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WITE LITE -THE DIGITAL AGE
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WITE LITE -
MATT AND JANE'S WEDDING REHEARSAL- 07/29/11
WITE LITE played it's first NY gig in over 30 years celebrating the marriage of Matt and Jane at Knollwood country club. This one was not to be missed and had everything. The band flew IRONMAN sound's Bob Horner up for the show to mix the band and thank god they did as Bob again demonstrated why IRONMAN is in the band's rider, taking MVP honors for the show with a fabulous mix under some trying circumstances. Kevin Finnegan, who was near retirement after being the only one on the dance floor at the band's last wedding during Play That Funky Music put in a superb performance in both guitar playing and bantor - and solidifying his place as the 4th person in what Bill Greene mistakenly referred to as a 3 piece band on the greens of Knollwood.
Opening with Brian Manchisi on ukelele (click here for the performance though may take awhile to load) the band then played Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane" in honor of the bride. A challenging first set complete with power problems, synthesizer glitches was not noticed by anyone other than the band. After taking a short break to handle the power issues, the band had a number of guests including young Mike Manchisi who did a superb Brandy and displayed tremendous confidence (along with Frank Manchisi on backup vocals). Then the groom performed Build Me Up Buttercup (can you say "redemption"). Young James Manchisi took the stage to take the solo in Apolitical Blues and Zach Manchisi turned in outstanding performances of Roadhouse, Heartbreak, Fire and Jack Daniels Blues which also included a guest Booz Allen bass player.
With the McMahon crown in attendance, there was electricity in the air and the band is considering adding required McMahon attendance into the rider after they created a tunnel for the band to enter the second set. The closing performance had to be seen to be appreciated. After Zach and young Danny Lenhardt again nailed Born to Run (Clarence would be proud), the band surprised the host by performing ThunderRoad (a song they learned in soundcheck that evening) . With Zach, John , Matt and Mike singing (well at least Zach, Matt and Mike!) , it was a fitting end to a great show, The band's encore was Fight For Your Right and then it was back to the hotel to celebrate with the family that some say "are better than people".
The wedding was superb and the bus rides included many singalongs. At this point no gigs are lined up for August but as was heard on the bus, the band is hoping to "see you in September"!
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WITE LITE - THE SPORTS ATTIC (NICK) - 07/22/11
WITE LITE helped the Fidelity crowd celebrate Nick's recent wedding at the Sports Attic and put in a strong show to an energetic crowd. Without the services of IRONMAN sound, the band had a reasonably good mix (although patrons were heard to remark that the guitar was not loud enough early on - something not often heard at a WITE LITE show) . Brian Epstein (ala Hayes) developed a very strong set list (click here for as best I can remember it) and sang lead vocals on Laid and a number of other songs late in the evening which also included You Shook Me All Night Long, Another Brick in the Wall and the best ending of Fight For Your Right to Party that I can recall. Abbey Road was a particular highlight and all band members were in excellent form and deserving of the TEAM MVP award for the show. Bill Greene drumming was flawless and prompted many comments (rockstar by night, best musician in the band) that should prove for a fun day in the office on Monday morning. Next, it's off th NY for the family wedding next week in NY. Congrats Nick!
WITE LITE - JEFF CITY WEDDING - 07/02/11
WITE LITE took it's show to Jeff City for the first time in over a year and a half and played a stellar show at Mindy's wedding. The band was strong throughout and improvised a lot through the evening, complete with selections from Bob Seger (Old Time Rock n Roll, Main Street which needs to be added to the Sweet Home mashup and even Night Moves) . Guest vocalist Curt handled Folsom Prison Blues and the band played Little Wing for the father/daughter dance. The vocals were clear thanks to Brad (Will West Music) through a BOSE sound system though the mixing board provided challenges throughout much of the evening. See here for the setlist as best as I can remember it. All band members were strong though Manchisi took MVP honors for the impromptu Seger set and the Fee Waybill version of Hendrix's Fire that closed the show though now officially has a problem with She Came in through the Bathroom Window. Tom and Bill were strong as always and Funky Music never ceases to get them on the dance floor. The band is gearing up for the NY wedding which promises a couple of surprises that the band is working on. Stay Tuned......
