TOUR DIARY: RockStar Date 03.06.10 OK, so we hit Geraldine's for like the third time in about as many months, but somehow, hundreds of people - the freaky and the fabulous - came out to see us yet again, reaffiriming our long-held belief that Springfield rocks (and has impeccable taste in music!) Those who did were treated to an over-the-top rock extravaganza, the likes of which we unleash only on the most rocking of crowds. This group earned it, along with a couple live premieres (with more on the way, come see!) Next weekend we play the Hartford St. Patrick's Parade (see related news articles, below) and a private party, so maybe we should plan our next full-bore KICK party at the Black Bear Hartford next Friday or the Cabin Fever Concert at Spare Time Bopwling Alley in Vernon, CT March 20 (details of which are also viewable in the articles below, get your tickets now!)
KICK NEWS: Tour Diary, Lake George Shows Added!
Mon, Mar. 1 2010
TOUR DIARY: RockStar Date 02.26.10 With pitchers and catchers doing their thing in Florida and mere hours until the start of the month that features both St. Patty's day and the first day of spring, a road trip to Boston - a city that can over-celebrate all of these things - seemed stunningly appropriate. The fact that we got to also play a rockshow at the venerable Hennessy's was pure gravy. Really yummy, rocking gravy. Which reminded me how awesome their food is, but I digress - this club is two floors of pure old school Beantown revelry, and our anxiously anticipated return to the Hooley House Friday night reminded us why Boston is one of the truly great music cities in the free world. Or the captive one for that matter. If you were there (and we were surprised how many of you were, hey "Cava"!) you know this. If you were not, you have at least one chance for redemption - we're back there in April, at which time it will be even springier. So get a posse together, book a room, and come on up, you need a vacation.
King Neptunes Dates Set! Speaking of getting back to some of our fave clubs and vacations, we just confirmed three big dates this summer at King Neptune's, the hands-down best nightspot in the Adirondacks, nestled right there on the banks of Lake George, NY and site of countless favorite onstage KICK moments. I suppose I could tell you the dates, but I'd rather make you take an active role in finding out. So I'll tease you by saying that one is Labor Day weekend, and then I'll refer you to the Tour Dates section of KICKband.com to see exactly when we'll be in residency. The hope, of course, being that maybe you'll happen upon another show on our still-growing 2K10 schedule that will make you go "ooh, I want to go to that one, too!" We're tricky that way.
KICK NEWS: Tour Diary, Bowling, New Venue, Parade is On!
Sun, Feb. 21 2010
Greetings, all, I have just a few things I'd like to cover before the puck drops on what's sure to be a matchup for the ages between the US and Canada, so I'll keep it quick. Let's see...we played Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT Friday night. We busted out like three new songs and jammed a bit with special guest James, now of a band called Bad Kitty. As always, a very, very nice time with our friends in the Farmington River Valley.
While it's clearly still winter (from what the weatherman says, it's probably snowing as you're reading this), it's never too soon to think about spring. Yes, even when you start to wonder, remember, it comes every year, and when it does, there's just about nothing better. Not even bacon. March 20 is the last day of winter and the first day of spring, so believe me, by then you will be more than ready to get out and get your springtime on. To assist in that effort, KICK is joining forces with two great area bands - Lick and Brian Jarvis - to take over Spare Time Lanes Bowling Alley in Vernon, CT for an evening of stageside bowling, live performances, and drink specials galore, all for a scant $20 (bowling shoes included!) Contact Spare Time at 860.875.2583 or www.sparetimevernon.com to reserve your tix now. Bowling is limited to the first 200 ticket buyers, and the admission goes up to $30 the day of the show if there is any capacity left, and it looks like there may not be for long, so we implore you to get your ticks and book this puppy now. Better still, it's open to anyone age 18 and up.
We also added a date for our East-of-the-River peeps who have been asking "hey, how come you guys never play near me?" Well, we're going to change that by visiting All Stars, the great sports bar and grill in the town that was once our headquarters: Manchester, CT. That's on Friday, April 16.
And yes, it's official, the parade is on! Once again, KICK boards the McKinnon's Pub float and brings the show on the road, the streets of downtown Hartford to be precise, for the Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade beginning at 11:00 a.m. on March 13. Details and a parade route map are all accessible through the Tour Dates section of KICKband.com.
TOUR DIARY: Let the Games Begin
Mon, Feb. 15 2010
RockStar Date 02.12.10 - 02.13.10 Wow, it's only mid-February and we've already had our first instant classic. Saturday night's show at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun was an absolute freakin' ball and a half, thanks to the couple hundred crazies who stuffed the rom to take their evening of Rock to the next level. Kid Rock never took us up on his offer to join us onstage and show us what he was made of, but that's just fine, we went right ahead and upped the ante ourselves and had a genuine blast doing it. We're back at this great room both nights of Bon Jovi's upcoming March shows at the casino. We encourage you to join us for a real encore. Jon, Richie, the offer to jam remains on the table. The nachos are on us. Saturday's show was actually the second in a doubleheader that began Friday night at Black Bear Saloon - SoNo (in South Norwalk, CT, get it?) The Black Bears are some of the best dining and entertainment venues in the state. (They even just opened one at Bradley International Airport, which - despite its being targeted to transients - this writer found to be every bit as fantastic as the others.) Valentine's Day weekend brings out a unique mix of people. Single ones mostly, looking for a good time, and select couples who still know how to have a good time. Suffice to say, a good time was had by all, especially the single ones who didn't end the night that way. A big tip of the hat goes to bartender Jay for jamming with us on (unplugged) guitar and proving it's actually possible to completely rock a plaid blazer.
TOUR DIARY: Super
Sun, Feb. 7 2010
RockStar Date 02.06.10 So it's Super Bowl Sunday and the taquitos are going to burn so I need to make this quick. KICK played JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse last night. (Mmm...bourbon...) That's up in Cranston, RI, a completely underrated community that could very well be the most rocking township in the great State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. I've never seen a plantation in Providence, but I do know, after having accummulated a half dozen motor vehicle tickets, that that's the full, official state name for some bizzarro reason. I also know that the state bird is a chicken of some sort. (Mmm...chicken.) Which reminds me, I need to start the wings. What was I saying? Oh yes, we played JR's last night with Dirty Kitty. They freakin' rock, by the way. (Mmmm...kitty.) I (me being Micke) highly recommend them. And I am completely grateful to the bass player for letting me run through his amp when my gear suffered a temporary implosion, perhaps due to some weird Rhode Island voltage. But technical issues aside, RI rocks, they can take it hard and heavy, so we gave it to them just so. But what else would you expect from a state that celebrates the maple as its state tree? (Mmm...maple.) So yeah, yet again, we had a really nice time with our peeps in the great Ocean State, a state smaller than some large cities but still carrying as much pull in the Senate as California. And with a violet as its state flower.
KICK Announces 2K10 Party Series (Part 1, Anyway), and You're Invited!
Mon, Feb. 1 2010
KICK has just released Wave 1 of a continually growing 2K10 schedule of special parties and events for music fans of all types and, in some cases, all ages. Here's a quick rundown of some of the non-nightclub fun we have on tap over the next few months that we'd love for you and yours to be a part of:
CABIN FEVER PARTY! Sat. March 20 March 20 is the last day of winter and the first day of spring, so believe me, by then you will be more than ready to get out and get your springtime on. To assist in that effort, KICK is joining forces with two great area bands - Lick and Brian Jarvis - to take over Spare Time Lanes Bowling Alley in Vernon, CT for an evening of stageside bowling, live performances, and drink specials galore, all for a scant $20 (bowling shoes included!) Contact Spare Time at 860.875.2583 or www.sparetimevernon.com to reserve your tix now. Bowling is limited to the first 200 ticket buyers, and the admission goes up to $30 the day of the show, so book this puppy now. Better still, it's open to anyone age 18 and up.
NEWINGTON, CT SUMMER CONCERT SERIES! Fri. July 16! We LOVE these hometown throwdowns. Anyone who saw us play the Glastonbury's Music in the Park Series last year will want to make it a point to bring the whole family and do it again, this time at the lovely Mill Pond Park in Newington, CT. The show is from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. (or Sunday, July 18 from 4:00 to 8:00m p.m. if it rains). Facilities include a baseball field, boundless playground, soccer fields, tennis courts, outdoor pool, basketball court, concession stand, walking nature trail, ice skating, football field, fishing pond for children and seniors, and a waterfall. Check www.newingtonct.gov for directions and more about one of the region's most scenic parks and recreation areas.
DREAM RIDE 2010! Sun. August 22 Once again, we have the tremendous honor of being asked to play Dream Ride, Sunday afternoon at the Farmington Club in Farmington, CT. Since 2001, Dream Ride has been bringing people together on the open road to celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics Connecticut athletes. Each year thousands of motorcycle and car enthusiasts rev up their engines to honor this worthy cause. After 10 years and nearly a million dollars in fundraising, Bozzuto’s Inc. and Hometown Foundation, Inc. are back as sponsors of Dream Ride. The 2010 event is more than a charity ride for motorcycles and a show for cars; it’s a gathering of people interested in camaraderie, helping out a good cause and having a great time. We hope you can join us for this incredible day. Check www.hometownwheels.com for more about this outstanding event.
AND A FEW OTHERS? But wait, that's not all! We have a few other parties - some already on the docket and some in the hopper - which may be open to the public (i.e., you). If and when we learn of a new opportunity to invite you to such an event, as an exclusive member of the KICK Army, we will share all relevant deets so you can come along for the ride and hang with us and some of the greatest people ever minted: our fans. Keep checking back for another wave of out-of-the-box fun as part of our ongoing effort to find unique ways to party with you.
THIS MONTH IN KICK HISTORY: KICK begins. (Speaking of parties, yay! Happy birthday us!) With all due respect to Black History Month, February is our birthday month, so we will be commemorating its 28 days as we have for quite a while now: with an inspired batch of fun shows featuring tunes from throughout our illustrious and increasingly lengthy career, along with hearty doses of celebratory merriment. Of note: We'll be rocking Margaritaville Mohegan Sun the same night Kid Rock plays the Mohegan Sun Arena (Saturday night, February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, I mean, come on, this is a no-brainer!) And we'll be shipping up to Boston, MA for our return to Hennessy's on Friday the 26th. All of which made us think about St. Patrick's Day and... well, just check back often. It's going to be a good good year.
TOUR DIARY: Not Summer, But an Incredible Reproduction
Sun, Jan. 24 2010
RockStar Date 01.22.10 - 01.23.10: So it's not summer. No, far from it. In fact, you almost couldn't be further from that sweet, early July, primetime stuff. But rather than throw up our mittens in defeat, we opted to pretend like heck at two beach-themed shows this past weekend. Friday's romp at Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun was classic beach blanket bingo at its finest. The casino always brings out some colorful characters, and this week was no exception. Just when it seemed that every person in the club was celebrating a birthday, Kevin took a bow, himself, to celebrate the anniversary of his own birth moment, onstage. Congratulations, Kevin. And many more! The following night, we went from pseudo-Caribbean to pseudo-just-about-everything at a special event honoring the season finale of MTV's Jersey Shore at Black Bear Saloon in Hartford, CT. Fake hair, fake tans, fake fakery everywhere. And God was it fun, sharing the stage with a dozen dancing Snookis as several hundred Situations watched on. Many had clearly done the full GTL ritual prior to attending while others wantonly exhibited their inexperience with spray tanning formula with orange-skinned aplomb. We'll be mixing up the RonRon juice and enjoying one last weekend off until summer. But check back here in the days to come for a major announcement that will help us all put an end to the winter doldrums once and for all.
TOUR DIARY: Decade 3
Sun, Jan. 10 2010
RockStar Date 01.08.10 - 01.09.10: Loading in Friday at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT, we were struck by the notion that it seemed like forever since we'd played out. This of course is silly talk. We'd simply taken the previous weekend off. But for some reason, absence made the heart grow fonder...and made us rock harder. We were unusually excited to get back and do what it is we do: give it hell, live. Heck, we'd actually played Murphy's a scant four weeks prior. (To be precise, we actually played a carbon copy of this very Murphy's/Geraldine's weekend this time last month.) But gosh, that was last year. This is 2K10, a very special year for KICK (you'll come to understand why as the weeks pass). And we decided that New England needs to be rocked more this year, so we busted out a bunch of chestnuts old and new to see just how far and deep our audience's tastes run. The verdict: KICK may well have the most diverse fanbase in the scene, you rock equally to just about anything we throw at you. Give yourselves a round of applause. Take for instance our favorite new follower from Friday - a cat named Austen who claims he was passing through on his way to see a different band, only to stay the night with us and singlehandedly redefine the art of air guitar performance. Austen rocks. Or witness Saturday's debauchery at the aforementioned Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA which spontaneously exploded into equal parts hot body contest, Dallas Cowboys victory party, and ultimately an unusually relaxed all-request jam. Happy birthday to Bree, sporting a completely sweet customized "Kick Chick" sling for her hurt arm (see shots of what this year's stylish hurt people should be wearing on Facebook "Kick Tunes.") Heck, we even gave away a pair of passes to the Mohegan Sun Food and Wine Expo (thanks Joe Lee) and all they had to do was be the first to wedge themselves into a frozen KICK shirt. Geraldine's rocks. Stick with us kids and ye, too, shall rock - often and hard.
TOUR DIARY: KICK Closes the Books on 2K9, Looks Forward to "Amazing" 2K9
Mon, Dec. 28 2009
RockStar Date 12.26.09: To paraphrase the late, great Walter Cronkite, that's the way it was, folks - 2009, a year for the books no matter what type of reading you're into. We were a bit taken aback by the huge outpouring of love and enthusiasm by the surprisingly large number of revelers who chose to share their day after Christmas with us at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (and Jimmy Buffett's birthday for that matter). But then, the show was at Mohegan Sun Casino, so a lot of folks probably had a lot of pesky holiday money to get rid of. Per usual in that great room, we had a rollicking good time. A big KICK "sorry" goes out to Jenny Jenny for whom we were unable to play "867-5309" for her birthday due to time constraints (Jesus and Jimmy Buffett unfortunately took priority, we promise to make it up to you!) The show saw the debut of five new songs which, if you were there, you seemed to enjoy and if you weren't, you're just going to have to come enjoy some time soon to find out what they are. But you'll have to wait just a bit. For the first year in several, we are evacuating Kamp KICK to take New Year's Eve off - the change of a decade seemed an excellent bookend to see what other people do when the ball drops. After all, we recall the last time the decade changed, from 1999 to Y2K, and we all half-wondered if our digital gear would implode. Check the "Tour Dates" section of KICKband.com to see what's on the itinerary. So since we won't be speaking for a while, to you all, thanks for your role in creating such an amazing 2009, we look forward to rocking you harder, bigger, and better than ever in 2K10.
TOUR DIARY: Merry Chrsitmas to All, And To All a Good, Good Night
Sun, Dec. 20 2009
TOUR DIARY - 12.18.09: Now there's an evergreen treat, a chance to chill in South Norwalk, CT at the peak of the holiday season and set off some merriment at The Black Bear Saloon with our ever-growing roster or friends, fans, and freaks (the good kind) who have perennially made that club one of the classiest, best-run, most outright fun establishments in New England. We said an early goodbye to a year that for better or worse, I think we can all agree was rather fascinating, and bid a temporary "happy holidays" and adieu to the KICK Army - Metro New York Chapter with a run through some of 2K9's best musical moments. We'll be back Valentine's Day weekend there, so if you really want to impress a date, come down, we'll help you show them a good time.
TOUR DIARY - 12.12.09: Boy, they sure do up Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino beautifully around the holidays, don't they? December is a lot of wonderful things but it's never cheap, so it seemed sensible that we should go see if we could win some scratch to line our stockings - or buy actual socks instead. But alas, we were not so fortunate, not on the gaming floor anyway. Fortunately, our fortunes turned when we got to Jimmy Buffett's - Margaritaville (our fortunes always do!) Bonus points are due the staff there for decking that hall in a lovely yuletide decor - sort of Dickens by way of Key West. We upped the holiday spirit with bucketloads of cheer, loud cheer, and a sackful of rock and roll for all, and for all a good night. Happy birthday again to the many who were celebrating (or claim to have been, we're easy that way). We'll actually be back there for the final KICK show of 2K9 - the night after Christmas (note: after not to be confused with the book). So if you missed us this week, come burn off some partridge meat on December 26 and show us the new clothes you got. (God knows you'll probably be stir crazy by then, or at least sick of your relatives, right?)
TOUR DIARY: It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas
Sun, Dec. 6 2009
TOUR DIARY - 12.04.09 - 12.05.09: December is an odd month, as hectic as it is relaxing, it's weather beautiful as often as it is miserable. This weekend we had a mix of all that makes December an always-welcome end to every year. We started the weekend like so many people do - Friday night at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT where we took pretty much whoever wasn't out shopping through a spirited mix of the best songs of 2K9 (among dozens of others, of course). Saturday, we had our first winter-weather scare when a rumored six inches of white stuff was threatening to fall on our show at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. Much did, but it didn't turn out as bad as anticipated, so we're pumped the club didn't chicken out and nix the show prematurely. And while the weather did keep many home, the surprisingly decent-sized bunch who braved the elements made the show all the more inspiring, largely because it seemed every single one of them was a member of the KICK Army on Facebook or MySpace. So it means all the more to us to see you come out to see us, one more time before our return for our first shows ofr 2K10 this January when we play - get this - another doubleheader of Murphy & Scarletti's Friday and Geraldine's on Saturday January 8 and 9!
KICK NEWS: Additional 2010 Tour Dates Released
Fri, Dec. 4 2009
Two Nights of KICK and Bon Jovi at Mohegan Sun 3/26 & 27? Are You Kidding Me?
If you're one of those "foresight" types, bust out your Day Planner and check the Tour Dates section of this site. We've released a fresh wave of tour dates for 2010 that include a debut at a new club, the Thirsty Frog in Willimantic, CT; a smattering of JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse dates in Cranston, RI; and our return to Boston, MA to check in with our old friends at Hennessy's. And fans of Bon Jovi (you know who you are) may be pleased to learn they can see Bon Jovi and KICK all in the same night, twice!. Tickets for their March 26 and 27 shows at Mohegan Sun Arena go on sale Friday, December 4. Conveniently, we happen to be playing a two-night stand those same nights at Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun. Go see them, then come over and rock out with us, either way, you're guaranteed to hear some Bon Jovi and have a great time.
TOUR DIARY: Feast on This
Mon, Nov. 30 2009
It just wouldn't feel like the holiday season if it didn't start off the way our last nine had: with a raging KICKsgiving Eve rockshow at Rookies in Cromwell, CT the night before turkey day. This one was particularly enjoyable, as hundreds of our closest friends converged to toast to all the things we're thankful for and prep for the upcoming mayhem of the next few weeks. This show was, of course, replete with the traditional pie eating contest (an especially messy one this year, check "Kick Tunes" on Facebook for some great shots) and the annual frozen T-shirt contest (won, for the third year running, by Jenna, who now must have a small closet full of KICK shirts). Congratulations to everyone who won and to 96.5 TIC FM for the prizes, which included tix to the weekend's UConn football game and the TIC Holiday Ball. The next day, we ate. The next we rested. And then Saturday, we ventured up to Cranston - well-fed and well-rested - to tear apart JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse. This one was particularly exhilarating, with an equally off-the-charts show of energy and enthusiasm from the always-fantastic people in the Ocean State. Here's looking forward to getting back over there to rock you all harder still in 2K10.
KICK NEWS: Kicksgiving Week Update
Sun, Nov. 22 2009
ROOKIES THIS WEDNESDAY?! AWESOME!!! Happy Kicksgiving from Kamp KICK, everyone! We hope you're enjoying the last week of relative sanity before the holiday season begins and the words "relative" and "insanity" begin to take on different meanings. Thanksgiving week is a special time of year for us. It's a short one, for starters, which makes it great for everybody. And it's a time to reflect and give thanks, which is why we've been hosting a get-together at Rookies in Cromwell, CT every Wednesday before Thanksgiving for the past eight years now. Suckers for tradition that we are, we're doing it again. The 9th Annual KICKsgiving Eve Reunion and Rage is right around the corner and we're looking forward to catching up with and rocking as many of our old friends as possible. As always, we'll be holding contests and giving away tickets to the 96.5 TIC Xmas Show (Shinedown, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Train, Uncle Kracker, Five for Fighting...you know you want them), gift cards, CDs, and movie passes, and we'll have lots and lots of the best friggin' music ever made as performed by five guys who think you're awesome.
JR'S SATURDAY?!?!
But wait, that's not all. We'll even throw in these steak knives! (Which reminds me, I have to get a turkey. And an electric knife. That sounds like a bad 60s band: "Electric Knife!" Forget it.) If you can't get to Rookies - and with all this festive holiday junk going on, it's totally understandable if you can't - there is a second chance to bring your friends and family to a KICK party (this time after the tryptophan induced hangover) at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in the Mardi Gras Multiclub in Cranston, RI Saturday, November 28. How cool is that? We love Rhode Island, for reasons I still can't figure out, it seems as if every single person in the state completely rocks. So yeah, we're pumped to return and rock along with our buds in Identity Crisis.
ENTIRELY UNRELATED: Friday night, Micke will be attending a reunion of a different sort at Cafe Nine in New Haven, CT as he and a bunch of other old school hardcore and punk impressiarios, icons, and luminaries will be at the book release party for Everybody's Scene a fantastic literary chronicle recounting the wild years of southern Connecticut's legendary Anthrax Club. The Anthrax was an internationally renowned birthplace of heavy rock as we now know it (the really heavy stuff) and the place and culture where Micke literally grew up to become the rock and roll mastodon he is today (mastodon?). Several bands that cut their teeth at the club will be reuniting for a very special tribute to the place where the art of the stagedive was perfected and moshing was virtually invented. Moby writes the forward and John Porcelly writes the preface of a coffee table-worthy tome with hundreds of pictures, flyer reproductions, and tales of this historical room where local bands and some of the genre's biggest acts could scream their heads off at a meeting place that showed thousands of kids they weren't alone in their desire to be different and that they could influence change and break free from the status quo. There's a really nicely done video documentary trailer on the Website www.anthraxclubbook.com and a link to it below that might work. Props to the editors on a job very well-done.
RockStar Date 11.13.09 - 11.14.09: For a weekend that began with a Friday the 13th, it sure worked out to be a lucky one. Not only did luck seem to be a lady at the tables at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino Friday night, we also had a really fun show at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (and some amazing fajitas to boot). They were filming a commercial - which we can't wait to see - and everything seemed to go smoothly with that, I found a voucher sticking out of a slot machine, and there was not a single incident involving people wielding chainsaws and goalie masks, so perhaps we can put the whole Friday the 13th myth to bed once and for all. Luckier still, Saturday got even nuttier, for Joe Lee is turning 40 and needed the help of friends and family to help him forget that. And as someone who once lived in Vernon, CT, I can vouch, Spare Time Bowling Alley
has never had as many cars in its parking lot. I couldn't get that many people to my funeral if I started selling tickets now. Food everywhere, beverages everywhere, heavy balls flying around everywhere, and the luck continued with a really fun KICK set (and a really really fun encore set) as well as performances by the always wonderful Columbia Fields and the eminently fabulous Veronica Ballestrini. I mean, how lucky can you get? Happy birthday Joe, don't ever ever change.
TOUR DIARY: Bear Naked
Mon, Nov. 9 2009
RockStar Date 11.06.09 - 11.07.09: So it was just a matter of time before we did a little weekend doubleheader tour of the Connecticut Black Bear Saloons, and this was that weekend. Needless to say, we came out loaded for Bear. We learned something we knew full well anyway - the Black Bear rocks. Both of them. All of them for that matter. While that organization takes wonderful care of us, they don't pay us to say this but I will anyway: it has become - hands down - the best nightclub chain in the Northeast. Friday's South Norwalk show was a beautiful fall evening that found many still reeling from the Yankees parade earlier (congratulations to our fans to the left of the state). Saturday's Hartford show was a warm return indoors to the (other) house that Steve built and a delightful hometown hoedown - basically a weekend spent with a couple hundred of our closest friends. Speaking of friends, we were tickled pink to hold an unanticipated, impromptu old school KICK reunion with our first drummer ever, the mighty Rob Pivacek who sat in on some equally old school Third Eye Blind without missing a beat (not that he ever did). What could be better than that? Well, a UConn win Saturday would have been. And for the folks to the right of the state, anyone but the Yankees in that parade, but we're still smiling. Hope you all are too.
KICK NEWS: Q: So what's this abut KICK playing a bowling alley? Can I go? A: Yes! I'd go into al the details here, but heck, there's a Website that says it all so much better, so just imagine bowling, food, beverages, and KICK, all at the same time, and check ourweekendparty.com for everything you would ever need to know about Joe Lee's 40th Birthday Bash at Spare Time in Vernon/ROCKville, CT Saturday November 14.
TOUR DIARY: Who Are You?
Sun, Nov. 1 2009
RockStar Date 10.30.09: There weren't any sanctioned or official Halloween parties in Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort over the past weekend, but we felt that should not be. By passively encouraging folks to come as anything but what they are we ended up with quite a little ad hoc costume party at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun. Check Kick Tunes on Facebook to view some of the outstanding and outlandish assortment of masqueraders. Many were truly remarkable, but had there been a contest, it would have gone hands down to the lovely Jenny, who came as...Kevin. "Are you...me?!" shouted a bewildered Kev from the stage. And while she most certainly is not, the attention to detail was so uncanny it was almost scary, or at least unnerving. Thank you all for providing us one of the most truly surreal and bizarre stage views ever, and additional love goes out to the always loveable Lake George contingent!
TOUR DIARY: Haven't We Saved Enough Daylight Yet? When Do We Get to Spend Some?
Mon, Oct. 26 2009
RockStar Date 10.23.09 - 10.24.09: So my stupid smart clock thinks it's earlier than it is, so I'm up an hour earlier than I should be, I may as well write in my tour diary, right? I swear, I think that as soon as they finally perfected the clock that adjusts itself for daylight savings time, someone decided to change the dates we do it and render them all obsolete. I say away with the entire dumb tradition, but that's because I haven't gotten enough sleep. It was a long weekend, after all. Rookies in Cromwell, CT can be an athletic endeavor unto itself. The stage is just big enough to catch some real air, and the crowd Friday night spurred us on to really lay into it. Smiles all around. The show was a last tuneup for Kicksgiving #9 there, the annual Rookies rage the night before Thanksgiving, and we're beyond pumped. Because to paraphrase Adam Sandler, the night before Thanksgiving is a special night. And Jimmy Walker used to say Dyno-mite. That's right. The following evening we played at The Sports Bar in North Windham, CT. Now, I apologize for the confusion early Friday - I'd learned it was a benefit show, so I uninvited everybody. Then I heard it was still open to the public, so I tried to spread that word. Bottom line: The event was Pantherpalooza, a benefit fundraiser for the EO Smith Foundation that featured one of the most impressive silent auctions (and barbecues) this diary writer has seen in some time. We met some really great folks doing some really good things, which always beats the other kind. And wow, that's a heck of a club, by the way - huge, TV's everywhere. A great place to catch UConn sports I'm sure. Speaking of which, I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to reflect on the untimely loss of Jasper Howard. The UConn Huskies Football organization has always been wonderful to us (some may remember our Saturday morning KICK shows in front of Rentschler Field before every home game those first five seasons as they grew into the legitimate powerhouse they've become today). Our hearts go out to his immediate family and the countless others in his extended one.
TOUR DIARY: It's Like That and That's the Way It Is
Mon, Oct. 19 2009
RockStar Date 10.16.09 - 10.17.09: Had I been wearing socks this weekend, they most surely would have been rocked off. First, sometime during Friday night's show at Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun when the bridal party, the PBR fans and the MMA fighters all converged to create one of the wildest-looking dance floors in recent memory. And then again Saturday night at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, roughly at about the moment that Big Dan, the one-man security force, threw up a fist and howled, we hope in approval of the fun he was able to have with his class reunion folks as a club attendee rather than employee. We unveiled five new songs over the course of the weekend and have more on the way. I'd tell you which ones, but we'd much rather show you. So make a date with KICK this fall, before it starts snowing. Wait a minute...
TOUR DIARY: Always on the Run
Sun, Oct. 11 2009
RockStar Date 10.09.09 - 10.10.09: So wow, that was something. We had committed to rocking out early Saturday morning at the Hartford Marathon, so unfortunately, this was aparently not to be the year that "run 26.2 miles" got crossed off the bucket list. (Darn! The agonizing pain, the chaffing, the hallucinations at mile 21, it all sounds so fun!) But I suspect it pretty much felt the same anyway. That's because we spent Friday night onstage visiting our friends at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT (our second visit there in under four weeks, in fact). It was a blast and all, Mike from Vivid pithced in on vox for a tune, the Sox and Yankees were both playing, good autumn stuff all around. But man, by the time we broke down our gear and got home, it was time to go right back out to beat the 7:00 a.m. road closures along the marathon route. And then, we got to do it all over again in Bushnell Park. Rock and roll Ironmen? That's not a title we can bestow upon ourselves. So we'll throw that phrase out there right now so you can subconsciously think it. But this isn't about us; there is something incredibly inspiring in the determination, the colors and the pageantry of 8,000 runners striding by, some who looked like they do this every weekend, others who appeared to have been training for months to see just how good their best really is on this perfect autumn day. We'd like to extend a big KICK congratulations to every single one of them. Maybe next year we'll take a break and join you. I mean, if we're going to spend the afternoon throwing up, exhausted, it may as well have been due to an athletic endeavor, right? Thanks to the event organizers for having us back for a second year in a row and to everyone who helped make this one of the best marathons in America.
KICK NEWS: Hey, we'l be posting a whole new smattering of KICK publicity and live shots to KICKband.com over the course of this week as well as some new scrapbooks on MySpace and Facebook (both accessible under "Kick tunes.") Check in throughout the week and let us know what you think. And while we're at it, if you have any faves you've taken that you'd like to share, send them along, you guys are the source of some of our very favorites.
TOUR DIARY: All Downhill From Here
Sun, Oct. 4 2009
RockStar Date 10.03.09: We were already plenty excited, heading north to partake of an unusually balmy Saturday in Killington, VT, enjoy the foliage, and unwind in a schweet A-frame cottage for the night, when we learned we were simultaneously driving ourselves straight into the Killington Brew Fest. I mean, that's like going to the pool to swim a couple laps and finding there just happened to also be a Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot going on at the pool the same day. First my apologies for not realizing this event was taking place Saturday afternoon, had I been aware, I'm sure you believe me when I say I would have certainly made sure you knew as well. Second, my apologies that you missed the show, it was absolutely off the chain. As the various event posters that line its walls clearly attest, the Pickle Barrel Nightclub has been home to some amazing gigs over the years, including one of our own top 10 all-time favorites (the legendary Miniskirt Party, oh so long ago). Saturday, we opened the club for the season and began what we hope will be a new chapter of great shows at that venerable apres ski paradise. Considering the leaves haven't even fallen yet, if the first night is any indication, winter 2K9/2K10 is going to be an ill one indeed. A big "nice to meet you" to the dozens of new faces we had the pleasure of meeting and a sincere hope to do it again real soon.
TOUR DIARY: No Sleep Til Texas
Mon, Sep. 21 2009
RockStar Date 09.18.09 - 09.19.09: OK, that was unreal. No, really, to everyone in the KICK Army - Rhode Island Chapter who took part in our Saturday show at JR's Bourbon Street Rockshouse we owe you a ginormous "thank you" for the debauched display of rocking you undertook and executed so completely and thoroughly. By popular demand, we plowed through a heavier-than-usual set made up primarily of fan requests, which (because this IS Rhode Island after all) was remarkably, loudly, warmly, and enthusiastically received. (So keep those requests coming, and yes, a special theme show may indeed be on the horizon.) Big ups to show openers Identity Crisis once again who rocked as usual, and major domo "heck yeahs" to the truly insane group that assembled. Backstage, the club's new camper was an unexpected and way-appreciated treat. Onstage, I can attest to at least a couple personlal and literal goosebump moments. It gets pretty loud in front of those amplifiers and drums, so we're always taken aback when a big crowd combines forces together to create a roar even louder than the band. The less chronologically challenged among you may have noticed that his was actually the second of a 2-for-2 doubleheader that began Friday at Rookies in Cromwell, CT. It, too, was a thrill. Rookies is always a good time, even more so now that baseball is getting interesting, and all the more so Friday thanks to an influx of so many familiar faces, it almost felt like the first day of school when all your friends return from summer. Only not really that much. Words can't do either show justice, so I suggest you log onto Facebook and check Kick Tunes where you will see some fan-held handhelds documenting the evening (thanks Lynn & Jenny!) If you had to be told where to go to find this, shame on you for not friending us yet! Next stop: Texas (but you can't come) so the real next stop is at the Pickle Barrel Nightclub in Killington, VT, an area that the national weather bureau predicts will experience the precise peak of its foliage season the moment we arrive in town (or pretty darned close). If you only know Killington as a skiers' paradise, I implore you to bring a camera and come on up for some primetime autumn scenery, a little hiking, mountain biking, or just to chill by a fire with a fine beverage and see what 30 million wildflowers look like.
TOUR DIARY: Kanye West is an Idiot
Mon, Sep. 14 2009
RockStar Date 09.11.09 - 09.12.09: Warming up for Friday night's show at Murphy & Scarletti's, Paulie made the observation that we all were feeling but weren't sure why. For some reason, it seemed like forever since we had played a true club show. Granted, we spent the bulk of summer playing various outdoor venues, special events, parties, and anything but our usual rock clubs. So it did feel a bit weird at first and yet oh so nice to get back and tear through three sets on a familiar stage. Even better, we got to go back and rock two of them, with a follow-up Saturday at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. It was beyond great to see all the familiar faces welcoming us back to the normalcy that comes with a steady flow of rock & roll, where and how we all like it. Fall also means we get back to work in the rehearsal studio, which means we'll be adding roughly two dozen new songs to our repertoire. We do this whole "band thing" because of you (of course), so email Micke with any requests. We want to blow you away. That's just how we roll. Speaking of rolling, the Massachusetts Geraldine's show marked the beginning of a "4 Shows in 4 States" Fall Minitour which continues to Connecticut and Rhode Island before arriving for a recently confirmed show at Pickle Barrel Nightclub in Killington, Vermont at the peak of foliage season. Check the newly and continually updated Tour Dates section of KICKband.com to see our next 80 shows, right into 2011.
TOUR DIARY: Off Into the Sunset
Mon, Sep. 7 2009
RockStar Date 09.04.09 - 09.05.09: Well there it is, folks. Another one for the history books. Four months ago, on the stage of the Fairfield University basketball stadium, we embarked upon a junket we dubbed the "Endless SummerTour." We called it the Endless SummerTour for a number of reasons. Not just that Endless Summer was the greatest surf movie ever. No, we call it that because we actually have called all of our summer tours that. And we began calling them that in hope that maybe, just maybe, someday summer wouldn't have to end at all. There are even times, those hot early July evenings, when you think it never will. But alas, like all good things, the summer of 2K9 had to end as well. Fortunately, we saw it out with a resounding bang in two shoreline shows, Friday at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun and Saturday afternoon at the Atlantic Beach Club. Normally, I'd write some cheeky review of the days' events, but words seem so inappropriate and unnecessary. (And I'm tired, it's been a long trip.) But the weather was unspeakably gorgeous. The sunset even more so. The venues rank among the most idyllic tropical watering holes in the free world and we were just happy to down a fru fru drink and offer a toast to the great people we got to rock with throughout four states over these past four months. So thank you, thank you, thank you to you all. You know who you are. And if you don't, let me tell you. It's YOU! But alas, it's fall now. Which means back to work (heck, we'll be knocking out four states in four shows. Check the Tour Dates section to see exactly where.)
TOUR DIARY: Taking a Chance Isn't Always a Gamble
Sun, Aug. 30 2009
I don't know, maybe it's the fact that summer took so long to get here, but everyone else is thinking about sweaters and we're still in full-on summer mode here at Kamp Kick. Assisting that sensation is that the beautiful weather has been making up for lost time, and that we're just having too darned much fun to think about slowing down. So the Endless SummerTour 2K9 forged on to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun Friday night where we were greeted by Taylor Swift (really!), where Micke - in his first foray into competitive eating managed a close second in a spicy burrito eating contest, and where KICK blazed a rock & roll trail of near-monumetal proportions before one of the nuttiest crowds at that venue all summer. Leading Lick lady Dina happened to be in town celebrating Jordan's 21st birthday and helped us prettify the stage - guesting on a couple songs, video of which is viewable on our Facebook page (Kick Tunes if you're still a networking newbie). The next day, we got to do one of the things we love doing most: throw a rock & roll dance party for two delightful, very much in love people on the day of their holy matrimony. We were blessed to have been asked to perform at the afterparty in honor of two wonderful young people named Matt and Liza. To aptly describe the pastoral setting would take hours, so just try to picture a huge white tent on an expansive family farm on a perfect summer night. (With KICK under it.) We thank them dearly for the invite and to everyone in attendance whose enthusiasm helped inspire us to turn the fun knob up to and way past "11."
TOUR DIARY: Non-Stop Drag 'Em Out Rock & Roll Party In the Streets (and Elsewhere)
Mon, Aug. 24 2009
OK, like, wow. We've played tripleheader weekends before (sure, no sweat!) but aside from the ones involving a tour bus, I can't recall them ever consuming almost literally every waking moment. Nor can I recall three more wildly different or wildly wonderful, wacky, and rewarding shows in a 48-hour period. It all began on a hot, sunny Friday afternoon that would prove it had no intention of staying that way, more on that later. When I throw coins into a fountain, I've often wished to someday play at the Hartford Civic Center (OK, the "XL Center.") I got my wish, although I probably should have specified "inside the XL Center." But rolling up in front to rock the Allyn Street Stage at the Clams and Cans Block Party was still way cool. We loaded in, grabbed some dinner with our new favorite band Reel Big Fish at Black Bear Saloon, and began the weekend's happy hour and a whirlwind of rock & roll mayhem that would continue for the next three days. Then came the ominous clouds. Then the comically torrential rain. It began to appear that the Hartford Advocate's annual Grand Band Slam Awards Show would be scratched altogether. But then, it stopped. And then it got outright beautiful. And while it stinks that we didn't get to see all the other bands, some of which we were really stoked to see, as headliners of the Allyn Street Stage, we're honored to have been one of the very few bands who did get to play. The only bummer is that now the set times couldn't alternate, so we played at exactly the same time as Reel Big Fish, so we missed them. But to those of you who hung with us on our side of the road, we hope you had even a fraction of the fun we did at the Clam Jam. Some great shots are viewable at The Hartford Courant's Website, courtesy of Metromix. Visit http://connecticut.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/photogallery/hartford-block-party-pictures/1414360/content If you went, you may well be in one of them.
We slept it off (briefly) and headed north to The Colwell's 3rd Annual Block Party. Rich is a great guy - you've seen his photos all over the site and our Facebook page. And he proved he's equally adept at throwing an awesome bender. The show began with two great acts, both of whom have just dropped new CDs. Perennial indie favorites Columbia Fields, whose new album Bridging the Gap is out Friday, and 17-year-old country star Veronica Ballestrini, whose new release What I'm All About proves she's worthy of the "next Taylor Swift" buzz she's generated. Then we played. We don't have a new CD and we're definitely not the next Taylor Swift or even the next Columbia Fields, but we do know how to have fun and eat, so we did. And so did a whole bunch of Rich's friends and neighbors, including a few dozen completely amped kids, whose enthusiam always make a show just too, too fun for us.
The cops came (later than we expected, thanks to East Longmeadow's finest), and we left. If you wanted to sleep, this is where you did it. Because we had to be at the Farmington Club by 9:00 the next morning or the road would be closed. That's because 5,000 bikers were preparing to participate in the Special Olympics Dream Ride 2009 And wow, what an event. The Bozzuto's organization does a truly amazing job assembling this great event, which now also had satellite runs throughout the country and is now poised to pass the $1 million mark. This was our second year performing in a row, and we can't speak highly enough of the event, the coordinators, and all involved. This event has something for everyone: great food, booths everywhere, soldiers and cops (the ladies are all kicking themselves now), a huge car show, flyovers, hundreds of Special Olympics athletes from throughout the Northeast, even a swimming pool. How hospitable were they? They asked if we wanted a little breakfast - they brought us 150 blueberry muffins and four dozen donuts. For the five of us. (No green m&m's!) I don't know how we finished that all, but we went out and played what was literally one of our most enjoyable performances ever. All it took was the enthusiasm of a young guy named Andy who was bold enough to come onstage to rock out with us, and it was on. Suddenly, the gauntlet had been thrown down, and a dance contest of never-before-seen proportions erupted - the Rhode Island team vs. Connecticut, the red team vs. the blue. It was an exhibit of pure, unbridled joy. Some of us need to be reminded to "dance like no one is watching." But we could never match the spirit of these amazing kids, dancing because everyone was watching.
