Review: Punk Icons Return As Me First And The Gimme Gimmes At Union Transfer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- "We are a cover band" roared Me First and the Gimme Gimmes frontman Spike Slawson Thursday night at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. "No, you know what? We are THE cover band."
In the twenty years since their first album Have A Ball, this collection of punk rock all-stars has been churning out hard-charging power chord covers of everything from Barry Mann to Billy Joel and beyond.
Comprised of parts of punk's best bands, members of Lagwagon, Face To Face, and Bad Religion got together in front of a sold out crowd on Spring Garden Street to play some of their favorites.
All decked out in matching shimmering turquoise shirts and black ties, the band stormed through hits like "Sloop John B", "Rocket Man" and R Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" - all with the charm of your dad and his friends goofing off in the garage.
"One question" Slawson asked the joyous Philadelphia crowd. "You want it with or without?"
With Me First and the Gimme Gimmes there's little polish, lots of jokes, and over twenty of the best songs ever written played at a fist-pumping pace. For that they are indeed, THE cover band.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes latest, Rake It In: The Greatest Hits is available now.