WITE LITE - HELLMAN WEDDING - 06/18/11
Rain threatened throughout the weekend and T's flight barely made it back from Utah but with all that working in the band's favor, WITE LITE played to a crowd of about 300 at the Hellman's beautiful home Saturday night. The band went on little late and performed what amounted to a long set (see setlist) and seemed to go over well with the band's demographic. All band members were strong and Kevin Finnegan handled ceremonial duties as well (flying in from New Jersey and talking shop with his BAC colleague). Apolitical Blues was especially strong and Jim Hellman provided keyboards throughout with excellent solos on Folsom Prison Blues and Apolitical while even playing harmonica . Ian of IRONMAN sound provided an excellent mix as always as well as a platform for Bill to play drums on which added another element to the band's stage show. Dancing was limited though present during Sweet Home and Play That Funky Music but with rain threatening late in the night and the younger demographic looking to dance to more familiar tunes, the band cut the last set short in order to ensure the younger crowd had ample dancing opportunity.
This event had a lasting effect on Kevin, who left to ponder the band's future and whether the music is no longer relevant. Here's hoping that a plan ride back and an upcoming wedding gig change that view. Long live classic rock!
I first heard "Save Me" from Bleu's "A Watched Pot" album and was struck by the guy's vocals and great sense of melody. This guy is amazing. (Check him out at www.bleutopia.com) . I immediately downloaded the entire album as well as Redhead and have been a big fan ever since. In late 2010, he started a Kickstarter project to raise money to release his upcoming album at the time (FOUR) on his own label and I happily contributed. Part of the deal was that he would do a house concert at a mutually agreeable time and we settled on May 21 for that to happen.
So Friday night, we just hang at the house with a small crowd. He and his manager Stacey Peck were great and we spent a lot of the night just socializing and then by about 1AM decided to see if we could work on a couple of his tunes. With John Schroeder on bass (of legendary Volcanic Ash fame), we went through Boy Meets Girl, I Won't &% You Over and BOSTON. With some tips form the man himself and some additional practice that evening after Bleu was gone, we must have met with his approval as he agreed to perform the songs with us the night of the show. For a sample, check here.
Saturday, the guy does an in-store at Euclid records and we are all blown away. With not much time to spare, we head over to Four Seasons and set up for the show and get everything in order as best we can given that Bleu's portion was to be broadcast over the Internet on www.stageit.com.
WITE LITE started the evening opening with the "End of the World as We Know It" (it didn't happen despite the predictions) and played a strong set to a friendly crowd. Tom Greene was particularly strong on Apolitical Blues and the band was in good form though both Bill and Mike struggled a little vocally in the first set.
BLEU was fantastic with 3's a Charm, Dead in the Morning, Watchin You Sleep, 2 new songs that my kids are asking how they can get them, and ending with What Kinda Man Am I into the crowd. Volcanic Ash then joined Bleu to play the 3 songs above and Bill nailed the BOSTON eulogy. What a thrill this was!
Following Bleu, Volcanic Ash did a short set paying tribute to Owsley with Oh No the Radio, and not quite paying tribute with Rainy Day People (Easily the weakest song of the evening) before going into Sara Smile, Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago to a friendly crowd and closing with Plush.
After that an open jam with the three amigos doing Twist and Shout (Ask Billy) and Abbey Road to close the evening. Corinne took MVP honors for hosting the event at the house that went to 2:00 on Friday and 3:00 on Saturday.
It was a great show and a bit surreal to be playing with Bleu but both he and Stacey were gracious and great to hang with throughout the weekend. Go buy his stuff. You won't regret it.
They could have had the dog! At the Haven House Fund Raiser, WITE LITE was auctioned off and went for the same amount as a little dog. The dog did nothing at the event whereas the band played 2 strong sets. Virginia and Bill were the gracious winners and the band played three sets outdoors on a beautiful Wednesday evening. Click here for the complete setlist.
Manchisi was out of the gate strong, with a little Hell's Bells in the middle of Funk 49 that caught the attention of the graduates and even played Pomp and Circumstance during the toast. But it was downhill from there. Abbey Road was a trainwreck guitar wise as the guitar "Never Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and forcing an acapella at the end of the song. Adding to matters, the Born to Run closer ended with a string break that killed the guitar part for the last part of the song. Practice is clearly in order.
Songs and mix (yes IRONMAN sound) were strong overall and the band played well otherwise considering it has been 5 months since the last gig. Tom Greene took home MVP honors , not only for driving in from Columbia on a Wednesday afternoon, but also for strong bass and vocal performance throughout. Even a little trip up down the home stretch didn't impact MVP honors.
Bill Greene was strrong overall vocally and drumming with a number of adlibs throughout the night (though was unable to fly in from Miami Beach BOAC)
While perhaps a little rusty, signs of aging were evident as Tom had hand cramps and Bill commented that he had some troubles doing what he wanted to do. Manchisi (the youngest in the band) only wishes he had an excuse like that for his performance but has vowed to make good this Saturday. After all, it could be their last as predictions around the End of the World as we know it are rampant. Here's hoping he feels fine!