KICK NEWS: Set Times and Additional Deets For Our Weekend Tripleheader
Wed, Aug. 19 2009
To the skillions of you who have been asking, we have some additional details about the weekend's shows. First: Friday night is the Clams and Cans block party on Allyn Street in Hartford, CT. This is also the Hartford Advocate's Band Slam, so there is a full roster of entertainment on two stages, one on each end of Allyn Street, featuring (in order of appearance) Frank & the Beans and DJ Gruv (starting at 5:30), followed by Jimmy Hat, Article 19, Big Floppy Disk, Bronze Radio Return, Mid Life Crisis, and Tip the Van. The KICK rockshow begins at 10:15 on the Ann Street Stage and Reel Big Fish starts at 11:00 on the Union Place Stage. One additional new development - at one point, we were going to be playing in the Black Bear Saloon that night if it rained, but due to the nature of the setup, that is unfortunately logistically unfeasible.
The next day, the Colwell's 3rd Annual Block Party begins at 1:00. Columbia Fields begins at 3:00, and we begin at 6:30. If you're in, RSVP by sending an email to rsvp@ourweekendparty.com or by calling 413.525.0825 or 860.883.9448. Rain won't necessarily cancel the event (unless it gets completely ridiculous), but money will be refunded if the party is canceled. Please be sure to check ourweekendparty.com on August 21 for any changes.
Our precise start time for Dream Ride 2009 is still up in the air for a very good reason: Governor M. Jodi Rell may be using the stage to speak a bit. But we do know this: Registration and continental breakfast begins at 9:00 a.m., the ride begins at 11:00 a.m., and it's a 40-mile ride. So the official afterparty (replete with us, prizes, the steak and chicken dinner, etc.) is slated to begin at approximately 11:30 a.m.
KICK with Reel Big Fish at Allyn Street Block Party 8.21! Colwell's Block Party 8.22! Special Olympics Dream Ride 8.23!
Mon, Aug. 10 2009
KICK NEWS: So we have a really cool run of interesting, out-of-the-box, unusual performances over the next few weeks and we strongly recommend you do yourself a favor and check one of them out (if not several). Next Friday (8.21), we will be playing the Allyn Street Block Party in Hartford, CT. This is the latest in their awesome series of block parties in which they close down the entire road and all the great clubs and restaurants along the street participate. A bunch of other Hartford Advocate Grand Band Slam winning bands will be there too, and best of all: Reel Big Fish has been added to the block party! Imagine! Reel Big Fish at an outdoor clambake extravaganza featuring 10 of the city's hottest bars. Agave, Pour House, Black Bear, The Palace, The Tavern Downtown, NV, Coach's, Pig's Eye Pub, One Eleven Lounge and Up or on The Rocks open their doors for an all out celebration topped off with a performance by one of the biggest ska-punk bands ever. The next day is a block party of a different sort: the 3rd Annual Colwell's Block Party, and you are invited! This could be the best $20 you spend all summer. The B’Shara’s Family Restaurant & Elite Caterers team will be fueling us for a very special rockshow that also features Columbia Fields at 3:00 p.m. (who will be dropping their new CD any day now) and DJ Niko to supply us with non-stop party jams. We tear in promptlyish at 6:30 p.m. Folks under 18 are free, but get on this now so the caterer can be given an approximate head count. As an added bonus for the 21+ crowd, draft beer is included in the price. Check ourweekendparty.com for deets, or R.S.V.P. by sending an email to rsvp@ourweekendparty.com or by calling 413.525.0825 or 860.883.9448. The next day, we have the tremendous honor of once again playing Dream Ride, Sunday afternoon at the Farmington Club in Farmington, CT. Since 2001, Dream Ride has been bringing people together on the open road to celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics Connecticut athletes. Each year thousands of motorcycle and car enthusiasts rev up their engines to honor this worthy cause. After nine years and over $800,000 in fundraising, Bozzuto’s Inc. and Hometown Foundation, Inc. are back as sponsors of Dream Ride. The 2009 event is more than a charity ride for motorcycles and a show for cars; it’s a gathering of people interested in camaraderie, helping out a good cause and having a great time. We hope you can join us for this incredible day. Check hometownwheels.com for more about this outstanding event.
TOUR DIARY - RockStar Date 08.06.09 - 08.07.09: So yeah, nothing messes up your awareness of which day of the week it is like a Thursday night show. They mess up your ability to get out of bed the next morning, too, but we sure weren't complaining. Fun and a preposterous amount of Dunkin hazelnut have a way of offsetting even the most painful sleep deprivation experiments. Actually, we played back-to-back Thursday night rockshows at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, last week and this week. And yeah, it sure is a great way to get a jump on the weekend, especially with Loverboy "warming up" the crowd with a surprisingly excellent-sounding set in the Wolf Den. The next night, we hit Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT for a show that felt like a hot summer Saturday night as the Yankees and Red Sox spent the night locked in a scoreless extra-inning marathon and we followed suit with a walkoff grand slam of our own.
TOUR DIARY: Rock & Roll Marauders
Mon, Aug. 3 2009
RockStar Date 07.30.09 - 08.02.09: Nothing like getting back from vaca gently. We returned from our various hiatuses (Hiata? Hiati?) to a schedule that screamed "Nap's over!" with all the subtlety of a psychotic drill instructor: Four shows in less than four days. ("I said rock, maggot!") The first was a surprisingly solid return to form at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, CT Thursday night, where we were reminded that rocking is just like riding a bike. Only way the heck more fun. We followed that with a ginormous rockfest at Rookies in Cromwell, CT before a really strong, really big, really loud crowd that featured a number of very welcome veteran KICK fan sightings (we missed you guys, too!) and then paid our first Saturday night visit to the Black Bear Saloon in the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, CT for a smaller yet every bit as colorful gang of characters (ever been in a mall when it's closed? Ever see Dawn of the Dead? It's wild!) And we were just starting to get all hepped up to hit the Pavilion Beach Club in our new Speedos the next morning, but alas the weather did not cooperate and the show was canceled. Perhaps that's for the best, a fourth show would have removed even more flesh from these pulp-like nubs I used to call fingertips. And we may be a couple situps away from being ready for those Speedos anyway.
TOUR DIARY: Notes From The Bungalow
Mon, Jul. 13 2009
RockStar Date 07.10.09 - 07.11.09: Well, the first leg of the KICK Endless SummerTour wrapped up after a doubleshot of rockshows, Friday night at Black Bear Saloon in Hartford, CT and a Saturday evening performance at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Both shows were very eminently enjoyable, and we relished the opportunity to meet the guys in Cheap Service with whom we shared the stage at JR's. And normally I'd use this forum to recount all sorts of memorable moments and do some shout outs. But alas, it's vacation time. So please excuse my mometary lapse of laziness. There is a mai tai with my name on it right across the pool and I'm logging off. Of course, I can never relax for long, so check back here periodically for news and updates, new pics, and updates including some upcoming shows and the updated KICK calendar through 2011.
TOUR DIARY: KICK Surprises Even Themselves With 4 Instant Classics
Mon, Jul. 6 2009
RockStar Date 07.01.09 - 07.05.09: Over the course of four 24-hour periods, KICK gave four radically disparate performances, seizing four opportunities to demonstrate the versatility that we have worked to make our hallmark. And what a blast! The onslaught began with an all-ages family municipal show and ended with depraved debauchery and a sea of exposed skin - with a casino show and black & white wedding in between. Several factors could have prevented the shows from happening at all. We spent most of Wednesday with fingers crossed, hoping the perpetually gloomy weather would at least allow for our performance at the Glastonbury Summer Music Festival at Welles Park, along the Connecticut River. Murphy's Law be darned, the rains held off. Then the skies cleared. Then it got outright nice. Heck, it was even hot for a while there. And surprisingly, folks came out to see us. Hundreds of them. Perhaps a couple thousand even. We often talk about how much we love playing for kids, and this group of young rockers did not disappoint (especially the adorable bunch in custom-made "Kick Rocks" Ts, who apparently had been practicing our songs for weeks so they could sing along). We'd like to thank Mary and the great folks at the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce for such a fun event. (Their Wednesday concert series continues through July.) The following night, we brought a significantly different show to a radically different venue - the decidedly less family-friendly (but insanely fun) Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, for a rollicking Thursday night show at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. Barely 12 hours and one Big & Rich sighting later, we were living a scene straight out of a TLC wedding show. We won't go into the behind-the-scenes drama and details, but long story short: It would be no understatement to say KICK saved the day. What's important is that the wedding at the Riverview in Simsbury, CT was absolutely beautiful. Congratulations Kerrie and Timothy! That leaves thePavilion Beach Club on Soundview Beach in Old Lyme, CT, Sunday afternoon. Now, every time I see a Pavilion show listed on our schedule, I pray for sun but expect rain. Miraculously, Mother Nature saved the best day of the entire year for the day of our big outdoor 4th of July weekend beach show. In a word, every single thing about the day and scenery was beautiful. We celebrated all of the above, as well as America's birthday, amid at least a couple ice cold Coors Lights and toasted to one the most memorable and enjoyable stretches of performances of the year. The first leg of the Endless SummerTour 2K9 wraps this weekend, after which we will take a break and come back tanned and rested to attack the rest of summer (with returns to the aforementioned Margaritaville and Pavilion). So begin making plans, folks. Summer is officially on.
TOUR DIARY: Motion By the Ocean
Sun, Jun. 28 2009
RockStar Date 06.27.09: So there I was, getting an early start on the trip to Paddy's, cruising with the top down, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin thinking, "Wow, it sure does feel good to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin again!" coupled with "Too bad it's most certainly raining at Misquamicut Beach (or it will be the moment I get there.)" Perhaps this summer has hardwired us all to be sunny weather naysayers. Well, to those sayers of "nay," I say "nay to you!" The beach couldn't have been more beautiful if it were made of sands of gold. Because that's exactly what it looked like - a big golden, sunny, perfect beach covered in sparkly things and lots of tan, giddy people (some more than others) who were more than happy to get too much sun and have too much fun. And it was beautiful. DJ Dave Christina set the pre-sunset vibe with a jaunty and reverent Michael Jackson tribute set on the patio. And KICK took care of the rest. It was our first visit (professionally) in over two years, so we were delighted to see so many old friends who had been looking forward to seeing us as much as we were of seeing them. And ah, the sun.
TOUR DIARY: Rain, Rain, Go Away
Sun, Jun. 21 2009
RockStar Date 06.19.09: OK, so now people are even sick of talking about how sick they are of this unusually crummy weather we're experienceing here in the Great Northeast. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm told, so fret not folks. I just can't see it for the life of me. So it was that we launched into combat against stir-craziness and all that is dank, damp, dismal, and depressing with an impossibly loose show Friday show at Murphy & Scarletti's. One of the nice things about Murphy's, among a thousand other things, is that it's a really fun stage to try some new stuff on, mash things together, and basically kick out the jams. The low stage makes it easy for fans to come up and get their inner karaoke on, which of course happened on a couple occasions throughout the night. It was a temporary farewell to Murph's, as we change our focus to the (presumably) warmer climes of the outdoor venues until fall. So to the folks there and our Farmington Valley contingent, we miss you already. Or better still, how about this: What say we not miss each other by making sure to see each other over the (again presumably) warm weather months?
TOUR DIARY: Mahalo
Sun, Jun. 14 2009
RockStar Date 06.12.09 - 06.13.09: Following arguably the lamest stretch of crummy June weather in memory and a torrential downpour that almost seemed to cruelly punctuate this spring's continual gray, cold gloominess, the skies miraculously parted two hours before Friday night's rockshow at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, setting an appropriate background for their Summer Luau. The place was packed to capacity with a colorful blend of gaudy Hawaiian wear and skin. Photos simply don't do justice to the sight of Kevin in a floral bra, a cowboy in a grass skirt, or Brian loooking like the Hawaiian Punch guy in his straw hat, but more visuals are viewable at their Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackbearsono/ sets/72157619613550281/show/ The following night, we returned for our second visit to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino where we ate like pirates, lost our shirts at poker, and learned that the huge warm reception of the first performance there was not a fluke. We're back there July 2, which is the day before the day off you get July 4th weekend, and we strongly encourage you to come down; you know you have been thinking about it, and you deserve it.
TOUR DIARY: This is How We Do It
Mon, Jun. 8 2009
RockStar Date 06.05.09 - 06.06.09: The Endless SummerTour 2K9 rolled into Cromwell, CT for a blazing three-set tear Friday night at Rookies and continued north for our only performance of the summer at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. It seemed like it was everyone's birthday this weekend. Most notably, it was Trish's birthday, a huge fan from Springfield, so we must pause to thank her for her tremendous support and adulation obver the years. Then again, we could and should also thank all the great folks at Geraldine's and Rookies who have been so kind to us over the years, letting us go berserker on their stages. So we will: Thank you!
TOUR DIARY: Paying Anything to Roll The Dice Just One More Time
Mon, Jun. 1 2009
RockStar Date 05.29.09 - 05.30.09: Well kids, vacation is over, now it's time for the real fun! We returned from our R&R excurions to points across the globe tanned, refreshed, and ready to get down to some of the other R&R: rock & friggin' roll. Not surprisingly, we were shot out of a cannon, with two huge, jamming, and jammed shows at two of the best clubs in Connecticut. We got our land legs back Friday night at The Black Bear Saloon in downtown Hartford with a ginormous hometown rockfest that kicked off our Endless SummerTour 2K9 in a way we've grown to expect from this awesome new venue. Invigorated and inspired, we were nonetheless entirely unprepared for the mayhem of the following night, where we launched our residency at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino. We're back there in just a few days, so if you missed it and are kicking yourself, sick of hearing how much fun it was, here's your chance to make up for it. Think of it this way: It's the one way you can go to a casino and guarantee you will win! Big love to all our new friends and fans there - the staffers, the patrons, and all the people who started the night with no idea who we were but left knowing exactly who we were. We look forward to the jambalaya, finding our lost shaker of salt, and tearing it up again June 13. Actually, in all the excitement, we should take a step back and note that in the interest of complete accuracy and enormous graititude that for our last show before vaca, we were honored to be asked to play a party for the third year running for the graduating class of Sacred Heart University, a truly fantastic group of young Americans who deserve our heartfelt congratulations. Good luck, kids, it's a jungle out there.
KICK NEWS: NEW PICS UP NOW! Check the newly updated Kick Pics section of KICKband.com as well as the MySpace and Facebook pages where we have added over 300 new shots. We'll be tidying up the KICKband.com KICK Pics section in the days to come, so check back often.
COME PARTY WITH KICK! And speaking of Rich in general, he happens to be throwing a huge party this summer with KICK and Columbia Fields performing. And this one is unlike all the other private events that we list on our calendar as "Private bender, you can't come, can't tell you where," because you're invited! For real! Bring your family and friends. It's the Colwell’s 3rd Annual Family Block Party, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 22 in East Longmeadow, MA. Check ourweekendparty.com for details.
KICK DVD! Yep, you heard right, we're doing up a DVD. And we'd love for you to be part of it. We'll be shooting still and video footage over the course of our next several shows and encourage you to 1. come be part of it and 2. send us some vid of your own. We're looking to intersperse some handheld/fan cam footage as well (because who knows how to capture fun better than you?) It may just end up in the finished product.
TOUR DIARY: Lights, Camera, Action!
Mon, May. 11 2009
RockStar Date 05.08.09 - 05.09.09: Here at Kamp KICK, we're still reeling from an intense run this past weekend, a doubleshot that bookmarked our "cool weather" string of shows and set the stage for an exciting new chapter to come. Friday, we checked in with our friends in Connecticut's Farmington River Valley at Murphy & Scarletti's, a venue that has outlived virtually every other in Hartford county (which, if you think for just a moment, says an awful lot about how good it is). And yes, as we've come to expect and so appreciate, Murphy's did not disappoint. Props to Kev's friend (whose name escapes me but I will add it once I know it) who sat in for a spirited tear through "Crazy B*tch." The following night, we began what will be an ongoing, ambitious, and extensive series of video shoots which will ultimately culminate in KICK's first-ever DVD. It was also time to begin taking new publicity shots, so we chose one of the most photo-friendly venues in America to get started: JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Thanks a mil, Rich for the great work. Photos from the evening will be added to the soon-to-be-revamped KICKband.com Kick Pics section, as well as all over MySpace and Facebook in the days to come. Because save for the Sacred Heart University Graduation rage this week, we're on vacation until the KICK Endless SummerTour 2K9 kicks off May 29 and 30 with a rip through Black Bear Saloon Hartford, CT and our debut at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT Saturday, 5/30. From there, summertime is on people, so go relax, go nuts, whatever - just go get ready, it's going to be the best one yet.
TOUR DIARY: Meeting People - The Original Social Networking
Sun, May. 3 2009
RockStar Date 04.30.09: So what it is, people? We just got back from a killer soundcheck at the casino and we're gassed to tear up Jimmy Buffet's this year (gosh, it's May somehow already, which means the engagement starts at the end of the month. Didn't we just ring in 2K9?) Actually, yeah, we kinda did. And we did it at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, which also happens to be where we played Friday night. It was great coming back (as always) to notice some nice little enhancements to the stage and kicking it with the friendliest barstaff, management, and security around. TJ from Vivid came by and sat in on a song. Oh and happy birthday to Mar, and to the unusually large number of other people who were also celebrating a birthday whose names escape us right now (unlike Mar, who would never let that happen!)
TOUR DIARY: The Dream Police, Da-na-na-na-na-na-na
Tue, Apr. 28 2009
RockStar Date 04.24.09 - 04.25.09: If there's one thing that makes you feel good about the future of the country, it's seeing the actual future of our country. Incarnate. The young men and women whose job will be to save the world, run the world, invent cures for things, and take care of us when we're old. And there they were - 2,000 strong, all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to change the world - in the arena at Fairflield University in Fairfield, CT Saturday night, celebrating the fact that they were about to enter the real world after four years (or so) of higher education. All I can say is this: Folks, we're in good hands. To the graduating class of 2009, thanks so much for your unbridled enthusiasm. These kids know a lot, including how to go basically berserk. We wish you all nothing but the best. It was actually a Fairfield County double play, we rocked the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT the night before, which was a great time as always, as well. Big ups to Scott from Darik & the Funbags for sitting in on "Boys of Summer." Needless to say, between our Scott and the Funbags' Scott, the Scott-related guitar pyrotechnics were truly mind-boggling.
TOUR DIARY: Double the Pleasure (Ditto the Fun)
Sun, Apr. 12 2009
RockStar Date 04.09.09 - 04.10.09: If you've never seen a wheelchair moshpit, you simply haven't seen basically the most harcore thing in the history of rock. We've seen a lot from our prime pit-view vantagepoint over the years, but when a bunch of guys from the Connecicut Spokebenders wheelchair basketball team decided to blow off some steam and take the lyrics to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" literally, the wild display of intense, heavy metal brutality and athleticism was truly a sight to behold. (Imagine murderball without the ball.) Ao it was Thursday night, at a benefit for an immensely worthy cause, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association's annual fundraiser, held at Murphy & Scarlettis in Farmington, CT. Exactly how we were so fortunate to be selected to perform at this event I frankly don't know, all I know is that we are still abuzz from the love and inspiration we felt from the unexpectedly huge weekday crowd. Unexpectedly again but quite pleasingly, we filled the place right back up all over again the following night for evening number two of our two-night stand there, and proceeded to tear it all right up, all over again. An extra special ultra mega mad props to those of you who came to both nights (some of whom prompted us to wonder if they had even left the club between shows). And a sincere "thank you" to Jeff and the folks at the Spinal Cord Injury Association. We encourage you to check them out at sciact.org and offer your support.
TOUR DIARY: Werewolf Drinks Pina Colada at Trader Vic's; His Hair: Perfect
Sun, Apr. 5 2009
RockStar Date 04.03.09 - 04.04.09: KICK completely and utterly blew the proverbial roof off the Black Bear Saloon - Milford in the Connecticut Post Mall Friday night before an overflow crowd of rock enthusiasts, club types, and shoppers who just didn't bother going home. The mix made for a particularly entertaining 360-degree entertainment experience. Unfortunately, the name escapes me of the guy from the Incubus tribute who sang with us for a song, but he was extremely cool, much like pretty much everyone else we met there. The following night, we paid our first-ever visit to Club Meadows in East Longmeadow, MA, and had a great time playing basically anything we or the crowd felt like hearing. After a brief respite, the KICK Rock & Roll Request Machine is back and chirping on all cylinders, so don't be shy with your suggestions.
TOUR DIARY: A Barrel Full of Monkeys
Sun, Mar. 29 2009
RockStar Date 03.27.09: Friday evening, on a somewhat balmy, almost spring-like March 27, in the year of our Lord 2009, the band KICK celebrated the birth of Scotty "Guitarzilla" Armstrong in a rock & roll revue onstage at The Red Door in Watertown, CT. (Happy birthday, Scott.) We received our first onstage "tweet," which, apparently, we are supposed to respond to, onstage, constantly and in real time, with some 140-word witticism like "KICK is busy rocking out right now!" If you don't know what that "tweeting" is, I'm kinda jealous actually. If you do, please bear with us, we're new to Twitter (not that anyone isn't, really, we're just learning to get used to it though). You, too, can let us know exactly what is on your mind right now by following us at "Kick Tunes."
TOUR DIARY: Spring, Sprung. And a Summer Tour Summary
Sun, Mar. 22 2009
RockStar Date 03.20.09 - 03.21.09: This entry goes out to a guy named Tom. Tom is an energetic, very cool 22-year-old kid who happened to be right up front at our Friday night show at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Tom rocks. Hard. Thank you, Tom for your contagious zeal, for reminding us how great it is that we get to play music for people, and for your unbridled enthusiasm. We had no choice but to feed off your energy and try to keep up. The resulting rockshow was one of out-of-body bliss, unencumbered joy, and that abandon you feel when you truly are dancing like no one is watching. Thanks Tom, and everyone, for a monumentally fun night out. We were literally still smiling the following evening, and picked up right where we left off with another riotous performance at Black Bear Saloon - Hartford. One again, the place was packed to the gills (exactly as it should be). Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate March madness (go UConn!) and the official KICKoff of spring 2K9 (oh, and happy birthday, Liz!) We're back at both venues in May, which, thinking about it, is a good segue into the following update. We have some pretty interesting shows coming up we'd like to bring to your attention, because it's never too soon to start planning your summer debauchery.
KICK'S GUIDE TO SUMMER 2K9: March - First of all, we're playing The Red Door in Watertown, CT Friday 3.27. At one time, it was slated for a different date, so I just want that to be crystal clear. OK.
April - The following weekend, we have two very recently added shows. That Friday (4.3) we have been invited back to Black Bear Saloon - Milford (woohoo!) in Milford, CT. That show is followed Saturday 4.4 with a debut at a new venue for us, Club Meadows in East Longmeadow, MA.
The following week, we play back-to-back shows at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT. Thursday 4.9, we play a very special benefit show for the Spinal Cord Injury Association and then again the following night (that's Good Friday). We'll be posting additional details about the benefit show on KICKband.com, soon.
May - We begin our residency at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville in the unparalleled Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, CT. (For those of you who may be wondering, yes, KICK rocking out at a casino is indeed the coolest thing ever.)
June - KICK hits the beach! Dude, Paddy's on Misquamciut Beach in Westerly, RI Saturday night 6.27. Need we say more? Also, check this very site in the weeks to come for a possible announcement involving KICK and a major PGA Tour golf event.
July - A lot of you have been asking if we'll be playing any shows you can bring the whole family to. The answer is a resounding "yes" (and please, do!) On Wednesday, July 1, we launch the Glastonbury Summer Music Festival at Riverfront Community Center in Glastonbury, CT. That sets up an amazing 4th of July weekend celebration that ends, again, with KICK at the beach, this time, at the (just confirmed!) Pavilion Beach Club in Old Lyme, CT, Sunday, July 5. Which, thinking about it, is another show kids can come to, they just will have to stay on the beach, behind the stage. (They will hear us, trust me.)
August - Once again, we are honored to be chosen to perform at Dream Ride a truly phenomenal and family-friendly event held to benefit the Special Olympics. That's Sunday, 8.23.
We may still be able to squeeze in stops at some of our other favorite outdoor and beach venues, so be sure to check the Tour Dates section often for updates. We're determined to make this the best summer ever, and we're going to need you there to make that happen.
TOUR DIARY: Luck of the Irish
Sun, Mar. 15 2009
RockStar Date 03.14.09: A day that will live in rock & roll infamy. KICK performed for another 100,000 people Saturday (over a half million if you count the folks who watched on Fox News) as part of one of the best and best-attended Hartford St. Patrick's Parades ever. God bless the fine folks at McKinnon's Irish Pub for thinking - as did we - that having KICK on the back of their float sounded like an awesome idea. There's something remarkably exciting about waking up the morning of a parade and knowing you're not only going to it, you are going to be in it. The excitement quadrupled as we boarded the rolling stage/dance floor/flatbed S.S. KICKBAND (a mighty, street-worthy vessel, she). Scotty was afforded the rare distinction of being served the first beer McKinnon's poured that day, at the princely hour of 9:00:01 a.m. It was certainly not the last they would pour (nor would it be the last we'd order). The unseasonably beautiful weather brought out an equally beautiful and diverse mix of parade-goers: some Irish, some clearly not, many just taking full advantage of an opportunity to (somewhat) legally carry an open container wandering through the city. In the morning. You guys rocked. We especially enjoyed playing for the waving families, particularly kids, many of whom may never have seen a real band before. One could argue they still haven't, but we sure had fun pretending. And if you can imagine what it feels like to launch into a Dropkick Murphys song in front of an Irish pub, you can imagine why we feel so very lucky indeed. Had the day ended there, it would have still ranked high among life's most rocking. But alas, there was more. A few corned beef sandwiches and a catnap later, we headed 30 miles north to West Springfield, MA to visit our friends at Geraldine's. Their T-shirts say "Good Things Start at the G," but today, the G was more like a comfortable, eminently happy ending; a nightcap among fine company. Few things are as reliable as a good time at Geraldine's, and this evening's performance was no exception. Kudos to Kevin for breaking a personal record for number of Joe Lee references he could sandwich into his lyrics. Kudos to Joe Lee for simply being there (and a serious big thanks to Mr. Lee for hooking us up with the lunch with Hinder and the Motley Crue tickets). Some 60 songs later, the day, like all good things, had to come to an end. I left what used to be my fingerprints in the strings of my guitar - it hurts just to tap these keys. But hey, I can still use them to count my lucky stars. T'was a day for the books. But then, it was just another day in our continuing tour of duty in the name of the rock, a tour that brings us back to JR's in Rhode Island and the Black Bear Saloon - Hartford this weekend. So may the road rise to meet your feet, Irish folk. And let's all help each other get through this week, k? We'll be there for you, waiting on the other side.
TOUR DIARY: Wizard Imps, Sweatsock Pimps, and Interstellar Mongrel Nymphs
Mon, Mar. 2 2009
RockStar Date 02.28.09: March officially came in like a lion roughly a third of the way through our Saturday evening performance at Maximum Capacity in downtown Chicopee, MA. Or was that just us, roaring through nearly two and a half hours straight of non-stop, tooth-bearing, ferocious rock & roll? A great new group (new to us anyway) named Mac Daddy launched the precedings with a really enjoyable primer set, inspiring us to tear in with a gusto that said "we came to play." Pete the sound guy (of Check Your Head fame) proved once again that he is very much the man when it comes to filling a room thick with noise, even sharing a harmony on "Don't Stop Beleivin'." We shot video of the evening in fact, so keep an eye out through the usual on line channels for a snippet or two, I may actually get motivated enough to edit a little highlight reel together. But alas, The Bachelor finale is on, so I'm out for now and then off for two weeks until the alarm clock rings the morning of March 14, beckoning me to brew a pot of Irish coffee to begin a day that starts with a rolling rockshow in the Hartford St. Patrick's Parade and ends with a return visit to South Central Mass. at Geraldine's in West Springfield.
TOUR DIARY: Slumdog Skillionaires
Mon, Feb. 23 2009
RockStar Date 02.20.09 - 02.21.09: How yin and yang. How alpha and omega. KICK spent the Friday of its birthday weekend at the club we've played more than any other (and if you're a frequent reader, you know where that is, if you're not, we'll spare you the "F" on this KICK kwiz: It's Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT,) of course. Within the first three chords, we were reminded why we've played there more than anywhere else: because it rocks more than anywhere else. Pure jam-packed mayhem from the get-go, and it didn't let up until we let it up. The next night, we countered that familiarity with a performance at the venue we've played fewer times than any other. Actually, it was tied at "0" with a lot of other places around the world. But no longer! That's because we came, we saw, we shopped, and we conquered the new Black Bear Saloon - Milford. In true Black Bear style, this one was absolutely magnificent as well. Just like we'd come to know and expect from this fine nightclub group, easily among the best in the country by any measure. OK, the only part we didn't expect was that it was, like, in a mall! The actual Connecticut Post Mall. Which made us keep thinking we were passing it. I mean what could be better: Cinnabons, Bath & Body Works, and KICK all under the same roof? It's almost improper.
TOUR DIARY: Party Like It's Our Birthday
Tue, Feb. 17 2009
RockStar Date 02.13.09: KICK took a run down I-95 last weekend for a pre-Valentine's Day lovefest at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. We gave love, we felt love, we loved it. But then, what's not to love about Fairfield County's most excellent club? It was all part of our big KICK's Birthday Celebration Thing, which is now underway and continues until we decide it's over. No, we're not telling you how old we are, after a certain age, it becomes inconsequential, right? Suffice to say, we're like 238 in band years, but will be partying like teenagers as we rock for the first time at Fairfield County's new OTHER Black Bear, the Black Bear Saloon - Milford this Saturday (this after a gig at the club we've played more than any other: Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT Friday. What say you come blow out some candles with us?
TOUR DIARY: Swimsuit Edition
Wed, Feb. 11 2009
RockStar Date 02.06.09: KICK brought our crusade against the winter blahs to Rookies in Cromwell, CT, for our second show there in just over a month (the last time was...anyone? New Year's Eve of course). As we did New Year's, we once again laid down two complete 90-minute rockshows, back to back with nary a breath in between. Take that, you $100-a-ticket arena rock bands! Keep those chins up, people, baseball starts soon and I actually saw grass the other day. Spring will be here before you know it.
TOUR DIARY: KICK Sees Its Shadow
Mon, Feb. 2 2009
RockStar Date 01.31.09: So it's February, and it's Groundhog Day, so you're probably basking in the company of family and loved ones, reveling in all the wonderment of the holiday. Or not. It's also Black History Month, which is nice. And it's the shortest month of the year, which is somewhat forgiving because it's also the coldest month and the only thing standing between us and the first month of spring. It's also the 50th anniversary of the storied "day the music died." Or the 30th, I guess it all depends on your taste in music. On this date in 1959, the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper went down. In 1979, Sid Vicious killed himself. Rock and roll, punk rock, and everywhere in between, so long as we're here, the music will never die. Whatever your sonic poison, it's February 2009 and it's KICK's birthday month and a time for pause as we recommit to our primary mission: To boldly rock where as band has rocked before. So drive your Chevy to the levy, Miss American Pie, we have some rocking to do. The KICK Karavan Winter Tour 2K9 pulled into our final stop of our "4 Dates in 4 States Tour" with a barnburner at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, punctuated by the world premiere of six new KICK soon-to-be classics, all selections that you, the KICK Army have specifically requested over the past few months. See, your vote really does count, and yes, we really do care about you. Once again, this year, we're back at Geraldine's after the Hartford St. Patty's Parade, so expect the unexpected.
TOUR DIARY: Let It Rock, Let It Rock, Let It Rock
Mon, Jan. 26 2009
RockStar Date 01.23.09: The KICK Karavan Winter Tour 2K9 pulled into Cranston, RI Saturday night for show number three of our "4 Dates in 4 States" rock & roll binge. The destination where we would host Kevin's birthday bender: JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse, a venue that literally improves every time we go there. I mean, first with the new bar area, then the new stage, then the video screens and the swell new monitors, this is a club that gets it. And it gives us a chance to stretch out and tear up a nice-sized platform in front of an always big and appreciative bunch of people who also, completely "get it." We came to get some and to give some. They got theirs, we got ours. It was the rock & roll equivalent of a thick juicy steak. And we got to see Identity Crisis again, who absolutely rock. We're back at JR's in a few weeks to bring in spring and celebrate St. Patty's Day. (It's really not as far away as it seems, folks!) Until then, come hear all the new tunes we've been working on this weekend at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, Saturday night.
TOUR DIARY: -22 Degrees of Separation
Tue, Jan. 20 2009
RockStar Date 01.15.09 - 01.16.09: Over the years, when warranted, I've incorporated mention of particularly noteworthy weather conditions. ("Boy, it sure was cold!") Hogwash! We've all been asked to make a presidential pledge and I pledge to never say "I'm cold" again. At least, not until the temps dip below the -22 degrees we were subjected to during our trip Thursday to Pickle Barrel Nightclub at Killington Mountain, VT. That's 22 degrees below 0. 54 degrees below freezing. Like, your saliva turns to ice, cold. It was so cold it was actually cool! Granted, the mountain was empty, and thus, so, relatively, was the venue. But hey, the nippiness inspired us to spend the entire night in perpetual motion. By the time we were done, we actually broke a sweat. All said, though, it was a great excuse to head north and kick it in a sweet A-frame house, where Kevin had a unique opportunity to show off his Survivorman skills, building a fire that would make Jack London proud. We'd like to thank the crew for having us, we're glad we could fill in on such short notice and come rock with you all. Perhaps we'll get to do it again (spring skiing anyone?!) But that was enough roughing it to hold us all winter. The next night, we got to bring it back home and very local for a killer return to Black Bear Saloon - Hartford. (Happy 21st, Caley!) This room just gets better and better with each visit - which is kinda scary, actually! We're back in just a few weeks to kick off spring (ahh...,) so don't miss it (and get there early!)
KICK Goes Skiing! Also: Tour Diary
Sat, Jan. 10 2009
RockStar Date 01.09.09: On Friday night, January 9, in the year of our Lord 2009, KICK played one of the most mind-blowing rock and roll performances in the history of Murphy and Scarletti's in Farmington, CT. That's basically all you need to know. If you were there, you know exactly what we're talking about. If you weren't, well, that stinks. We tried to warn you. We told you you would be missing out. Fortunately, you get a second chance to get your face melted when KICK returns to that legendary room on February 20. But first, this just in...
KICK NEWS FLASH: KICK is headed north this week to rage in the white stuff. KICK's long-awaited return to the Pickle Barrel at the foot of Killington Mountain, VT is set for Thursday night, January 15. To paraphrase the Beach Boys, we're waxing down our snowboards. We can't wait for June. Because there's no snow in June, it's here now. And man, they have a lot of it up there. I mean, it's snowing in my yard as I type this, so imagine what it's like in Vermont! It's going to be ill. Sick even. So here's the deal: Tell your boss you've been arrested or you're adopting a puppy or something and take Friday off and come up and rage with us! Party with KICK at the venue that is widely regarded as the #1 room among all ski resort destinations in America for live entertainment, cash a bit, wake up and hit the slopes. Or do like I probably will and wake up, fully intending to go shred, think about it a bit longer, and then go back to sleep! All KICK fans who make the trip and can actually prove they are KICK fans and not just locals who happened to read this will get a special treat. Just ask Micke the bass player.
TOUR DIARY: So Long, 2008
Sun, Jan. 4 2009
RockStar Date: 12.31.08 - 01.02.09 - Pulling in to the parking lot in front of Rookies in Cromwell, CT Wednesday night, several questions leapt to mind: Will this snow ever stop? Could it possibly be any colder? Do they even have power here? Will anyone actually show up? Nasty storms and the holiday had forced the closing of everything (and I mean everything) in the entire strip mall, and without the benefit of a happy hour lead in, we were half wondering if we'd be ringing in the new year alone. Brutal wind chills and single-digit temps be darned, Rookies is, after all, Rookies, and the joint filled in just beautifully and stayed that way all night long, brimming with exactly the kind of party people we like to rock with: the truly hardcore. We ram fed ourselves full of prime rib and crab, raised a glass of champagne, and proceeded to rock for a total of three solid hours. We'd like to thank everyone for bringing in the new year with us. Let's make it a humdinger. So then, some Friday night, strolling down a largely deserted Washington Street in South Norwalk, CT, we again wondered: is anyone going to be out tonight? Or is everyone broke, partied out, or both? Again, we horribly underestimated the lengths folks will go to rock, and the Black Bear Saloon filled up with a couple hundred characteristically heck-bent revelers who weren't even close to ending the party. We're nowhere near that point either, folks, in fact, we're just getting warmed up for what promises to be our best year yet. (Again!) So check the expanded show list and start planning your next dose of Kick. Heck, pick a few, the more the better.
Black Bear SoNo Show That Was Moved to Jan. 3 Has Been Moved to Jan 2!
Fri, Dec. 19 2008
SOUTH NORWALK, Conn. - The following is an addendum to a previous news item: The date of the rescheduled Black Bear - SoNo show in South Norwalk, CT has been moved to Friday, January 2, 2009 01/02/09.
In related news, we've also added another Black Bear date, this one for Saturday, February 21. Complicating matters a tad is that this is at neither the Black Bear in South Norwalk nor Hartford, but at a third, yet-to-be-conquered room, the new Black Bear Saloon - Milford in Milford, CT. Try keeping that straight.
KICK NEWS UPDATE
Thu, Dec. 11 2008
KICK is poised to make a major announcement soon. Stay tuned for details.
But most important: Enjoy the holiday season.
TOUR DIARY: Jingle Jam
Mon, Dec. 8 2008
RockStar Date 12.06.08 Christmas bells were ringing. (Somewhere, I'm sure.) Holiday lights flickered (i.e., the distractingly bright but aptly named "Bright Nights" display along I-91 on the way to Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA Saturday night). Heck, snow was falling. The real stuff. It looked and felt just like a cold December night because it was. And thusly, KICK came a'calling to our friends to the north, bearing a special treat: Sitting in on lead guitar was Tony from the legendary Degenerates. It was a unique pleasure to hear what the ungodly union of a KICK/Degenerates mashup might sound like. To Tony, thank you for helping the show go on. And to everyone else: A sincere happy holidays and best wishes as we wind down these final shows of 2K8. We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love, understanding, and support these past few difficult days and offer the same to our incredible legion of friends (especially those who attempted to catch our Murphy's show Friday, we will more than make it up to you, promise!) For now, I encourage everyone reading this and the nation as a whole to take a moment and try to relax this holiday season. If ever we should slow ourselves down a bit, take a little breather and remember what's really important in life and the world, it's now.
TOUR DIARY: Nothing Lasts Forever, Not Even Cold November Rain
Sun, Nov. 30 2008
RockStar Date 11.21.08 - 11.28.08 Is it just me or has the past week been a complete blur? I had to think about it: Where have we played? What has happened since last we checked in? What is "turducken" and why would anyone eat one? We knocked out four shows in three states this past week, playing to over a thousand tryptophan-addled, thankful celebrants from all over this great nation of ours. It began, um...oh yeah, at Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA where we played our second show there with the Dan Sand Band, a good bunch of dudes you should certainly check out. From there, it was up to Cranston, RI to JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse the following night where we just absolutely tore into that new stage like it was our 30th time and like it was our first time. Which, in a way, it was, to both. Thanksgiving is a special night. Jimmy Walker used to say "Dynomite." Thanksgiving Eve is a special night, too. So special that we renamed it Kicksgiving when we first played it, at Rookies in Cromwell, CT eight years ago. That made our Wednesday night performance there the 8th Annual Kicksgiving Rage, and yeah, it was special, raucous, mobbed, and way friggin' fun. Congratulations to the winners of our frozen T-shirt and pie-eating contests! Then we took a day off to give thanks, because hey, gratitude is cool, before springing right back at it with a particularly enjoyable stop in Watertown, CT where we got to party once again with our friends at The Red Door. We met a lot of new faces there and at each stop of this little four-night jaunt. For the kind words, the love, the support, and the very fact that we are able to do this with and for you all, we offer a heartfelt "thank you."
KICK NEWS:Big news coming up this week on a potential partnership between KICK and one of the biggest names in pop music (not to mention one of the biggest casinos in the world).
And hey, we're on Facebook. See if you can find us (hint: try kick tunes). More on that once we load the page up fully, but for now, come be one of our first friends. We'll be adding a fresh batch of dates for 2K9, so make it a point to check all the usual channels for more on where we'll be able to rock together over the next 13 months.
