Jack Photos HERE
Last Saturday night, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages put on a rather savage tour de force at the Middle East Club in Cambridge for their new LP/CD release, Dig Thy Savage Soul (Bloodshot Records). Setting the stage for Barrence and getting the audience primed were Muck and the Mires stomping out, “It’s Gonna Be Alright,” The Downbeat 5, then Jittery Jack crooning “Mona Lisa.” The night was filled with garage-rock, rockabilly, and soul that had everyone moving, swaying, jumping, and swing dancing.
However, music alone wasn’t the only thing filling the crowded room that night. There was also a deep sense of Boston history and many fond memories that a large part of the audience had come to celebrate. Some of these players have a longstanding association.
For many, the story started in 1975 when JJ Rassler (now guitarist for The Downbeat 5 and Thee Cuban Heels) and Peter Greenberg (now guitarist with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages) met and began playing together. The following year they formed the garage punk rock band, DMZ whose shock waves are still being felt. DMZ was a part of Boston’s entries in to the era’s history books. Following the group’s breakup in 1979, both guitarists went on to play over the years with many bands; Greenberg with The Lyres, The Customs, and Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, while Rassler formed The Odds, joined The Queers and then co-founded The Downbeat 5. Now, 35 years later, Saturday proved a perfect reunion of sorts as Greenberg joined his old sparring partner on stage trading guitar licks on The Downbeat 5’s cover of Don & Dewey’s, “Justine”. Rassler straddled the bridge locked in a frenzied guitar duel, while singing call and response with lead singer dynamo, Jen D’Angora, who also fronts Jenny Dee & The Deelinqents. The significance of this reunion was recognized by many in the audience, some grabbing their cell phones and running to the stage to eagerly capture a few pictures of this historic moment.
Now for the main event. In 1977, Greenberg met Barrence Whitfield and along with other members of his former band, The Lyres, they put together the band, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages. Barrence had already been singing for years, first starting out as a child with a local gospel choir. It was there that he started developing that powerful voice that later gave him his reputation of being a “full-throttle soul screamer.” The Savages toured for a while thru the 80’s and 90’s and released quite a few records, winning many Boston Music Awards along the way. The band unfortunately broke up in 1995. Whitfield then did some solo tours, a number of them in Europe, where he established a very strong fan base.
In 2010, much to the relief of their fans, the original members of the Savages, Greenberg, Whitfield, and Phil Lenker (bass) got back together. They recorded a CD (Savage Kings) and toured both Europe and the US extensively. Dig Thy Savage Soul is now their 2nd CD since their reunion and it seems they are together again to stay. This group of talented musicians are really meant to be together. Their performance brought such energy it was electric and touched every person in the audience. As Greenberg has said, “This is not a reunion, we are picking up where we left off… .”
Muck & the Mires (setlist):
King of the Beat I’m Down
Three Steps Closer to You
Never Got Over You
Number
Lies
Don’t Write Her Off
This Town
Saturday
I’m Gonna Be Alright
That’s What I Want
Hamburg
Door
The Downbeat 5 (setlist):
Come On Now
Laughing Out Loud
Get Down
It’s Not Easy
Outcast
Big Nowhere
Could You, Would You
Dum Dum Ditty
Number One
Justine
Cryin in the Night
My Way
Jittery Jack (setlist):
What’s Buzzin
Clambox
Can’t Dance
Mona Lisa
Rock the World
The Bug
I’m a Man
Don’t Stop
Boston Baby
Deep Blue Sea
Viking Rock
My Hometown
Barrence Whitfield and the Savages (setlist)
Bip Bop Bip
Corner Man
My Baby Didn’t Come Home
Bloody Mary
Big Mamou
I’m Sad About It
BlackJack
Hangman’s Token
Georgia Slop
Willie Mehan
Who’s Gonna Rock My Baby?
Oscar Levant
Just Moved In
Turn Your Damper Down
You Told a Lie
Ship Sails at Six
Mop Mop
Walk’n with Barrence
Encore:
Ramblin Rose
Mammer Jammer
Rockin in Coconut Top
Dig Yourself