The Smithereens is one of those bands that even if you don’t know the name you sure know their songs. A band that album after album in the 80’s and 90’s released solid power-pop tunes, have been re-activated in recent years and are in the process of releasing a proper album of all new material in the new year.
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The Smithereens
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 Entertainment
 Art
Beverly Arts Center of Chicago
Chicago, IL
November 29, 2008
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Opening respectfully with “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” from their first full album release, Pat DiNizio and the guys set the tone early for a night that would include most of their hits early on. Soon following with “Top of the Pops,” “Only a Memory,” “Yesterday Girl,” and closing part one of their set with their first big song of their career - “Blood and Roses.” It was a daring move and proposed the inevitable question of what they could possibly play for part two.
Tonight the band informed the audience early that they were just going to wing it and promised two complete sets. Set one was a show in its self and I suspect if they would have said their goodbyes fans wouldn’t have walked away cheated. With several of their big songs behind them, it seemed part two would have to deliver a nice smattering of songs from their recent obsession into The Beatle catalog. The Smithereens have released two solid albums covering The Beatles in the last couple of years without straying away from their style. Not an easy thing to pull off, but the guys some how have managed to do it magnificently. So it was a tad disappointing and shocking when not one Beatle tune was played in the second half or at all this evening.
With the night being the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the Christmas season now upon us, not to mention a backdrop of Santa’s Workshop on the stage , the second set instead opened with a collection of holiday tunes. Some known and a few originals thrown in for fun from their own Christmas album released last year’s Christmas with The Smithereens. “Santa Bring My Baby,” “Waking on Christmas,” and a nice rendition of the Elvis classic ‘Blue Christmas,” proved any ill thoughts of Christmas songs right out the window. Christmas songs might not always be your first choice but the guys proved they could pull it off.
After a little holiday cheer we were back on track with the Smithereens’ catalog. “Drown in my own Tears” reminded us that the band still had plenty of great tunes to deliver before the night was over. “A Room Without a View” proved a chance for the band to cut loose and was the first of many extended jams with this song showcasing drummer Dennis Diken tearing it up on the skins.
The Smithereens are not the flashiest of bands but to be fair they never were. They are just good and playing catchy pop tunes and make no apologies for it. Lead guitarist Jim Babjak proved he was still a rock guitar god with "House We Used to Live In." The song proved to be one of the night’s highlights that included a almost 10 minute jam of dueling guitars, that even included a piece of The Who’s “Sparks” from the Tommy album in the middle of it all. The set ended with one of their biggest hits of their career "A Girl Like You" off of 1989’s 11.
The band might look a little worst for wears these days and the line-up may have changed recently with the addition of bass player Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion, yet these are essentially the same guys that claimed the charts with so many delicious singles over the years. The Smithereens are back in the studios and all done with their Beatle trip and I just can’t wait to hear the results.
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