TOUR DIARY: Now You Know
Mon, Nov. 10 2008
RockStar Date 11.07.08 It appears a whole bunch of folk took us up on the offer to use our being there Friday night as an excuse to come check out the new Black Bear Saloon in Downtown Hartford. The place was jamming during load-in, packed to the proverbial gills, and we made sure it stayed that way right up until last call. The calendar read early November, but the collective body heat made it feel like a humid July night (you know the kind). Whatever Steve and Company are doing, they are doing it right and well, having successfully transplanted the Black Bear experience to Central Connecticut, and giving those of us who live and rock there a beautiful new reason to be thankful. Speaking of thanks, we're back in the area Thanksgiving Eve at Rookies, so email your requests and bring your friends.
TOUR BREAK: The Story of a Special Little Boy
Sat, Nov. 1 2008
Here at Kamp Kick, we'd like to take a break from our Halloween revelry to tell you about the little boy of a very special friend of the band. His name is Justin. He is one year old, and has been suffering from a seizure disorder since he was four months old. On 12/20/07, Justin was sent by Life Star to CCMC, and since that time has had numerous hospitalizations in attempts to manage his epilepsy. On 7/31/08, Justin was seen by a Pediatric Neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital who diagnosed him with an extremely rare and devastating form of infant epilepsy called Migrating Partial Epilepsy of Infancy. To date there are only 100 cases worldwide, therefore, very little is known about this form of epilepsy. Aside from seizures, Justin is significantly developmentally delayed. At this point, Justin’s medical insurance is denying his claims out-of-state, and the specialists are in Boston and Philadelphia. A price cannot be put on Justin medical care or his quality of life. Friends and family of Justin, his older sister Kailyn, and parent’s, Dave and Becky, have come together to plan a night of fun in support of Justin. The family has a long road ahead that will include medical expenses, and other incurred expenses due to his disability. There is going to be a Charity Dance Benefit to support Justin’s Journey on Saturday, November 15, 2008, at the Manchester Country Club. We should clarify, KICK will not be performing, but the coordinators are looking for donations for the event, gift cards, items for raffle prizes, etc. We know that there are many very generous people out there willing to donate for the cause.
Please join us in assisting this family through Justin’s Journey, and making this a special evening for the family, as well as assisting them in medical expenses that they will continue to incur.
The Planning Committee for Justin’s Journey
Contact: Jennie Reid (860) 872-3461
TOUR DIARY: Rock the Vote (Or Don't)
Tue, Oct. 28 2008
RockStar Date 10.23.08 - 10.24.08: Wow, now THAT's what I call a Rocktober: two shows every weekend (sometimes three) scattered all over the tri-state area. But like all good things, even this Rocktober 2k8 must come to an end. We put a big ol' exclamation point on the month at Rookies in Cromwell, CT Friday night tearing it up for the assembled faithful (and at least a half dozen Webcammers, you guys rock too! lol) Thanks to the always and increasingly lovely Dina from Lick for brightening up the stage with a characteristically fabulous sit-in performance. To our new friends and old, we're back at Rookies Thanksgiving Eve, so c'mon, don't overthink this. The following night, we paid our third visit to Geraldine's in five weeks, this time on one of the most miserable weather nights in recent memory. Nonetheless, after a slow, rain-soaked start, the faithful assembled and while they didn't help keep us dry, they certainly kept us warm. We'll be off on vandalism spree Halloween and playing a private party the following night, but we'll be back in Hartford before you know it, so don't eat apples with razor blades and we'll see you soon.
TOUR DIARY: Boston Cranston Overdrive
Mon, Oct. 20 2008
RockStar Date 10.17.08 - 10.18.08: It's like this and like that and that's the way it is. So, it's mid-October and the leaves are changing and stuff, actually, I think they're peaking (at what I have no idea, OH!) which was as good a reason as any to head deeper into New England and bring some positive karma to Boston during their World Series push as well as the Greater Providence area. Boston ripped. That place (Hennessy's) can be a logistical nightmare (have you ever tried to unload two tons of gear in downtown Boston on cobblestone roads?) but when you finally get everything up those long stairs, set up, and checked (or just set up) it sure is a blast. Boston music fans are a special breed. They always have been - supportive, very vocal, always up for a good time. That's why they have such a great history of legendary bands and why we have always considered it a distinct honor to rock the fine people of that great American city. (Speaking of which, did you know that the band Boston is actually from Boston!? What are the odds!?) Providence is a great city, too. Seriously! Great doesn't even begin to describe JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in nearby Cranston, RI. Wow. What a great time, as always. They moved a few things around since the last time we played there (five too-long months ago), all for the better. We met a really great band, too: our opening act and new faves Identity Crisis from Warwick. Great guys, great fun.
TOUR DIARY: Run Forrest Run!
Wed, Oct. 15 2008
RockStar Date 10.10.08 - 10.11.08: Last weekend, we did something we've done more often than anything else and something we've never done at all: Friday night, we played Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT (a fine venue we've rocked more often than any other). And if we may be so bold, we think we rocked it quite well. That place somehow just keeps getting better. The next morning, we scraped the crud out of our eyes, laced up, and hit the Hartford Marathon. To clarify: we performed at The Bushnell Park Stage at mile 26.5 of the ING Hartford Marathon. There, we saw tens of thousands of people cut from a very different cloth than us, folks who run in very different circles than ours, probably because they are always out running. But it was a very impressive event to behold, perhaps even better when you don't have to run. Conratulations to all the athletes, you are an inspiration. Some day, we're going to do that. Someday.
TOUR DIARY: Three the Hard Way
Tue, Oct. 7 2008
RockStar Date 10.03.08 - 10.05.08: We've played some pretty hardcore tripleheaders over the years, but never one quite like last weekend's - a three-fer so grueling I'm only now able to type about it. It all ended at five minutes to 2:00 a.m. Monday morning where we were honored to close out an extremely touching tribute performance to Teala Ludowic that featured outstanding sets by bands such as Pandemonium, Aquanett, Brass Attack, and so many others at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. This will most likely become an annual event, so if you missed it, please don't make that mistake again. So, yeah, that was Monday morning, which is hard enough to wake up for anyway (if the sleep deprivation was for anyone but Teala, it would have hurt quite a bit more), and some of us have day jobs, so yeah, that alarm clock seemed to ring awfully quickly. Especially because this followed a barnburner some 100 miles away at The Black Bear in South Norwalk, CT, one of our perennial favorite venues and - what do you know - once again packed with hundreds of the state's most enthusiastic party people. The only thing about them: they don't care about baseball that far downstate anymore. Up here, that's become a different story, and competing with the Red Sox in Chicopee, Massachusetts is a tough exercise, as we were reminded during our Friday show at Maximum Capacity where we headlined a three-band bill that also featured the Dan Sand Band and Strange Brew, two bands we never got to see but are glad we did. So yeah, this was one big rock weekend. Speaking of weekends, just a few short days from now, we get to do it again. And man, we can't wait.
Teala Tribute Sunday Night
Sun, Oct. 5 2008
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - A quick reminder that's probably entirely unnecessary because chances are, like us, you've been thinking about it all day: Sunday night is a special tribute to Teala at Geraldine's (where else?), featuring a mega lineup of bands to include Aquanett, Kick, Brass Attack, Pandemonium, Richie Sky Blues Band, Disco DynoMyte Review, Maxx Tone and more. The celebration starts at 6:00 p.m. so get there early. Impossibly, all of this entertainment is free, there is no cover charge!
KICK To Participate in Hartford Marathon 10/11!
Wed, Oct. 1 2008
KICK NEWS: KICK will be participating in the 15th Annual Hartford Marathon on Saturday, October 11. Really! (We were, like, going to run it, but they asked us to play, so we figured we'd do that instead.) We will be playing the big Bushnell Park Stage at mile 26.5, which is .3 of a mile further than you actually have to run, so save up some energy so you can get over there. We start at 11:00 and play until 1:00 (so run fast!) Swing by, rock out, and carbo-load the fun way with us. Check hartfordmarathon.com for deets or to enter (as if!)
OTHER BANDS' NEWS: This, we found to be a tremendous development we wanted to share with our fans, exerpted from the nation's foremost authority on news, The Onion: Members Of Twisted Sister Now Willing To Take It
NEW YORK—In a stunning reversal of their long-stated reluctance to take it, members of heavy-metal band Twisted Sister announced Monday that, after 24 years of fervent refusal, they are now willing to take it. "I acknowledge that we promised not to take it anymore, but things change. The world is a different place today, and with that in mind, we would like to go on record as saying that, starting right now, we are going to take it," read a statement released by the band's lead singer, Dee Snider. "To clarify, we would still prefer not to take it, but as of now, taking it is an option that we would be open to. That is all." Bassist Mark "the Animal" Mendoza also stated that, in regards to what he wants to do with his life, he no longer solely wants to rock, but would instead prefer doing other things, such as raising a family and working as a claims adjuster in Rye, NY.
TOUR DIARY: Like the Brothers You Never Had
Mon, Sep. 22 2008
RockStar Date 09.19.08: KICK brought the noise to the Central Connecticut Valley Friday night (along with a great bean casserole!) at the unspeakably righteous rock club/sports bar that is Rookies. What better way to celebrate the eve of the autumnal equinox, which of course means "equal night and day" which means fall is here, which also means there is 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark, exactly, which means the sun is directly over the equator? I mean, what better way to do all those things than to ram-feed yourself full of Rookies' 911-hot chicken wings, belly up to the dance floor, polish off a cold Coors Light with the blue mountain on the label to prove it, strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, and watch Kick tear into two sets of the most wildly diverse music you'll ever hear in one band's repertoire? Is this entire write-up going to be made up of rhetorical questions? Who wants to know? What's it to you? Do you really care? Are you going to miss us while we're off for two weeks, prepping for a hitherto unprecedented tripleheader in early October? Will you be there? Why wouldn't you be? Can you handle it?
TOUR DIARY: Kick Endorses This Message
Mon, Sep. 15 2008
RockStar Date 09.12.08 - 09.13.08: Certain shows are like comfort food. You just feel good enjoying them. They feel right. There's a love in the room; a relaxed, casual vibe; a groove that facilitates rock & roll zeal and enthusiastic release, all in the right ways. That's the way we always seem to feel at the two venues we visited this weekend, and yeppers, it was the auditory equivalent of a big plate of mom's meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. Mmm. Macaroni and cheese. Those two venues, in chronological order were Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT Friday night and Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA Saturday. And as always, the performances were rife with equal parts levity, mayhem, rage, and joy. There proved to be a bounty of good cheer in the air. You could almost taste it. It tasted like...victory. And chicken. Which is another good comfort food: chicken nuggets. Which reminds me, I should eat something. See you next Friday at Rookies. They have great chicken fingers there.
KICK NEWS: Be on the lookout in the weeks to come for a special announcement about two special recently added Kick shows in the month of October (or just check right here, it's easier). One: an all-star memorial show for Teala (beloved staffer at Geraldine's, the venue that will be hosting the event). The other: KICK's very first marathon (as performers anyway).
TOUR DIARY: Scotty Jams First, Nano Second
Mon, Sep. 8 2008
RockStar Date 09.05.08 - 09.06.08: Those of you wondering who that dark, mysterious stranger was to Micke's left at Saturday's KICK performance are not alone. Heck, Micke wasn't so sure, all he knew is that this guy sure did set the microphone high. And that his name was Nano (yes, like the iPod, a fact Micke never got tired of noting). But alas, with Scotty having been unexpectedly hospitalized just hours earlier (he's doing quite well, thanks for your concern), the show simply had to go on. This despite tornadoes 45 miles to the west and an unrelenting record six inches of Hurricane Hanna-inspired rainfall. After all, this was the opening weekend of the Black Bear Saloon Hartford. And having been honored to be asked to help christen the new venue, there was no way we weren't going to be throwing down for whomever ended up being brave enough to brave the elements. As it turns out, there ended up being way more brave people braving than one might expect. The verdict on Hartford's newest venue: Wow! They somehow managed to do exactly what we'd quietly hoped: they managed to flawlessly transplant the same vibe that makes their South Norwalk location feel so homey. From the moment we loaded in, it was like an unwarranted deja vu. Setting up in front of the big glass window, it immediately actually felt like a Black Bear show. Kudos, particularly to Big Steve who no doubt played huge a role in the aforementioned successful transplant and who we expect will most certainly achieve tremendous success with this new jewel in the proverbial Hartford nightlife crown (in the spot that once housed Jim Calhoun's Coach's, for the record). That was the big news of the weekend. Comparatively speaking, Friday's show at The Red Door in Watertown, CT was a typical butt-kicking KICK trouncing, replete with an outstanding crowd of rowdies and 150 minutes of ultrarawk. And that's exactly how we like it. That stage is quickly emerging as one of our local favorites. While we're thanking, thanks also to the great staff and peeps who help give that venue a feel that's truly all its own.
TOUR DIARY: Su-um-mer Nights
Tue, Sep. 2 2008
RockStar Date 08.29.08 - 08.30.08: From the "better late than never" file: KICK finally squeezes in a visit to 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT Friday night. Long a favorite in the KICK rotation, this riverfront gem again proved a fine outlet for a Labor Day weekend kickoff. We're loving the new stage and tiki motif, and we're hearing rumors that the new owners are considering taking the concept even further (a notion that exites us greatly). Speaking of "excited" and "great," we got really excited Saturday night and played a great show at The Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. Now, it's important to note that this Saturday night, folks who are sick of hearing about how wonderful the Black Bear is but haven't yet found out for themselves will have a new, perhaps closer opportunity to do so when KICK christens the Black Bear Saloon - Hartford on Saturday, September 6. We're excited. It's going to be great. If you can't make that, we'll be tearing up the Red Door Friday night. If you can't make either, well that stinks. And if you can make them both, you get a special prize. (We'll figure something out.)
TOUR DIARY: Afternoon Delights
Mon, Aug. 25 2008
Well that was different. For the first time, KICK played a doubleheader entirely in sunlight. It was weird, man. It was like, wicked bright and all that. The sun was out, and so were we (outside, that is), and it was hot and sunny and it was just weird! (But it was nice!) The weather did us a huge favor and hovered right at the 80-degree mark the entire time, which made for two of the most glorious late-August-type afternoons you'd ever want to see. And yeah, it was nice to come out of the dark. The weekend began Saturday afternoon with our second visit to Johnny's Atlantic Beach Club in Middletown, RI. Newport Beach was abuzz, wonderful, and absolutely fabulous - much like the crowd, much like the show itself. Hundreds of KICK faithful turned out to get some last-gasp rays, some final glimpses of the surf and sand, and a few of those red, white, and blue fru-fru drinks they make. The next day, we played one of the biggest motorcycle and classic car rallys in the country (and certainly one of the coolest): Dream Ride 2008. Put on by the fantsatic folks at Bozzuto's, this was a truly amazing, top-notch event, raising over $100,000 for Special Olympics. We'd like to thank everyone involved for the opportunity to perform for the attendees, staff, and especially the athletes who received their medals beneath the Olympic torch at stage left. Micke would like to thank everyone for their empathy and encouragement as he rocked forth, grinning and bearing it through migraines, heat, and agony, scant hours removed from some relatively minor (and, thankfully, successful) surgery. He promises to make up for it and be 110% this weekend at the weekend's two Labor Day celebrations: 125 Riverside Drive Friday and Black Bear in South Norwalk, CT Saturday.
KICK to Perform Aug. 24 at Dream Ride
Sun, Aug. 17 2008
FARMINGTON, Conn. - KICK has been afforded the tremendous honor of being asked to perform at Dream Ride 2008.
Needless to say, we said, "Definitely!"
Since 2001, Dream Ride has been bringing people together on the open road to celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics Connecticut athletes. Each year thousands of motorcycle and car enthusiasts rev up their engines for a ride through scenic Connecticut to the lovelly Farmington Club. There, everyone enjoys an amazing day of fun, food, music, motors and inspiration.
After seven years and over $740,000 in fundraising, Bozzuto’s Inc. and Hometown Foundation, Inc. are back to spnsor the 2008 event. Organizers stress that this is more than a charity ride for motorcycles and a show for cars, it’s a gathering of people interested in camaraderie, helping out a good cause and having a great time.
9 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
11 a.m. Departure for a 40-mile scenic ride.
1 p.m. Party - Return of the Dream Ride and arrival of satellite locations, live music, delicious steak and chicken dinner, prizes, and an unforgettable time. KICK will be performing as will a band called On Call.
The fist 500 registered will receive an official Dream Ride T-shirt and pin set. Minimum donation is $30 Driver/$20 Passenger. For more info or to pre-register contact Chrissa Caramia at 203.250.5660 or pre-register online.
Scotty Weds Kylie!
Sun, Aug. 10 2008
MYSTIC, Conn. - In what can only be considered one of the most extreme instances of "marrying up" in recent memory, Scott Robinson Armstrong, famed lead axeman for the Connecticut-based rock combo KICK, managed to get the lovely Kiley Shana Mielczarek to marry him Saturday evening, August 9, in an unspeakably beautiful ceremony at the Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Conn. The rest of the band KICK served as attendants in the groom's wedding party. Additional photo evidence of the nuptials will follow right here, so check back often throughout the week. The editorial staff of KICKband.com would like to extend a most heartfelt "best wishes" to Scotty & Kiley.
TOUR DIARY: Off to the Chapel
Mon, Aug. 4 2008
RockStar Date 08.01.08 - 08.02.08: Hey, KICK is on vacation, and that means even a vacation from writing these tour logs, so this one will be brief: Friday we played Rookies in Cromwell, CT. It was fun! The next night, we went to Boston, MA and played at Hennessy's. That was wicked fun! Now, we're in special secret undisclosed locations. (I think I just saw Dick Cheney, THAT'S how secret this place is!) Soon, we'll be reporting from Scotty's wedding. We'll post some pics, fret you not. And we'll also be posting details on Dream Ride 2008, the special Special Olympics event we're playing at the end of the month. But for now, enjoy your summer, I'm off to share a mai tai with the vice president.
TOUR DIARY: King Pins
Tue, Jul. 22 2008
RockStar Date 07.18.08: In what could easily be the most surreal KICK performance in recent memory, the band performed on a stage in the middle of a bowling alley in Bristol, CT. Not like, in the middle on the side, I mean like back between the pins and the ball returns in the middle, over four lanes, in the middle, while people bowled all around us and the "rock & bowl" lights blared. I had always thought you couldn't walk on bowling lanes with anything but bowling shoes, but that was apparently revealed to be a myth when we wheeled in three tons of gear, bedecked in very un-regulation footwear. The place was the City Sports Cafe and the event was a special live luau with 106.9 WCCC, so hey, of course we said "yes." And ironically, people actually danced during our tight hour-long set. At a bowling alley. (A scene Micke couldn't stop comparing to similar scenes from the show "Happy Days.") It was eye-opening to experience life from a bowling pin's perspective, with rows of people huffing 16 lb. balls at you. We were inclined to show off our own ball-huffing prowess, but alas, we had another show to do, a real one at Red Door in Watertown, CT. This was a good time. It was unspeakably hot out, and we did all we could to make it even hotter inside. But then came the bummer part: The next night, we were unfortunately canceled from our expected performance at Geraldine's. Please note that this was due to a scheduling conflict between the venue and booking agency. KICK did not cancel the show. In fact, KICK doesn't cancel shows. KICK has played the day their children were born. KICK has played with broken feet. KICK has driven six hours when their flights were canceled to make shows. KICK hasn't canceled a show for a KICK-related reason in over four years (when we missed a pre-UConn Husky football game show when Kev was in the emergency room, an absolutely excused absence). So please know, we want nothing more than to rock you and apologize for any inconveniences caused by external elements out of our control.
TOUR DIARY: Enter Sand, Man
Mon, Jul. 14 2008
RockStar Date 07.11.08 - 07.13.08: It would be painful if it didn't feel so good. Then again, what was supposed to be three shows over three days became two with a break in between, so we're really just sore from a perfect day in the sun on a perfect Sunday afternoon in perfect company. Can I say "perfect" any more? Probably not! But come on, 85 degrees, little puffy clouds here and there, and hundreds upon hundreds of lovely beach people, gathered to keep themselves creatively hydrated and rock out with us at the Pavilion Beach Club on the sands of Soundview Beach in Old Lyme, CT"? What part of "perfect" don't you understand? Among the luminaries sitting in were representatives from Explicit, Jimmy Hat, Vivid, and that guy who sang "She Hates Me" who turned out to be surprisingly good. For Micke and Brian at least, this is the one show we look forward to all year, and this year's was unusually enjoyable. I mean, hey, no one got towed! Kevin didn't lose his pants! Saturday night's show was canceled by the venue late Friday, as you've hopefully read by now (VERY hopefully if you were going to attend, we apologize for any inconvenience), which brings us to Friday night's tear through Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT. Once again, we were blown away by how many people came to hang indoors with us on such a perfect summer night, so yeah, big bonus on top of the original bonus of being there in the first place. We, and a compendium of "oh my God, no way, you're here!?!?" types partied like it was 1999. Literally in some cases! Congrats on your impending nuptials (you know who you are). And thanks everyone for doing it and doing it again.
KICK NEWS FLASH: Lou-au's Show Canceled! Save it up for Sunday at Pavilion Beach Club!
Sat, Jul. 12 2008
EXTRA!!! This Just In!!!: Tomorrow's show scheduled for New London has just been canceled by the venue (sorry folks, we really were looking forward to rocking with you all). Instead, save it up for the Sunday afternoon throwdown at The Pavilion Beach Club in Old Lyme, CT.
TOUR DIARY: Boys and Girls of America, Let's Rock!
Mon, Jul. 7 2008
RockStar Date 07.04.08 - 07.05.08: The weather didn't look at all promising. Leaving Connecticut Friday morning with three iffy-at-best days of clouds and rain in the forecast did not bode well for our Independence Day jaunt to Lake George, NY. But, alas, the Adirondack Mountains have very little in common with Southern New England, and even less in common, as it turned out, when the topic of compare and contrast is weather patterns. So while we would have doomed ourselves to a tripleheader of gray skies had we kept it local, we lucked out in grand style with three consecutive slam dunk days of perfect summer sun and bliss. I'm only saying this because, come on, how often does it happen that you luck out like that and the place you're going actually has better weather?! The big yellow ball in ths sky created the perfect backdrop for not one but two big rock & roll sessions at the now-legendary King Neptune's, home of some of the wildest, craziest, and, yes, silliest Kick shows ever. Friday's post-fireworks performance fell largely in the latter category, the pure elation of the holiday and just being up there with our old friends proved simply intoxicating. Someone said beer can do that too, but we think it was the pure joy and adrenaline, thus it was that we loosened up the rock shoes and began busting out heavy metal chestnuts and songs we'd never attempted before, just because. Thanks to all of the familiar faces, too numerous to mention, who came by to party with us. Saturday's show was a comparatively no-nonsense affair heavy on tight, thick, floor-shaking dance music. Again, just because. Is it too soon to start looking forward to next year, in hope that we may be able to do it again? We say "nay." Long live the King.
TOUR DIARY: Subpoenaed in Texas, Sequestered in Memphis
Mon, Jun. 30 2008
RockStar Date 06.28.08 - 06.29.08: The first full weekend of summer brought two quintessential hot summer nights of rock & roll, first at the Rock the Block party on Allyn Street in Hartford, CT Friday, and then at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. Friday's show was a late rescheduling of our originally slated show at 125 Riverside (our apologies for any inconvenience). Apparently, both venues are owned by the same organization, and they figured we could raise more heck out on the streets of Hartford. Heck was indeed raised, with excellent sets by Driven and Blonde Soul on stages throughout the area priming a crowd that grew continually into the night. I mean, come on: Drinking outdoors + food tents + girls in dunk tanks = Good, good stuff. The next night, a much wilder than even we could have anticipated crowd greeted us at the Bear on another absolutely perfect, balmy late June eve. That place is emerging as one of the most consistently enjoyable on our roster and while we sure aren't about to wish summer away, we can't wait for September to begin what we hope is a lengthy relationship with their soon-to-be-opened Hartford outpost. But alas, summer is just hitting its stride, and this weekend we celebrate the ultimate summer holiday: the 4th of July, with a Friday/Saturday doubleheader of fireworks and Kick at King Neptune's in Lake George, NY. Please do yourself a favor: make every effort to get up there. If not for yourself, do it for your country.
TOUR DIARY: Boys of Summer
Mon, Jun. 23 2008
RockStar Date 06.21.08... It was the shortest night of the year, so we had to get right to it and make it count. The key consolation: it was also the fist day of summer (and a beautiful sunny one). And while that typically means people stay home and barbecue or visit outdoor venues, we really couldn't believe that goshdarnit, Geraldine's was still archetypical Geraldine's: a nice big, loud crowd of all types. Hands-down highpoint of the night: being blessed with the onstage presence of the legendary Richie Sky sitting in on a song for (somehow) the first time. Happy birthday to bouncer Dan, best of luck Mandee. We had so much fun that we're doing it again, soon. We'll actually be back in just a few short weeks on the evening of July 19.
125 Riverside Show Moved to The Pour House Block Party!
Sat, Jun. 21 2008
EXTRA!!! This Just In!!!: Next Friday's show, originally scheduled for 125 Riverside Drive, has been moved. Instead, KICK will be playing the Pour House Block Party on Allyn Street in downtown Hartford. An added plus: The show will be rain or shine. If it's nice, we play outside. If it rains, we play on the top floor of Hartford's hottest club: The Palace. So either way, we're rocking, and you win. The show starts at 10:00.
TOUR DIARY: GNO
Mon, Jun. 16 2008
RockStar Date 06.13.08... Let's get one thing straight right off - rule number one: What happens at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino should most definitely probably stay there. Just as you don't talk about Fight Club, it's really none of our floormates' business what that donkey was doing in our suite, all that matters is that Scotty is getting married and that's all the excuse we need to make yet another excuse to party like rockstars. I mean, is there any other way? With Alan from Zoom in charge of festivities, there really was no chance Scotty's last gasp would be anything but magnificent. And so it was, Saturday night - eating like pirates, gambling like really lousy gamblers, rocking out with one of the best Rolling Stones tribute bands ever (and still managing to drink Keith Richards under the table). All of which was quite impressive since we were a bit low on sleep from the night before, which was spent debuting at The Crazy Horse in West Bridgewater, MA. That's a really neat place, good chow, a cool patio, a full-blown family arcade and a good-sized stage - all the better for us to rock on. Sorry to our vanload of fans who got kicked out, thanks for coming anyway! And thanks Lindsey, just for being Lindsey.
TOUR DIARY: Summertime. And the Living is Easy.
Tue, Jun. 10 2008
RockStar Date 06.06.08 - 06.08.08 It's hot out there kids. Just like that, Mother Nature seems to have sorta woken up and said, "Whoa, I forgot to turn on the summertime!" She's making up for lost time, particularly Sunday afternoon, bestowing us with our second consecutive year of 95-plus degree weather when we play outdoors at Atlantic Beach Club in Newport, RI. But we ain't complaining. It was actually a bit cooler and breezier than points north and remarkably pleasant, so remember when we return in August: it's not really too hot to go to the beach, it's too hot not to. Hot was a constant theme, people were saying it a lot, although probably more in regard to their opinions of the hundreds of attendees. All said, everything about the day was just beautiful. Friday, we got to visit our friends at Rookies in Cromwell, CT. We'd like to thank everyone who forewent the prime barbecue weather and made it through the DUI spotcheck up the street to spend their evenings with us. Interestingly, we're back there for our annual two-night residency, Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1, where we will be busting out all sorts of fun. Put it on your calendars now.
TOUR DIARY: Party Like a Cover Band
Mon, Jun. 2 2008
RockStar Date 05.30.08 - 05.31.08 The month of May marks the anniversary of the first KICK show, and we've had enough anniversaries at this point that we don't celebrate them anymore, so long story short: we've played more than a few gigs (nearly 1,000 at last count) and at this point have seen just about everything. All of which makes our utter amazement over Friday night's Hartfordpalooza festivities all the more utterly amazing. Impossibly, we hadn't played our hometown of Hartford in nearly three years, yet it proved to be one of the most enjoyable shows we've played in years. First, the weather: blue-skied perfection. Second, the setting: perched on a festival stage in front of Union Station in downtown Hartford, beer tents lining the street between sponsoring venues Up Or On the Rocks and Pig's Eye Pub. A well-earned late spring Friday happy hour. Ahhh. As the only cover band and first act on a bill made up of modern rock legends Filter as well as the truly ill Red and one of our local faves, Livintrust, we went in expecting little more than free beer, a largely empty street, and - if all else failed after our three-week layoff - a chance to catch some great bands. The fact that everything went and felt just so right, and that we were treated like true rock royalty by absolutely everyone involved with the event, was truly an unexpected and tremendously appreciated bonus. The folks at 106.9 WCCC, the Up Or On the Rocks and event staff, the bands themselves, the staging and sound crews, the roadies - top-notch, professional and second-to-none, all of them. We hit the stage at 7:00 sharp, tearing through a blistering barrage of high-octane rock faves through one of the sickest PAs in the business. And whattayaknow? People loved it! For Kick, there's nothing like having some room onstage to rage, so we were like five very happy pigs in mud with all that prowling space. As much fun as it was to play rock god during the show, this writer's favorite part was when our work was done, when we could decompress and enjoy the impending performances with a celebratory shot, and watch professional roadies tear down our gear and rush it to our cars. I mean, THAT'S living! Livintrust were unreal, I don't think anyone was ready for how good Red was, and Richard Patrick and Filter held absolutely nothing back in their very, very hot performance. We can only hope that this event will someday be referred to as "The 1st Annual" Hartfordpalooza. Video and tons of photos to follow here and on MySpace. To everyone involved, especially our fellow musicians, we thank you for a truly memorable experience. It was only fitting that this show mark the beginning of a "Four Shows in Four States" summertime kickoff tour. Saturday night, we began said tour in Albany, New York, playing there for the first time in over a year (state capitals, extended absences, coincidence?) in a return to the Bayou Cafe. Not only does this place have one of the best beer selections anywhere, but my God, their Cajun-spiced steak and chicken burrito is worth the trip alone. But I digress (I'm hungry). The Bayou is right in the heart of downtown, a really cool old-school four-roomed storefront cafe. The crowd was marvelous, with a surprising number of familiar faces. The best thing about New York clubs can also be the worst thing, depending on your perspective: but as good as a 4:00 a.m. closing time sounds on certain nights, it can sometimes have a painful effect as well. Simply put, we had a ton of fun, but Sunday got here too soon. The Kick whirlwind rock & roll geography test next hits Connecticut and Rhode Island, as in Rookies in Cromwell Friday and the sandy shores of Atlantic Beach Club in Newport Sunday afternoon before our debut at Charlie Horse in West Bridgewater, MA the following weekend.
TOUR DIARY: Mercy Mercy Me
Tue, May. 13 2008
RockStar Date 05.09.08 - 05.10.08 This weekend, KICK commemorated the anniversary of our first show by playing two of our favorite clubs on earth: Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT and JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. It was a study in contrasts: the smallest stage we play followed by one of the biggest, which made for two very different shows. Friday's was a fun, lighthearted, in-your-face affair among our somehow-still-growing roster of new friends in the Farmington Valley (so great to meet you all, and happy birthday to every one of you, there were so many). Saturday's was an exercise in over-the-top, massive, raw brutality in one of the most rocking cities in the United States. We've come to expect nothing less from our peeps to the East. Congratulations to all the moms and the bachelorette/moms-to-be - once those party buses pull up, it is so on! At the risk of sounding all hippie, thanks everyone for all the positive energy you shared throughout the weekend. We definitely feed off it and try to give it back tenfold. Next up was a very special private affair midweek for the great Sacred Heart University Class of 2008 (best of luck tpo all of you) before a little pre-summer break and gearing up for our first Hartford show in almost three years at the Pig's Eye/Up Or On the Rocks Block Party with Filter and a jaunt back up to Albany, NY's The Bayou. See you in summer, kids. Happy Memorial Day!
TOUR DIARY: Do They Really Have to Kill Injured Horses? And Immediately?
Sun, May. 4 2008
RockStar Date 05.03.08 "Good Times Start at the G" read the red and black T-shirts worn by the staff of the "G," which, for those of you who for whatever reason haven't made your way to the best club in Springfield, MA in a while, is the venerable Geraldine's, a regional rock & roll icon if ever there was one, now reimagined in a somewhat hipper, more spacious, and very well done new form. Good times did indeed begin at the G spot Saturday night. In fact, I frankly can't remember the last time we laughed so hard or so often onstage. Thanks to a loose "among friends" vibe and the extremely easy-to-rock-on stage, Kick dove headfirst into a classic yet entirely different assault at the G. (I'm liking that, "the G.") Gee. Great crowd as always, nice and loud, more new faces than we're used to there, which was great. It's always fun to meet new folks, especially when they offer such positive feedback on the show with that almost surprised tone: "Wow, you guys were really good!" they say incredulously. Well thanks, we try (like heck). A great time, just pure fun; we had even more fun than it looked like we were, except Micke who is still curled up in a ball reeling from Kevin's incessant teasing. He'll get over it. Someday. Because hey, it ain't nothing but a G thing. We're actually back there next month (June 21 to be exact.)
KICK NEWS: With all this focus and activity on myspace.com/kicktunes it's easy for us to forget that several thousand of you still prefer to visit us through kickband.com. Shame on us! In the weeks to come, we will be uploading dozens of new pictures, including the Winter 2K8 scrapbook. If you have any good ones you think we should have/would like us to display, please send them to micke@kickband.com.
TOUR DIARY: A Pocketful of Shells
Mon, Apr. 28 2008
RockStar Date 04.25.08 They say that when life gives you lemons, you're supposed to make lemonade. Which actually sounds really good right now. Citrus aside, I guess what they mean is that with some intestinal fortitude and the right mindset, you can turn a perceived negative into a positive. Such it was when Scott's amp blew up about five songs into our Friday night show at Rookies in Cromwell, CT. Ever the trooper, he not only forged ahead valiantly, but afforded Kick the rare opportunity to perform with a one-guitar configuration, thereby freeing Brian up to play co-lead vocal duties with Kevin (something he does anyway, but it was fun to see him not have to also play). The result was a wild and wildly entertaining romp that allowed us a unique change in look, sound, and feel onstage. Micke got the chance to flesh out some melodic parts that normally wouldn't need the flesh, Kevin got to ringlead an entirely different circus, and Paulie somehow just held it all together. Thanks, everyone for all the pictures and positive feedback. We had a blast. We're back at Rookies soon, actually (early June, when we will be celebrating yet another key fan birthday, as we did Friday). We hope to see you there, it really is the best sports bar around. Honest.
TOUR DIARY: Full Moon Fever
Mon, Apr. 21 2008
RockStar Date 04.18.08 - 04.19.08 I'm not superstitious, but I get a bit leery whenever anyone reminds me that there is a full moon. An old man with his arm in a sling mentioned that to the bartender the other night, hinting that it would mean all the crazy people would be coming out. I don't know if he was just giving a heads up on behalf of all the other crazy people, but he was right. There it was, a huge full moon, and there they were, a bunch of crazy people. A bunch came to celebrate the first nice day of the year Friday night at Red Door in Watertown, CT, a bunch of others came up for our return visit to Maximum Capacity in Chicopee. MA. We debuted no fewer than five new tunes, so if you haven't been to see us in a while, be sure to change that soon. Spring has completely sprung, and it is indeed time to get crazy.
KICK to rock with FILTER @ WCCC/Pig's Eye Pub Block Party!
Sat, Apr. 12 2008
KICK is honored and completely stoked to be sharing the summerstage outside on the streets of downtown Hartford with modern rock legends FILTER at a very special show sponsored by WCCC, Friday night, May 30. Led by former Nine Inch Nail Richard Patrick, the multiplatinum band behind such classics as "Take a Picture" and "Hey Man, Nice Shot" hits the Pig's Eye Block Party to promote their fifth release Anthems for the Damned. Check officialfilter.com or myspace.com/filter1 for more on that release and their "Operation: MySpace" trip to entertain the troops in Kuwait with Disturbed, Jessica Simpson, and Pussycat Dolls.
TOUR DIARY: Perhaps Fritalian
Mon, Apr. 7 2008
RockStar Date 04.04.08 - 04.05.08: Talk about making up for lost time; inclement weather forced us to miss out on our last scheduled Murphy & Scarletti's show, so we doubled up on the rock Friday night and crammed the excitement of two rockshows into one before a slew of rambunctious Farmington, CT party-types including a half dozen birthday celebrants, representatives from Vivid (who joined us for an all-star jam), and the guy from Channel 30. We've often drawn comparisons between Murphy's and the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, and those similarities were reinforced once again Saturday night when a sold-to-capacity and characteristically top-notch crowd greeted our return visit to this downstate rock mecca. Whoever, wherever you are, if you're ever at a loss for something to do, we urge you to make a roadtrip down to SoNo sometime, this place is just plain fun. KICK NEWS: Check back, Kick will be announcing a very special performance with a very major international act, deets to be announced later this week.
TOUR DIARY: Out Like a Lamb
Mon, Mar. 31 2008
RockStar Date 03.29.08 The first rockshow of Springtime 2K8 redefined March Madness as only a JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse show can. The evening began with a doubleshot of Smithfield, RI's own Dirty Kitty and roared to a blistering crescendo, accented by one of the most spirited crowds in recent memory. The evening was made all the better by the presence of several packs of GNO revelers (in certain cases, literally busloads of them) and birthday celebrants who proved they were unafraid to scream really loudly and dance like no one was watching. Bless you, one and all.
TOUR DIARY: It's Not Easy Being Green
Mon, Mar. 17 2008
RockStar Date 03.14.08 - 03.15.08 Kick commemorated the life of St. Patrick in a way that, let's face it, has absolutely nothing to do with him or with anything that would typically earn one sainthood, but gosh was it fun! (Ultimately exhausting and somewhat painful, but oh yes, fun with a capital "F.") Speaking of Fun, how better to kick off one of the rockingest 26-hour periods in recent memory than with a very special guest appearance by Darik and Chris Funbag? The boys shared a rare night off and the stage with us Friday night at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, and helped us effectively set the theme for the next several loud hours. 7:00 a.m. arrived awfully quickly, but hey, that's when the McKinnon's flatbed was arriving and that was to be our rolling stage for the Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade so there we were: in the pouring rain, hoping it was true - that God really IS Irish. That's still up for debate, but I'll be darned, the skies cleared and away we went. For the record, it's hard enough to get onstage and make music. Harder still on a rolling stage, what with the starts, stops, the inherent danger of a potential asphalt faceplant and the less-than-stellar logistics (sorry about the generator, Joe.) But there we went, our tempo speeding and slowing with the flatbed as 30,000 Irishmen and Irishwomen got a jump on their day's festivities. We no sooner got our sealegs back over corned beef sammmiches at McKinnon's than we had to spruce up and head north to Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. We're definitely digging the new setup there, and always love rocking with our Western Mass. contingent, so we made sure to pour every last drop of rock & roll energy we had into this one. Mission accomplished. We're taking Easter off, but are already chomping at the bit to get back onstage March 29 with a slam up at JR's in Cranston.
TOUR DIARY: De Ja Vu All Over Again
Tue, Mar. 4 2008
RockStar Date 02.28.08 - 02.29.08 This writeup isn't going to start the way it was supposed to because the weekend didn't start the way it was supposed to. We were supposed to have rocked a jam-packed house at Red Door in Watertown, CT Friday. And if that sentence sounds familiar it's because last week's blog entry began the same way. Mother Nature had her way with us again, but we more than made up for it the following night with a truly brutal exercise in rockdom at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. It's a bittersweet pill to see a line out the door and around the block the entire show. I mean, as someone in the band, it's great to feel so loved, but then you feel bad for the people who couldn't get in (especially the ones who literally waited their entire Saturday night outside and never got in. We hope the view through the window helped). Perhaps next time? For those of you who got in, thank you, thank you, thank you. BTW, we hear there may be yet another Black Bear Saloon opening in Connecticut, to which we say "there can never be too many." We look forward to doing much more with this fine group. They definitely know how to throw a party.
Tonight's Show at Red Door in Watertown, CT Has Been Canceled
Fri, Feb. 29 2008
Sorry for any inconvenience. Watertown has a parking ban which means parking is banned, which means you wouldn't be able to park and if you can't even park, you wouldn't be able to stop and leave your car anywhere anyway, so stay in, be safe, and either come see us tomorrow night at The Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk or save it up for our return there in April.
TOUR DIARY: Snubbed for an Oscar, Again!
