Let's do a little math. At an average of four gigs a week, 2nd Avenue has
played more than 200 gigs a year. The amazing thing is, 2nd Avenue has been
together 25 years, non-stop, since punk broke in 1977. That means as a band,
this bunch, including founders Glenn Kuzirian and Chuck Doris, have played
upwards of 5200 gigs together. (Pause for effect.) And that, friends, is a
conservative estimate. Where many bands have trouble staying together longer
than the time it takes to work up a good song, 2nd Avenue, which also features
13-year drum
vet Steve Tancredi, has been together for many, many, many
moons. Next weekend, the band will throw open the doors of the Federal Reserve
in downtown Providence for a 25th anniversary party, and boy, do they deserve
one.
"There were periods of time when we worked up to 12 nights in a row," says
Kuzirian. And they never stopped. Except for two weeks of vacation they set
aside for themselves each year, 2nd Avenue has played steadily since forming
way back when.
"Sure, we encountered roadblocks," Glenn admits. "But when we were challenged
by the changes, the first thing we did was breathe new life into the band." Two
such changes required personnel additions. "At one point, we brought in Dorothy
Hodge, who you know as Hurricane, and she added some bounce. She brought her
crowd in and we did three-part harmonies. Then after she left we hired a
drummer, who also had a great voice for harmonies. And Steve never left. Those
changes got us juiced up again."
One of the ways 2nd Avenue has bucked the odds and remained a viable live act
is its ability to entertain. Not only does the trio have a way with a song, it
can turn a simple night at the corner bar into a heartwarming experience with a
bunch of good friends.
"Banter was something we ended up being good at," Glenn says, "and it made our
performances more intimate. There's always at least a couple nights a week when
the audience is just fun. Because we interact, we get a lot of energy from
them. It sounds like a cliché, but it's true. We feed off the crowd, and
this kind of interaction changes with each audience. That's what keeps it
interesting for us."
Another thing that's helped the band over the years is their confidence as
players. "When people come in, they can see we're at ease on stage. We try to
set the audience at ease by letting them know we feel we're secondary to the
overall experience. We're an integral part of the scene, but we're not the
entire scene. They're as important as we are! There has to be a confluence of
three things: band, bar, people."
Obviously, over the two-and-a-half decades, 2nd Avenue has had to weather some
serious changes in the local scene, and the music industry in general, in order
to survive. "Disco hurt us a lot," says Glenn, going back a bit. "People
started getting more into dancing and DJs and that hurt our business. Also,
karaoke hit us pretty hard, too. Now everyone thinks they can sing a song."
Still, 2nd Avenue has, in characteristic fashion, persevered, entertaining
hundreds of people every week with their great tunes, casual shows, and amiable
manner.
So, then, what advice would the veteran scenesters give to young and
enthusiastic players? "The first thing I think I would do is to decide what you
want to do," says Glenn. "If you have a dream and want to make it nationally, I
would focus my energy on becoming technically proficient recording-wise, in
sound engineering, and put lots of time and money into creating a marketable CD
which a major label will pick up. You don't have to have a local following
anymore to get signed. You just have to have a good product they can market and
if they don't have to work with it too much, all the better.
"But if you want to be in bars five nights a week playing for people, the best
thing to do is to develop your comfort zone. Your people skills are really
important. If people come into a room and they see people that are
uncomfortable onstage, it makes them feel uncomfortable, too. Believe it or
not, the people at the bar are pulling for you. They're not your adversaries.
If you act aloof and seem really ill-at-ease, that transfers to them, and then
it gets ugly."
2nd Avenue will celebrate their 25th anniversary on Friday,, November 22
from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Federal Reserve (60 Dorrance Street,
Providence). Call 737-3783 for details. On Saturday the 23rd, the band will be
playing at Cooky's Bar and Grill on Mendon Road in Woonsocket, a venue owned by
the folks who gave the band their first booking back in 1977. If you're lucky,
they might even do their rendition of Looking Glass's "Brandy."
WANDERING EYE. Lots is happening in the Betty Finn camp that's
worth knowing. Most timely is their gig on Saturday (the 16th) at the Green
Room with Transparent. Bigger news is that Betty Finn has a new drummer and
(surprise!) he's not of the fairer sex. The band also has a new member, a
DJ/freestyle rapper who will be appearing randomly throughout upcoming shows,
and also on their next album. They begin recording in a few months. Also in the
spring, Betty Finn will be featured as models for the Manhattan makeup company,
Pretty Pretty, and their "rock star" line. Go to www.pretty2.com. But there's
more! The Haymakers are covering a song of the band's called "Abound," and
guitarist Jessica plays bass in a roots/ rock garage side project called Radio
Wallpaper, which is also picking up steam (www.radiowallpaper.com).
Scot MacGillivray and Dead Flowers play every Tuesday at Tinker's Nest
in Warren. He also reports that there's a new open mic in Bristol on Tuesday
nights at Judge Roy Bean's, with a good sound system and adequate stage. Dead
Flowers has a new album that I'll be writing about soon in this space. On
Friday (the 15th), you can catch Worcester's Grandevolution live at Cats
in Pawtucket, with Snakes & Ladders, Huck, the Dirty Hands
Band, and Mossberg. Doors at 8 p.m., and the show starts at 9. For
more information, check out www.kcstap.com. Satyr writes that Slugworth
is seeking a new drummer, with Scott Hamel making his exit. Former Slugger Dave
Avery is stepping in temporarily, so the band is not missing a beat of any
sort.
E-mail me with your music news at big.daddy1@cox.net.
Issue Date: November 15 - 21, 2002
