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By Sarah L. Myers
New York, NY, USA
It was yet another great night for Ramones fans as the 10th anniversary of the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash kicked off May 19th at the Fillmore at Irving Plaza. Despite headliner Hank III’s last-minute cancellation, the night went out with a bang, with as many surprises as we’ve come to expect from this annual kick-ass tribute to our East Village punk rock icon.
The night began with frenetic performances from Spanking Charlene and Heap, before one of Joey’s favorite bands, the Independents, took the stage and began one of the night’s many circle pits. Video footage of Joey filled the spaces between bands, as did new, never-before-heard songs from another solo record, to be released later this year. “Party Line”, with it’s ‘whoa whoa’ lyrics, has all the romantic tragedy of Joey’s beloved Spector singles, and plays out like a 21st century version of the Ramones’ classic “7-11”.
Next up were the Sic F*cks, in all their habit-and-axe glory, belting out tracks like “Chop Up Your Mother” as the crowd closed in on the front three rows. Maybe they were hoping to catch just a bit of Tish and Snooky’s fake blood, or front man Russell’s spittle bouncing off the microphone. Upstairs in the VIP area, Handsome Dick Manitoba and Mickey Leigh arrived around the same time, stopping to take photos on their way backstage. Host Steve Craig did the honors downstairs, bringing up special guests like Richie Ramone and Ramones producer Ed Stasium.
click to enlarge photos and view captions
All photos by Jason Kuffer
Morningwood would have stolen the whole show if not for the all-star sign off at the end. Lead singer Chantal Claret is famous for commanding her audiences to take off their clothes, and for the Bash she commanded them to get on their knees. Safe in the VIP booth, the upstairs crowd cheered her on - even more so when she jumped off the stage and scaled all the dividers high above the crowd. “How the fuck do I get down now?” She squealed before leaping back and delving into backwards somersaults.
But it was Jesse Malin and the St. Marks Social that felt like the saving grace. Serving as a last minute replacement for Hank III, who cancelled due to an injury, Malin rocked as a true crowd favorite. His history with Joey and New York City is too dense to report, and Ramones fans are well aware just how important he is to the community. His song “Burning the Bowery” seemed more poignant than ever. That street, the site of Joey’s beginnings in the 1970s, might be in the same neighborhood, but its spirit can feel a world away on any other night than this.
The Bash always ends with the friends of Joey, fronted by Mickey singing all the favorites, from “Something to Believe In” to “What a Wonderful World”. The bagpipers closed it out with “I Wanna Be Sedated” before the crowd headed next door for the after-party, keeping the spirit of Joey alive well into the morning. Gabba Gabba Hey!
click to enlarge photos and view captions
All photos by Jason Kuffer