Mon, Feb. 25 2008
RockStar Date 02.22.08 - 02.23.08 This writeup isn't going to start the way it was supposed to because the weekend didn't start the way it was supposed to. We were supposed to have rocked a jam-packed house at Murphy's Friday night for a few hundred, no, thousand people. There coulda been a bunch of special guests. The Foo Fighters might have come by, done a few tunes. Jon Bon Jovi could have jumped onstage, Eddie Van Halen might have shown up with his axe. Y'know. It stinks because we'll never know, it could have been a really great night. But alas, Mother Nature dealt us the first weather-related cancellation in a (knock on wood) pretty darned long time, so we can't really complain about that. And the weather was crisp, clear, and wintery beautiful the next day for the trek down I-84 to Saturday night's show at The Empty Bottle in Middletown, NY. Every time we play, that place gets fuller and fuller, and this weekend, this great venue was particularly stacked and packed with an ever-growing, ever friendly bevy of fine people ready to get their rock on. Thanks to all of you for the love, we're back in just a couple months, so we'll see you soon, K?
NEWS FLASH: The Friday 2/22 Show at Murphy's Has Been Canceled Due To Snow!
Fri, Feb. 22 2008
Sorry for any inconvenience. Stay in, be safe, and save it up for our return there April 4.
TOUR DIARY: We Might Get Rich, You Know, We Might Get Busted
Sun, Feb. 17 2008
RockStar Date 02.15.08 Here's an informational tidbit you may or may not be aware of: Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA completely rocks! If that's news to you, it's probably because you don't live in southwestern Massachusetts, because everyone there seemed in on this, asking, "Why haven't you guys played here before?" and we were like, "played where?" Heck, I must have passed the place three times just trying to find it. But no, there it is, a new and true Springfield-area rock institution - huge, cool, and funner than a bag full of silly monkeys. If there's one thing that brings out the best in Kick, it's having a big canvas upon which to undertake the art of the Rock, and the ginormous stage at the Max fully enabled said rocking. Actually, I guess the "Max" is the equally cool downstairs sports bar and "Maximum Capacity is the rock room. Details. Anyway, the folks there were fantastic, it was great to see our regional fans come support us in our first visit. Mad, mad props to our new favorite band, Check Your Head, a Beastie Boys (and more) tribute, members of which (including the soundguy) joined us for a raucous "Fight for Your Right to Party" complete with an actual leprechaun. (Seriously dude!) We're looking forward to many happy returns, including one in late April that we're already counting the days for.
TOUR DIARY: Great Caesar's Ghost!
Sat, Feb. 9 2008
RockStar Date 02.08.08 After a Friday night like the one we just had at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, who needs the rest of the weekend? We're already ready to go back to work. I mean, we've long since exceeded our fun quota. There's really no point in trying to outparty the fabulous droves who cam to rock with us last night. That's all the weekend we need. Well, we'll enjoy the rest. We have a debut next week at a new club, Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA. And we have to push the envelope entirely when we return to Rookies the Friday of St. Patrick's Day weekend. (And we will.) Big happy birthday to Rose, a fan of the band pretty much for as long as there has been such a thing, who graced us with her grace. Speaking of birthdays, happy birthday also to us. Yes, the band formed this week, a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Thanks to all the great people we've had the pleasure to rock over the years. We're only getting warmed up.
TOUR DIARY: Turn the Page
Mon, Feb. 4 2008
RockStar Date 02.01.08 - 02.02.08 Well kids, it's February, the winter equivalent of the dog days of summer. The snow has finally started melting around the Kick Kompound, and it only seemed right to do a little tour of New England to start up Super Bowl weekend. So we packed up the Pacer and hit the storied hamlets of Boston, MA and Providence, RI for some midwinter Groundhog Day merriment. Friday night's visit to Hennessy's marked the one-year anniversary of our debut there. Gosh you meet some interesting people there, and needless to say, Boston was primed and partying (this was Friday, remember). From there, we drove due southwest to Cranston, RI for an unbelievably enjoyable Mardi Gras preparatory rage at (where else) JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse at the Mardi Gras. Perhaps it was the opening set by local band Inside Out that helped get us so fired up, but when we got onstage, dude, it was so on. To our friends and fans at both venues, it really is always wonderful to see so many smiles in the crowd, familiar faces and new ones that we hope become familiar ones. Happy birthdays to Ashley (representing Lynn, Massachusetts' very, very finest) and the always-up-for-fun Christin Queen of Cranston. See you in spring kids! Next: our first Hartford area show in over a month at Rookies in Cromwell, CT.
TOUR DIARY: The State of the Union is On So I May As Well Update the Website
Mon, Jan. 28 2008
RockStar Date 01.26.08 De ja what? Have you ever been somewhere totally familiar, yet it seemed kinda unfamiliar, like you sorta knew it really well, but everything seemed just a little different? Walking into the newly renovated Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA felt like seeing an old familiar friend who just got a nosejob. A good one, mind you. It's still got the same vibe, full of the second-to-none revelers we've grown to know and love. There's just more room, it's more open, it's cool - there's simply more room to rock. You should check it out if you haven't. And if you haven't, that means you sadly missed our show there Saturday night, where we debuted five new tunes including a Guitarzilla reading of "Eruption" that got so blazingly hot the fire alarm literally went off. To the credit of the local emergency crews, the cops and fire brigade were there in under two minutes. While the false alarm was unfortunate, their promptness was quite reassuring. Big love to our ever growing roster of fans at that fine room (especially the legendary Mandy, who we finally had the pleasure to meet). We're back the Saturday of St. Patrick's Day weekend, after the Hartford parade, which is an exercise in fun so extreme it's almost irresponsible.
TOUR DIARY: Don't Tase Us Bro!
Mon, Jan. 14 2008
RockStar Date 01.11.08 - 01.12.08 Wow. Read it backward, read it frontward, it applies every which way: Wow. The weekend began with an absolutely incredible party at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT and ended, impossibly, with an even more amazing one. First things first: by 9:45 Friday night, Murphy's was literally full to capacity before we even set foot onstage. So we turned it on early, turned it up, and just kept on turning. Happy birthday to all of our celebrants, especially Bree, whose enthusiasm earned her the first official Kick Birthday Kupcake. By the time we tore into "Bodies" (during which Kevin redefined ironic headwear in his birthday princess tiara), the Kick Army - Hartford Chapter had loudly and graciously reminded us why we love calling ourselves your local band. Saturday night, we ventured to Greenwich, CT for a very, very special private rock & roll-themed 40th birthday party for an absolutely wonderful, beautiful couple and about 150 of their closest friends including, among others, Angus Young, Keith Richards, and Rosanna Arquette. At least that's what they were dressed like. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not be sharing pictures of the completely off-the-chain setup, but if you combine an episode of "MTV Cribs" with an episode of "My Super Sweet 16," you're on the right track. Basically, picture the coolest, most well-stocked bar you've ever been to, then picture it in someone's basement, replete with party room, food everywhere, an ultralounge, craps table, cigar patio and Kick onstage at the Hard Rock Live. This was one for the books. To the lovely couple (Elvis and Priscilla), we were humbled to be part of your special celebration, and would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for having us, allowing us to rock you, and have a ball. We're off for two weeks, but will be back with a bunch of new material when we return to the stage at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA at the end of the month.
KICK NEWS - This Just In! It's official! Kick has once again been selected as the official band of the Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade. OK, well, actually we get to ride the McKinnon's float again, and that's awesome because that means that after we rock throughout the streets of downtown the float has to come back to McKinnon's to let us off, which gives us front door access to the most unreal corned beef and Guiness consumption festival imagineable. Ah spring. Bring the fam!
TOUR DIARY: Partial Assembly Required
Sun, Jan. 6 2008
RockStar Date 01.05.08 What better a joint to drop our first show of what promises to be an amazing 2K8 than at the venerable Black Bear Saloon in lovely South Norwalk, CT. I don't know that we've ever played a Saturday there, so we weren't sure what to expect. Pleasingly, we got exactly what we've come to expect any other time we've been there: a big room full of great, ready-to-rock party people, paired with a bunch of giant screen TVs to watch the wild card games on, and the best cajun chicken wrap north of the Mason-Dixon line. Special thanks and big love to the birthday celebrants, and to one fan who came all the way from Uruguay (yes, "Uruguay!" OK maybe not entirely for us, but that's a haul and a first). So, while you're here, check out the new shots in the Pics section. Next up: Our only Hartford-area show all month, Friday night at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT!
TOUR DIARY: ...and a Happy New Year!
Tue, Jan. 1 2008
RockStar Date 12.31.07 - 01.01.08 Where better than the stage of Rookies in Cromwell, CT to bring in 2K8 (a year that is clearly destined to rock like none other?) We couldn't answer that question either, so it was that we did just that. Rookies fed the crowd thick slabs of prime rib, we fed the crowd thick slabs of prime rock and roll. It worked out great - everyone went home full. Over the course of two extra-long sets, we covered a lot of musical ground and milked the late closing for all it was worth, making this the latest we've ever performed on a Monday (!?!?) Proof that some Mondays don't stink. Tuesday kinda hurt, though. We'll be posting pics to the "Kick Pics" section of KICKband.com and to mympace/kicktunes soon. We're back at Rookies in February, this time on a weekend, and look forward to tearing in again with a slew of new stuff for 2K8. Happy new year to all of you! We look forward to rocking the hck out of you.
TOUR DIARY: Merry Christmas
Sat, Dec. 22 2007
RockStar Date 12.21.07 'Tis the season, people. The week before Christmas can be really nice, relaxing, and enjoyable if you let it - and have finished your shopping. The great City of Boston was resplendent in its Christmas finery Friday night, particularly in the old town section of Quincy Marketplace. There, Kick played our final show of the Christmas season, nearly roasting our chestnuts on an open fire in the process. Hennessy's was the gracious host venue and once again lived up to its billing as the best Irish bar in town. Thanks to all the warm folks we met, both working and playing there; power thanks to Alan from Zoom for sharing a rare night off with us and sitting in on a couple tunes; and mad-primo-thanks to the folks at Coors Light. The show marked the fourth anniversary of our sponsorship alliance with that fine organization, and were kind enough to send over two of the most memorably-attired, Coors Light hostesses ever to give away tickets to Boston's profoundly dominant sports teams. (Peppermint sticks, anyone?) To absolutely anyone we had the pleasure of rocking in 2K7 we wish you a tremendously Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year. Let's make it a great one.
TOUR DIARY: Bumbles Really Do Bounce
Mon, Dec. 17 2007
RockStar Date 12.14.07 - 12.15.07 Once again, it looks like that seasonal slowdown hasn't slowed anyone down, at least not at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT, where we swapped seasons greetings with a really robust and hearty group of friends old and new. Even with the threat of another (?!?!) major winter storm the following night, Geraldine's filled up quite nicely as well. Congrats to the newly wed Timmy and his bride, and to Richie and Teala on their engagement. The nice thing is that we're back at both these favorite rooms in just a matter of weeks, so check the Tour Dates section of KICKband.com or MySpace.com/kicktunes so we can do it again.
TOUR DIARY: Rock You Like a Candy Cane
Mon, Dec. 10 2007
RockStar Date 12.07.07 - 12.08.07 Contrary to historical logic, this weekend's shows atThe Red Door in Watertown, CT and JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI were surprisingly well-attended. Thanks to all of you for the love and well-wishes, and for braving the snow and bitter cold as well as foregoing more responsible holiday-related party and shopping endeavors to make the trip out to wish us Merry Christmases and rock with us. Due to the snow, there was literally no one in the club when we arrived, and assorted pesky little sound demons got the better of us Friday, but both issues were sorted out by night's end and made for an enjoyable time with a good bunch at that fine room, one we look forward to hanging at often throughout 2008. Saturday's bender at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI was, well, a classic JR's visit: big, big fun with an amazing array of people on a true concert stage. Mad props too the maddest prop we've ever seen, a 10-foot tall, sound-activated inflatable snowman at stage right, who shimmied and shook to the beat, first joyfully, then aggressively toward Scott, eventually beginning to look outright sinister. "Here I am," he sneered, "rock you with my candy cane." I mean, it just doesn't get any better than that. Actually, we're back at both venues quite soon, including a redo at JR's (ironically on Groundhog Day), so check KICKband.com's Tour Dates section or myspace.com/kicktunes to get a jump on your '08 festivity planning.
TOUR DIARY: Rocking in a Winter Wonderland
Mon, Dec. 3 2007
RockStar Date 12.01.07 Our first show of the holiday season and whatta- yaknow? It feels every bit like the holiday season! Our return engagement to the Empty Bottle Saloon way out in the hills of Middletown, NY was marked by the first single-digit temps of the year's second half and nearly half a foot of snow by the time we rolled out the following morning for that long, lonely trip along the parts of I-84 you usually don't ever touch. But that's life on the road, kids. There we go. Playing songs again. There we go. Turn the page. We're cowboys riding steel horses, after all. Fortunately, we had the rockshow and an ever-growing crowd of Kick enthusiasts to keep us warm (easily twice as many as our first visit, always a good sign). We're back in February, which won't likely be any wamrmer, so we're going to need even more of you to come steam it up with us.
TOUR DIARY: Something To Be Thankful For
Fri, Nov. 23 2007
RockStar Date 11.22.07 Things we're thankful for (in no particular order): Rock & roll. Rookies Sports Bar in Cromwell, CT asking us to come play Kicksgiving Eve again for the 7th year running. The fact that there is actually something called "Kicksgiving." Cool people. The invention of the frozen T shirt (see accompanying visual evidence). Turkeys (because that's where turkey comes from). The electric guitar. Our fans. Our friends and loved ones. (Again, no particluar order.) The United States of America. Umm, sports. Indoor plumbing. Free market economics. The diminished control of the Grinch on the rest of our world. Red Rider BB guns. Corrective eyewear. Aspirin. And (again, obviously not in order), you for reading this far. We'll be out and about, playing frequently during the holiday season, paying social calls to New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. What say we make this a particularly festive one?
TOUR DIARY: Well Isn't That Special?
Mon, Nov. 12 2007
RockStar Date 11.09.07 - 11.10.07 Is it just me or did everyone you saw this weekend seem completely crazy? It all started in decidedly non-sane fashion with a Friday Murphy's show punctuated by sit-ins with Danielle Jimmy Hat, TJ & Mike Vivid, and the return of Tambourine Willy and just got progressively weirder, ending the following night in a whirlwind of insanity at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Freaks come out at night, indeed. Then, as quickly as it started, it was over. Just like that. A blur. I know it was fun, I'm smiling giddily and uncontrollably. I see pictures of it so I know it wasn't just a dream. But man, there was no moon at all, let alone a full one, so if this is a harbinger of things to mcome, I'm scared to even think what could happen next month when we return mere weeks from now for Christmas Specials at both these fine venues. All I know is I'm never eating Aqua Dots again.
TOUR DIARY: All That and Then Some
Sun, Nov. 4 2007
RockStar Date 11.02.07 What a day to be a Kick fan and sports fan in Boston. Friday night, the streets were still strewn with remnants of the Red Sox tickertape parade three days earlier. Their college and pro football teams haven't lost all year. And the Celtics were hosting their home opener in dominant style, kicking off a season that could very well see them win Boston's third pro sports championship of the year. Given this, it only seemed appropriate that the great city would celebrate its good fortune with a visit by Kick. We threw down for a great group of friends old and new at the legendary Irish pub Hennessy's by Quincy Marketplace. Congrats to the newly married Mel. And hooray for Me and Julio, our new favorite happy hour duo. We're back there right around Christmas (12/21 actually), a truly remarkable time to stroll the city. Come on up. Make a weekend of it. Finish your holiday shopping and rock with us. You deserve a present, too.
TOUR DIARY: Boo!
Sun, Oct. 28 2007
RockStar Date 10.26.07 - 10.27.07 Whew, what a weekend. These past few days were bookmarked between an extended happy hour kicking it all off at Rookies and the Sox winning a World Series. In between, there was more gore than a Rob Zombie movie. Yes, it was truly a weekend of blood, sweat, and tears. And more blood. Whether you're a fan of Boston's baseball team or not (congrats to those who are), we know you're a fan of Kick, which is all that really matters and why you knew to come here and read this and why we feel eternally indebted for the mad love you show us. Rookies Friday was a classic, ultra-enjoyable, raucous rave-up - two sets of virtually anything and everything, unseasonably warm temperatures, and some GTs with our central Connecticut contingency. Saturday at Geraldine's was literally like something out of a horror movie. We were dressed to kill (again, literally) as Pinhead (Kev), Hannibal Lecter (Micke), Jason (Brian), and the Scream guy (Paulie). Scotty played our victim (let's just say that some of those bruises and blood weren't fake). We're accumulating photo evidence from fans by the hour, so watch the Kick Pics section for newly added shots throughout the week. Congrats to Beck the gangster chick for taking home the $100 grand prize in the costume contest. You were all winners. It's said that Halloween is a great chance to let your "other side" out. Which, if that's what we were doing, is a far scarier thought than any haunted house. Although it gives girls a pass to dress as tramp-like as they want without being called names, and more than a few accepted that pass to intriguing effect. Gosh, now, the actual Halloween is going to be anticlimactic. Perhaps we'll just look ahead then to hitting Boston Friday night for some tickertape and a show at Hennessy's.
TOUR DIARY: That's Hot.
Mon, Oct. 22 2007
RockStar Date 10.19.07 - 10.20.07 It was hot. Real hot. We did shots. Yep, Hot Shots in Glens Falls, NY sure lived up to its name. Preposterously unseasonable humidity, boundless onstage energy, and our best crowd at this room yet made for a steamy mid-October night's rockfest Friday night in the Adirondack Mountains. Big love to the staff and our growing crew there, especially the mighty Gordie, a big band proponent (literally and figuratively), back from a rough hospital stay but now clearly better than ever. The foliage was peaking. The Coors Light was flowing. And we were rocking, oh yes we were, almost literally all night long (I'm sorry, being onstage after 3:15 a.m. still takes some getting used to). The next evening, we got to play a very special party for a very special pair of newlyweds in a very special location that was so special we aren't even going to talk about it. But it was lovely and fun and we were honored to be part of it all the same. Next up: a pre-Halloween doubleheader back home (relatively speaking) at Rookies and Gerladine's. Ahhooo!
TOUR DIARY: Kick Rock the Rockhouse
Mon, Oct. 15 2007
RockStar Date 10.13.07 In the entertainment biz, it's tough competing with a playoff Red Sox game 45 minutes outside of Boston. It's even harder when they lose. But within moments, all within JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI were reminded that everything was going to be just fine - not every series can be a sweep. And once we realized that, we were able to rock anew. Which we did, for a great and strikingly fabulous crowd who chose to dance rather than cry in their collective beer. We're back at the Rockhouse two more times before the year is over, which is awesome. Because they are.
TOUR DIARY: Game On
Sat, Oct. 6 2007
RockStar Date 10.05.07 October rules. I know I always talk about how great summer is, but if it can't be summer, it may as well be October. Even better: it can be a sweltering, hot night in October. With the Red Sox and Yankees in the playoffs. And Kick could be lighting up the boards at Murphy & Scarletti's like it's a humid seaside nid-July eve. Wait, that's exactly what it was like at our favorite Farmington, CT bistro/rock club Friday night! And it was a great - a balmy 80 degrees at night, just like summer. To the dozens of new faces, especially those of you who introduced yourselves as such, we hope you had at least a fraction of the fun we did and that we get to see your new face again. Eventually, you'll become an old face. Not, like, an "old" face necessarily, a face we see a lot. There were a lot of those, too. This was our first Murphy's show in three months, which is hot, sweltering mid-July for real and that's an unusually long time for us, so it was particularly great to catch up with some old friends. Well, not necessary old. Just ones with experience.
TOUR DIARY: Westward Ho!
Mon, Sep. 24 2007
RockStar Date 09.21.07 - 09.22.07 We always thought of The Black Bear Saloon as "west." Being in the lower left-hand corner of Connecticut, that's west right? (Wait, it IS right?) So imagine driving another couple hours west. Did you know I-84 just keeps going and going into Pennsylvania? It's weird! Well, you'll want to stop before Pennsylvania to get to the other club we played last weekend, The Empty Bottle Saloon in Middletown, NY (what the town is in the middle of, I'm not sure, but certainly not the state). The Black Bear Friday night was its typical wonderful self, so marvelously consistent - the food, the service, the staff, the crowd - even with thew Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox games going simultaneously, the show was just marvy. Moving left (west) to the Empty Bottle the next night: Nice room, that one, with one of the highest stages we've ever nearly fallen off and one of the wildest bridal parties we've seen (and that's saying a lot). They're just beginning to have bands, so we're honored to have been asked to help show people how this rock & roll thing is done. We're back in December for a refresher course.
TOUR DIARY: Back to the Grind
Mon, Sep. 17 2007
RockStar Date 09.14.07 - 09.15.07 At 12:33, from the stage at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, the announcement was made: "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time I'd like to bring Chris Daughtry onstage to do a song with us." Based on the response, it sounded as if some people actually thought he was there. (You'll note that I said "I'd like to" bring him onstage for a song, certainly not that I could.) No, he was a mile up at the Big E. And that's the real story behind Saturday's show: the fact that despite so many regional distractions and entertainment alternatives, we still had one of the best crowds we've ever had there. Thank you to all of you. Saturday's show capped off a raucous two-fer "Return to the Rockshow" that began the night before at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, now and forever one of our favorite rooms in central Connecticut. We were off for an unprecedented three weeks (just two weekends, but man, it felt weird to put a guitar on, I tell ya). We were callous-free but recharged and refreshed with a bunch of new material and a throng of smiling, familiar faces. The Yankees/Sox rivalry was at its most fascinating, football is on again. In other words, it's early fall, and there's arguably no better time to go out and get your rock on, so please make it a point to treat yourself well this autumn by coming to a Kick show. Check the "Kick Pics" section throughout the week for visual evidence.
TOUR DIARY: Reach the Bleach, Then Off to the Beach
Sun, Aug. 26 2007
RockStar Date 08.24.07 Well, that just about does it, Kick Army. It seems like, gosh, just a couple months ago we were all getting hepped up for our summer schedule and now, it's over. Done. Just a memory now. Albeit an absolutely wonderful one. Is it just me or was summer 2K7 unusually great? We're off to our oceanfront retreat in Belize for a couple weeks - all that partying really got us in the mood to do some partying. So Friday night's show at the always-enjoyable sports pub that is Bleachers in Bristol, CT was not only our summertime sayonara but our last show until mid-September. Can you wait that long? Amid hot-air balloon festivals, fairs everywhere, and a billion other late-summer distractions, we debuted five new tunes (well, four I guess since one was a mashup). And since we're actually going to practice, we expect to have perhaps another half dozen for you at our Friday and Saturday shows at Rookies and Geraldine's, 9/14 and 15, respectively. So don't accept lameness into your life, make it a date. THIS WEEK IN KICK HIZZISTORY: 2000 - KICKband.com goes live (that's right, you're visiting a piece of hizzistory right now!) Several hundred thousand hits later, KICKband.com has become the longest continually operating band Website in Connecticut, thanks for the readership. Without you, this all sure would be self-indulgent wouldn't it?
TOUR DIARY: Well, Blow Me Down!
Sat, Aug. 18 2007
RockStar Date 08.17.07 Kick almost got blown off the stage Friday night. Not by another band, silly, that can't happen, by gale force winds barreling through the Connecticut River corridor and all but sweeping us and our gear from the 125 Riverside Drive stage. Actually, the most surprising element was that we played at all. Thunderstorms perfectly timed with the prime post-work happy hours drenched the Hartford area and ominous lightning blasts that would have kept lesser bands indoors flashed in the not-so-distant distance. We kept waiting for the assumed cancellation, which never happened. The guys at 125 persevered, and so did we. And goshdarnit, for a cold, rainy night, the place actually had a surprisingly big crowd. For the next 100 minutes, we ran through one of our most varied song lists ever. Then the tables started flying and it got outright scary. Fortunately, we were able to cram in all the "happy birthdays," a couple social calls, and just enough Kick mayhem to hold us until next week's show at Bleachers in Bristol, CT. That's our last show of the summer and the sendoff before a rather lengthy break (for us, anyway), so please please pretty please make a special trip to tear it up with us one more time. Thanks to the great folks at the new 125 Riverside Drive for sticking it out and for a great year. We love what you've done with the place and look forward to an even bigger 2008. Speaking of 2008, the 2K8 Kick show schedule has been posted to the "Tour Dates" section of KICKband.com and to myspace.com/kicktunes. The list is current as of like right now, it will certainly expand, but there's enough there to start making travel plans. THIS WEEK IN KICK HISTORY 2000 - Scott plays his first show with Kick, at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT. Inexplicably, we ask him to do it again, and thus began the longest tenure of a "replacement" member in the band's history. Here's to the next seven, buddy (at least).
TOUR DIARY: Three Degrees of Separation
Mon, Aug. 13 2007
RockStar Date 08.07.07 - 08.10.07 As anyone who has seen Kick can attest, we like to mix it up. One of our several guiding missions is to be able to entertain absolutely anybody, anywhere, anytime. Each show is a Zen-like step toward attaining that utopian rock & roll id. This week brought an unusual opportunity to test our progress over three very different nights on three radically divergent stages for three profoundly diverse audiences. Wednesday brought the unique chance to play for a crowd composed almost entirely of people who had never seen us before. At the truly beautiful Veteran's Memorial Amphitheater in Rocky Hill, CT, we were honored by that town's Parks and Rec Department to be asked once again to play for a couple hundred locals at Elm Ridge Park, this time on a classic hot August night. Town concerts are a rare opportunity to play for kids of all ages from one to 81 (at least), many of whom may not have been at a rock concert in years (if ever). Needless to say, we had an absolute ball, running among the picnic blankets, teaching preschoolers how to dance, play drums, or simply frolic onstage like rockstars, and - we sincerely hope - getting people excited about music. Special thanks also to the three dozen young ladies (OK, grade school girls, but what a cheering section!) Now we know how the cast of "High School Musical Live" feels. Friday night, we returned to The Red Door in Watertown, CT for an eve of big noise captured on video by the guys at Metrocrawl.com. The two long sets were marked by a revolving door of special guest appearances, including jams with Little Kev, the WB, and Danielle. Check back here, or visit that fine site soon for footage. That brings us to Saturday night at King Neptune's in Lake George, NY. A combination of unreal summer weather and the fact that this was our only appearance this year at this great waterfront club made for a den of iniquity 180 degrees removed from the family fare of the Rocky Hill show. Memorable moments were many. Some, may best be forgotten. But we won't soon forget the image of piles (yes, literally piles) of women being dragged (again, literally, dragged) offstage by security only to make room for another dozen to take their place. And to the rows of guys up front whose enthusiasm made the entire stage shake (once again, literally) during "Bodies," we salute you. When the uninitiated ask what kind of music we play, we often respond: "anything from Neil Diamond to Metallica." The implication being that somewhere in there, we like to think you'll hear something you like. Saturday, we literally played those two back to back. And over three stages before three crowds that almost couldn't be more different, we were pleased to see that goal is being realized. Ample photo evidence can be viewed in the "Kick Pics" section of KICKband.com (more will be going up all week, thanks to all of you who sent yours, we're still sifting through them all. And we've added some amateur video of the Guns & Roses medley at Neptune's (as well as the official Kick demo video) to the "Audio/Video" section of KICKband.com. This is the second installment of a running series here and on myspace.com/kicktunes called "KICK Video Du Jour." Please feel free to send a YouTube or MySpace link to any vid you shoot at a show (or before, after, it really doesn't matter, as long as it's somehow related to KICK), and we'll split the 15 minutes of fame with you. We have our last 125 Riverside show this Friday the 17th, so please try to come out and do it one more time with us.
TOUR DIARY: Three the Hard Way
Mon, Aug. 6 2007
RockStar Date 08.02.07 - 08.04.07 This is it, folks: August '07. We've looked forward to this one all year, knowing it was going to be an unusually rocking month, but we weren't even four days in and we had already racked up three gigs, and it only gets better from here. Each year around this time - generally coincident with the Advocate's Grand Band Slam, actually - we play a Thursday/Friday doubleheader at the venerable Rookies in Cromwell, CT. Thursday shows can be painful. We work day jobs after all. And since most people do, we certainly cannot assume anyone else will be as inclined to tie a few on with us on a school night. But then, this is Rookies. And it was Becky's birthday. And the boys from Vivid showed up. And next thing you know, the room is pumping and it looks and feels like a weekend, which it soon sort of became - TJ and Mike sat in on a few tunes and by the time it was done, we were directly responsible for at least a dozen sick days. The best part is that we just get to leave and show up again the next morning, our gear is ready to go (so THAT'S what it feels like to have roadies!) So Friday, we'd already had a dress rehearsal, and we did it all over again. When the dust settled, we had ably entertained a few hundred central Connecticutians at the best sports bar in these here parts. Scant hours later, we were beelining over the Newport Bridge on our way to Middletown, RI for our annual pilgrimage to the absolutely idyllic patio of the Atlantic Beach Club, right there on the beach. The weather couldn't have been better (I'm knocking on wood right now, outdoor shows can be a crapshoot, but man have we gotten lucky this year). We came, we conquered, and we bid Elaine and the staff a fond adieu until next time (hopefully some time soon). The sun set on another perfect Newport beach day, we beat the Folk Festival traffic out, and slept really, really comfortably. Which is goood, we need the rest, this is another three-show week, beginning with a Wednesday show for the Town of Rocky Hill at Elm Ridge Park and Friday/Saturday double whallop at the Red Door and King Neptunes in Lake George.
TOUR DIARY: These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things
Sun, Jul. 29 2007
RockStar Date 07.27.07 - 07.28.07 We don't generally pick favorites, especially not with respect to the rooms we play, but we're only human and we'd be lying if we didn't acknowledge that our rockshow just works better in certain places. Diplomacy aside, we returned from our little band vaca with a back-to-back doubleheader at two of our top 10 all-time faves, and were reminded exactly why they're both high on the list. JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI is a big rock & roll room with staging and lights that would make mid-80's Motley Crue jealous. Geraldine's is a smaller, neighborhood stage with great sight lines and an atmosphere that's impossible not to enjoy. Both rooms sound great, thanks to schweet house systems run by seasoned sound vets - Steve at JR's, who was actually celebrating his birthday with us (happy biirthday, buddy!) and Richie at Geraldine's who always manages to make us feel like gods. The barstaffs at each are second to none - friendly, knowledgeable, and eminently fun to party with. And the patrons are a good-looking, attitude-free, diverse array of folk that just know how to have a good time. Everything I just typed stood in spades this past weekend. Another thing both rooms had in common - they were all but empty when we started the show, then filled in beautifully as our campaign to win over every person in the house, one at a time proved wildly successful, particularly at Geraldine's, talk about going from 0 to 160 mph in three songs! We're a bit sore from the brief layoff, but we'll have our full tilt mojo back in preparation for a tripleheader this weekend that starts Thursday (yikes!) We'll be posting a bunch of new photos in the days to come, so check the "Kick Pics" section periodically.
TOUR DIARY: Friday the 13th
Sat, Jul. 14 2007
RockStar Date 07.13.07 When you have your choice of spots in the Murphy & Scarletti's parking lot on a Friday after work, you might be inclinced to assume it will remain a quiet night. Alas, we were pleased to be very wrong (and how often do you get to be happy to be wrong?) While warm, non-humid temperatures presumably lured the fair weather set to outdoor entertainment options, true Rock & Roll Citizens came in and quaffed a cold one with Kick at the best Irish/Italian restaurant/club in the hemisphere. Birthdays, bridal parties, was an event left uncelebrated? We certainly did our share, celebrating not only another incident-free Friday the 13th (knocking wood now) but the beginning of (gasp) band vacation week. We promise to return tanned, relaxed, rested, and ready to go berserker when we return to the stage July 27 and 28. And with that, I must log off and bid you a fabulous week, there's a pina colada with my name on it. Literally, right next to my computer. And I'm going to drink it now.
TOUR DIARY: The Great Outdoors
Mon, Jul. 9 2007
RockStar Date 07.06.07 - 07.08.07 Nothing beats a hot summer night. Nothing. Except maybe owning a penguin. But man, hot summer nights dude? They've been writing songs about them forever. They've been happening a lot more often lately, too, seeing how it's summertime and all. And we've capitalized on that with an open-air doubleshot this past weekend. Friday night we hit 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT, where, as Murphy's Law would have it, rainshowers passed through at intervals perfectly timed to scare large chunks of people home every 20 minutes. But those who were unafraid enjoyed a great night by the Connecticut River, especially (we hope) longtime Kick fan Mel, who was celebrating the return the next day of the man she'll be marrying tonight, back from nine months in Iraq. Good luck and best wishes to both of you! Sunday afternoon, it was off to the beach for our first stop at Old Lyme, CT's Pavilion Beach Club in like four years. The good news: It's better than ever. The 95-degree heat brought out Connecticut's finest party people (photo evidence is being continually posted to the Kick Pics section. Feel free to forward your own or post them to myspace.com/kicktunes). Mad props to freestyle rapper extraordinaire Saiyid, who stepped up and sat in with us on a few songs, adding tasty flava (I misspelled that on purpose) to some R&B and hip hop classics. All in all, it was the perfect beach day. (Except perhaps for Scotty, who found his car had been towed. Sorry buddy!) Thanks for coming out everyone. We have one more show at Murphy's Friday, then a vacation week, so come get your Kick fix.
It's a Girl!
Wed, Jul. 4 2007
Brian and Ann are pleased to announce the birth of a 6 lb. 8 oz. daughter, Arianna on July 3 (that makes one of each, rock on!) Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes, guys.
TOUR DIARY: I-95 Is a Long Road
Mon, Jul. 2 2007
RockStar Date 06.29.07 - 06.30.07
It's been said that the last week of June is summer at it's purest (by me, I just said it, but isn't it great when you're one week into the official season, the 4th of July hasn't even happened yet, and you have two whole months of hot weather and GT's to look forward to?) Ahhh. Summer. Where was I? Oh yes, celebrating summer at the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, of course. SoNo is particularly beautiful this time of year. We managed to play there on some pretty brutal winter nights, so the freedom to stroll Washington Street on a warm-weather post-work Friday eve and enjoy fresh crabcakes with a view of the water canceled that all out perfectly. Steve and crew run a great venue, which, per usual, allowed for a remarkable evening of rock & roll entertainment at its most enthused. To our single fans: you really, really want to make the trip there some time. Trust us. That's all we're going to say. The next night (that would be Saturday for those keeping score) we headed in the entire opposite direction, up to JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. There's nothing we can say about this flawless-sounding rock room that hasn't been said already, so I'll stop right there and throw up my devil horns. There. Giving us that big a stage to stalk is really just wrong. They just added a Jimmy Buffet-style patio out front, so even if you've been before, you haven't really. So you should come down when we're back at the end of July (tie it in with a day at the beach and chill there with us). Next up, two outdoor shows to celebrate the second half of Independence Day: 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT, then the Pavilion Beach Club (yes, like ON the beach!) on Soundview Beach in Old Lyme, CT at 1 pm Sunday. But first and most important, this week marks the coming of the event of the year we've all been waiting for: the arrival this week of Brian's new baby! (Ann's too, she had a lot to do with it as well.) Check KICKband.com for immediate notifications and - if we can outbid the paparazzi - your first look at pictures!
TOUR DIARY: Boston You're My Home. For Two Nights, Anyway
Sun, Jun. 24 2007
RockStar Date 06.22.07 - 06.23.07 Aside from a passing sunshower that actually ended up making it even nicer out, Friday you really couldn't pick better weather than what we got this weekend in Boston for our two-night residency at Henessy's, the club voted best Irish pub in Boston six years running (and that's saying something). Both nights brought out hundreds of freshly bronzed revelers wearing their beamingest "first weekend of summer" smiles. Friday's was augmented by the happy hour/no more work element. By Saturday, the sound really settled in and so did we for a radically energized second show. All good, people, thanks to everyone involved at that great venue and to all our new friends for the love.
TOUR DIARY: The Red and The White
Sun, Jun. 10 2007
RockStar Date 06.08.07 - 06.09.07: Traditionally, I keep this blog about Kick and our shows and very third person, but since I write it, I'm going to use it like everyone else uses theirs - to spout a bit. So, I wake up in Phoenix, Arizona Friday morning at 4. I'm flying home early that day because I have a show at the Red Door in Watertown, CT that night. Fun club, should be cool, can't wait. I land from the cross-country trek for a 2:00 lunch in Philly, after which it's just a short hop home. Everything is beautiful. We board the Embraer 130m and taxi away when suddenly the airline decides there is "weather" (isn't there always weather?!) and we can't fly. Come to find out, we can't fly at any time for the rest of the night either. Laguardia's radar is down. Flabbergasted, I do everything you would normally do: swear, cry, scream, try to steal people's boarding passes, drink doubles, and pray that things clear and I can get home in time to rock. I decide that at 4:30 mI have to either have a sure-thing flight or cut bait. 4:30 comes. I run to the Hertz desk in my suit, which is a half mile away and outside (it's way more humid in Philly than Arizona, by the way), rent an overpriced car and begin a trek from Philly to Bradley Airport (where my car and gear are) that takes me through Friday summertime rush hour traffic in: Philadelphia, Newark, and then (because the chick on the car's GPS had no clue where she was taking us): Brooklyn, Queens, the Long Island Expressway, Staten Island, and Manhattan proper. At 9:30, I get to Bradley Airport where I was at least able to then jump in my car with my gear and begin the hour drive to the club. Long story short: I got there a mere 20 minutes late. And I rocked. Hard. I was shaking, but man, it was like a pressure release valve had been pressed. It felt good. Now I ask: would the other bands you follow go through that much trouble to entertain you? I didn't think so. But enough about my trials and tribulations. The club was like 130 degrees and just fun as heck. We're back in August, so come check it. Saturday (basically, like an hour prior to my typing this) we got to go be part of the wedding of two really amazing people at Avon Old Farms School. We'll keep them nameless for privacy's sake, but suffice to say, the amount and degree of the love their family and friends showed them was humbling, and you would be hard pressed to find a cuter couple. People told us the venue looked like something out of Harry Potter and holy cow, dude, it looked JUST LIKE SOMETHING FROM HARRY FRIGGIN' POTTER! There was even a Headmaster's parking space in front. Fun was. But it's bedtime. We have a big weekend off coming up. It's my birthday and I'm going to celebrate it. Just you watch me, I've had a rough week. Good night and God bless. See you for the doubleheader at Hennessey's in Boston, MA!
TOUR DIARY: The Heat is On
Sun, Jun. 3 2007
RockStar Date 06.01.07 - 06.02.07 Just like that, summer is in full swing. The weekend was once again nice and steamy in every conceivable way, not the least of which was the weather, which made for great beach afternoons and even better quintessential hot summer rock & roll nights, two prime examples of which we hosted this week at Rookies in Cromwell, CT Friday and The Harp in Boston, MA Saturday. To top it all off, the Yankees were playing the Red Sox, and no matter what side of that debate you're on, it makes for great baseball. But there was no debating the extreme energy levels onstage and in the crowds. Friday night we celebrated a slew of birthdays (hi Trish) with a barnburner of a show, ample photo evidence of which was captured by photographer to the stars Rich Cianci. His MySpace Pics page contains 83 prime examples of how he made even us look good, and some of his other great work of bands, people, inanimate objects and anything he can point his camera at. Visit www.myspace.com/ rich917 and prepare to be blown away, this guy is good. We'll be interspersing several other photos from this show into our Web site over the next several days as well as last week's (thanks to all the fans who have send some in to us!) so check the "Kick Pics" section of KICKband.com often throughout the week. Where were we? Oh yes, Rookies (did I mention we love it there?) And then we were in Boston on a Saturday in June and there really ain't no place better to watch the boys of summer than that. Or Kick for that matter, and that evening's show at The Harp over by the Garden or FleetCenter or whatever it is now was packed and raucous. Thanks to superfans Chris and the girls for taking the bus trip out, we hope you had as much fun as it looked like you were. Then again, we hope that of everyone. Have a great June folks. Hey, while we have you, the Hartford Advocate's Grand Band Slam balloting has begun, so if you think we're worthy of note, log onto hartfordavocate.com and cast a vote for us in the Covers/Tribute category.
TOUR DIARY: A Memorable Memorial Day
Mon, May. 28 2007
RockStar Date 05.25.07 - 05.27.07 OK, so summer doesn't really begin for like another month, but can we all just agree that it started Friday the minute we left work? I mean, what a weekend! What weather! What a great excuse to remember the soldiers among us and above us and share some fun times with friends while kicking off the seasons at two clubs synonymous with the warm weather months. Friday, we were honored to be asked to open the all new 125 Riverside Drive at - you guessed it - 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT. So far, the new ownership seems to be doing everything right, and we were stoked to be able to christen the new stage. This is the place to be this summer folks, cocktails on a massive patio overlooking the Connecticut River? I mean come on! The lure was too great for several hundred people who jammed the venue as we KICKed off the weekend and summer itself with a truly marvelous rockshow that we hope will be a harbinger of things to come. One thing though: The old men's room is now the ladies room! We found that out the hard way. Sunday night, we got to milk the weekend at Paddy's Beach Club on Misquamicut Beach in Westerly, RI. The weather stayed favorable, and thus did the response of the lovely group that assembled at this - arguably the greatest mainland beach club in New England. It's going to be a good year, folks. Make it a point to get out there.
