Rocket To Ann Arbor (Eat A Peach EAT 78)
Second Chance Saloon, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA – February 26, 1979
(60:11) Intro / Rockaway Beach, Teenage Lobotomy, Blitzkrieg Bob, I Don’t Want You, Go Mental, Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment, Rock ‘N’ Roll High School > rowdy crowd break, I Wanna Be Sedated, I Just Want To Have Something To Do, Bad Brain, I’m Against It, Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, Havana Affair, Commando, Needles & Pins, I’m Affected, Surfin’ Bird, Cretin Hop, Listen To My Heart, California Sun, I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You, Today Your Love Tomorrow The World, Pinhead > encore break, Do You Wanna Dance, Hip Idea?, Let’s Dance?
This new release from Eat A Peach is much welcomed to my ears, I love the Ramones and this hits on a couple points for me. I grew up in Michigan and have family in Ann Arbor, ahh those memories of not being able to sit on the plastic covered furniture… “behave young man”. I am also a big fan of recordings from Michigan, and here we get to listen to a never booted concert from one of rocks influential bands of the mid 1970’s to 1990’s, whose simple sound continues to inspire young musicians and music lovers to this day. This new release features an excellent radio broadcast of the Ramones performance where the band was touring shortly after their appearance in the 1979 cult classic movie Rock ‘N’ Roll High School. For those who have never heard them live, be prepared for a musical onslaught…This is rock and roll baby!
The recording sounds to be a rebroadcast on WCBN, Michigan State College radio station, the announcer says that the band is playing Pine Knob or Meadowbrook the evening of this broadcast. There is little time for fanfare, the songs come fast and furious, the opening of Rockaway Beach and Teenage Lobotomy gets the blood pumping. After a quick hello Blitzkrieg Bop and a great I Don’t Want You follow, the energy in the “saloon” cannot be contained and finally the band has to stop after Rock ‘N’ Roll High School to address the situation. Joey tells them to move back or the authorities will call off the show and we get a long pause while it is sorted out, the audience sounds rather defiant and starts chanting “Hey Ho…Let’s Go” over and over. The band finally resumes and plays I Wanna Be Sedated in hopes to quell the aggression….Not. Honestly there is not a clunker on this disc, the set is 26 songs so instead of a play by play just get this CD, crack open some beers while cranking this up loud, and you will find yourself slamming around your place in no time and marvel at how this band had so many catchy and really great songs.
Typical Eat A Peach packaging, mini LP style with great pictures and the Ramones “seal” is well represented. There is an insert with liner notes and picture CD to boot, another wonderful package. Great sound and subject matter makes for a superb, and highly recommended release.
1 Comment
Thanx for reviewing this great disc, relayer! The Ramones were my favorite live act of their time. The first of nineteen shows i would see would come at the end of ’79, at Detroit’s Masonic Auditorium, opening for Joe Jackson ( and opened by the Reds ). Would meet the band and road manager Monte Melnick on several occasions during east-side club gigs of the middle ’80’s. Always a fun bunch, even Johnny, a staunch Republican! Circa 1992, after being booted from the Ramones for his drug excesses, would see Dee Dee on the streets of Royal Oak ( he was also staying in A2 around that time ) and onstage at a benefit for the family of the MC5’s Rob Tyner, who had recently passed. The World Needs More Ramones Gigs on Silver Disc! Gabba gabba we accept you we accept you one of us!