Cambridge, MA
2/28/26
People are lined up to see tonight’s show at The Lizard Lounge, one of the premiere clubs for independent music in Cambridge. Not only is it a great place to hear music, it’s a great place to rub elbows with some of the movers and shakers in the local music scene and tonight is no exception as it’s a who’s who of the local music folk in the crowd; luthier and fiddle virtuoso, Jess Fox, rock photographer Nicole Tammaro, music tour manager, Autumn Pincus, northeast legend of rock and soul, Andrea Gillis and hardest hitting drummer in New England, Mike Piehl.
The Detroit Angels are up first. A four-piece band fronted by Mark Pinansky, armed with an acoustic guitar and microphone. Sporting a sweet pair of shades is Alejandro Necochea and he absolutely shreds on guitar, his long locks flying all over the place. Drummer Roger Knight doesn’t miss a beat; his busy fills help round out sound and drive it forward. Man this guy is fun to watch! Saving the best for last is bassist Mike Quinn. He is as solid as they come, playing the role of the glue that holds it all together. There was a rumor that the Detroit Angels were going to release their new CD tonight. However, if you thought you were getting one of their CDs tonight, you thought wrong, as it turns out the pressing didn’t happen in time. Fortunately any disappointment the crowd had ended there, as this band more than made up for it by putting on a hell of a show. Before going into the next song, a banger called “Sad Sack,” they say they aren’t sure when their band is playing next as they have nothing booked. Hopefully that changes soon, as these guys are a trip to see live.
After a brief interlude for people to refresh their beverages, The Blue Ribbons take the floor. They have a Ben Folds meets Richard Manuel and The Band quality. It’s energetic, yet highly melodic, folk rock. The Blue Ribbons are masters of dynamics; shifting the mood up and down, with ample space for melodies and jazzy syncopations. Songwriter/keyboardist James Rohr cleverly mixes elements of soul, funk and good ole’ rock n roll like a master chef. Their drummer isn’t as flashy as the Detroit Angels, but hits the pocket like an expert marksman finding the bullseye. Mike Castellana makes his yellow hollow bodied guitar sing as does Jef Charland on the stand up bass. A highlight of the set is a Josh Buckley cover of “4am”. Josh was a revered singer songwriter in the area and James Rohr does a beautiful version of his tune, even throwing in some good natured anecdotes and friendly ribbing to some of the folks in the crowd. The night ends with lots of smiles. This is what it’s all about. (Kier Byrnes)