TOUR DIARY: Steel Anniversary, Steel Got It
Sun, May. 20 2007
RockStar Date 05.18.07 - 05.19.07 If you're not in a band, indulge us a moment here, K? Imagine you're supposed to do a show for some really nice people who own a club, and they're willing to actually pay you money to do it, so you really want to make them happy. And it's, like, an hour before the show is going to start and there's almost nobody there and you kinda panic, like you're hosting a party and no one has shown up yet. You don't freak, you just sit there, ready, and hope things change. Well they did, and how. At Murphy's Friday night, the place almost immediately filled in totally and amply enough to accommodate stage diving (it was WICKED cool! But please kids, do not try this at home). The boys from Vivid came up for a tune, we tore stuff up and laid waste to anything in our paths. All good. The next night, same thing: crickets, then near-immediate mayhem, at Black Bear Saloon in lovely South Norwalk, CT. It was practically sleeting for crying out loud, and that ain't right, not in mid-May. So the appearance and appearances of so many beautiful Kick fans showing such mad support was enough to warm our cockles. Whatever a cockle is. On the topic of heat and Kick rockshows, Memorial Day is upon us, so things ought to be toasty from here out. Read the next shows section for deets on how ill that's gonna be. And/or get on our VIP Mailing List and you'll never get left out in the cold. Hey, while we have you poking around the site, check the newly expanded Audio/Video page. To commemorate our 11th Anniversary,we added a dozen or so morsels of classic Kick from throughout the years. Thanks to all of you for making our 11th birthday special. And possible, for that matter.
TOUR DIARY: Steel Anniversary Kickoff
Thu, May. 17 2007
RockStar Date 05.12.07 So we caught you up on the bar mitzvah and the Sacred Heart University rage at Daniels Street, right? (Midweek shows mess with our easily messed with heads.) So that leaves Geraldine's, right? Now THAT was a good time. Always is. No surprise here: folks in Western Mass sure know how to rock (even though, let's face it, that's really Central Mass.) We got a jump start on our 11th anniversary celebration week (the traditional gift of which is, ironically and conveniently, steel) by mixing up a surefire recipe: Couple a nice, loud crowd with that wide stage, with the extensions on each side and all those rafters to hang from, and gosh, it just brings out our inner rock & roll juggernaut every time. This show prompted the largest number of Myspace friend adds since we launched the site in fall (thanks to all of you, welcome aboard). The only bad news: We won't be back there until the Big E (that means fall), so hold tight, hold steady, and keep rocking. We will be back.
TOUR DIARY: If You Rock and You Know It, Clap Your Hands (Part 2)
Sun, Apr. 29 2007
RockStar Date 04.27.07 - 05.09.07: The only thing that may possibly have been better than our Friday swing through the venerable Rookies in Cromwell, CT (on the day of a Yanks/Red Sox game in spring, no less) is our Saturday show at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in the Mardi Gras Multiclub in Cranston, RI. It was a toss-up: two great, loud, hyper-responsive crowds. Two eminently enjoyable nights at fave clubs with great people. Reflecting yet again now, I guess we have to give it to JR's for the simple reason that - thanks to Steve's knob-twisting wizardry and a monstrous PA - we sound so otherwordly and god-like there. We'll be back at both very soon. Happy birthday, Mariana, by the way. Over the days that followed, we were honored to play not one but two consecutive private events, which we normally wouldn't even mention because that would be like rubbing your face in the fact that there was a killer party and you weren't invited. But we're going to do it anyway. (Briefly.) Saturday we played at the New Haven Jewish Community Center (believe it or not, a first for us!) The event was the bar mitzvah (another first for us!) of a very special young man who has some of the coolest family members and friends you'd ever want to see. Thank you, Alan, and clan for asking us to be part of this very special day. We're so glad we were able to enhance your enjoyment. Enjoyment was easy to come by last night. I mean, whenever 10 buses full of college grads pulls up and dumps 500 primed, ready-to-rock coeds in front of your stage, you know you're in for a special night. Wednesday at Daniels Street in Milford, CT, was just such a night as we helped send hundreds of Sacred Heart University grads off on the first night of the rest of their lives. Today, we enrolled in night school. Once the headache went away.
TOUR DIARY: It's Spring Again
Mon, Apr. 23 2007
ROCKStar Date 04.20.07 - 04.21.07: As Biz Markie so eloquently put it: "It's spring again." Biz also said "You, you got what I need. But you say he's just a friend. But you say he's just a friend, OH BABY YOOOOUUUUU!..." but that's a different blog. Finally, the weather we'd been waiting for all year arrived here in Southern New England Friday night, just in time for our show at Red Door in Watertown, CT. They don't call spring "mating season" for nothing. Everyone seemed to have that "good to be alive/let's drink some beer and prowl for some booty" thing going. Maybe it's the fact that it happened to be 4/20 (coincidence?) Either way, hormones were clearly pumping throughout the room, and not only because Darik of Funbags fame sat in with us on a few tunes, although I'm sure it helps, he is quite the strapping lad (...did I just type that?) See the accompanying pic for proof. By Saturday night, we had endured the first nice weekend day of the year (82 degrees and dude you should see my new grill!) The Red Sox were playing the Yankees and spring had so completely sprung that our Bleachers show was decidedly a more low-key affair than the packed and raucous room we'd played the night before roughly seven miles up the road. But hey, it was so nice out that we all took up smoking, just for an excuse to go outside. Check the Kick Pics link for photo evidence of the weekend's debauchery.
NEWS BRIEFS: Kick Kills Murphy's, KICK on TV? And Grand Band Slam Nominations
Tue, Apr. 17 2007
It's been a busy month here at KICK HQ, let's catch up. We're firming up our summer schedule, which already includes stops everywhere from Lake George, NY to Boston to Misquamicut and Newport Beach, RI. Check the Tour Dates tab and start booking some warm weather fun now. We're set to appear on JCT TV, channel 13 with Poppa T Saturday morning, April 28 at 10 a.m. We'll be doing some radio promo for that too, so keep an eye out for deets. It's available to Cablevision and Optimum Cable customers in Western CT, New York State and the five boroughs, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. That'll be fun. We'd been traveling a lot throughout the tri-state area, so it was nice to do a smoking hot homecoming show on a butt cold night at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT last Friday. As always, a wonderful time and beautiful crowd at a club so completely among our favorites that we're returning to play our 11th anniversary show there scant weeks from now (on May 18). And it's almost time to start nominating bands for the Hartford Advocate's Grand Band Slam Poll ballot. Voting begins next month, and we'll let you know when and how that's all going down. Every year, that's the biggest and best night in Connecticut music, so we encourage you to support it. If you vote for us, all the better. Well, that's enough news for now. See you out soon? Good.
TOUR DIARY: Easter Western Exposure
Wed, Apr. 11 2007
ROCKStar Date 04.06.07 - 04.07.07: Good Friday lived up to its name in our visit to the always fab Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, a club/restaurant combo so good they keep making more. God bless you guys, you've rightfully become one of the fastest expanding venues around (we just saw the New Haven one about to open soon, sweet!) The crowd, the club, the staff, all ooze of class (so what, then, was Kick doing there you ask?) Connecticut bars close at 2:00 a.m., so road trips west over the New York border are a common, evergreen ritual. We made one of our own, ending up all the way up in Albany. There, we again gave it heck at the always enjoyable Bayou Cafe, right in the middle of everything. Now THAT'S a fun bunch of people. We rang in Easter '07 onstage, jammed 'til the wee hours, cashed roughly 90 minutes at the room, and slowly sauntered home. Needless to say, post-Easter dinner naps never felt so good.
TOUR DIARY: Boston You're My Home
Tue, Apr. 3 2007
ROCKStar Date 03.30.07 - 03.31.07: The only thing better than playing Hennessey's in Boston on an impossibly beautiful early spring day is doing it and then doing it again the next day. No wait, the BEST thing is rocking out for a big Friday crowd, leaving your gear set up after a show, hitting the hay, enjoying a full day in one of the nation's great cities, and then having an even better gig the next night. It's clearly bridal party season (ladies, send pics of your bride-to-be/former best friends and we'll post them, we know you have them) and more than a few revelers looked to be thoroughly enjoying the hypnotic draw of spring fever. Including us. More of that to come.
TOUR DIARY: That's More Like It!
Mon, Mar. 26 2007
ROCKStar Date 03.24.07: That's more like it. We finally got out there on the McKinnon's float in the rescheduled Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade, on an impossibly perfect spring morning in lovely downtown Hartford. We passed roughly 50,000 happy Irish folk and a few who weren't (Irish, that is), and rallied back at the pub for some corned beef and camaraderie. But we couldn't stay, we had an evening show at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, which - I know we say it all the time but it's true - was absolutely outrageous, thanks in large part to Trish and the Springfield contingent that is just so good at showing us so much love. Thanks to all of you. It's worth noting that the weekend didn't end there, we made a trip down to New Haven, CT Monday night for a visit to a place we've had more than a few great evenings: Bar. It was their belated Christmas party, and when people who work at a bar get to be on the other side of the bar, well, you can guess what happens. Thanks to all of you, it was an honor to serve you. Check the site again soon for a new installation of photos from the weekend and some archival audio.
TOUR DIARY: Back For More
Sat, Mar. 3 2007
ROCKStar Date 03.02.07 - 03.03.07 This weekend, we had a back-to-back flashback, returning for just the second time to two clubs we'd only played once before. It's been a long time since we've been able to say that (like, our first month together, which we just commemorated by the way, thanks for the cards). So this rockshow doubleheader was a learning experience - monitoring the pulse of the venue to see what the crowd likes, feeling out the stage and room tones, remembering where the mens room is, finding your waitress, and hoping more people come than the time before (because it would be really hard not to take the opposite situation personally, y'know!?) And a learning experience it was. We learned that Glens Falls, NY after a long Friday at work is a long drive, but that the crew at Hot Shots (especially Gordo) and the first-class treatment by the staff up there make it all but painless. Saturday marked our encore performance at the all-new Fat Cats in Colchester, CT, a fabulous venue with great people in it, roughly a mile from our rehearsal space. I guess that would make this our most local gig ever. Well, it's closer than Glens Falls anyway. Thanks to everyone who came out, we look forward to seeing you again.
TOUR DIARY: Kick Cures the Common Cold
Mon, Feb. 26 2007
ROCKStar Date 02.23.07 - 02.24.07 The one good thing about the midwinter blahs is that everyone seems to get them at the same time, which makes for some pretty jam-packed Kick shows. It seems everyone and their brother (and their brother's hot sister and her friends) had the same thought: It's cold and we're not in Cancun, but that doesn't mean we can't party like we are. So we did, twice, at two of our all-time favorite suburban clubs for two of our all-time favorite largely suburban crowds. Friday night, we actually saw a bunch of new faces at Murphy & Scarletti's (we thought we'd already met everyone in the Farmington River Valley by now!) Saturday, we hit JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI where, I swear, if you stood out front on the tiki porch under the giant neon palm trees sipping a shot of tequila while Kick wailed away in the background, you may have actually thought you were in Cancun. If Cancun was butt cold.
TOUR DIARY: Behind the Red Door
Mon, Feb. 19 2007
ROCKStar Date 02.16.07: The Red Door in Watertown, CT is just becoming a very cool venue to play. The room sounds good and full, the crowds are reliably excellent and outgoing, the staff is great, and it's got a laid back sort of comfortable groove that works really nicely with the Kick rock and roll experience. Further such evidence revealed itself last Friday night. It was a classic cold midwinter night gig: the kind where people need to go out and have a little vacation, if only in their minds. (We had fun, too.)
TOUR DIARY: Go West
Mon, Feb. 12 2007
ROCKStar Date 02.09.07 - 02.10.07: We love New York. And apparently, New York has taken a shine to us as well. South Norwalk is actually in Connecticut, but try telling that to anyone who lives north of New Haven; SoNo is metro New York in all the best ways. And there's no better place to get a bison burger and cold one than Black Bear Saloon on the strip. Even better is when you get to hear some live rock & roll there, which you couldn't not do if you were there Friday night as Kick blew the roof off the joint once again. Steve, staffers: you're all to be sainted. Speaking of sainthood, thanks to the two buses full of young, fine, upstanding Sacred Heart kids whose arrival promptly turned the night up to 11. It was a great night, it was a late night. But not as late as they party in New York proper. As seasoned veterans of the bar scene as we are, both professionally and amateur, I still don't know how people go until 4 a.m. every night. Then again, when you're onstage at 3:30 at The Bayou in downtown Albany and the still-surprisingly-full house is yelling "two more songs" after already having heard a previous, legitimate encore, I guess something just clicks and you find that rock & roll energy to keep going.
TOUR DIARY: The Real Super Bowl Pregame Party
Tue, Feb. 6 2007
ROCKStar Date 02.02-03.07 While other people got rained on in Miami Super Bowl weekend, we launched it in style, at the single greatest sports bar in the state of Connecticut: Rookies in Cromwell. As always, a great time at a great venue with top-notch staff and some wonderful folks. The crowd was noticably thinner than the usual "filled to the gills/line out the door" due to the first real snowfall of the year and brutal cold, but given the crummy conditions, we were actually pretty blown away to see so many people brave the elements. It only got colder the next night, but we got a big warm greeting up in Boston, MA at a new venue for us - Hennessey's, by Faneuil Hall. This one is going to be a keeper, primo food, spot-on location, and a classic Boston clientele of tourists, locals, and everyone in between. We're back there for a doubleheader Friday/Saturday throwdown at the end of March, so we strongly encourage you to ring in spring with a little roadtip.
TOUR DIARY: Mayhem in the Ocean State
Mon, Jan. 29 2007
ROCKStar Date 01.27.07 There aren't too many sure things in life, but killer Kick shows at J.R.'s Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI are fast becoming one. It's all but guaranteed: Crowds invariably composed of some of the most rocking people in the contiguous United States, Steve's mixes making even us sound like rock & roll gods (even with one hand!), and there's something about that big stage that brings out our inner Led Zep. All said, it makes for some truly "Hammer of the Gods"-like rockshows and Saturday's rage there was no different. To all of you who asked, we're back in just about a month, actually, at the end of February, which rules. So if you've never been, please believe us when we say this is the one place you need to check out - whatever you're into, there's a bar for you (when we're not playing of course!) To our growing tribe of regulars, we love you too. Let's do it again, even harder next time.
TOUR DIARY: New York/Mass Mayhem
Sun, Jan. 21 2007
ROCKStar Date 01.19 - 01.20.07 OK, now that was just ridiculous. Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, always an amazing nightclub anyway, somehow managed to be even more remarkably stunning than usual last night. An absolutely enoromous, beautiful, and unspeakably loud bunch of people came out to share their blustery cold night with us, and enabled us to give a thorough demonstartion on how we use the audience's energy as our own rock & roll fuel. We all had an absolute blast and appreciate the dozens of people who shared the same sentiments with us (happy b-day, by the way, Mouse, you f'ing rock!) But I'm doing this backwards, first came Friday night, marked by an even colder northern jaunt to Glens Falls, NY for our debut at Hot Shots. Everything the Web site said was true: a cool club, a great and ridiculously affordable menu (can't wait to come back for a dose of that "Gigeuner" sauce!), a bevy of very easy on the eye waitresses, and a bunch of good friends of the band from our Lake George weekends. We got a lot of love and support, so thanks for making us feel welcome. We're back in March, and now that we know what to expect, vow to rock you as hard as we possibly can.
TOUR DIARY: Hot As a Pistol, Indeed
Mon, Jan. 15 2007
ROCKStar Date 01.12.07 - 01.13.07: As the stupid old song goes, the kids in Bristol proved they were that indeed. After Friday night's blistering and packed show at the venerable Murphy & Scarleti's in Farmington, CT (happy birthday Sandy!), we weren't sure quite what to expect the following night for our debut at a club roughly four miles up the road. Saturday night, any concerns were put to rest, a big proverbial fork stuck right through them, when a couple hundred more close friends (and dozens of new ones) filled Bleachers Sports Bar in Bristol, CT. To those of you who made both shows, well, yoou rock twice as much as the others, don't you? Folks, this is an extremely cool little place to catch a game: 22 beers on tap, a nice wide stage, and an unusually cool clientele. We couldn't find a Website for them, just trust us - aim toward the ESPN satellite dishes and listen for the sound of music.
TOUR DIARY: Happy New Year!
Wed, Jan. 3 2007
ROCKStar Date 01.01.07 Gosh, it's 2007 already. (I mean it seems like just a few days ago it was 2006!) If Sunday night's barnstorming of the venerable Rookies Sports Bar in Cromwell, CT is any indication, 2K7 is going to be 365 truly, truly ill days, one after another. Rookies rolled out the red carpet as always (almost literally, nice tuxes, guys!) hosting an evening of good clean fun that went all the way to 2 a.m., making this the latest Sunday night close ever sanctioned there. Literally hundreds of bottles of bubbly were popped as the ball dropped (everyone had their own, nice touch!) And the champagne flowed as freely as the love, as a great crowd of friendly faces started the year, well, making out. In some cases, clearly with complete strangers. That's one way to start the year on the right foot. Our sole New Year's resolution: to rock you like no other band can or will, as often as possible. Here's to a great 2K7.
TOUR DIARY: RockStar Date 03.06.10 OK, so we hit Geraldine's for like the third time in about as many months, but somehow, hundreds of people - the freaky and the fabulous - came out to see us yet again, reaffiriming our long-held belief that Springfield rocks (and has impeccable taste in music!) Those who did were treated to an over-the-top rock extravaganza, the likes of which we unleash only on the most rocking of crowds. This group earned it, along with a couple live premieres (with more on the way, come see!) Next weekend we play the Hartford St. Patrick's Parade (see related news articles, below) and a private party, so maybe we should plan our next full-bore KICK party at the Black Bear Hartford next Friday or the Cabin Fever Concert at Spare Time Bopwling Alley in Vernon, CT March 20 (details of which are also viewable in the articles below, get your tickets now!)
TOUR DIARY: RockStar Date 02.26.10 With pitchers and catchers doing their thing in Florida and mere hours until the start of the month that features both St. Patty's day and the first day of spring, a road trip to Boston - a city that can over-celebrate all of these things - seemed stunningly appropriate. The fact that we got to also play a rockshow at the venerable Hennessy's was pure gravy. Really yummy, rocking gravy. Which reminded me how awesome their food is, but I digress - this club is two floors of pure old school Beantown revelry, and our anxiously anticipated return to the Hooley House Friday night reminded us why Boston is one of the truly great music cities in the free world. Or the captive one for that matter. If you were there (and we were surprised how many of you were, hey "Cava"!) you know this. If you were not, you have at least one chance for redemption - we're back there in April, at which time it will be even springier. So get a posse together, book a room, and come on up, you need a vacation.
Greetings, all, I have just a few things I'd like to cover before the puck drops on what's sure to be a matchup for the ages between the US and Canada, so I'll keep it quick. Let's see...we played Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT Friday night. We busted out like three new songs and jammed a bit with special guest James, now of a band called Bad Kitty. As always, a very, very nice time with our friends in the Farmington River Valley.
RockStar Date 02.12.10 - 02.13.10 Wow, it's only mid-February and we've already had our first instant classic. Saturday night's show at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun was an absolute freakin' ball and a half, thanks to the couple hundred crazies who stuffed the rom to take their evening of Rock to the next level. Kid Rock never took us up on his offer to join us onstage and show us what he was made of, but that's just fine, we went right ahead and upped the ante ourselves and had a genuine blast doing it. We're back at this great room both nights of Bon Jovi's upcoming March shows at the casino. We encourage you to join us for a real encore. Jon, Richie, the offer to jam remains on the table. The nachos are on us. Saturday's show was actually the second in a doubleheader that began Friday night at Black Bear Saloon - SoNo (in South Norwalk, CT, get it?) The Black Bears are some of the best dining and entertainment venues in the state. (They even just opened one at Bradley International Airport, which - despite its being targeted to transients - this writer found to be every bit as fantastic as the others.) Valentine's Day weekend brings out a unique mix of people. Single ones mostly, looking for a good time, and select couples who still know how to have a good time. Suffice to say, a good time was had by all, especially the single ones who didn't end the night that way. A big tip of the hat goes to bartender Jay for jamming with us on (unplugged) guitar and proving it's actually possible to completely rock a plaid blazer.
RockStar Date 02.06.10 So it's Super Bowl Sunday and the taquitos are going to burn so I need to make this quick. KICK played JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse last night. (Mmm...bourbon...) That's up in Cranston, RI, a completely underrated community that could very well be the most rocking township in the great State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. I've never seen a plantation in Providence, but I do know, after having accummulated a half dozen motor vehicle tickets, that that's the full, official state name for some bizzarro reason. I also know that the state bird is a chicken of some sort. (Mmm...chicken.) Which reminds me, I need to start the wings. What was I saying? Oh yes, we played JR's last night with Dirty Kitty. They freakin' rock, by the way. (Mmmm...kitty.) I (me being Micke) highly recommend them. And I am completely grateful to the bass player for letting me run through his amp when my gear suffered a temporary implosion, perhaps due to some weird Rhode Island voltage. But technical issues aside, RI rocks, they can take it hard and heavy, so we gave it to them just so. But what else would you expect from a state that celebrates the maple as its state tree? (Mmm...maple.) So yeah, yet again, we had a really nice time with our peeps in the great Ocean State, a state smaller than some large cities but still carrying as much pull in the Senate as California. And with a violet as its state flower.
KICK has just released Wave 1 of a continually growing 2K10 schedule of special parties and events for music fans of all types and, in some cases, all ages. Here's a quick rundown of some of the non-nightclub fun we have on tap over the next few months that we'd love for you and yours to be a part of:
RockStar Date 01.22.10 - 01.23.10: So it's not summer. No, far from it. In fact, you almost couldn't be further from that sweet, early July, primetime stuff. But rather than throw up our mittens in defeat, we opted to pretend like heck at two beach-themed shows this past weekend. Friday's romp at Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun was classic beach blanket bingo at its finest. The casino always brings out some colorful characters, and this week was no exception. Just when it seemed that every person in the club was celebrating a birthday, Kevin took a bow, himself, to celebrate the anniversary of his own birth moment, onstage. Congratulations, Kevin. And many more! The following night, we went from pseudo-Caribbean to pseudo-just-about-everything at a special event honoring the season finale of MTV's Jersey Shore at Black Bear Saloon in Hartford, CT. Fake hair, fake tans, fake fakery everywhere. And God was it fun, sharing the stage with a dozen dancing Snookis as several hundred Situations watched on. Many had clearly done the full GTL ritual prior to attending while others wantonly exhibited their inexperience with spray tanning formula with orange-skinned aplomb. We'll be mixing up the RonRon juice and enjoying one last weekend off until summer. But check back here in the days to come for a major announcement that will help us all put an end to the winter doldrums once and for all.
RockStar Date 01.08.10 - 01.09.10: Loading in Friday at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT, we were struck by the notion that it seemed like forever since we'd played out. This of course is silly talk. We'd simply taken the previous weekend off. But for some reason, absence made the heart grow fonder...and made us rock harder. We were unusually excited to get back and do what it is we do: give it hell, live. Heck, we'd actually played Murphy's a scant four weeks prior. (To be precise, we actually played a carbon copy of this very Murphy's/Geraldine's weekend this time last month.) But gosh, that was last year. This is 2K10, a very special year for KICK (you'll come to understand why as the weeks pass). And we decided that New England needs to be rocked more this year, so we busted out a bunch of chestnuts old and new to see just how far and deep our audience's tastes run. The verdict: KICK may well have the most diverse fanbase in the scene, you rock equally to just about anything we throw at you. Give yourselves a round of applause. Take for instance our favorite new follower from Friday - a cat named Austen who claims he was passing through on his way to see a different band, only to stay the night with us and singlehandedly redefine the art of air guitar performance. Austen rocks. Or witness Saturday's debauchery at the aforementioned Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA which spontaneously exploded into equal parts hot body contest, Dallas Cowboys victory party, and ultimately an unusually relaxed all-request jam. Happy birthday to Bree, sporting a completely sweet customized "Kick Chick" sling for her hurt arm (see shots of what this year's stylish hurt people should be wearing on Facebook "Kick Tunes.") Heck, we even gave away a pair of passes to the Mohegan Sun Food and Wine Expo (thanks Joe Lee) and all they had to do was be the first to wedge themselves into a frozen KICK shirt. Geraldine's rocks. Stick with us kids and ye, too, shall rock - often and hard.
RockStar Date 12.26.09: To paraphrase the late, great Walter Cronkite, that's the way it was, folks - 2009, a year for the books no matter what type of reading you're into. We were a bit taken aback by the huge outpouring of love and enthusiasm by the surprisingly large number of revelers who chose to share their day after Christmas with us at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (and Jimmy Buffett's birthday for that matter). But then, the show was at Mohegan Sun Casino, so a lot of folks probably had a lot of pesky holiday money to get rid of. Per usual in that great room, we had a rollicking good time. A big KICK "sorry" goes out to Jenny Jenny for whom we were unable to play "867-5309" for her birthday due to time constraints (Jesus and Jimmy Buffett unfortunately took priority, we promise to make it up to you!) The show saw the debut of five new songs which, if you were there, you seemed to enjoy and if you weren't, you're just going to have to come enjoy some time soon to find out what they are. But you'll have to wait just a bit. For the first year in several, we are evacuating Kamp KICK to take New Year's Eve off - the change of a decade seemed an excellent bookend to see what other people do when the ball drops. After all, we recall the last time the decade changed, from 1999 to Y2K, and we all half-wondered if our digital gear would implode. Check the "Tour Dates" section of KICKband.com to see what's on the itinerary. So since we won't be speaking for a while, to you all, thanks for your role in creating such an amazing 2009, we look forward to rocking you harder, bigger, and better than ever in 2K10.
TOUR DIARY - 12.18.09: Now there's an evergreen treat, a chance to chill in South Norwalk, CT at the peak of the holiday season and set off some merriment at The Black Bear Saloon with our ever-growing roster or friends, fans, and freaks (the good kind) who have perennially made that club one of the classiest, best-run, most outright fun establishments in New England. We said an early goodbye to a year that for better or worse, I think we can all agree was rather fascinating, and bid a temporary "happy holidays" and adieu to the KICK Army - Metro New York Chapter with a run through some of 2K9's best musical moments. We'll be back Valentine's Day weekend there, so if you really want to impress a date, come down, we'll help you show them a good time.
TOUR DIARY - 12.04.09 - 12.05.09: December is an odd month, as hectic as it is relaxing, it's weather beautiful as often as it is miserable. This weekend we had a mix of all that makes December an always-welcome end to every year. We started the weekend like so many people do - Friday night at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT where we took pretty much whoever wasn't out shopping through a spirited mix of the best songs of 2K9 (among dozens of others, of course). Saturday, we had our first winter-weather scare when a rumored six inches of white stuff was threatening to fall on our show at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. Much did, but it didn't turn out as bad as anticipated, so we're pumped the club didn't chicken out and nix the show prematurely. And while the weather did keep many home, the surprisingly decent-sized bunch who braved the elements made the show all the more inspiring, largely because it seemed every single one of them was a member of the KICK Army on Facebook or MySpace. So it means all the more to us to see you come out to see us, one more time before our return for our first shows ofr 2K10 this January when we play - get this - another doubleheader of Murphy & Scarletti's Friday and Geraldine's on Saturday January 8 and 9!
It just wouldn't feel like the holiday season if it didn't start off the way our last nine had: with a raging KICKsgiving Eve rockshow at Rookies in Cromwell, CT the night before turkey day. This one was particularly enjoyable, as hundreds of our closest friends converged to toast to all the things we're thankful for and prep for the upcoming mayhem of the next few weeks. This show was, of course, replete with the traditional pie eating contest (an especially messy one this year, check "Kick Tunes" on 
Facebook for some great shots) and the annual frozen T-shirt contest (won, for the third year running, by Jenna, who now must have a small closet full of KICK shirts). Congratulations to everyone who won and to 96.5 TIC FM for the prizes, which included tix to the weekend's UConn football game and the TIC Holiday Ball. The next day, we ate. The next we rested. And then Saturday, we ventured up to Cranston - well-fed and well-rested - to tear apart JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse. This one was particularly exhilarating, with an equally off-the-charts show of energy and enthusiasm from the always-fantastic people in the Ocean State. Here's looking forward to getting back over there to rock you all harder still in 2K10.
ROOKIES THIS WEDNESDAY?! AWESOME!!! Happy Kicksgiving from Kamp KICK, everyone! We hope you're enjoying the last week of relative sanity before the holiday season begins and the words "relative" and "insanity" begin to take on different meanings. Thanksgiving week is a special time of year for us. It's a short one, for starters, which makes it great for everybody. And it's a time to reflect and give thanks, which is why we've been hosting a get-together at Rookies in Cromwell, CT every Wednesday before Thanksgiving for the past eight years now. Suckers for tradition that we are, we're doing it again. The 9th Annual KICKsgiving Eve Reunion and Rage is right around the corner and we're looking forward to catching up with and rocking as many of our old friends as possible. As always, we'll be holding contests and giving away tickets to the 96.5 TIC Xmas Show (Shinedown, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Train, Uncle Kracker, Five for Fighting...you know you want them), gift cards, CDs, and movie passes, and we'll have lots and lots of the best friggin' music ever made as performed by five guys who think you're awesome.
RockStar Date 11.13.09 - 11.14.09: For a weekend that began with a Friday the 13th, it sure worked out to be a lucky one. Not only did luck seem to be a lady at the tables at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino Friday night, we also had a really fun show at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (and some amazing fajitas to boot). They were filming a commercial - which we can't wait to see - and everything seemed to go smoothly with that, I found a voucher sticking out of a slot machine, and there was not a single incident involving people wielding chainsaws and goalie masks, so perhaps we can put the whole Friday the 13th myth to bed once and for all. Luckier still, Saturday got even nuttier, for Joe Lee is turning 40 and needed the help of friends and family to help him forget that. And as someone who once lived in Vernon, CT, I can vouch, Spare Time Bowling Alley
has never had as many cars in its parking lot. I couldn't get that many people to my funeral if I started selling tickets now. Food everywhere, beverages everywhere, heavy balls flying around everywhere, and the luck continued with a really fun KICK set (and a really really fun encore set) as well as performances by the always wonderful Columbia Fields and the eminently fabulous Veronica Ballestrini. I mean, how lucky can you get? Happy birthday Joe, don't ever ever change.
RockStar Date 11.06.09 - 11.07.09: So it was just a matter of time before we did a little weekend doubleheader tour of the Connecticut Black Bear Saloons, and this was that weekend. Needless to say, we came out loaded for Bear. We learned something we knew full well anyway - the Black Bear rocks. Both of them. All of them for that matter. While that organization takes wonderful care of us, they don't pay us to say this but I will anyway: it has become - hands down - the best nightclub chain in the Northeast. Friday's South Norwalk show was a beautiful fall evening that found many still reeling from the Yankees parade earlier (congratulations to our fans to the left of the state). Saturday's Hartford show was a warm return indoors to the (other) house that Steve built and a delightful hometown hoedown - basically a weekend spent with a couple hundred of our closest friends. Speaking of friends, we were tickled pink to hold an unanticipated, impromptu old school KICK reunion with our first drummer ever, the mighty Rob Pivacek who sat in on some equally old school Third Eye Blind without missing a beat (not that he ever did). What could be better than that? Well, a UConn win Saturday would have been. And for the folks to the right of the state, anyone but the Yankees in that parade, but we're still smiling. Hope you all are too.
RockStar Date 10.30.09: There weren't any sanctioned or official Halloween parties in Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort over the past weekend, but we felt that should not be. By passively encouraging folks to come as anything but what they are we ended up with quite a little ad hoc costume party at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun. Check Kick Tunes on Facebook to view some of the outstanding and outlandish assortment of masqueraders. Many were truly remarkable, but had there been a contest, it would have gone hands down to the lovely Jenny, who came as...Kevin. "Are you...me?!" shouted a bewildered Kev from the stage. And while she most certainly is not, the attention to detail was so uncanny it was almost scary, or at least unnerving. Thank you all for providing us one of the most truly surreal and bizarre stage views ever, and additional love goes out to the always loveable Lake George contingent!
RockStar Date 10.23.09 - 10.24.09: So my stupid smart clock thinks it's earlier than it is, so I'm up an hour earlier than I should be, I may as well write in my tour diary, right? I swear, I think that as soon as they finally perfected the clock that adjusts itself for daylight savings time, someone decided to change the dates we do it and render them all obsolete. I say away with the entire dumb tradition, but that's because I haven't gotten enough sleep. It was a long weekend, after all. Rookies in Cromwell, CT can be an athletic endeavor unto itself. The stage is just big enough to catch some real air, and the crowd Friday night spurred us on to really lay into it. Smiles all around. The show was a last tuneup for Kicksgiving #9 there, the annual Rookies rage the night before Thanksgiving, and we're beyond pumped. Because to paraphrase Adam Sandler, the night before Thanksgiving is a special night. And Jimmy Walker used to say Dyno-mite. That's right. The following evening we played at The Sports Bar in North Windham, CT. Now, I apologize for the confusion early Friday - I'd learned it was a benefit show, so I uninvited everybody. Then I heard it was still open to the public, so I tried to spread that word. Bottom line: The event was Pantherpalooza, a benefit fundraiser for the EO Smith Foundation that featured one of the most impressive silent auctions (and barbecues) this diary writer has seen in some time. We met some really great folks doing some really good things, which always beats the other kind. And wow, that's a heck of a club, by the way - huge, TV's everywhere. A great place to catch UConn sports I'm sure. Speaking of which, I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to reflect on the untimely loss of Jasper Howard. The UConn Huskies Football organization has always been wonderful to us (some may remember our Saturday morning KICK shows in front of Rentschler Field before every home game those first five seasons as they grew into the legitimate powerhouse they've become today). Our hearts go out to his immediate family and the countless others in his extended one.
RockStar Date 10.16.09 - 10.17.09: Had I been wearing socks this weekend, they most surely would have been rocked off. First, sometime during Friday night's show at Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun when the bridal party, the PBR fans and the MMA fighters all converged to create one of the wildest-looking dance floors in recent memory. And then again Saturday night at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, roughly at about the moment that Big Dan, the one-man security force, threw up a fist and howled, we hope in approval of the fun he was able to have with his class reunion folks as a club attendee rather than employee. We unveiled five new songs over the course of the weekend and have more on the way. I'd tell you which ones, but we'd much rather show you. So make a date with KICK this fall, before it starts snowing. Wait a minute...
RockStar Date 10.09.09 - 10.10.09: So wow, that was something. We had committed to rocking out early Saturday morning at the Hartford Marathon, so unfortunately, this was aparently not to be the year that "run 26.2 miles" got crossed off the bucket list. (Darn! The agonizing pain, the chaffing, the hallucinations at mile 21, it all sounds so fun!) But I suspect it pretty much felt the same anyway. That's because we spent Friday night onstage visiting our friends at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT (our second visit there in under four weeks, in fact). It was a blast and all, Mike from Vivid pithced in on vox for a tune, the Sox and Yankees were both playing, good autumn stuff all around. But man, by the time we broke down our gear and got home, it was time to go right back out to beat the 7:00 a.m. road closures along the marathon route. And then, we got to do it all over again in Bushnell Park. Rock and roll Ironmen? That's not a title we can bestow upon ourselves. So we'll throw that phrase out there right now so you can subconsciously think it. But this isn't about us; there is something incredibly inspiring in the determination, the colors and the pageantry of 8,000 runners striding by, some who looked like they do this every weekend, others who appeared to have been training for months to see just how good their best really is on this perfect autumn day. We'd like to extend a big KICK congratulations to every single one of them. Maybe next year we'll take a break and join you. I mean, if we're going to spend the afternoon throwing up, exhausted, it may as well have been due to an athletic endeavor, right? Thanks to the event organizers for having us back for a second year in a row and to everyone who helped make this one of the best marathons in America.
RockStar Date 10.03.09: We were already plenty excited, heading north to partake of an unusually balmy Saturday in Killington, VT, enjoy the foliage, and unwind in a schweet A-frame cottage for the night, when we learned we were simultaneously driving ourselves straight into the Killington Brew Fest. I mean, that's like going to the pool to swim a couple laps and finding there just happened to also be a Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot going on at the pool the same day. First my apologies for not realizing this event was taking place Saturday afternoon, had I been aware, I'm sure you believe me when I say I would have certainly made sure you knew as well. Second, my apologies that you missed the show, it was absolutely off the chain. As the various event posters that line its walls clearly attest, the Pickle Barrel Nightclub has been home to some amazing gigs over the years, including one of our own top 10 all-time favorites (the legendary Miniskirt Party, oh so long ago). Saturday, we opened the club for the season and began what we hope will be a new chapter of great shows at that venerable apres ski paradise. Considering the leaves haven't even fallen yet, if the first night is any indication, winter 2K9/2K10 is going to be an ill one indeed. A big "nice to meet you" to the dozens of new faces we had the pleasure of meeting and a sincere hope to do it again real soon.
RockStar Date 09.18.09 - 09.19.09: OK, that was unreal. No, really, to everyone in the KICK Army - Rhode Island Chapter who took part in our Saturday show at JR's Bourbon Street Rockshouse we owe you a ginormous "thank you" for the debauched display of rocking you undertook and executed so completely and thoroughly. By popular demand, we plowed through a heavier-than-usual set made up primarily of fan requests, which (because this IS Rhode Island after all) was remarkably, loudly, warmly, and enthusiastically received. (So keep those requests coming, and yes, a special theme show may indeed be on the horizon.) Big ups to show openers Identity Crisis once again who rocked as usual, and major domo "heck yeahs" to the truly insane group that assembled. Backstage, the club's new camper was an unexpected and way-appreciated treat. Onstage, I can attest to at least a couple personlal and literal goosebump moments. It gets pretty loud in front of those amplifiers and drums, so we're always taken aback when a big crowd combines forces together to create a roar even louder than the band. The less chronologically challenged among you may have noticed that his was actually the second of a 2-for-2 doubleheader that began Friday at Rookies in Cromwell, CT. It, too, was a thrill. Rookies is always a good time, even more so now that baseball is getting interesting, and all the more so Friday thanks to an influx of so many familiar faces, it almost felt like the first day of school when all your friends return from summer. Only not really that much. Words can't do either show justice, so I suggest you log onto Facebook and check Kick Tunes where you will see some fan-held handhelds documenting the evening (thanks Lynn & Jenny!) If you had to be told where to go to find this, shame on you for not friending us yet! Next stop: Texas (but you can't come) so the real next stop is at the Pickle Barrel Nightclub in Killington, VT, an area that the national weather bureau predicts will experience the precise peak of its foliage season the moment we arrive in town (or pretty darned close). If you only know Killington as a skiers' paradise, I implore you to bring a camera and come on up for some primetime autumn scenery, a little hiking, mountain biking, or just to chill by a fire with a fine beverage and see what 30 million wildflowers look like.
RockStar Date 09.11.09 - 09.12.09: Warming up for Friday night's show at Murphy & Scarletti's, Paulie made the observation that we all were feeling but weren't sure why. For some reason, it seemed like forever since we had played a true club show. Granted, we spent the bulk of summer playing various outdoor venues, special events, parties, and anything but our usual rock clubs. So it did feel a bit weird at first and yet oh so nice to get back and tear through three sets on a familiar stage. Even better, we got to go back and rock two of them, with a follow-up Saturday at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. It was beyond great to see all the familiar faces welcoming us back to the normalcy that comes with a steady flow of rock & roll, where and how we all like it. Fall also means we get back to work in the rehearsal studio, which means we'll be adding roughly two dozen new songs to our repertoire. We do this whole "band thing" because of you (of course), so email Micke with any requests. We want to blow you away. That's just how we roll. Speaking of rolling, the Massachusetts Geraldine's show marked the beginning of a "4 Shows in 4 States" Fall Minitour which continues to Connecticut and Rhode Island before arriving for a recently confirmed show at Pickle Barrel Nightclub in Killington, Vermont at the peak of foliage season. Check the newly and continually updated Tour Dates section of KICKband.com to see our next 80 shows, right into 2011.
RockStar Date 09.04.09 - 09.05.09: Well there it is, folks. Another one for the history books. Four months ago, on the stage of the Fairfield University basketball stadium, we embarked upon a junket we dubbed the "Endless SummerTour." We called it the Endless SummerTour for a number of reasons. Not just that Endless Summer was the greatest surf movie ever. No, we call it that because we actually have called all of our summer tours that. And we began calling them that in hope that maybe, just maybe, someday summer wouldn't have to end at all. There are even times, those hot early July evenings, when you think it never will. But alas, like all good things, the summer of 2K9 had to end as well. Fortunately, we saw it out with a resounding bang in two shoreline shows, Friday at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun and Saturday afternoon at the Atlantic Beach Club. Normally, I'd write some cheeky review of the days' events, but words seem so inappropriate and unnecessary. (And I'm tired, it's been a long trip.) But the weather was unspeakably gorgeous. The sunset even more so. The venues rank among the most idyllic tropical watering holes in the free world and we were just happy to down a fru fru drink and offer a toast to the great people we got to rock with throughout four states over these past four months. So thank you, thank you, thank you to you all. You know who you are. And if you don't, let me tell you. It's YOU! But alas, it's fall now. Which means back to work (heck, we'll be knocking out four states in four shows. Check the Tour Dates section to see exactly where.)
I don't know, maybe it's the fact that summer took so long to get here, but everyone else is thinking about sweaters and we're still in full-on summer mode here at Kamp Kick. Assisting that sensation is that the beautiful weather has been making up for lost time, and that we're just having too darned much fun to think about slowing down. So the Endless SummerTour 2K9 forged on to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun Friday night where we were greeted by Taylor Swift (really!), where Micke - in his first foray into competitive eating managed a close second in a spicy burrito eating contest, and where KICK blazed a rock & roll trail of near-monumetal proportions before one of the nuttiest crowds at that venue all summer. Leading Lick lady Dina happened to be in town celebrating Jordan's 21st birthday and helped us prettify the stage - guesting on a couple songs, video of which is viewable on our Facebook page (Kick Tunes if you're still a networking newbie). The next day, we got to do one of the things we love doing most: throw a rock & roll dance party for two delightful, very much in love people on the day of their holy matrimony. We were blessed to have been asked to perform at the afterparty in honor of two wonderful young people named Matt and Liza. To aptly describe the pastoral setting would take hours, so just try to picture a huge white tent on an expansive family farm on a perfect summer night. (With KICK under it.) We thank them dearly for the invite and to everyone in attendance whose enthusiasm helped inspire us to turn the fun knob up to and way past "11."
OK, like, wow. We've played tripleheader weekends before (sure, no sweat!) but aside from the ones involving a tour bus, I can't recall them ever consuming almost literally every waking moment. Nor can I recall three more wildly different or wildly wonderful, wacky, and rewarding shows in a 48-hour period. It all began on a hot, sunny Friday afternoon that would prove it had no intention of staying that way, more on that later. When I throw coins into a fountain, I've often wished to someday play at the Hartford Civic Center (OK, the "XL Center.") I got my wish, although I probably should have specified "inside the XL Center." But rolling up in front to rock the Allyn Street Stage at the Clams and Cans Block Party was still way cool. We 
loaded in, grabbed some dinner with our new favorite band Reel Big Fish at Black Bear Saloon, and began the weekend's happy hour and a whirlwind of rock & roll mayhem that would continue for the next three days. Then came the ominous clouds. Then the comically torrential rain. It began to appear that the Hartford Advocate's annual Grand Band Slam Awards Show would be scratched altogether. But then, it stopped. And then it got outright beautiful. And while it stinks that we didn't get to see all the other bands, some of which we were really stoked to see, as headliners of the Allyn Street Stage, we're honored to have been one of the very few bands who did get to play. The only bummer is that now the set times couldn't alternate, so we played at exactly the same time as Reel Big Fish, so we missed them. But to those of you who hung with us on our side of the road, we hope you had even a fraction of the fun we did at the Clam Jam. Some great shots are viewable at The Hartford Courant's Website, courtesy of Metromix. Visit
We slept it off (briefly) and headed north to The Colwell's 3rd Annual Block Party. Rich is a great guy - you've seen his photos all over the site and our Facebook page. And he proved he's equally adept at throwing an awesome bender. The show began with two great acts, both of whom have just dropped new CDs. Perennial indie favorites Columbia Fields, whose new album Bridging the Gap is out Friday, and 17-year-old country star Veronica Ballestrini, whose new release What I'm All About proves she's worthy of the "next Taylor Swift" buzz she's generated. Then we played. We don't have a new CD and we're definitely not the next Taylor Swift or even the next Columbia Fields, but we do know how to have fun and eat, so we did. And so did a whole bunch of Rich's friends and neighbors, including a few dozen completely amped kids, whose enthusiam always make a show just too, too fun for us.
The cops came (later than we expected, thanks to East Longmeadow's finest), and we left. If you wanted to sleep, this is where you did it. Because we had to be at the Farmington Club by 9:00 the next morning or the road would be closed. That's because 5,000 bikers were preparing to participate in the Special Olympics Dream Ride 2009 And wow, what an event. The Bozzuto's organization does a truly amazing job assembling this great event, which now also had satellite runs throughout the country and is now poised to pass the $1 million mark. This was our second year performing in a row, and we can't speak highly enough of the event, the coordinators, and all involved. This event has something for everyone: great food, booths everywhere, soldiers and cops (the ladies are all kicking themselves now), a huge car show, flyovers, hundreds of Special Olympics athletes from throughout the Northeast, even a swimming pool. How hospitable were they? They asked if we wanted a little breakfast - they brought us 150 blueberry muffins and four dozen donuts. For the five of us. (No green m&m's!) I don't know how we 
finished that all, but we went out and played what was literally one of our most enjoyable performances ever. All it took was the enthusiasm of a young guy named Andy who was bold enough to come onstage to rock out with us, and it was on. Suddenly, the gauntlet had been thrown down, and a dance contest of never-before-seen proportions erupted - the Rhode Island team vs. Connecticut, the red team vs. the blue. It was an exhibit of pure, unbridled joy. Some of us need to be reminded to "dance like no one is watching." But we could never match the spirit of these amazing kids, dancing because everyone was watching.
To the skillions of you who have been asking, we have some additional details about the weekend's shows. First: Friday night is the Clams and Cans block party on Allyn Street in Hartford, CT. This is also the Hartford Advocate's Band Slam, so there is a full roster of entertainment on two stages, one on each end of Allyn Street, featuring (in order of appearance) Frank & the Beans and DJ Gruv (starting at 5:30), followed by Jimmy Hat, Article 19, Big Floppy Disk, Bronze Radio Return, Mid Life Crisis, and Tip the Van. The KICK rockshow begins at 10:15 on the Ann Street Stage and Reel Big Fish starts at 11:00 on the Union Place Stage. One additional new development - at one point, we were going to be playing in the Black Bear Saloon that night if it rained, but due to the nature of the setup, that is unfortunately logistically unfeasible.
KICK NEWS: So we have a really cool run of interesting, out-of-the-box, unusual performances over the next few weeks and we strongly recommend you do yourself a favor and check one of them out (if not several). Next Friday (8.21), we will be playing the Allyn Street Block Party in Hartford, CT. This is the latest in their awesome series of block parties in which they close down the entire road and all the great clubs and restaurants along the street participate. A bunch of other Hartford Advocate Grand Band Slam winning bands will be there too, and best of all: Reel Big Fish has been added to the block party! Imagine! Reel Big Fish at an outdoor clambake extravaganza featuring 10 of the city's hottest bars. Agave, Pour House, Black Bear, The Palace, The Tavern Downtown, NV, Coach's, Pig's Eye Pub, One Eleven Lounge and Up or on The Rocks open their doors for an all out celebration topped off with a performance by one of the biggest ska-punk bands ever. The next day is a block party of a different sort: the 3rd Annual Colwell's Block Party, and you are invited! This could be the best $20 you spend all summer. The B’Shara’s Family Restaurant & Elite Caterers team will be fueling us for a very special rockshow that also features Columbia Fields at 3:00 p.m. (who will be dropping their new CD any day now) and DJ Niko to supply us with non-stop party jams. We tear in promptlyish at 6:30 p.m. Folks under 18 are free, but get on this now so the caterer can be given an approximate head count. As an added bonus for the 21+ crowd, draft beer is included in the price. Check ourweekendparty.com for deets, or R.S.V.P. by sending an email to rsvp@ourweekendparty.com or by calling 413.525.0825 or 860.883.9448. The next day, we have the tremendous honor of once again playing 
Dream Ride, Sunday afternoon at the Farmington Club in Farmington, CT. Since 2001, Dream Ride has been bringing people together on the open road to celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics Connecticut athletes. Each year thousands of motorcycle and car enthusiasts rev up their engines to honor this worthy cause. After nine years and over $800,000 in fundraising, Bozzuto’s Inc. and Hometown Foundation, Inc. are back as sponsors of Dream Ride. The 2009 event is more than a charity ride for motorcycles and a show for cars; it’s a gathering of people interested in camaraderie, helping out a good cause and having a great time. We hope you can join us for this incredible day. Check hometownwheels.com for more about this outstanding event.
TOUR DIARY - RockStar Date 08.06.09 - 08.07.09: So yeah, nothing messes up your awareness of which day of the week it is like a Thursday night show. They mess up your ability to get out of bed the next morning, too, but we sure weren't complaining. Fun and a preposterous amount of Dunkin hazelnut have a way of offsetting even the most painful sleep deprivation experiments. Actually, we played back-to-back Thursday night rockshows at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, last week and this week. And yeah, it sure is a great way to get a jump on the weekend, especially with Loverboy "warming up" the crowd with a surprisingly excellent-sounding set in the Wolf Den. The next night, we hit Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT for a show that felt like a hot summer Saturday night as the Yankees and Red Sox spent the night locked in a scoreless extra-inning marathon and we followed suit with a walkoff grand slam of our own.
RockStar Date 07.30.09 - 08.02.09: Nothing like getting back from vaca gently. We returned from our various hiatuses (Hiata? Hiati?) to a schedule that screamed "Nap's over!" with all the subtlety of a psychotic drill instructor: Four shows in less than four days. ("I said rock, maggot!") The first was a surprisingly solid return to form at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, CT Thursday night, where we were reminded that rocking is just like riding a bike. Only way the heck more fun. We followed that with a ginormous rockfest at Rookies in Cromwell, CT before a really strong, really big, really loud crowd that featured a number of very welcome veteran KICK fan sightings (we missed you guys, too!) and then paid our first Saturday night visit to the Black Bear Saloon in the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, CT for a smaller yet every bit as colorful gang of characters (ever been in a mall when it's closed? Ever see Dawn of the Dead? It's wild!) And we were just starting to get all hepped up to hit the Pavilion Beach Club in our new Speedos the next morning, but alas the weather did not cooperate and the show was canceled. Perhaps that's for the best, a fourth show would have removed even more flesh from these pulp-like nubs I used to call fingertips. And we may be a couple situps away from being ready for those Speedos anyway.
RockStar Date 07.10.09 - 07.11.09: Well, the first leg of the KICK Endless SummerTour wrapped up after a doubleshot of rockshows, Friday night at Black Bear Saloon in Hartford, CT and a Saturday evening performance at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Both shows were very eminently enjoyable, and we relished the opportunity to meet the guys in Cheap Service with whom we shared the stage at JR's. And normally I'd use this forum to recount all sorts of memorable moments and do some shout outs. But alas, it's vacation time. So please excuse my mometary lapse of laziness. There is a mai tai with my name on it right across the pool and I'm logging off. Of course, I can never relax for long, so check back here periodically for news and updates, new pics, and updates including some upcoming shows and the updated KICK calendar through 2011.
RockStar Date 07.01.09 - 07.05.09: Over the course of four 24-hour periods, KICK gave four radically disparate performances, seizing four opportunities to demonstrate the versatility that we have worked to make our hallmark. And what a blast! The onslaught began with an all-ages family municipal show and ended with depraved debauchery and a sea of exposed skin - with a casino show and black & white wedding in between. Several factors could have prevented the shows from happening at all. We spent most of Wednesday with fingers crossed, hoping the perpetually gloomy weather would at least allow for our performance at the Glastonbury Summer Music Festival at Welles Park, along the Connecticut River. Murphy's Law be darned, the rains held off. Then the skies cleared. Then it got outright 
nice. Heck, it was even hot for a while there. And surprisingly, folks came out to see us. Hundreds of them. Perhaps a couple thousand even. We often talk about how much we love playing for kids, and this group of young rockers did not disappoint (especially the adorable bunch in custom-made "Kick Rocks" Ts, who apparently had been practicing our songs for weeks so they could sing along). We'd like to thank Mary and the great folks at the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce for such a fun event. (Their Wednesday concert series continues through July.) The following night, we brought a significantly different show to a radically different venue - the decidedly less 
family-friendly (but insanely fun) Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, for a rollicking Thursday night show at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. Barely 12 hours and one Big & Rich sighting later, we were living a scene straight out of a TLC wedding show. We won't go into the behind-the-scenes drama and details, but long story short: It would be no understatement to say KICK saved the day. What's important is that the wedding at the Riverview in Simsbury, CT was absolutely beautiful. Congratulations Kerrie and Timothy! That leaves the
Pavilion Beach Club on Soundview Beach in Old Lyme, CT, Sunday afternoon. Now, every time I see a Pavilion show listed on our schedule, I pray for sun but expect rain. Miraculously, Mother Nature saved the best day of the entire year for the day of our big outdoor 4th of July weekend beach show. In a word, every single thing about the day and scenery was beautiful. We celebrated all of the above, as well as America's birthday, amid at least a couple ice cold Coors Lights and toasted to one the most memorable and enjoyable stretches of performances of the year. The first leg of the Endless SummerTour 2K9 wraps this weekend, after which we will take a break and come back tanned and rested to attack the rest of summer (with returns to the aforementioned Margaritaville and Pavilion). So begin making plans, folks. Summer is officially on.
RockStar Date 06.27.09: So there I was, getting an early start on the trip to Paddy's, cruising with the top down, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin thinking, "Wow, it sure does feel good to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin again!" coupled with "Too bad it's most certainly raining at Misquamicut Beach (or it will be the moment I get there.)" Perhaps this summer has hardwired us all to be sunny weather naysayers. Well, to those sayers of "nay," I say "nay to you!" The beach couldn't have been more beautiful if it were made of sands of gold. Because that's exactly what it looked like - a big golden, sunny, perfect beach covered in sparkly things and lots of tan, giddy people (some more than others) who were more than happy to get too much sun and have too much fun. And it was beautiful. DJ Dave Christina set the pre-sunset vibe with a jaunty and reverent Michael Jackson tribute set on the patio. And KICK took care of the rest. It was our first visit (professionally) in over two years, so we were delighted to see so many old friends who had been looking forward to seeing us as much as we were of seeing them. And ah, the sun.
RockStar Date 06.19.09: OK, so now people are even sick of talking about how sick they are of this unusually crummy weather we're experienceing here in the Great Northeast. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm told, so fret not folks. I just can't see it for the life of me. So it was that we launched into combat against stir-craziness and all that is dank, damp, dismal, and depressing with an impossibly loose show Friday show at Murphy & Scarletti's. One of the nice things about Murphy's, among a thousand other things, is that it's a really fun stage to try some new stuff on, mash things together, and basically kick out the jams. The low stage makes it easy for fans to come up and get their inner karaoke on, which of course happened on a couple occasions throughout the night. It was a temporary farewell to Murph's, as we change our focus to the (presumably) warmer climes of the outdoor venues until fall. So to the folks there and our Farmington Valley contingent, we miss you already. Or better still, how about this: What say we not miss each other by making sure to see each other over the (again presumably) warm weather months?
RockStar Date 06.12.09 - 06.13.09: Following arguably the lamest stretch of crummy June weather in memory and a torrential downpour that almost seemed to cruelly punctuate this spring's continual gray, cold gloominess, the skies miraculously parted two hours before Friday night's rockshow at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, setting an appropriate background for their Summer Luau. The place was packed to capacity with a colorful blend of gaudy Hawaiian wear and skin. Photos simply don't do justice to the sight of Kevin in a floral bra, a cowboy in a grass skirt, or Brian loooking like the Hawaiian Punch guy in his straw hat, but more visuals are viewable at their Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackbearsono/
RockStar Date 06.05.09 - 06.06.09: The Endless SummerTour 2K9 rolled into Cromwell, CT for a blazing three-set tear Friday night at Rookies and continued north for our only performance of the summer at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. It seemed like it was everyone's birthday this weekend. Most notably, it was Trish's birthday, a huge fan from Springfield, so we must pause to thank her for her tremendous support and adulation obver the years. Then again, we could and should also thank all the great folks at Geraldine's and Rookies who have been so kind to us over the years, letting us go berserker on their stages. So we will: Thank you!
RockStar Date 05.29.09 - 05.30.09: Well kids, vacation is over, now it's time for the real fun! We returned from our R&R excurions to points across the globe tanned, refreshed, and ready to get down to some of the other R&R: rock & friggin' roll. Not surprisingly, we were shot out of a cannon, with two huge, jamming, and jammed shows at two of the best clubs in Connecticut. We got our land legs back Friday night at The Black Bear Saloon in downtown Hartford with a ginormous hometown rockfest that kicked off our Endless SummerTour 2K9 in a way we've grown to expect from this awesome new venue. Invigorated and inspired, we were nonetheless entirely unprepared for the mayhem of the following night, where we launched our residency at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino. We're back there in just a few days, so if you missed it and are kicking yourself, sick of hearing how much fun it was, here's your chance to make up for it. Think of it this way: It's the one way you can go to a casino and guarantee you will win! Big love to all our new friends and fans there - the staffers, the patrons, and all the people who started the night with no idea who we were but left knowing exactly who we were. We look forward to the jambalaya, finding our lost shaker of salt, and tearing it up again June 13. Actually, in all the excitement, we should take a step back and note that in the interest of complete accuracy and enormous graititude that for our last show before vaca, we were honored to be asked to play a party for the third year running for the graduating class of Sacred Heart University, a truly fantastic group of young Americans who deserve our heartfelt congratulations. Good luck, kids, it's a jungle out there.
RockStar Date 05.08.09 - 05.09.09: Here at Kamp KICK, we're still reeling from an intense run this past weekend, a doubleshot that bookmarked our "cool weather" string of shows and set the stage for an exciting new chapter to come. Friday, we checked in with our friends in Connecticut's Farmington River Valley at Murphy & Scarletti's, a venue that has outlived virtually every other in Hartford county (which, if you think for just a moment, says an awful lot about how good it is). And yes, as we've come to expect and so appreciate, Murphy's did not disappoint. Props to Kev's friend (whose name escapes me but I will add it once I know it) who sat in for a spirited tear through "Crazy B*tch." The following night, we began what will be an ongoing, ambitious, and extensive series of video shoots which will ultimately culminate in KICK's first-ever DVD. It was also time to begin taking new publicity shots, so we chose one of the most photo-friendly venues in America to get started: JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Thanks a mil, Rich for the 
great work. Photos from the evening will be added to the soon-to-be-revamped KICKband.com Kick Pics section, as well as all over MySpace and Facebook in the days to come. Because save for the Sacred Heart University Graduation rage this week, we're on vacation until the KICK Endless SummerTour 2K9 kicks off May 29 and 30 with a rip through Black Bear Saloon Hartford, CT and our debut at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville - Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT Saturday, 5/30. From there, summertime is on people, so go relax, go nuts, whatever - just go get ready, it's going to be the best one yet.
RockStar Date 04.30.09: So what it is, people? We just got back from a killer soundcheck at the casino and we're gassed to tear up Jimmy Buffet's this year (gosh, it's May somehow already, which means the engagement starts at the end of the month. Didn't we just ring in 2K9?) Actually, yeah, we kinda did. And we did it at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, which also happens to be where we played Friday night. It was great coming back (as always) to notice some nice little enhancements to the stage and kicking it with the friendliest barstaff, management, and security around. TJ from Vivid came by and sat in on a song. Oh and happy birthday to Mar, and to the unusually large number of other people who were also celebrating a birthday whose names escape us right now (unlike Mar, who would never let that happen!)
RockStar Date 04.24.09 - 04.25.09: If there's one thing that makes you feel good about the future of the country, it's seeing the actual future of our country. Incarnate. The young men and women whose job will be to save the world, run the world, invent cures for things, and take care of us when we're old. And there they were - 2,000 strong, all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to change the world - in the arena at Fairflield University in Fairfield, CT Saturday night, celebrating the fact that they were about to enter the real world after four years (or so) of higher education. All I can say is this: Folks, we're in good hands. To the graduating class of 2009, thanks so much for your unbridled enthusiasm. These kids know a lot, including how to go basically berserk. We wish you all nothing but the best. It was actually a Fairfield County double play, we rocked the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT the night before, which was a great time as always, as well. Big ups to Scott from Darik & the Funbags for sitting in on "Boys of Summer." Needless to say, between our Scott and the Funbags' Scott, the Scott-related guitar pyrotechnics were truly mind-boggling.
RockStar Date 04.09.09 - 04.10.09: If you've never seen a wheelchair moshpit, you simply haven't seen basically the most harcore thing in the history of rock. We've seen a lot from our prime pit-view vantagepoint over the years, but when a bunch of guys from the Connecicut Spokebenders wheelchair basketball team decided to blow off some steam and take the lyrics to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" literally, the wild display of intense, heavy metal brutality and athleticism was truly a sight to behold. (Imagine murderball without the ball.) Ao it was Thursday night, at a benefit for an immensely worthy cause, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association's annual fundraiser, held at Murphy & Scarlettis in Farmington, CT. Exactly how we were so fortunate to be selected to perform at this event I frankly don't know, all I know is that we are still abuzz from the love and inspiration we felt from the unexpectedly huge weekday crowd. Unexpectedly again but quite pleasingly, we filled the place right back up all over again the following night for evening number two of our two-night stand there, and proceeded to tear it all right up, all over again. An extra special ultra mega mad props to those of you who came to both nights (some of whom prompted us to wonder if they had even left the club between shows). And a sincere "thank you" to Jeff and the folks at the Spinal Cord Injury Association. We encourage you to check them out at sciact.org and offer your support.
RockStar Date 04.03.09 - 04.04.09: KICK completely and utterly blew the proverbial roof off the Black Bear Saloon - Milford in the Connecticut Post Mall Friday night before an overflow crowd of rock enthusiasts, club types, and shoppers who just didn't bother going home. The mix made for a particularly entertaining 360-degree entertainment experience. Unfortunately, the name escapes me of the guy from the Incubus tribute who sang with us for a song, but he was extremely cool, much like pretty much everyone else we met there. The following night, we paid our first-ever visit to Club Meadows in East Longmeadow, MA, and had a great time playing basically anything we or the crowd felt like hearing. After a brief respite, the KICK Rock & Roll Request Machine is back and chirping on all cylinders, so don't be shy with your suggestions.
RockStar Date 03.27.09: Friday evening, on a somewhat balmy, almost spring-like March 27, in the year of our Lord 2009, the band KICK celebrated the birth of Scotty "Guitarzilla" Armstrong in a rock & roll revue onstage at The Red Door in Watertown, CT. (Happy birthday, Scott.) We received our first onstage "tweet," which, apparently, we are supposed to respond to, onstage, constantly and in real time, with some 140-word witticism like "KICK is busy rocking out right now!" If you don't know what that "tweeting" is, I'm kinda jealous actually. If you do, please bear with us, we're new to Twitter (not that anyone isn't, really, we're just learning to get used to it though). You, too, can let us know exactly what is on your mind right now by following us at "Kick Tunes."
RockStar Date 03.20.09 - 03.21.09: This entry goes out to a guy named Tom. Tom is an energetic, very cool 22-year-old kid who happened to be right up front at our Friday night show at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Tom rocks. Hard. Thank you, Tom for your contagious zeal, for reminding us how great it is that we get to play music for people, and for your unbridled enthusiasm. We had no choice but to feed off your energy and try to keep up. The resulting rockshow was one of out-of-body bliss, unencumbered joy, and that abandon you feel when you truly are dancing like no one is watching. Thanks Tom, and everyone, for a monumentally fun night out. We were literally still smiling the following evening, and picked up right where we left off with another riotous performance at Black Bear Saloon - Hartford. One again, the place was packed to the gills (exactly as it should be). Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate March madness (go UConn!) and the official KICKoff of spring 2K9 (oh, and happy birthday, Liz!) We're back at both venues in May, which, thinking about it, is a good segue into the following update. We have some pretty interesting shows coming up we'd like to bring to your attention, because it's never too soon to start planning your summer debauchery.
RockStar Date 03.14.09: A day that will live in rock & roll infamy. KICK performed for another 100,000 people Saturday (over a half million if you count the folks who watched on Fox News) as part of one of the best and best-attended Hartford St. Patrick's Parades ever. God bless the fine folks at McKinnon's Irish Pub for thinking - as did we - that having KICK on the back of their float sounded like an awesome idea. There's something remarkably exciting about waking up the morning of a parade and knowing you're not only going to it, you are going to be in it. The excitement quadrupled as we boarded the rolling stage/dance floor/flatbed S.S. KICKBAND (a mighty, street-worthy vessel, she). Scotty was afforded the rare distinction of being served the first beer McKinnon's poured that day, at the princely hour of 9:00:01 a.m. It was certainly not the last they would pour (nor would it be the last we'd order). The unseasonably beautiful weather brought out an equally beautiful and diverse mix of parade-goers: some Irish, some clearly not, many just taking full advantage of an opportunity to (somewhat) legally carry an open container wandering through the city. In the morning. You guys rocked. We especially enjoyed playing for the waving families, particularly kids, many of whom may never have seen a real band before. One could argue they still haven't, but we sure had fun pretending. And if you can imagine what it feels like to launch into a Dropkick Murphys song in front of an Irish pub, you can imagine why we feel so very lucky indeed. Had the day ended there, it would have still ranked high among life's most rocking. But alas, there was more. A few corned beef sandwiches and a catnap later, we headed 30 miles north to West Springfield, MA to visit our friends at Geraldine's. Their T-shirts say "Good Things Start at the G," but today, the G was more like a comfortable, eminently happy ending; a nightcap among fine company. Few things are as reliable as a good time at Geraldine's, and this evening's performance was no exception. Kudos to Kevin for breaking a personal record for number of Joe Lee references he could sandwich into his lyrics. Kudos to Joe Lee for simply being there (and a serious big thanks to Mr. Lee for hooking us up with the lunch with Hinder and the Motley Crue tickets). Some 60 songs later, the day, like all good things, had to come to an end. I left what used to be my fingerprints in the strings of my guitar - it hurts just to tap these keys. But hey, I can still use them to count my lucky stars. T'was a day for the books. But then, it was just another day in our continuing tour of duty in the name of the rock, a tour that brings us back to JR's in Rhode Island and the Black Bear Saloon - Hartford this weekend. So may the road rise to meet your feet, Irish folk. And let's all help each other get through this week, k? We'll be there for you, waiting on the other side.
RockStar Date 02.28.09: March officially came in like a lion roughly a third of the way through our Saturday evening performance at Maximum Capacity in downtown Chicopee, MA. Or was that just us, roaring through nearly two and a half hours straight of non-stop, tooth-bearing, ferocious rock & roll? A great new group (new to us anyway) named Mac Daddy launched the precedings with a really enjoyable primer set, inspiring us to tear in with a gusto that said "we came to play." Pete the sound guy (of Check Your Head fame) proved once again that he is very much the man when it comes to filling a room thick with noise, even sharing a harmony on "Don't Stop Beleivin'." We shot video of the evening in fact, so keep an eye out through the usual on line channels for a snippet or two, I may actually get motivated enough to edit a little highlight reel together. But alas, The Bachelor finale is on, so I'm out for now and then off for two weeks until the alarm clock rings the morning of March 14, beckoning me to brew a pot of Irish coffee to begin a day that starts with a rolling rockshow in the Hartford St. Patrick's Parade and ends with a return visit to South Central Mass. at Geraldine's in West Springfield.
RockStar Date 02.20.09 - 02.21.09: How yin and yang. How alpha and omega. KICK spent the Friday of its birthday weekend at the club we've played more than any other (and if you're a frequent reader, you know where that is, if you're not, we'll spare you the "F" on this KICK kwiz: It's Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT,) of course. Within the first three chords, we were reminded why we've played there more than anywhere else: because it rocks more than anywhere else. Pure jam-packed mayhem from the get-go, and it didn't let up until we let it up. The next night, we countered that familiarity with a performance at the venue we've played fewer times than any other. Actually, it was tied at "0" with a lot of other places around the world. But no longer! That's because we came, we saw, we shopped, and we conquered the new Black Bear Saloon - Milford. In true Black Bear style, this one was absolutely magnificent as well. Just like we'd come to know and expect from this fine nightclub group, easily among the best in the country by any measure. OK, the only part we didn't expect was that it was, like, in a mall! The actual Connecticut Post Mall. Which made us keep thinking we were passing it. I mean what could be better: Cinnabons, Bath & Body Works, and KICK all under the same roof? It's almost improper.
RockStar Date 02.13.09: KICK took a run down I-95 last weekend for a pre-Valentine's Day lovefest at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. We gave love, we felt love, we loved it. But then, what's not to love about Fairfield County's most excellent club? It was all part of our big KICK's Birthday Celebration Thing, which is now underway and continues until we decide it's over. No, we're not telling you how old we are, after a certain age, it becomes inconsequential, right? Suffice to say, we're like 238 in band years, but will be partying like teenagers as we rock for the first time at Fairfield County's new OTHER Black Bear, the Black Bear Saloon - Milford this Saturday (this after a gig at the club we've played more than any other: Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT Friday. What say you come blow out some candles with us?
RockStar Date 02.06.09: KICK brought our crusade against the winter blahs to Rookies in Cromwell, CT, for our second show there in just over a month (the last time was...anyone? New Year's Eve of course). As we did New Year's, we once again laid down two complete 90-minute rockshows, back to back with nary a breath in between. Take that, you $100-a-ticket arena rock bands! Keep those chins up, people, baseball starts soon and I actually saw grass the other day. Spring will be here before you know it.
RockStar Date 01.31.09: So it's February, and it's Groundhog Day, so you're probably basking in the company of family and loved ones, reveling in all the wonderment of the holiday. Or not. It's also Black History Month, which is nice. And it's the shortest month of the year, which is somewhat forgiving because it's also the coldest month and the only thing standing between us and the first month of spring. It's also the 50th anniversary of the storied "day the music died." Or the 30th, I guess it all depends on your taste in music. On this date in 1959, the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper went down. In 1979, Sid Vicious killed himself. Rock and roll, punk rock, and everywhere in between, so long as we're here, the music will never die. Whatever your sonic poison, it's February 2009 and it's KICK's birthday month and a time for pause as we recommit to our primary mission: To boldly rock where as band has rocked before. So drive your Chevy to the levy, Miss American Pie, we have some rocking to do. The KICK Karavan Winter Tour 2K9 pulled into our final stop of our "4 Dates in 4 States Tour" with a barnburner at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, punctuated by the world premiere of six new KICK soon-to-be classics, all selections that you, the KICK Army have specifically requested over the past few months. See, your vote really does count, and yes, we really do care about you. Once again, this year, we're back at Geraldine's after the Hartford St. Patty's Parade, so expect the unexpected.
RockStar Date 01.23.09: The KICK Karavan Winter Tour 2K9 pulled into Cranston, RI Saturday night for show number three of our "4 Dates in 4 States" rock & roll binge. The destination where we would host Kevin's birthday bender: JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse, a venue that literally improves every time we go there. I mean, first with the new bar area, then the new stage, then the video screens and the swell new monitors, this is a club that gets it. And it gives us a chance to stretch out and tear up a nice-sized platform in front of an always big and appreciative bunch of people who also, completely "get it." We came to get some and to give some. They got theirs, we got ours. It was the rock & roll equivalent of a thick juicy steak. And we got to see Identity Crisis again, who absolutely rock. We're back at JR's in a few weeks to bring in spring and celebrate St. Patty's Day. (It's really not as far away as it seems, folks!) Until then, come hear all the new tunes we've been working on this weekend at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, Saturday night.
RockStar Date 01.15.09 - 01.16.09: Over the years, when warranted, I've incorporated mention of particularly noteworthy weather conditions. ("Boy, it sure was cold!") Hogwash! We've all been asked to make a presidential pledge and I pledge to never say "I'm cold" again. At least, not until the temps dip below the -22 degrees we were subjected to during our trip Thursday to Pickle Barrel Nightclub at Killington Mountain, VT. That's 22 degrees below 0. 54 degrees below freezing. Like, your saliva turns to ice, cold. It was so cold it was actually cool! Granted, the mountain was empty, and thus, so, relatively, was the venue. But hey, the nippiness inspired us to spend the entire night in perpetual motion. By the time we were done, we actually broke a sweat. All said, though, it was a great excuse to head north and kick it in a sweet A-frame house, where Kevin had a unique opportunity to show off his Survivorman skills, building a fire that would make Jack London proud. We'd like to thank the crew for having us, we're glad we could fill in on such short notice and come rock with you all. Perhaps we'll get to do it again (spring skiing anyone?!) But that was enough roughing it to hold us all winter. The next night, we got to bring it back home and very local for a killer return to Black Bear Saloon - Hartford. (Happy 21st, Caley!) This room just gets better and better with each visit - which is kinda scary, actually! We're back in just a few weeks to kick off spring (ahh...,) so don't miss it (and get there early!)
RockStar Date 01.09.09: On Friday night, January 9, in the year of our Lord 2009, KICK played one of the most mind-blowing rock and roll performances in the history of Murphy and Scarletti's in Farmington, CT. That's basically all you need to know. If you were there, you know exactly what we're talking about. If you weren't, well, that stinks. We tried to warn you. We told you you would be missing out. Fortunately, you get a second chance to get your face melted when KICK returns to that legendary room on February 20. But first, this just in...
RockStar Date: 12.31.08 - 01.02.09 - Pulling in to the parking lot in front of Rookies in Cromwell, CT Wednesday night, several questions leapt to mind: Will this snow ever stop? Could it possibly be any colder? Do they even have power here? Will anyone actually show up? Nasty storms and the holiday had forced the closing of everything (and I mean everything) in the entire strip mall, and without the benefit of a happy hour lead in, we were half wondering if we'd be ringing in the new year alone. Brutal wind chills and single-digit temps be darned, Rookies is, after all, Rookies, and the joint filled in just beautifully and stayed that way all night long, brimming with exactly the kind of party people we like to rock with: the truly hardcore. We ram fed ourselves full of prime rib and crab, raised a glass of champagne, and proceeded to rock for a total of three solid hours. We'd like to thank everyone for bringing in the new year with us. Let's make it a humdinger. So then, some Friday night, strolling down a largely deserted Washington Street in South Norwalk, CT, we again wondered: is anyone going to be out tonight? Or is everyone broke, partied out, or both? Again, we horribly underestimated the lengths folks will go to rock, and the Black Bear Saloon filled up with a couple hundred characteristically heck-bent revelers who weren't even close to ending the party. We're nowhere near that point either, folks, in fact, we're just getting warmed up for what promises to be our best year yet. (Again!) So check the expanded show list and start planning your next dose of Kick. Heck, pick a few, the more the better.
RockStar Date 12.06.08 Christmas bells were ringing. (Somewhere, I'm sure.) Holiday lights flickered (i.e., the distractingly bright but aptly named "Bright Nights" display along I-91 on the way to Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA Saturday night). Heck, snow was falling. The real stuff. It looked and felt just like a cold December night because it was. And thusly, KICK came a'calling to our friends to the north, bearing a special treat: Sitting in on lead guitar was Tony from the legendary Degenerates. It was a unique pleasure to hear what the ungodly union of a KICK/Degenerates mashup might sound like. To Tony, thank you for helping the show go on. And to everyone else: A sincere happy holidays and best wishes as we wind down these final shows of 2K8. We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love, understanding, and support these past few difficult days and offer the same to our incredible legion of friends (especially those who attempted to catch our Murphy's show Friday, we will more than make it up to you, promise!) For now, I encourage everyone reading this and the nation as a whole to take a moment and try to relax this holiday season. If ever we should slow ourselves down a bit, take a little breather and remember what's really important in life and the world, it's now.
RockStar Date 11.21.08 - 11.28.08 Is it just me or has the past week been a complete blur? I had to think about it: Where have we played? What has happened since last we checked in? What is "turducken" and why would anyone eat one? We knocked out four shows in three states this past week, playing to over a thousand tryptophan-addled, thankful celebrants from all over this great nation of ours. It began, um...oh yeah, at Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA where we played our second show there with the Dan Sand Band, a good bunch of dudes you should certainly check out. From there, it was up to Cranston, RI to JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse the following night where we just absolutely tore into that new stage like it was our 30th time and like it was our first time. Which, in a way, it was, to both. Thanksgiving is a special night. Jimmy Walker used to say "Dynomite." Thanksgiving Eve is a special night, too. So special that we renamed it Kicksgiving when we first played it, at Rookies in Cromwell, CT eight years ago. That made our Wednesday night performance there the 8th Annual Kicksgiving Rage, and yeah, it was special, raucous, mobbed, and way friggin' fun. Congratulations to the winners of our frozen T-shirt and pie-eating contests! Then we took a day off to give thanks, because hey, gratitude is cool, before springing right back at it with a particularly enjoyable stop in Watertown, CT where we got to party once again with our friends at The Red Door. We met a lot of new faces there and at each stop of this little four-night jaunt. For the kind words, the love, the support, and the very fact that we are able to do this with and for you all, we offer a heartfelt "thank you." 
RockStar Date 11.07.08 It appears a whole bunch of folk took us up on the offer to use our being there Friday night as an excuse to come check out the new Black Bear Saloon in Downtown Hartford. The place was jamming during load-in, packed to the proverbial gills, and we made sure it stayed that way right up until last call. The calendar read early November, but the collective body heat made it feel like a humid July night (you know the kind). Whatever Steve and Company are doing, they are doing it right and well, having successfully transplanted the Black Bear experience to Central Connecticut, and giving those of us who live and rock there a beautiful new reason to be thankful. Speaking of thanks, we're back in the area Thanksgiving Eve at Rookies, so email your requests and bring your friends.
RockStar Date 10.23.08 - 10.24.08: Wow, now THAT's what I call a Rocktober: two shows every weekend (sometimes three) scattered all over the tri-state area. But like all good things, even this Rocktober 2k8 must come to an end. We put a big ol' exclamation point on the month at Rookies in Cromwell, CT Friday night tearing it up for the assembled faithful (and at least a half dozen Webcammers, you guys rock too! lol) Thanks to the always and increasingly lovely Dina from Lick for brightening up the stage with a characteristically fabulous sit-in performance. To our new friends and old, we're back at Rookies Thanksgiving Eve, so c'mon, don't overthink this. The following night, we paid our third visit to Geraldine's in five weeks, this time on one of the most miserable weather nights in recent memory. Nonetheless, after a slow, rain-soaked start, the faithful assembled and while they didn't help keep us dry, they certainly kept us warm. We'll be off on vandalism spree Halloween and playing a private party the following night, but we'll be back in Hartford before you know it, so don't eat apples with razor blades and we'll see you soon.
RockStar Date 10.17.08 - 10.18.08: It's like this and like that and that's the way it is. So, it's mid-October and the leaves are changing and stuff, actually, I think they're peaking (at what I have no idea, OH!) which was as good a reason as any to head deeper into New England and bring some positive karma to Boston during their World Series push as well as the Greater Providence area. Boston ripped. That place (Hennessy's) can be a logistical nightmare (have you ever tried to unload two tons of gear in downtown Boston on cobblestone roads?) but when you finally get everything up those long stairs, set up, and checked (or just set up) it sure is a blast. Boston music fans are a special breed. They always have been - supportive, very vocal, always up for a good time. That's why they have such a great history of legendary bands and why we have always considered it a distinct honor to rock the fine people of that great American city. (Speaking of which, did you know that the band Boston is actually from Boston!? What are the odds!?) Providence is a great city, too. Seriously! Great doesn't even begin to describe JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in nearby Cranston, RI. Wow. What a great time, as always. They moved a few things around since the last time we played there (five too-long months ago), all for the better. We met a really great band, too: our opening act and new faves Identity Crisis from Warwick. Great guys, great fun.
RockStar Date 10.10.08 - 10.11.08: Last weekend, we did something we've done more often than anything else and something we've never done at all: Friday night, we played Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT (a fine venue we've rocked more often than any other). And if we may be so bold, we think we rocked it quite well. That place somehow just keeps getting better. The next morning, we scraped the crud out of our eyes, laced up, and hit the Hartford Marathon. To clarify: we performed at The Bushnell Park Stage at mile 26.5 of the ING Hartford Marathon. There, we saw tens of thousands of people cut from a very different cloth than us, folks who run in very different circles than ours, probably because they are always out running. But it was a very impressive event to behold, perhaps even better when you don't have to run. Conratulations to all the athletes, you are an inspiration. Some day, we're going to do that. Someday.
RockStar Date 10.03.08 - 10.05.08: We've played some pretty hardcore tripleheaders over the years, but never one quite like last weekend's - a three-fer so grueling I'm only now able to type about it. It all ended at five minutes to 2:00 a.m. Monday morning where we were honored to close out an extremely touching tribute performance to Teala Ludowic that featured outstanding sets by bands such as Pandemonium, Aquanett, Brass Attack, and so many others at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. This will most likely become an annual event, so if you missed it, please don't make that mistake again. So, yeah, that was Monday morning, which is hard enough to wake up for anyway (if the sleep deprivation was for anyone but Teala, it would have hurt quite a bit more), and some of us have day jobs, so yeah, that alarm clock seemed to ring awfully quickly. Especially because this followed a barnburner some 100 miles away at The Black Bear in South Norwalk, CT, one of our perennial favorite venues and - what do you know - once again packed with hundreds of the state's most enthusiastic party people. The only thing about them: they don't care about baseball that far downstate anymore. Up here, that's become a different story, and competing with the Red Sox in Chicopee, Massachusetts is a tough exercise, as we were reminded during our Friday show at Maximum Capacity where we headlined a three-band bill that also featured the Dan Sand Band and Strange Brew, two bands we never got to see but are glad we did. So yeah, this was one big rock weekend. Speaking of weekends, just a few short days from now, we get to do it again. And man, we can't wait.
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - A quick reminder that's probably entirely unnecessary because chances are, like us, you've been thinking about it all day: Sunday night is a special tribute to Teala at Geraldine's (where else?), featuring a mega lineup of bands to include Aquanett, Kick, Brass Attack, Pandemonium, Richie Sky Blues Band, Disco DynoMyte Review, Maxx Tone and more. The celebration starts at 6:00 p.m. so get there early. Impossibly, all of this entertainment is free, there is no cover charge!
KICK NEWS: KICK will be participating in the 15th Annual Hartford Marathon on Saturday, October 11. Really! (We were, like, going to run it, but they asked us to play, so we figured we'd do that instead.) We will be playing the big Bushnell Park Stage at mile 26.5, which is .3 of a mile further than you actually have to run, so save up some energy so you can get over there. We start at 11:00 and play until 1:00 (so run fast!) Swing by, rock out, and carbo-load the fun way with us. Check hartfordmarathon.com for deets or to enter (as if!)
RockStar Date 09.19.08: KICK brought the noise to the Central Connecticut Valley Friday night (along with a great bean casserole!) at the unspeakably righteous rock club/sports bar that is Rookies. What better way to celebrate the eve of the autumnal equinox, which of course means "equal night and day" which means fall is here, which also means there is 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark, exactly, which means the sun is directly over the equator? I mean, what better way to do all those things than to ram-feed yourself full of Rookies' 911-hot chicken wings, belly up to the dance floor, polish off a cold Coors Light with the blue mountain on the label to prove it, strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, and watch Kick tear into two sets of the most wildly diverse music you'll ever hear in one band's repertoire? Is this entire write-up going to be made up of rhetorical questions? Who wants to know? What's it to you? Do you really care? Are you going to miss us while we're off for two weeks, prepping for a hitherto unprecedented tripleheader in early October? Will you be there? Why wouldn't you be? Can you handle it?
RockStar Date 09.12.08 - 09.13.08: Certain shows are like comfort food. You just feel good enjoying them. They feel right. There's a love in the room; a relaxed, casual vibe; a groove that facilitates rock & roll zeal and enthusiastic release, all in the right ways. That's the way we always seem to feel at the two venues we visited this weekend, and yeppers, it was the auditory equivalent of a big plate of mom's meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. Mmm. Macaroni and cheese. Those two venues, in chronological order were Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT Friday night and Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA Saturday. And as always, the performances were rife with equal parts levity, mayhem, rage, and joy. There proved to be a bounty of good cheer in the air. You could almost taste it. It tasted like...victory. And chicken. Which is another good comfort food: chicken nuggets. Which reminds me, I should eat something. See you next Friday at Rookies. They have great chicken fingers there.
RockStar Date 09.05.08 - 09.06.08: Those of you wondering who that dark, mysterious stranger was to Micke's left at Saturday's KICK performance are not alone. Heck, Micke wasn't so sure, all he knew is that this guy sure did set the microphone high. And that his name was Nano (yes, like the iPod, a fact Micke never got tired of noting). But alas, with Scotty having been unexpectedly hospitalized just hours earlier (he's doing quite well, thanks for your concern), the show simply had to go on. This despite tornadoes 45 miles to the west and an unrelenting record six inches of Hurricane Hanna-inspired rainfall. After all, this was the opening weekend of the Black Bear Saloon Hartford. And having been honored to be asked to help christen the new venue, there was no way we weren't going to be throwing down for whomever ended up being brave enough to brave the elements. As it turns out, there ended up being way more brave people braving than one might expect. The verdict on Hartford's newest venue: Wow! They somehow managed to do exactly what we'd quietly hoped: they managed to flawlessly transplant the same vibe that makes their South Norwalk location feel so homey. From the moment we loaded in, it was like an unwarranted deja vu. Setting up in front of the big glass window, it immediately actually felt like a Black Bear show. Kudos, particularly to Big Steve who no doubt played huge a role in the aforementioned successful transplant and who we expect will most certainly achieve tremendous success with this new jewel in the proverbial Hartford nightlife crown (in the spot that once housed Jim Calhoun's Coach's, for the record). That was the big news of the weekend. Comparatively speaking, Friday's show at The Red Door in Watertown, CT was a typical butt-kicking KICK trouncing, replete with an outstanding crowd of rowdies and 150 minutes of ultrarawk. And that's exactly how we like it. That stage is quickly emerging as one of our local favorites. While we're thanking, thanks also to the great staff and peeps who help give that venue a feel that's truly all its own.
RockStar Date 08.29.08 - 08.30.08: From the "better late than never" file: KICK finally squeezes in a visit to 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT Friday night. Long a favorite in the KICK rotation, this riverfront gem again proved a fine outlet for a Labor Day weekend kickoff. We're loving the new stage and tiki motif, and we're hearing rumors that the new owners are considering taking the concept even further (a notion that exites us greatly). Speaking of "excited" and "great," we got really excited Saturday night and played a great show at The Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. Now, it's important to note that this Saturday night, folks who are sick of hearing about how wonderful the Black Bear is but haven't yet found out for themselves will have a new, perhaps closer opportunity to do so when KICK christens the Black Bear Saloon - Hartford on Saturday, September 6. We're excited. It's going to be great. If you can't make that, we'll be tearing up the Red Door Friday night. If you can't make either, well that stinks. And if you can make them both, you get a special prize. (We'll figure something out.)
Well that was different. For the first time, KICK played a doubleheader entirely in sunlight. It was weird, man. It was like, wicked bright and all that. The sun was out, and so were we (outside, that is), and it was hot and sunny and it was just weird! (But it was nice!) The weather did us a huge favor and hovered right at the 80-degree mark the entire time, which made for two of the most glorious late-August-type afternoons you'd ever want to see. And yeah, it was nice to come out of the dark. The weekend began Saturday afternoon with our second visit to Johnny's Atlantic Beach Club in Middletown, RI. Newport Beach was abuzz, wonderful, and absolutely fabulous - much like the crowd, much like the show itself. Hundreds of KICK faithful turned out to get some last-gasp rays, some final glimpses of the surf and sand, and a few of those red, white, and blue fru-fru drinks they make. 
The next day, we played one of the biggest motorcycle and classic car rallys in the country (and certainly one of the coolest): Dream Ride 2008. Put on by the fantsatic folks at Bozzuto's, this was a truly amazing, top-notch event, raising over $100,000 for Special Olympics. We'd like to thank everyone involved for the opportunity to perform for the attendees, staff, and especially the athletes who received their medals beneath the Olympic torch at stage left. Micke would like to thank everyone for their empathy and encouragement as he rocked forth, grinning and bearing it through migraines, heat, and agony, scant hours removed from some relatively minor (and, thankfully, successful) surgery. He promises to make up for it and be 110% this weekend at the weekend's two Labor Day celebrations: 125 Riverside Drive Friday and Black Bear in South Norwalk, CT Saturday.
FARMINGTON, Conn. - KICK has been afforded the tremendous honor of being asked to perform at Dream Ride 2008.
MYSTIC, Conn. - In what can only be considered one of the most extreme instances of "marrying up" in recent memory, Scott Robinson Armstrong, famed lead axeman for the Connecticut-based rock combo KICK, managed to get the lovely Kiley Shana 
Mielczarek to marry him Saturday evening, August 9, in an unspeakably beautiful ceremony at the Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Conn. The rest of the band KICK served as attendants in the groom's wedding party. Additional photo evidence of the nuptials will follow right here, so check back often throughout the week. The editorial staff of KICKband.com would like to extend a most heartfelt "best wishes" to Scotty & Kiley.
RockStar Date 08.01.08 - 08.02.08: Hey, KICK is on vacation, and that means even a vacation from writing these tour logs, so this one will be brief: Friday we played Rookies in Cromwell, CT. It was fun! The next night, we went to Boston, MA and played at Hennessy's. That was wicked fun! Now, we're in special secret undisclosed locations. (I think I just saw Dick Cheney, THAT'S how secret this place is!) Soon, we'll be reporting from Scotty's wedding. We'll post some pics, fret you not. And we'll also be posting details on Dream Ride 2008, the special Special Olympics event we're playing at the end of the month. But for now, enjoy your summer, I'm off to share a mai tai with the vice president.
RockStar Date 07.18.08: In what could easily be the most surreal KICK performance in recent memory, the band performed on a stage in the middle of a bowling alley in Bristol, CT. Not like, in the middle on the side, I mean like back between the pins and the ball returns in the middle, over four lanes, in the middle, while people bowled all around us and the "rock & bowl" lights blared. I had always thought you couldn't walk on bowling lanes with anything but bowling shoes, but that was apparently revealed to be a myth when we wheeled in three tons of gear, bedecked in very un-regulation footwear. The place was the City Sports Cafe and the event was a special live luau with 106.9 WCCC, so hey, of course we said "yes." And ironically, people actually danced during our tight hour-long set. At a bowling alley. (A scene Micke couldn't stop comparing to similar scenes from the show "Happy Days.") It was eye-opening to experience life from a bowling pin's perspective, with rows of people huffing 16 lb. balls at you. We were inclined to show off our own ball-huffing prowess, but alas, we had another show to do, a real one at Red Door in Watertown, CT. This was a good time. It was unspeakably hot out, and we did all we could to make it even hotter inside. But then came the bummer part: The next night, we were unfortunately canceled from our expected performance at Geraldine's. Please note that this was due to a scheduling conflict between the venue and booking agency. KICK did not cancel the show. In fact, KICK doesn't cancel shows. KICK has played the day their children were born. KICK has played with broken feet. KICK has driven six hours when their flights were canceled to make shows. KICK hasn't canceled a show for a KICK-related reason in over four years (when we missed a pre-UConn Husky football game show when Kev was in the emergency room, an absolutely excused absence). So please know, we want nothing more than to rock you and apologize for any inconveniences caused by external elements out of our control.
RockStar Date 07.11.08 - 07.13.08: It would be painful if it didn't feel so good. Then again, what was supposed to be three shows over three days became two with a break in between, so we're really just sore from a perfect day in the sun on a perfect Sunday afternoon in perfect company. Can I say "perfect" any more? Probably not! But come on, 85 degrees, little puffy clouds here and there, and hundreds upon hundreds of lovely beach people, gathered to keep themselves creatively hydrated and rock out with us at the Pavilion Beach Club on the sands of Soundview Beach in Old Lyme, CT"? What part of "perfect" don't you understand? Among the luminaries sitting in were representatives from Explicit, Jimmy Hat, Vivid, and that guy who sang "She Hates Me" who turned out to be surprisingly good. For Micke and Brian at least, this is the one show we look forward to all year, and this year's was unusually enjoyable. I mean, hey, no one got towed! Kevin didn't lose his pants! Saturday night's show was canceled by the venue late Friday, as you've hopefully read by now (VERY hopefully if you were going to attend, we apologize for any inconvenience), which brings us to Friday night's tear through Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT. Once again, we were blown away by how many people came to hang indoors with us on such a perfect summer night, so yeah, big bonus on top of the original bonus of being there in the first place. We, and a compendium of "oh my God, no way, you're here!?!?" types partied like it was 1999. Literally in some cases! Congrats on your impending nuptials (you know who you are). And thanks everyone for doing it and doing it again.
RockStar Date 07.04.08 - 07.05.08: The weather didn't look at all promising. Leaving Connecticut Friday morning with three iffy-at-best days of clouds and rain in the forecast did not bode well for our Independence Day jaunt to Lake George, NY. But, alas, the Adirondack Mountains have very little in common with Southern New England, and even less in common, as it turned out, when the topic of compare and contrast is weather patterns. So while we would have doomed ourselves to a tripleheader of gray skies had we kept it local, we lucked out in grand style with three consecutive slam dunk days of perfect summer sun and bliss. I'm only saying this because, come on, how often does it happen that you luck out like that and the place you're going actually has better weather?! The big yellow ball in ths sky created the perfect backdrop for not one but two big rock & roll sessions at the now-legendary King Neptune's, home of some of the wildest, craziest, and, yes, silliest Kick shows ever. Friday's post-fireworks performance fell largely in the latter category, the pure elation of the holiday and just being up there with our old friends proved simply intoxicating. Someone said beer can do that too, but we think it was the pure joy and adrenaline, thus it was that we loosened up the rock shoes and began busting out heavy metal chestnuts and songs we'd never attempted before, just because. Thanks to all of the familiar faces, too numerous to mention, who came by to party with us. Saturday's show was a comparatively no-nonsense affair heavy on tight, thick, floor-shaking dance music. Again, just because. Is it too soon to start looking forward to next year, in hope that we may be able to do it again? We say "nay." Long live the King.
RockStar Date 06.28.08 - 06.29.08: The first full weekend of summer brought two quintessential hot summer nights of rock & roll, first at the Rock the Block party on Allyn Street in Hartford, CT Friday, and then at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. Friday's show was a late rescheduling of our originally slated show at 125 Riverside (our apologies for any inconvenience). Apparently, both venues are owned by the same organization, and they figured we could raise more heck out on the streets of Hartford. Heck was indeed raised, with excellent sets by Driven and Blonde Soul on stages throughout the area priming a crowd that grew continually into the night. I mean, come on: Drinking outdoors + food tents + girls in dunk tanks = Good, good stuff. The next night, a much wilder than even we could have anticipated crowd greeted us at the Bear on another absolutely perfect, balmy late June eve. That place is emerging as one of the most consistently enjoyable on our roster and while we sure aren't about to wish summer away, we can't wait for September to begin what we hope is a lengthy relationship with their soon-to-be-opened Hartford outpost. But alas, summer is just hitting its stride, and this weekend we celebrate the ultimate summer holiday: the 4th of July, with a Friday/Saturday doubleheader of fireworks and Kick at King Neptune's in Lake George, NY. Please do yourself a favor: make every effort to get up there. If not for yourself, do it for your country.
RockStar Date 06.21.08... It was the shortest night of the year, so we had to get right to it and make it count. The key consolation: it was also the fist day of summer (and a beautiful sunny one). And while that typically means people stay home and barbecue or visit outdoor venues, we really couldn't believe that goshdarnit, Geraldine's was still archetypical Geraldine's: a nice big, loud crowd of all types. Hands-down highpoint of the night: being blessed with the onstage presence of the legendary Richie Sky sitting in on a song for (somehow) the first time. Happy birthday to bouncer Dan, best of luck Mandee. We had so much fun that we're doing it again, soon. We'll actually be back in just a few short weeks on the evening of July 19.
RockStar Date 06.13.08... Let's get one thing straight right off - rule number one: What happens at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino should most definitely probably stay there. Just as you don't talk about Fight Club, it's really none of our floormates' business what that donkey was doing in our suite, all that matters is that Scotty is getting married and that's all the excuse we need to make yet another excuse to party like rockstars. I mean, is there any other way? With Alan from Zoom in charge of festivities, there really was no chance Scotty's last gasp would be anything but magnificent. And so it was, Saturday night - eating like pirates, gambling like really lousy gamblers, rocking out with one of the best Rolling Stones tribute bands ever (and still managing to drink Keith Richards under the table). All of which was quite impressive since we were a bit low on sleep from the night before, which was spent debuting at The Crazy Horse in West Bridgewater, MA. That's a really neat place, good chow, a cool patio, a full-blown family arcade and a good-sized stage - all the better for us to rock on. Sorry to our vanload of fans who got kicked out, thanks for coming anyway! And thanks Lindsey, just for being Lindsey.
RockStar Date 06.06.08 - 06.08.08 It's hot out there kids. Just like that, Mother Nature seems to have sorta woken up and said, "Whoa, I forgot to turn on the summertime!" She's making up for lost time, particularly Sunday afternoon, bestowing us with our second consecutive year of 95-plus degree weather when we play outdoors at Atlantic Beach Club in Newport, RI. But we ain't complaining. It was actually a bit cooler and breezier than points north and remarkably pleasant, so remember when we return in August: it's not really too hot to go to the beach, it's too hot not to. Hot was a constant theme, people were saying it a lot, although probably more in regard to their opinions of the hundreds of attendees. All said, everything about the day was just beautiful. Friday, we got to visit our friends at Rookies in Cromwell, CT. We'd like to thank everyone who forewent the prime barbecue weather and made it through the DUI spotcheck up the street to spend their evenings with us. Interestingly, we're back there for our annual two-night residency, Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1, where we will be busting out all sorts of fun. Put it on your calendars now.
RockStar Date 05.30.08 - 05.31.08 The month of May marks the anniversary of the first KICK show, and we've had enough anniversaries at this point that we don't celebrate them anymore, so long story short: we've played more than a few gigs (nearly 1,000 at last count) and at this point have seen just about everything. All of which makes our utter amazement over Friday night's Hartfordpalooza festivities all the more utterly amazing. Impossibly, we hadn't played our hometown of Hartford in nearly three years, yet it proved to be one of the most enjoyable shows we've played in years. First, the weather: blue-skied perfection. Second, the setting: perched on a festival stage in front of Union Station in downtown Hartford, beer tents lining the street between sponsoring venues Up Or On the Rocks and Pig's Eye Pub. A well-earned late spring Friday happy hour. Ahhh. As the only cover band and first act on a bill made up of modern rock legends Filter as well as the truly ill Red and one of our local faves, Livintrust, we went in expecting little more than free beer, a largely empty street, and - if all else failed after our three-week layoff - a chance to catch some great bands. The fact that everything went and felt just so right, and that we were treated like true rock royalty by absolutely everyone involved with the event, was truly an unexpected and tremendously appreciated bonus. 
The folks at 106.9 WCCC, the Up Or On the Rocks and event staff, the bands themselves, the staging and sound crews, the roadies - top-notch, professional and second-to-none, all of them. We hit the stage at 7:00 sharp, tearing through a blistering barrage of high-octane rock faves through one of the sickest PAs in the business. And whattayaknow? People loved it! For Kick, there's nothing like having some room onstage to rage, so we were like five very happy pigs in mud with all that prowling space. As much fun as it was to play rock god during the show, this writer's favorite part was when our work was done, when we could decompress and enjoy the impending performances with a celebratory shot, and watch professional roadies tear down our gear and rush it to our cars. I mean, THAT'S living! Livintrust were unreal, I don't think anyone was ready for how good Red was, and Richard Patrick and Filter held absolutely nothing back in their very, very hot performance. We can only hope that this event will someday be referred to as "The 1st Annual" Hartfordpalooza. 
Video and tons of photos to follow here and on MySpace. To everyone involved, especially our fellow musicians, we thank you for a truly memorable experience. It was only fitting that this show mark the beginning of a "Four Shows in Four States" summertime kickoff tour. Saturday night, we began said tour in Albany, New York, playing there for the first time in over a year (state capitals, extended absences, coincidence?) in a return to the Bayou Cafe. Not only does this place have one of the best beer selections anywhere, but my God, their Cajun-spiced steak and chicken burrito is worth the trip alone. But I digress (I'm hungry). The Bayou is right in the heart of downtown, a really cool old-school four-roomed storefront cafe. The crowd was marvelous, with a surprising number of familiar faces. The best thing about New York clubs can also be the worst thing, depending on your perspective: but as good as a 4:00 a.m. closing time sounds on certain nights, it can sometimes have a painful effect as well. Simply put, we had a ton of fun, but Sunday got here too soon. The Kick whirlwind rock & roll geography test next hits Connecticut and Rhode Island, as in Rookies in Cromwell Friday and the sandy shores of Atlantic Beach Club in Newport Sunday afternoon before our debut at Charlie Horse in West Bridgewater, MA the following weekend.
RockStar Date 05.09.08 - 05.10.08 This weekend, KICK commemorated the anniversary of our first show by playing two of our favorite clubs on earth: Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT and JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. It was a study in contrasts: the smallest stage we play followed by one of the biggest, which made for two very different shows. Friday's was a fun, lighthearted, in-your-face affair among our somehow-still-growing roster of new friends in the Farmington Valley (so great to meet you all, and happy birthday to every one of you, there were so many). Saturday's was an exercise in over-the-top, massive, raw brutality in one of the most rocking cities in the United States. We've come to expect nothing less from our peeps to the East. Congratulations to all the moms and the bachelorette/moms-to-be - once those party buses pull up, it is so on! At the risk of sounding all hippie, thanks everyone for all the positive energy you shared throughout the weekend. We definitely feed off it and try to give it back tenfold. Next up was a very special private affair midweek for the great Sacred Heart University Class of 2008 (best of luck tpo all of you) before a little pre-summer break and gearing up for our first Hartford show in almost three years at the Pig's Eye/Up Or On the Rocks Block Party with Filter and a jaunt back up to Albany, NY's The Bayou. See you in summer, kids. Happy Memorial Day!
RockStar Date 05.03.08 "Good Times Start at the G" read the red and black T-shirts worn by the staff of the "G," which, for those of you who for whatever reason haven't made your way to the best club in Springfield, MA in a while, is the venerable Geraldine's, a regional rock & roll icon if ever there was one, now reimagined in a somewhat hipper, more spacious, and very well done new form. Good times did indeed begin at the G spot Saturday night. In fact, I frankly can't remember the last time we laughed so hard or so often onstage. Thanks to a loose "among friends" vibe and the extremely easy-to-rock-on stage, Kick dove headfirst into a classic yet entirely different assault at the G. (I'm liking that, "the G.") Gee. Great crowd as always, nice and loud, more new faces than we're used to there, which was great. It's always fun to meet new folks, especially when they offer such positive feedback on the show with that almost surprised tone: "Wow, you guys were really good!" they say incredulously. Well thanks, we try (like heck). A great time, just pure fun; we had even more fun than it looked like we were, except Micke who is still curled up in a ball reeling from Kevin's incessant teasing. He'll get over it. Someday. Because hey, it ain't nothing but a G thing. We're actually back there next month (June 21 to be exact.)
RockStar Date 04.25.08 They say that when life gives you lemons, you're supposed to make lemonade. Which actually sounds really good right now. Citrus aside, I guess what they mean is that with some intestinal fortitude and the right mindset, you can turn a perceived negative into a positive. Such it was when Scott's amp blew up about five songs into our Friday night show at Rookies in Cromwell, CT. Ever the trooper, he not only forged ahead valiantly, but afforded Kick the rare opportunity to perform with a one-guitar configuration, thereby freeing Brian up to play co-lead vocal duties with Kevin (something he does anyway, but it was fun to see him not have to also play). The result was a wild and wildly entertaining romp that allowed us a unique change in look, sound, and feel onstage. Micke got the chance to flesh out some melodic parts that normally wouldn't need the flesh, Kevin got to ringlead an entirely different circus, and Paulie somehow just held it all together. Thanks, everyone for all the pictures and positive feedback. We had a blast. We're back at Rookies soon, actually (early June, when we will be celebrating yet another key fan birthday, as we did Friday). We hope to see you there, it really is the best sports bar around. Honest.
RockStar Date 04.18.08 - 04.19.08 I'm not superstitious, but I get a bit leery whenever anyone reminds me that there is a full moon. An old man with his arm in a sling mentioned that to the bartender the other night, hinting that it would mean all the crazy people would be coming out. I don't know if he was just giving a heads up on behalf of all the other crazy people, but he was right. There it was, a huge full moon, and there they were, a bunch of crazy people. A bunch came to celebrate the first nice day of the year Friday night at Red Door in Watertown, CT, a bunch of others came up for our return visit to Maximum Capacity in Chicopee. MA. We debuted no fewer than five new tunes, so if you haven't been to see us in a while, be sure to change that soon. Spring has completely sprung, and it is indeed time to get crazy.
KICK is honored and completely stoked to be sharing the summerstage outside on the streets of downtown Hartford with modern rock legends FILTER at a very special show sponsored by WCCC, Friday night, May 30. Led by former Nine Inch Nail Richard Patrick, the multiplatinum band behind such classics as "Take a Picture" and "Hey Man, Nice Shot" hits the Pig's Eye Block Party to promote their fifth release Anthems for the Damned. Check officialfilter.com or myspace.com/filter1 for more on that release and their "Operation: MySpace" trip to entertain the troops in Kuwait with Disturbed, Jessica Simpson, and Pussycat Dolls.
RockStar Date 04.04.08 - 04.05.08: Talk about making up for lost time; inclement weather forced us to miss out on our last scheduled Murphy & Scarletti's show, so we doubled up on the rock Friday night and crammed the excitement of two rockshows into one before a slew of rambunctious Farmington, CT party-types including a half dozen birthday celebrants, representatives from Vivid (who joined us for an all-star jam), and the guy from Channel 30. We've often drawn comparisons between Murphy's and the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, and those similarities were reinforced once again Saturday night when a sold-to-capacity and characteristically top-notch crowd greeted our return visit to this downstate rock mecca. Whoever, wherever you are, if you're ever at a loss for something to do, we urge you to make a roadtrip down to SoNo sometime, this place is just plain fun.
RockStar Date 03.29.08 The first rockshow of Springtime 2K8 redefined March Madness as only a JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse show can. The evening began with a doubleshot of Smithfield, RI's own Dirty Kitty and roared to a blistering crescendo, accented by one of the most spirited crowds in recent memory. The evening was made all the better by the presence of several packs of GNO revelers (in certain cases, literally busloads of them) and birthday celebrants who proved they were unafraid to scream really loudly and dance like no one was watching. Bless you, one and all.
RockStar Date 03.14.08 - 03.15.08 Kick commemorated the life of St. Patrick in a way that, let's face it, has absolutely nothing to do with him or with anything that would typically earn one sainthood, but gosh was it fun! (Ultimately exhausting and somewhat painful, but oh yes, fun with a capital "F.") Speaking of Fun, how better to kick off one of the rockingest 26-hour periods in recent memory than with a very special guest appearance by Darik and Chris Funbag? The boys shared a rare night off and the stage with us Friday night at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, and helped us effectively set the theme for the next several loud hours. 7:00 a.m. arrived awfully quickly, but hey, that's when the McKinnon's flatbed was arriving and that was to be our rolling stage for the Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade so there we were: in the pouring rain, hoping it was true - that God really IS Irish. That's still up for debate, but I'll be darned, the skies cleared and away we went. For the record, it's hard enough to get onstage and make music. Harder still on a rolling stage, what with the starts, stops, the inherent danger of a potential asphalt faceplant and the less-than-stellar logistics (sorry about the generator, Joe.) But there we went, our tempo speeding and slowing with the flatbed as 30,000 Irishmen and Irishwomen got a jump on their day's festivities. We no sooner got our sealegs back over corned beef sammmiches at McKinnon's than we had to spruce up and head north to Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA. We're definitely digging the new setup there, and always love rocking with our Western Mass. contingent, so we made sure to pour every last drop of rock & roll energy we had into this one. Mission accomplished. We're taking Easter off, but are already chomping at the bit to get back onstage March 29 with a slam up at JR's in Cranston.
RockStar Date 02.28.08 - 02.29.08 This writeup isn't going to start the way it was supposed to because the weekend didn't start the way it was supposed to. We were supposed to have rocked a jam-packed house at Red Door in Watertown, CT Friday. And if that sentence sounds familiar it's because last week's blog entry began the same way. Mother Nature had her way with us again, but we more than made up for it the following night with a truly brutal exercise in rockdom at Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT. It's a bittersweet pill to see a line out the door and around the block the entire show. I mean, as someone in the band, it's great to feel so loved, but then you feel bad for the people who couldn't get in (especially the ones who literally waited their entire Saturday night outside and never got in. We hope the view through the window helped). Perhaps next time? For those of you who got in, thank you, thank you, thank you. BTW, we hear there may be yet another Black Bear Saloon opening in Connecticut, to which we say "there can never be too many." We look forward to doing much more with this fine group. They definitely know how to throw a party.
RockStar Date 02.22.08 - 02.23.08 This writeup isn't going to start the way it was supposed to because the weekend didn't start the way it was supposed to. We were supposed to have rocked a jam-packed house at Murphy's Friday night for a few hundred, no, thousand people. There coulda been a bunch of special guests. The Foo Fighters might have come by, done a few tunes. Jon Bon Jovi could have jumped onstage, Eddie Van Halen might have shown up with his axe. Y'know. It stinks because we'll never know, it could have been a really great night. But alas, Mother Nature dealt us the first weather-related cancellation in a (knock on wood) pretty darned long time, so we can't really complain about that. And the weather was crisp, clear, and wintery beautiful the next day for the trek down I-84 to Saturday night's show at The Empty Bottle in Middletown, NY. Every time we play, that place gets fuller and fuller, and this weekend, this great venue was particularly stacked and packed with an ever-growing, ever friendly bevy of fine people ready to get their rock on. Thanks to all of you for the love, we're back in just a couple months, so we'll see you soon, K?
RockStar Date 02.15.08 Here's an informational tidbit you may or may not be aware of: Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA completely rocks! If that's news to you, it's probably because you don't live in southwestern Massachusetts, because everyone there seemed in on this, asking, "Why haven't you guys played here before?" and we were like, "played where?" Heck, I must have passed the place three times just trying to find it. But no, there it is, a new and true Springfield-area rock institution - huge, cool, and funner than a bag full of silly monkeys. If there's one thing that brings out the best in Kick, it's having a big canvas upon which to undertake the art of the Rock, and the ginormous stage at the Max fully enabled said rocking. Actually, I guess the "Max" is the equally cool downstairs sports bar and "Maximum Capacity is the rock room. Details. Anyway, the folks there were fantastic, it was great to see our regional fans come support us in our first visit. Mad, mad props to our new favorite band, Check Your Head, a Beastie Boys (and more) tribute, members of which (including the soundguy) joined us for a raucous "Fight for Your Right to Party" complete with an actual leprechaun. (Seriously dude!) We're looking forward to many happy returns, including one in late April that we're already counting the days for.
RockStar Date 02.08.08 After a Friday night like the one we just had at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, who needs the rest of the weekend? We're already ready to go back to work. I mean, we've long since exceeded our fun quota. There's really no point in trying to outparty the fabulous droves who cam to rock with us last night. That's all the weekend we need. Well, we'll enjoy the rest. We have a debut next week at a new club, Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA. And we have to push the envelope entirely when we return to Rookies the Friday of St. Patrick's Day weekend. (And we will.) Big happy birthday to Rose, a fan of the band pretty much for as long as there has been such a thing, who graced us with her grace. Speaking of birthdays, happy birthday also to us. Yes, the band formed this week, a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Thanks to all the great people we've had the pleasure to rock over the years. We're only getting warmed up.
RockStar Date 02.01.08 - 02.02.08 Well kids, it's February, the winter equivalent of the dog days of summer. The snow has finally started melting around the Kick Kompound, and it only seemed right to do a little tour of New England to start up Super Bowl weekend. So we packed up the Pacer and hit the storied hamlets of Boston, MA and Providence, RI for some midwinter Groundhog Day merriment. Friday night's visit to Hennessy's marked the one-year anniversary of our debut there. Gosh you meet some interesting people there, and needless to say, Boston was primed and partying (this was Friday, remember). From there, we drove due southwest to Cranston, RI for an unbelievably enjoyable Mardi Gras preparatory rage at (where else) JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse at the Mardi Gras. Perhaps it was the opening set by local band Inside Out that helped get us so fired up, but when we got onstage, dude, it was so on. To our friends and fans at both venues, it really is always wonderful to see so many smiles in the crowd, familiar faces and new ones that we hope become familiar ones. Happy birthdays to Ashley (representing Lynn, Massachusetts' very, very finest) and the always-up-for-fun Christin Queen of Cranston. See you in spring kids! Next: our first Hartford area show in over a month at Rookies in Cromwell, CT.
RockStar Date 01.26.08 De ja what? Have you ever been somewhere totally familiar, yet it seemed kinda unfamiliar, like you sorta knew it really well, but everything seemed just a little different? Walking into the newly renovated Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA felt like seeing an old familiar friend who just got a nosejob. A good one, mind you. It's still got the same vibe, full of the second-to-none revelers we've grown to know and love. There's just more room, it's more open, it's cool - there's simply more room to rock. You should check it out if you haven't. And if you haven't, that means you sadly missed our show there Saturday night, where we debuted five new tunes including a Guitarzilla reading of "Eruption" that got so blazingly hot the fire alarm literally went off. To the credit of the local emergency crews, the cops and fire brigade were there in under two minutes. While the false alarm was unfortunate, their promptness was quite reassuring. Big love to our ever growing roster of fans at that fine room (especially the legendary Mandy, who we finally had the pleasure to meet). We're back the Saturday of St. Patrick's Day weekend, after the Hartford parade, which is an exercise in fun so extreme it's almost irresponsible.
RockStar Date 01.11.08 - 01.12.08 Wow. Read it backward, read it frontward, it applies every which way: Wow. The weekend began with an absolutely incredible party at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT and ended, impossibly, with an even more amazing one. First things first: by 9:45 Friday night, Murphy's was literally full to capacity before we even set foot onstage. So we turned it on early, turned it up, and just kept on turning. Happy birthday to all of our celebrants, especially Bree, whose enthusiasm earned her the first official Kick Birthday Kupcake. By the time we tore into "Bodies" (during which Kevin redefined ironic headwear in his birthday princess tiara), the Kick Army - Hartford Chapter had loudly and graciously reminded us why we love calling ourselves your local band. Saturday night, we ventured to Greenwich, CT for a very, very special private rock & roll-themed 40th birthday party for an absolutely wonderful, beautiful couple and about 150 of their closest friends including, among others, Angus Young, Keith Richards, and Rosanna Arquette. At least that's what they were dressed like. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not be sharing pictures of the completely off-the-chain setup, but if you combine an episode of "MTV Cribs" with an episode of "My Super Sweet 16," you're on the right track. Basically, picture the 
coolest, most well-stocked bar you've ever been to, then picture it in someone's basement, replete with party room, food everywhere, an ultralounge, craps table, cigar patio and Kick onstage at the Hard Rock Live. This was one for the books. To the lovely couple (Elvis and Priscilla), we were humbled to be part of your special celebration, and would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for having us, allowing us to rock you, and have a ball. We're off for two weeks, but will be back with a bunch of new material when we return to the stage at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA at the end of the month. 
KICK NEWS - This Just In! It's official! Kick has once again been selected as the official band of the Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade. OK, well, actually we get to ride the McKinnon's float again, and that's awesome because that means that after we rock throughout the streets of downtown the float has to come back to McKinnon's to let us off, which gives us front door access to the most unreal corned beef and Guiness consumption festival imagineable. Ah spring. Bring the fam!
RockStar Date 01.05.08 What better a joint to drop our first show of what promises to be an amazing 2K8 than at the venerable Black Bear Saloon in lovely South Norwalk, CT. I don't know that we've ever played a Saturday there, so we weren't sure what to expect. Pleasingly, we got exactly what we've come to expect any other time we've been there: a big room full of great, ready-to-rock party people, paired with a bunch of giant screen TVs to watch the wild card games on, and the best cajun chicken wrap north of the Mason-Dixon line. Special thanks and big love to the birthday celebrants, and to one fan who came all the way from Uruguay (yes, "Uruguay!" OK maybe not entirely for us, but that's a haul and a first). So, while you're here, check out the new shots in the Pics section. Next up: Our only Hartford-area show all month, Friday night at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT!
RockStar Date 12.31.07 - 01.01.08 Where better than the stage of Rookies in Cromwell, CT to bring in 2K8 (a year that is clearly destined to rock like none other?) We couldn't answer that question either, so it was that we did just that. Rookies fed the crowd thick slabs of prime rib, we fed the crowd thick slabs of prime rock and roll. It worked out great - everyone went home full. Over the course of two extra-long sets, we covered a lot of musical ground and milked the late closing for all it was worth, making this the latest we've ever performed on a Monday (!?!?) Proof that some Mondays don't stink. Tuesday kinda hurt, though. We'll be posting pics to the "Kick Pics" section of KICKband.com and to mympace/kicktunes soon. We're back at Rookies in February, this time on a weekend, and look forward to tearing in again with a slew of new stuff for 2K8. Happy new year to all of you! We look forward to rocking the hck out of you.
RockStar Date 12.21.07 'Tis the season, people. The week before Christmas can be really nice, relaxing, and enjoyable if you let it - and have finished your shopping. The great City of Boston was resplendent in its Christmas finery Friday night, particularly in the old town section of Quincy Marketplace. There, Kick played our final show of the Christmas season, nearly roasting our chestnuts on an open fire in the process. Hennessy's was the gracious host venue and once again lived up to its billing as the best Irish bar in town. Thanks to all the warm folks we met, both working and playing there; power thanks to Alan from Zoom for sharing a rare night off with us and sitting in on a couple tunes; and mad-primo-thanks to the folks at Coors Light. The show marked the fourth anniversary of our sponsorship alliance with that fine organization, and were kind enough to send over two of the most memorably-attired, Coors Light hostesses ever to give away tickets to Boston's profoundly dominant sports teams. (Peppermint sticks, anyone?) To absolutely anyone we had the pleasure of rocking in 2K7 we wish you a tremendously Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year. Let's make it a great one.
RockStar Date 12.14.07 - 12.15.07 Once again, it looks like that seasonal slowdown hasn't slowed anyone down, at least not at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT, where we swapped seasons greetings with a really robust and hearty group of friends old and new. Even with the threat of another (?!?!) major winter storm the following night, Geraldine's filled up quite nicely as well. Congrats to the newly wed Timmy and his bride, and to Richie and Teala on their engagement. The nice thing is that we're back at both these favorite rooms in just a matter of weeks, so check the Tour Dates section of KICKband.com or MySpace.com/kicktunes so we can do it again.
RockStar Date 12.07.07 - 12.08.07 Contrary to historical logic, this weekend's shows atThe Red Door in Watertown, CT and JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI were surprisingly well-attended. Thanks to all of you for the love and well-wishes, and for braving the snow and bitter cold as well as foregoing more responsible holiday-related party and shopping endeavors to make the trip out to wish us Merry Christmases and rock with us. Due to the snow, there was literally no one in the club when we arrived, and assorted pesky little sound demons got the better of us Friday, but both issues were sorted out by night's end and made for an enjoyable time with a good bunch at that fine room, one we look forward to hanging at often throughout 2008. Saturday's bender at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI was, well, a classic JR's visit: big, big fun with an amazing array of people on a true concert stage. Mad props too the maddest prop we've ever seen, a 10-foot tall, sound-activated inflatable snowman at stage right, who shimmied and shook to the beat, first joyfully, then aggressively toward Scott, eventually beginning to look outright sinister. "Here I am," he sneered, "rock you with my candy cane." I mean, it just doesn't get any better than that. Actually, we're back at both venues quite soon, including a redo at JR's (ironically on Groundhog Day), so check KICKband.com's Tour Dates section or myspace.com/kicktunes to get a jump on your '08 festivity planning.
RockStar Date 12.01.07 Our first show of the holiday season and whatta- yaknow? It feels every bit like the holiday season! Our return engagement to the Empty Bottle Saloon way out in the hills of Middletown, NY was marked by the first single-digit temps of the year's second half and nearly half a foot of snow by the time we rolled out the following morning for that long, lonely trip along the parts of I-84 you usually don't ever touch. But that's life on the road, kids. There we go. Playing songs again. There we go. Turn the page. We're cowboys riding steel horses, after all. Fortunately, we had the rockshow and an ever-growing crowd of Kick enthusiasts to keep us warm (easily twice as many as our first visit, always a good sign). We're back in February, which won't likely be any wamrmer, so we're going to need even more of you to come steam it up with us.
RockStar Date 11.22.07 Things we're thankful for (in no particular order): Rock & roll. Rookies Sports Bar in Cromwell, CT asking us to come play Kicksgiving Eve again for the 7th year running. The fact that there is actually something called "Kicksgiving." Cool people. 
The invention of the frozen T shirt (see accompanying visual evidence). Turkeys (because that's where turkey comes from). The electric guitar. Our fans. Our friends and loved ones. (Again, no particluar order.) The United States of America. Umm, sports. Indoor plumbing. Free market economics. The diminished control of the Grinch on the rest of our world. Red Rider BB guns. Corrective eyewear. Aspirin. And (again, obviously not in order), you for reading this far. We'll be out and about, playing frequently during the holiday season, paying social calls to New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. What say we make this a particularly festive one?
RockStar Date 11.09.07 - 11.10.07 Is it just me or did everyone you saw this weekend seem completely crazy? It all started in decidedly non-sane fashion with a Friday Murphy's show punctuated by sit-ins with Danielle Jimmy Hat, TJ & Mike Vivid, and the return of Tambourine Willy and just got progressively weirder, ending the following night in a whirlwind of insanity at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. Freaks come out at night, indeed. Then, as quickly as it started, it was over. Just like that. A blur. I know it was fun, I'm smiling giddily and uncontrollably. I see pictures of it so I know it wasn't just a dream. But man, there was no moon at all, let alone a full one, so if this is a harbinger of things to mcome, I'm scared to even think what could happen next month when we return mere weeks from now for Christmas Specials at both these fine venues. All I know is I'm never eating Aqua Dots again.
RockStar Date 11.02.07 What a day to be a Kick fan and sports fan in Boston. Friday night, the streets were still strewn with remnants of the Red Sox tickertape parade three days earlier. Their college and pro football teams haven't lost all year. And the Celtics were hosting their home opener in dominant style, kicking off a season that could very well see them win Boston's third pro sports championship of the year. Given this, it only seemed appropriate that the great city would celebrate its good fortune with a visit by Kick. We threw down for a great group of friends old and new at the legendary Irish pub Hennessy's by Quincy Marketplace. Congrats to the newly married Mel. And hooray for Me and Julio, our new favorite happy hour duo. We're back there right around Christmas (12/21 actually), a truly remarkable time to stroll the city. Come on up. Make a weekend of it. Finish your holiday shopping and rock with us. You deserve a present, too.
RockStar Date 10.26.07 - 10.27.07 Whew, what a weekend. These past few days were bookmarked between an extended happy hour kicking it all off at Rookies and the Sox winning a World Series. In between, there was more gore than a Rob Zombie movie. Yes, it was truly a weekend of blood, sweat, and tears. And more blood. Whether you're a fan of Boston's baseball team or not (congrats to those who are), we know you're a fan of Kick, which is all that really matters and why you knew to come here and read this and why we feel eternally indebted for the mad love you show us. Rookies Friday was a classic, ultra-enjoyable, raucous rave-up - two sets of virtually anything and everything, unseasonably warm temperatures, and some GTs with our central Connecticut contingency. Saturday at Geraldine's was literally like something out of a horror movie. We were dressed to kill (again, literally) as Pinhead (Kev), Hannibal Lecter (Micke), Jason (Brian), and the Scream guy (Paulie). Scotty played our victim (let's just say that some of those bruises and blood weren't fake). We're accumulating photo evidence from fans by the hour, so watch the Kick Pics section for newly added shots throughout the week. Congrats to Beck the gangster chick for taking home the $100 grand prize in the costume contest. You were all winners. It's said that Halloween is a great chance to let your "other side" out. Which, if that's what we were doing, is a far scarier thought than any haunted house. Although it gives girls a pass to dress as tramp-like as they want without being called names, and more than a few accepted that pass to intriguing effect. Gosh, now, the actual Halloween is going to be anticlimactic. Perhaps we'll just look ahead then to hitting Boston Friday night for some tickertape and a show at Hennessy's.
RockStar Date 10.19.07 - 10.20.07 It was hot. Real hot. We did shots. Yep, Hot Shots in Glens Falls, NY sure lived up to its name. Preposterously unseasonable humidity, boundless onstage energy, and our best crowd at this room yet made for a steamy mid-October night's rockfest Friday night in the Adirondack Mountains. Big love to the staff and our growing crew there, especially the mighty Gordie, a big band proponent (literally and figuratively), back from a rough hospital stay but now clearly better than ever. The foliage was peaking. The Coors Light was flowing. And we were rocking, oh yes we were, almost literally all night long (I'm sorry, being onstage after 3:15 a.m. still takes some getting used to). The next evening, we got to play a very special party for a very special pair of newlyweds in a very special location that was so special we aren't even going to talk about it. But it was lovely and fun and we were honored to be part of it all the same. Next up: a pre-Halloween doubleheader back home (relatively speaking) at Rookies and Gerladine's. Ahhooo!
RockStar Date 10.13.07 In the entertainment biz, it's tough competing with a playoff Red Sox game 45 minutes outside of Boston. It's even harder when they lose. But within moments, all within JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI were reminded that everything was going to be just fine - not every series can be a sweep. And once we realized that, we were able to rock anew. Which we did, for a great and strikingly fabulous crowd who chose to dance rather than cry in their collective beer. We're back at the Rockhouse two more times before the year is over, which is awesome. Because they are.
RockStar Date 10.05.07 October rules. I know I always talk about how great summer is, but if it can't be summer, it may as well be October. Even better: it can be a sweltering, hot night in October. With the Red Sox and Yankees in the playoffs. And Kick could be lighting up the boards at Murphy & Scarletti's like it's a humid seaside nid-July eve. Wait, that's exactly what it was like at our favorite Farmington, CT bistro/rock club Friday night! And it was a great - a balmy 80 degrees at night, just like summer. To the dozens of new faces, especially those of you who introduced yourselves as such, we hope you had at least a fraction of the fun we did and that we get to see your new face again. Eventually, you'll become an old face. Not, like, an "old" face necessarily, a face we see a lot. There were a lot of those, too. This was our first Murphy's show in three months, which is hot, sweltering mid-July for real and that's an unusually long time for us, so it was particularly great to catch up with some old friends. Well, not necessary old. Just ones with experience.
RockStar Date 09.21.07 - 09.22.07 We always thought of The Black Bear Saloon as "west." Being in the lower left-hand corner of Connecticut, that's west right? (Wait, it IS right?) So imagine driving another couple hours west. Did you know I-84 just keeps going and going into Pennsylvania? It's weird! Well, you'll want to stop before Pennsylvania to get to the other club we played last weekend, The Empty Bottle Saloon in Middletown, NY (what the town is in the middle of, I'm not sure, but certainly not the state). The Black Bear Friday night was its typical wonderful self, so marvelously consistent - the food, the service, the staff, the crowd - even with thew Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox games going simultaneously, the show was just marvy. Moving left (west) to the Empty Bottle the next night: Nice room, that one, with one of the highest stages we've ever nearly fallen off and one of the wildest bridal parties we've seen (and that's saying a lot). They're just beginning to have bands, so we're honored to have been asked to help show people how this rock & roll thing is done. We're back in December for a refresher course.
RockStar Date 09.14.07 - 09.15.07 At 12:33, from the stage at Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, the announcement was made: "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time I'd like to bring Chris Daughtry onstage to do a song with us." Based on the response, it sounded as if some people actually thought he was there. (You'll note that I said "I'd like to" bring him onstage for a song, certainly not that I could.) No, he was a mile up at the Big E. And that's the real story behind Saturday's show: the fact that despite so many regional distractions and entertainment alternatives, we still had one of the best crowds we've ever had there. Thank you to all of you. Saturday's show capped off a raucous two-fer "Return to the Rockshow" that began the night before at Rookies in Cromwell, CT, now and forever one of our favorite rooms in central Connecticut. We were off for an unprecedented three weeks (just two weekends, but man, it felt weird to put a guitar on, I tell ya). We were callous-free but recharged and refreshed with a bunch of new material and a throng of smiling, familiar faces. The Yankees/Sox rivalry was at its most fascinating, football is on again. In other words, it's early fall, and there's arguably no better time to go out and get your rock on, so please make it a point to treat yourself well this autumn by coming to a Kick show. Check the "Kick Pics" section throughout the week for visual evidence.
RockStar Date 08.24.07 Well, that just about does it, Kick Army. It seems like, gosh, just a couple months ago we were all getting hepped up for our summer schedule and now, it's over. Done. Just a memory now. Albeit an absolutely wonderful one. Is it just me or was summer 2K7 unusually great? We're off to our oceanfront retreat in Belize for a couple weeks - all that partying really got us in the mood to do some partying. So Friday night's show at the always-enjoyable sports pub that is Bleachers in Bristol, CT was not only our summertime sayonara but our last show until mid-September. Can you wait that long? Amid hot-air balloon festivals, fairs everywhere, and a billion other late-summer distractions, we debuted five new tunes (well, four I guess since one was a mashup). And since we're actually going to practice, we expect to have perhaps another half dozen for you at our Friday and Saturday shows at Rookies and Geraldine's, 9/14 and 15, respectively. So don't accept lameness into your life, make it a date.
RockStar Date 08.17.07 Kick almost got blown off the stage Friday night. Not by another band, silly, that can't happen, by gale force winds barreling through the Connecticut River corridor and all but sweeping us and our gear from the 125 Riverside Drive stage. Actually, the most surprising element was that we played at all. Thunderstorms perfectly timed with the prime post-work happy hours drenched the Hartford area and ominous lightning blasts that would have kept lesser bands indoors flashed in the not-so-distant distance. We kept waiting for the assumed cancellation, which never happened. The guys at 125 persevered, and so did we. And goshdarnit, for a cold, rainy night, the place actually had a surprisingly big crowd. For the next 100 minutes, we ran through one of our most varied song lists ever. Then the tables started flying and it got outright scary. Fortunately, we were able to cram in all the "happy birthdays," a couple social calls, and just enough Kick mayhem to hold us until next week's show at Bleachers in Bristol, CT. That's our last show of the summer and the sendoff before a rather lengthy break (for us, anyway), so please please pretty please make a special trip to tear it up with us one more time. Thanks to the great folks at the new 125 Riverside Drive for sticking it out and for a great year. We love what you've done with the place and look forward to an even bigger 2008. Speaking of 2008, the 2K8 Kick show schedule has been posted to the "Tour Dates" section of KICKband.com and to myspace.com/kicktunes. The list is current as of like right now, it will certainly expand, but there's enough there to start making travel plans.
RockStar Date 08.07.07 - 08.10.07 As anyone who has seen Kick can attest, we like to mix it up. One of our several guiding missions is to be able to entertain absolutely anybody, anywhere, anytime. Each show is a Zen-like step toward attaining that utopian rock & roll id. This week brought an unusual opportunity to test our progress over three very different nights on three radically divergent stages for three profoundly diverse audiences. Wednesday brought the unique chance to play for a crowd composed almost entirely of people who had never seen us before. At the truly beautiful Veteran's Memorial Amphitheater in Rocky Hill, CT, we were honored by that town's Parks and Rec Department to be asked once again to play for a couple hundred locals at Elm Ridge Park, this time on a classic hot August night. Town concerts are a rare opportunity to play for kids of all ages from one to 81 (at least), many of whom may not have been at a rock concert in years (if ever). Needless to say, we had an absolute ball, running among the picnic blankets, teaching preschoolers how to dance, play drums, or simply frolic onstage like rockstars, and - we sincerely hope - getting people excited about music. Special thanks also to the three dozen young ladies (OK, grade school girls, but what a cheering section!) Now we know how the cast of "High School Musical Live" feels. 
Friday night, we returned to The Red Door in Watertown, CT for an eve of big noise captured on video by the guys at Metrocrawl.com. The two long sets were marked by a revolving door of special guest appearances, including jams with Little Kev, the WB, and Danielle. Check back here, or visit that fine site soon for footage. That brings us to Saturday night at King Neptune's in Lake George, NY. A combination of unreal summer weather and the fact that this was our only appearance this year at this great waterfront club made for a den of iniquity 180 degrees removed from the family fare of the Rocky Hill show. Memorable moments were many. Some, may best be forgotten. But we won't soon forget the image of piles (yes, literally piles) of women being dragged (again, literally, dragged) offstage by security only to make room for another dozen to take their place. And to the rows of guys up front whose enthusiasm made the entire stage shake (once again, literally)
during "Bodies," we salute you. When the uninitiated ask what kind of music we play, we often respond: "anything from Neil Diamond to Metallica." The implication being that somewhere in there, we like to think you'll hear something you like. Saturday, we literally played those two back to back. And over three stages before three crowds that almost couldn't be more different, we were pleased to see that goal is being realized. Ample photo evidence can be viewed in the "Kick Pics" section of KICKband.com (more will be going up all week, thanks to all of you who sent yours, we're still sifting through them all. And we've added some amateur video of the Guns & Roses medley at Neptune's (as well as the official Kick demo video) to the "Audio/Video" section of KICKband.com. This is the second installment of a running series here and on myspace.com/kicktunes called "KICK Video Du Jour." Please feel free to send a YouTube or MySpace link to any vid you shoot at a show (or before, after, it really doesn't matter, as long as it's somehow related to KICK), and we'll split the 15 minutes of fame with you. We have our last 125 Riverside show this Friday the 17th, so please try to come out and do it one more time with us.
RockStar Date 08.02.07 - 08.04.07 This is it, folks: August '07. We've looked forward to this one all year, knowing it was going to be an unusually rocking month, but we weren't even four days in and we had already racked up three gigs, and it only gets better from here. Each year around this time - generally coincident with the Advocate's Grand Band Slam, actually - we play a Thursday/Friday doubleheader at the venerable Rookies in Cromwell, CT. Thursday shows can be painful. We work day jobs after all. And since most people do, we certainly cannot assume anyone else will be as inclined to tie a few on with us on a school night. But then, this is Rookies. And it was Becky's birthday. And the boys from Vivid showed up. And next thing you know, the room is pumping and it looks and feels like a weekend, which it soon sort of became - TJ and Mike sat in on a few tunes and by the time it was done, we were directly responsible for at least a dozen sick days. The best part is that we just get to leave and show up again the next morning, our gear is ready to go (so THAT'S what it feels like to have roadies!) So Friday, we'd already had a dress rehearsal, and we did it all over again. When the dust settled, we had ably entertained a few hundred central Connecticutians at the best sports bar in these here parts. Scant hours later, we were beelining over the Newport Bridge on our way to Middletown, RI for our annual pilgrimage to the absolutely idyllic patio of the Atlantic Beach Club, right there on the beach. The weather couldn't have been better (I'm knocking on wood right now, outdoor shows can be a crapshoot, but man have we gotten lucky this year). We came, we conquered, and we bid Elaine and the staff a fond adieu until next time (hopefully some time soon). The sun set on another perfect Newport beach day, we beat the Folk Festival traffic out, and slept really, really comfortably. Which is goood, we need the rest, this is another three-show week, beginning with a Wednesday show for the Town of Rocky Hill at Elm Ridge Park and Friday/Saturday double whallop at the Red Door and King Neptunes in Lake George.
RockStar Date 07.27.07 - 07.28.07 We don't generally pick favorites, especially not with respect to the rooms we play, but we're only human and we'd be lying if we didn't acknowledge that our rockshow just works better in certain places. Diplomacy aside, we returned from our little band vaca with a back-to-back doubleheader at two of our top 10 all-time faves, and were reminded exactly why they're both high on the list. JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI is a big rock & roll room with staging and lights that would make mid-80's Motley Crue jealous. Geraldine's is a smaller, neighborhood stage with great sight lines and an atmosphere that's impossible not to enjoy. Both rooms sound great, thanks to schweet house systems run by seasoned sound vets - Steve at JR's, who was actually celebrating his birthday with us (happy biirthday, buddy!) and Richie at Geraldine's who always manages to make us feel like gods. The barstaffs at each are second to none - friendly, knowledgeable, and eminently fun to party with. And the patrons are a good-looking, attitude-free, diverse array of folk that just know how to have a good time. Everything I just typed stood in spades this past weekend. Another thing both rooms had in common - they were all but empty when we started the show, then filled in beautifully as our campaign to win over every person in the house, one at a time proved wildly successful, particularly at Geraldine's, talk about going from 0 to 160 mph in three songs! We're a bit sore from the brief layoff, but we'll have our full tilt mojo back in preparation for a tripleheader this weekend that starts Thursday (yikes!) We'll be posting a bunch of new photos in the days to come, so check the "Kick Pics" section periodically.
RockStar Date 07.13.07 When you have your choice of spots in the Murphy & Scarletti's parking lot on a Friday after work, you might be inclinced to assume it will remain a quiet night. Alas, we were pleased to be very wrong (and how often do you get to be happy to be wrong?) While warm, non-humid temperatures presumably lured the fair weather set to outdoor entertainment options, true Rock & Roll Citizens came in and quaffed a cold one with Kick at the best Irish/Italian restaurant/club in the hemisphere. Birthdays, bridal parties, was an event left uncelebrated? We certainly did our share, celebrating not only another incident-free Friday the 13th (knocking wood now) but the beginning of (gasp) band vacation week. We promise to return tanned, relaxed, rested, and ready to go berserker when we return to the stage July 27 and 28. And with that, I must log off and bid you a fabulous week, there's a pina colada with my name on it. Literally, right next to my computer. And I'm going to drink it now.
RockStar Date 07.06.07 - 07.08.07 Nothing beats a hot summer night. Nothing. Except maybe owning a penguin. But man, hot summer nights dude? They've been writing songs about them forever. They've been happening a lot more often lately, too, seeing how it's summertime and all. And we've capitalized on that with an open-air doubleshot this past weekend. Friday night we hit 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT, where, as Murphy's Law would have it, rainshowers passed through at intervals perfectly timed to scare large chunks of people home every 20 minutes. But those who were unafraid enjoyed a great night by the Connecticut River, especially (we hope) longtime Kick 
fan Mel, who was celebrating the return the next day of the man she'll be marrying tonight, back from nine months in Iraq. Good luck and best wishes to both of you! Sunday afternoon, it was off to the beach for our first stop at Old Lyme, CT's Pavilion Beach Club in like four years. The good news: It's better than ever. The 95-degree heat brought out Connecticut's finest party people (photo evidence is being continually posted to the Kick Pics section. Feel free to forward your own or post them to myspace.com/kicktunes). Mad props to freestyle rapper extraordinaire Saiyid, who stepped up and sat in with us on a few songs, adding tasty flava (I misspelled that on purpose) to some R&B and hip hop classics. All in all, it was the perfect beach day. (Except perhaps for Scotty, who found his car had been towed. Sorry buddy!) Thanks for coming out everyone. We have one more show at Murphy's Friday, then a vacation week, so come get your Kick fix.
RockStar Date 06.29.07 - 06.30.07
It's been said that the last week of June is summer at it's purest (by me, I just said it, but isn't it great when you're one week into the official season, the 4th of July hasn't even happened yet, and you have two whole months of hot weather and GT's to look forward to?) Ahhh. Summer. Where was I? Oh yes, celebrating summer at the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, of course. SoNo is particularly beautiful this time of year. We managed to play there on some pretty brutal winter nights, so the freedom to stroll Washington Street on a warm-weather post-work Friday eve and enjoy fresh crabcakes with a view of the water canceled that all out perfectly. Steve and crew run a great venue, which, per usual, allowed for a remarkable evening of rock & roll entertainment at its most enthused. To our single fans: you really, really want to make the trip there some time. Trust us. That's all we're going to say. The next night (that would be Saturday for those keeping score) we headed in the entire opposite direction, up to JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI. There's nothing we can say about this flawless-sounding rock room that hasn't been said already, so I'll stop right there and throw up my devil horns. There. Giving us that big a stage to stalk is really just wrong. They just added a Jimmy Buffet-style patio out front, so even if you've been before, you haven't really. So you should come down when we're back at the end of July (tie it in with a day at the beach and chill there with us). Next up, two outdoor shows to celebrate the second half of Independence Day: 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT, then the Pavilion Beach Club (yes, like ON the beach!) on Soundview Beach in Old Lyme, CT at 1 pm Sunday. But first and most important, this week marks the coming of the event of the year we've all been waiting for: the arrival this week of Brian's new baby! (Ann's too, she had a lot to do with it as well.) Check KICKband.com for immediate notifications and - if we can outbid the paparazzi - your first look at pictures!
RockStar Date 06.22.07 - 06.23.07 Aside from a passing sunshower that actually ended up making it even nicer out, Friday you really couldn't pick better weather than what we got this weekend in Boston for our two-night residency at Henessy's, the club voted best Irish pub in Boston six years running (and that's saying something). Both nights brought out hundreds of freshly bronzed revelers wearing their beamingest "first weekend of summer" smiles. Friday's was augmented by the happy hour/no more work element. By Saturday, the sound really settled in and so did we for a radically energized second show. All good, people, thanks to everyone involved at that great venue and to all our new friends for the love.
RockStar Date 06.08.07 - 06.09.07: Traditionally, I keep this blog about Kick and our shows and very third person, but since I write it, I'm going to use it like everyone else uses theirs - to spout a bit. So, I wake up in Phoenix, Arizona Friday morning at 4. I'm flying home early that day because I have a show at the Red Door in Watertown, CT that night. Fun club, should be cool, can't wait. I land from the cross-country trek for a 2:00 lunch in Philly, after which it's just a short hop home. Everything is beautiful. We board the Embraer 130m and taxi away when suddenly the airline decides there is "weather" (isn't there always weather?!) and we can't fly. Come to find out, we can't fly at any time for the rest of the night either. Laguardia's radar is down. Flabbergasted, I do everything you would normally do: swear, cry, scream, try to steal people's boarding passes, drink doubles, and pray that things clear and I can get home in time to rock. I decide that at 4:30 mI have to either have a sure-thing flight or cut bait. 4:30 comes. I run to the Hertz desk in my suit, which is a half mile away and outside (it's way more humid in Philly than Arizona, by the way), rent an overpriced car and begin a trek from Philly to Bradley Airport (where my car and gear are) that takes me through Friday summertime rush hour traffic in: Philadelphia, Newark, and then (because the chick on the car's GPS had no clue where she was taking us): Brooklyn, Queens, the Long Island Expressway, Staten Island, and Manhattan proper. At 9:30, I get to Bradley Airport where I was at least able to then jump in my car with my gear and begin the hour drive to the club. Long story short: I got there a mere 20 minutes late. And I rocked. Hard. I was shaking, but man, it was like a pressure release valve had been pressed. It felt good. Now I ask: would the other bands you follow go through that much trouble to entertain you? I didn't think so. But enough about my trials and tribulations. The club was like 130 degrees and just fun as heck. We're back in August, so come check it. Saturday (basically, like an hour prior to my typing this) we got to go be part of the wedding of two really amazing people at Avon Old Farms School. We'll keep them nameless for privacy's sake, but suffice to say, the amount and degree of the love their family and friends showed them was humbling, and you would be hard pressed to find a cuter couple. People told us the venue looked like something out of Harry Potter and holy cow, dude, it looked JUST LIKE SOMETHING FROM HARRY FRIGGIN' POTTER! There was even a Headmaster's parking space in front. Fun was. But it's bedtime. We have a big weekend off coming up. It's my birthday and I'm going to celebrate it. Just you watch me, I've had a rough week. Good night and God bless. See you for the doubleheader at Hennessey's in Boston, MA!
RockStar Date 06.01.07 - 06.02.07 Just like that, summer is in full swing. The weekend was once again nice and steamy in every conceivable way, not the least of which was the weather, which made for great beach afternoons and even better quintessential hot summer rock & roll nights, two prime examples of which we hosted this week at Rookies in Cromwell, CT Friday and The Harp in Boston, MA Saturday. To top it all off, the Yankees were playing the Red Sox, and no matter what side of that debate you're on, it makes for great baseball. But there was no debating the extreme energy levels onstage and in the crowds. Friday night we celebrated a slew of birthdays (hi Trish) with a barnburner 
of a show, ample photo evidence of which was captured by photographer to the stars Rich Cianci. His MySpace Pics page contains 83 prime examples of how he made even us look good, and some of his other great work of bands, people, inanimate objects and anything he can point his camera at. Visit www.myspace.com/ rich917 and prepare to be blown away, this guy is good. We'll be interspersing several other photos from this show into our Web site over the next several days as well as last week's (thanks to all the fans who have send some in to us!) so check the "Kick Pics" section of KICKband.com often throughout the week. Where were we? Oh yes, Rookies (did I mention we love it there?) And then we were in Boston on a Saturday in June and there really ain't no place better to watch the boys of summer than that. Or Kick for that matter, and that evening's show at The Harp over by the Garden or FleetCenter or whatever it is now was packed and raucous. Thanks to superfans Chris and the girls for taking the bus trip out, we hope you had as much fun as it looked like you were. Then again, we hope that of everyone. Have a great June folks. Hey, while we have you, the Hartford Advocate's Grand Band Slam balloting has begun, so if you think we're worthy of note, log onto hartfordavocate.com and cast a vote for us in the Covers/Tribute category.
RockStar Date 05.25.07 - 05.27.07 OK, so summer doesn't really begin for like another month, but can we all just agree that it started Friday the minute we left work? I mean, what a weekend! What weather! What a great excuse to remember the soldiers among us and above us and share some fun times with friends while kicking off the seasons at two clubs synonymous with the warm weather months. Friday, we were honored to be asked to open the all new 125 Riverside Drive at - you guessed it - 125 Riverside Drive in East Hartford, CT. So far, the new ownership seems to be doing everything right, and we were stoked to be able to christen the new stage. This is the place to be this summer folks, cocktails on a massive patio overlooking the Connecticut River? I mean come on! The lure was too great for several hundred people who jammed the venue as we KICKed off the weekend and summer itself with a truly marvelous rockshow that we hope will be a harbinger of things to come. One thing though: The old men's room is now the ladies room! We found that out the hard way. Sunday night, we got to milk the weekend at Paddy's Beach Club on Misquamicut Beach in Westerly, RI. The weather stayed favorable, and thus did the response of the lovely group that assembled at this - arguably the greatest mainland beach club in New England. It's going to be a good year, folks. Make it a point to get out there.
RockStar Date 05.18.07 - 05.19.07 If you're not in a band, indulge us a moment here, K? Imagine you're supposed to do a show for some really nice people who own a club, and they're willing to actually pay you money to do it, so you really want to make them happy. And it's, like, an hour before the show is going to start and there's almost nobody there and you kinda panic, like you're hosting a party and no one has shown up yet. You don't freak, you just sit there, ready, and hope things change. Well they did, and how. At Murphy's Friday night, the place almost immediately filled in totally and amply enough to accommodate stage diving (it was WICKED cool! But please kids, do not try this at home). The boys from Vivid came up for a tune, we tore stuff up and laid waste to anything in our paths. All good. The next night, same thing: crickets, then near-immediate mayhem, at Black Bear Saloon in lovely South Norwalk, CT. It was practically sleeting for crying out loud, and that ain't right, not in mid-May. So the appearance and appearances of so many beautiful Kick fans showing such mad support was enough to warm our cockles. Whatever a cockle is. On the topic of heat and Kick rockshows, Memorial Day is upon us, so things ought to be toasty from here out. Read the next shows section for deets on how ill that's gonna be. And/or get on our VIP Mailing List and you'll never get left out in the cold. Hey, while we have you poking around the site, check the newly expanded Audio/Video page. To commemorate our 11th Anniversary,we added a dozen or so morsels of classic Kick from throughout the years. Thanks to all of you for making our 11th birthday special. And possible, for that matter.
RockStar Date 05.12.07 So we caught you up on the bar mitzvah and the Sacred Heart University rage at Daniels Street, right? (Midweek shows mess with our easily messed with heads.) So that leaves Geraldine's, right? Now THAT was a good time. Always is. No surprise here: folks in Western Mass sure know how to rock (even though, let's face it, that's really Central Mass.) We got a jump start on our 11th anniversary celebration week (the traditional gift of which is, ironically and conveniently, steel) by mixing up a surefire recipe: Couple a nice, loud crowd with that wide stage, with the extensions on each side and all those rafters to hang from, and gosh, it just brings out our inner rock & roll juggernaut every time. This show prompted the largest number of Myspace friend adds since we launched the site in fall (thanks to all of you, welcome aboard). The only bad news: We won't be back there until the Big E (that means fall), so hold tight, hold steady, and keep rocking. We will be back.
RockStar Date 04.27.07 - 05.09.07: The only thing that may possibly have been better than our Friday swing through the venerable Rookies in Cromwell, CT (on the day of a Yanks/Red Sox game in spring, no less) is our Saturday show at JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in the Mardi Gras Multiclub in Cranston, RI. It was a toss-up: two great, loud, hyper-responsive crowds. Two eminently enjoyable nights at fave clubs with great people. Reflecting yet again now, I guess we have to give it to JR's for the simple reason that - thanks to Steve's knob-twisting wizardry and a monstrous PA - we sound so otherwordly and god-like there. We'll be back at both very soon. Happy birthday, Mariana, by the way. Over the days that followed, we were honored to play not one but two consecutive private events, which we normally wouldn't even mention because that would be like rubbing your face in the fact that there was a killer party and you weren't invited. But we're going to do it anyway. (Briefly.) Saturday we played at the New Haven Jewish Community Center (believe it or not, a first for us!) The event was the bar mitzvah (another first for us!) of a very special young man who has some of the coolest family members and friends you'd ever want to see. Thank you, Alan, and clan for asking us to be part of this very special day. We're so glad we were able to enhance your enjoyment. Enjoyment was easy to come by last night. I mean, whenever 10 buses full of college grads pulls up and dumps 500 primed, ready-to-rock coeds in front of your stage, you know you're in for a special night. Wednesday at Daniels Street in Milford, CT, was just such a night as we helped send hundreds of Sacred Heart University grads off on the first night of the rest of their lives. Today, we enrolled in night school. Once the headache went away.
ROCKStar Date 04.20.07 - 04.21.07: As Biz Markie so eloquently put it: "It's spring again." Biz also said "You, you got what I need. But you say he's just a friend. But you say he's just a friend, OH BABY YOOOOUUUUU!..." but that's a different blog. Finally, the weather we'd been waiting for all year arrived here in Southern New England Friday night, just in time for our show at Red Door in Watertown, CT. They don't call spring "mating season" for nothing. Everyone seemed to have that "good to be alive/let's drink some beer and prowl for some booty" thing going. Maybe it's the fact that it happened to be 4/20 (coincidence?) Either way, hormones were clearly pumping throughout the room, and not only because Darik of Funbags fame sat in with us on a few tunes, although I'm sure it helps, he is quite the strapping lad (...did I just type that?) See the accompanying pic for proof. By Saturday night, we had endured the first nice weekend day of the year (82 degrees and dude you should see my new grill!) The Red Sox were playing the Yankees and spring had so completely sprung that our Bleachers show was decidedly a more low-key affair than the packed and raucous room we'd played the night before roughly seven miles up the road. But hey, it was so nice out that we all took up smoking, just for an excuse to go outside. Check the Kick Pics link for photo evidence of the weekend's debauchery.
It's been a busy month here at KICK HQ, let's catch up. We're firming up our summer schedule, which already includes stops everywhere from Lake George, NY to Boston to Misquamicut and Newport Beach, RI. Check the Tour Dates tab and start booking some warm weather fun now. We're set to appear on JCT TV, channel 13 with Poppa T Saturday morning, April 28 at 10 a.m. We'll be doing some radio promo for that too, so keep an eye out for deets. It's available to Cablevision and Optimum Cable customers in Western CT, New York State and the five boroughs, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. That'll be fun. We'd been traveling a lot throughout the tri-state area, so it was nice to do a smoking hot homecoming show on a butt cold night at Murphy & Scarletti's in Farmington, CT last Friday. As always, a wonderful time and beautiful crowd at a club so completely among our favorites that we're returning to play our 11th anniversary show there scant weeks from now (on May 18). And it's almost time to start nominating bands for the Hartford Advocate's Grand Band Slam Poll ballot. Voting begins next month, and we'll let you know when and how that's all going down. Every year, that's the biggest and best night in Connecticut music, so we encourage you to support it. If you vote for us, all the better. Well, that's enough news for now. See you out soon? Good.
ROCKStar Date 04.06.07 - 04.07.07: Good Friday lived up to its name in our visit to the always fab Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, CT, a club/restaurant combo so good they keep making more. God bless you guys, you've rightfully become one of the fastest expanding venues around (we just saw the New Haven one about to open soon, sweet!) The crowd, the club, the staff, all ooze of class (so what, then, was Kick doing there you ask?) Connecticut bars close at 2:00 a.m., so road trips west over the New York border are a common, evergreen ritual. We made one of our own, ending up all the way up in Albany. There, we again gave it heck at the always enjoyable Bayou Cafe, right in the middle of everything. Now THAT'S a fun bunch of people. We rang in Easter '07 onstage, jammed 'til the wee hours, cashed roughly 90 minutes at the room, and slowly sauntered home. Needless to say, post-Easter dinner naps never felt so good.
ROCKStar Date 03.30.07 - 03.31.07: The only thing better than playing Hennessey's in Boston on an impossibly beautiful early spring day is doing it and then doing it again the next day. No wait, the BEST thing is rocking out for a big Friday crowd, leaving your gear set up after a show, hitting the hay, enjoying a full day in one of the nation's great cities, and then having an even better gig the next night. It's clearly bridal party season (ladies, send pics of your bride-to-be/former best friends and we'll post them, we know you have them) and more than a few revelers looked to be thoroughly enjoying the hypnotic draw of spring fever. Including us. More of that to come.
ROCKStar Date 03.02.07 - 03.03.07 This weekend, we had a back-to-back flashback, returning for just the second time to two clubs we'd only played once before. It's been a long time since we've been able to say that (like, our first month together, which we just commemorated by the way, thanks for the cards). So this rockshow doubleheader was a learning experience - monitoring the pulse of the venue to see what the crowd likes, feeling out the stage and room tones, remembering where the mens room is, finding your waitress, and hoping more people come than the time before (because it would be really hard not to take the opposite situation personally, y'know!?) And a learning experience it was. We learned that Glens Falls, NY after a long Friday at work is a long drive, but that the crew at Hot Shots (especially Gordo) and the first-class treatment by the staff up there make it all but painless. Saturday marked our encore performance at the all-new Fat Cats in Colchester, CT, a fabulous venue with great people in it, roughly a mile from our rehearsal space. I guess that would make this our most local gig ever. Well, it's closer than Glens Falls anyway. Thanks to everyone who came out, we look forward to seeing you again.
ROCKStar Date 02.23.07 - 02.24.07 The one good thing about the midwinter blahs is that everyone seems to get them at the same time, which makes for some pretty jam-packed Kick shows. It seems everyone and their brother (and their brother's hot sister and her friends) had the same thought: It's cold and we're not in Cancun, but that doesn't mean we can't party like we are. So we did, twice, at two of our all-time favorite suburban clubs for two of our all-time favorite largely suburban crowds. Friday night, we actually saw a bunch of new faces at Murphy & Scarletti's (we thought we'd already met everyone in the Farmington River Valley by now!) Saturday, we hit JR's Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI where, I swear, if you stood out front on the tiki porch under the giant neon palm trees sipping a shot of tequila while Kick wailed away in the background, you may have actually thought you were in Cancun. If Cancun was butt cold.
ROCKStar Date 02.16.07: The Red Door in Watertown, CT is just becoming a very cool venue to play. The room sounds good and full, the crowds are reliably excellent and outgoing, the staff is great, and it's got a laid back sort of comfortable groove that works really nicely with the Kick rock and roll experience. Further such evidence revealed itself last Friday night. It was a classic cold midwinter night gig: the kind where people need to go out and have a little vacation, if only in their minds. (We had fun, too.)
ROCKStar Date 02.09.07 - 02.10.07: We love New York. And apparently, New York has taken a shine to us as well. South Norwalk is actually in Connecticut, but try telling that to anyone who lives north of New Haven; SoNo is metro New York in all the best ways. And there's no better place to get a bison burger and cold one than Black Bear Saloon on the strip. Even better is when you get to hear some live rock & roll there, which you couldn't not do if you were there Friday night as Kick blew the roof off the joint once again. Steve, staffers: you're all to be sainted. Speaking of sainthood, thanks to the two buses full of young, fine, upstanding Sacred Heart kids whose arrival promptly turned the night up to 11. It was a great night, it was a late night. But not as late as they party in New York proper. As seasoned veterans of the bar scene as we are, both professionally and amateur, I still don't know how people go until 4 a.m. every night. Then again, when you're onstage at 3:30 at The Bayou in downtown Albany and the still-surprisingly-full house is yelling "two more songs" after already having heard a previous, legitimate encore, I guess something just clicks and you find that rock & roll energy to keep going.
ROCKStar Date 02.02-03.07 While other people got rained on in Miami Super Bowl weekend, we launched it in style, at the single greatest sports bar in the state of Connecticut: Rookies in Cromwell. As always, a great time at a great venue with top-notch staff and some wonderful folks. The crowd was noticably thinner than the usual "filled to the gills/line out the door" due to the first real snowfall of the year and brutal cold, but given the crummy conditions, we were actually pretty blown away to see so many people brave the elements. It only got colder the next night, but we got a big warm greeting up in Boston, MA at a new venue for us - Hennessey's, by Faneuil Hall. This one is going to be a keeper, primo food, spot-on location, and a classic Boston clientele of tourists, locals, and everyone in between. We're back there for a doubleheader Friday/Saturday throwdown at the end of March, so we strongly encourage you to ring in spring with a little roadtip.
ROCKStar Date 01.27.07 There aren't too many sure things in life, but killer Kick shows at J.R.'s Bourbon Street Rockhouse in Cranston, RI are fast becoming one. It's all but guaranteed: Crowds invariably composed of some of the most rocking people in the contiguous United States, Steve's mixes making even us sound like rock & roll gods (even with one hand!), and there's something about that big stage that brings out our inner Led Zep. All said, it makes for some truly "Hammer of the Gods"-like rockshows and Saturday's rage there was no different. To all of you who asked, we're back in just about a month, actually, at the end of February, which rules. So if you've never been, please believe us when we say this is the one place you need to check out - whatever you're into, there's a bar for you (when we're not playing of course!) To our growing tribe of regulars, we love you too. Let's do it again, even harder next time.
ROCKStar Date 01.19 - 01.20.07 OK, now that was just ridiculous. Geraldine's in West Springfield, MA, always an amazing nightclub anyway, somehow managed to be even more remarkably stunning than usual last night. An absolutely enoromous, beautiful, and unspeakably loud bunch of people came out to share their blustery cold night with us, and enabled us to give a thorough demonstartion on how we use the audience's energy as our own rock & roll fuel. We all had an absolute blast and appreciate the dozens of people who shared the same sentiments with us (happy b-day, by the way, Mouse, you f'ing rock!) But I'm doing this backwards, first came Friday night, marked by an even colder northern jaunt to Glens Falls, NY for our debut at Hot Shots. Everything the Web site said was true: a cool club, a great and ridiculously affordable menu (can't wait to come back for a dose of that "Gigeuner" sauce!), a bevy of very easy on the eye waitresses, and a bunch of good friends of the band from our Lake George weekends. We got a lot of love and support, so thanks for making us feel welcome. We're back in March, and now that we know what to expect, vow to rock you as hard as we possibly can.
ROCKStar Date 01.12.07 - 01.13.07: As the stupid old song goes, the kids in Bristol proved they were that indeed. After Friday night's blistering and packed show at the venerable Murphy & Scarleti's in Farmington, CT (happy birthday Sandy!), we weren't sure quite what to expect the following night for our debut at a club roughly four miles up the road. Saturday night, any concerns were put to rest, a big proverbial fork stuck right through them, when a couple hundred more close friends (and dozens of new ones) filled Bleachers Sports Bar in Bristol, CT. To those of you who made both shows, well, yoou rock twice as much as the others, don't you? Folks, this is an extremely cool little place to catch a game: 22 beers on tap, a nice wide stage, and an unusually cool clientele. We couldn't find a Website for them, just trust us - aim toward the ESPN satellite dishes and listen for the sound of music.
ROCKStar Date 01.01.07 Gosh, it's 2007 already. (I mean it seems like just a few days ago it was 2006!) If Sunday night's barnstorming of the venerable Rookies Sports Bar in Cromwell, CT is any indication, 2K7 is going to be 365 truly, truly ill days, one after another. Rookies rolled out the red carpet as always (almost literally, nice tuxes, guys!) hosting an evening of good clean fun that went all the way to 2 a.m., making this the latest Sunday night close ever sanctioned there. Literally hundreds of bottles of bubbly were popped as the ball dropped (everyone had their own, nice touch!) And the champagne flowed as freely as the love, as a great crowd of friendly faces started the year, well, making out. In some cases, clearly with complete strangers. That's one way to start the year on the right foot. Our sole New Year's resolution: to rock you like no other band can or will, as often as possible. Here's to a great 2K7.