All the founding members of WITE LITE were in attendance on December 30 as the band played the East coast for the first time in over 20 years to celebrate the marriage of John and Kate. The night had everything from drama to numerous special guests throughout the evening. The band was playing for the first time without their own equipment and more importantly without the "rider required" Ironman sound and it was evident early just how much the band misses Bob Horner and the crew (thank you Bob for all you do - we missed you)
Opening the set list (click here for complete list) custom designed by Kevin Finnegan to rave reviews throughout the evening, the band performed I Fought the Law, Don't Pull Your Love, Whip Comes Down and Hard to Handle. The band avoided a near disaster when Manchisi's amp stopped functioning during when the whip comes down while sound technicians were paralyzed. Luckily, the amp regained some volume though Manchisi was not loud enough for most all of the evening - words this writer has rarely typed.
The band then introduced it's secret weapon and host of the weekend's festivities, Zach, who launched into Fire, Heartbreak Hotel, and Jack Daniels Blues in superb voice. A horrible version or When We Were Younger preceded special guests Matt Manchisi and young Mike Manchisi who did Build Me Up Buttercup and Brandy, the latter complete with Matt and Frank Manchisi's backup vocals. While both were in good voice, they have not yet mastered their dad's stage presence, as both forgot the words (a feat that is more difficult given both brought the words on stage with them) and Matt launched into the verse too early requiring the band to adapt and providing great material for the remainder of the weekend.
Highlights from the rest of the set included End of the World (with Matt somewhat redeeming himself on background vocals), Folsom Prison (though Manchisi tried to sabotage that one with poor playing thinking he was playing the next song), Sally and T's version of Poor Old Heartsick Me, Glory Days (any Springsteen is clearly big on the East Coast) and wrapping up with Zach doing Roadhouse Blues.
Following a short break, the band did Celebrate and Blitzkrieg Bop which brought out the dancers in force and then Frank Manchisi (the founding father of WITE LITE) joined the band for Canned Heat's Going up the Country. With no good monitors on the stage to hear, the band had trouble with this one and while the band may have been disappointed, many of the dog's in the area commented that this was their favorite song of the evening.
Missing his stage call during Apolitical blues, young James Manchisi provided a blistering solo during Little Wing and Kev provided his screaming vocals for I'm a Believer before young Maggie Tagarelli won the crowd over with a superb version of Tina Turner's Proud Mary.
The set also included walk on singers for Honky Tonk Woman and Rock n Roll All Nite (which secured the band's presence at the next Manchisi wedding by winning over the mother of Matt's bride. The rock block secured Bill Greene's MVP honors with strong vocals and outstanding drumming despite a cold and not playing his own kit. The set closed with Zach joining the band for Born to Run, complete with Dan Lenhardt providing an outstanding saxophone solo before the Fight For Your Right encore.
It was a fantastic evening only to be eclipsed by an outstanding wedding where the family celebrated the New Year together. It doesn't get better.
Only a few days into 2011, the band had 3 wedding gigs booked so it looks to be a banner year for the Wite Lite boys. Congrats Johnny and Kate and Happy 2011.
Any photos can be sent to witelite@mac.com and will be posted here.
WITE LITE played at Anthony Gatti's graduation party at Saratago Lanes in a strong 3 set performance as the family sent him off to Mizzou on a football scholarship. Opening acoustic numbers sounded a little thin but by the time they got to Little Wing, the band was in solid form. First set highlights included I Feel Good, Apolitical Blues (which has Eileen applauding for Tom's strong vocals) and Fire. Even my Dad seemed interested until I realized that he was watching the Cardinal's on the TV behind us after clapping in the middle of a song signaled the end of the game (They won 4-3) . I am the Walrus was a little rusty and had Tom thinking "eBay" at the end of the night (it should be noted he rushed back from Orlando to make the gig)
Second set included one of the best versions of Don't Pull Your Love and featured guest vocalists Jeff Gattti (Tush), John Hertel (the raditional Zeppelin rock block) and even Sally Greene on Johnny Cash's Poor Old Heartsick Me - a nice duet between Sally and Tom. (Click here for the setlist)
Following some guest rappers which was the highlight for the younger crowd and made my dad appreciate WITE LITE that much more, the band finished in strong form with excellent versions of Hard to Handle and Fight For Your Right. Bill Greene was excellent, again playing while recovering from his leg injury and Manchisi was also strong throughout. While MVP honors could have been a tossup, Greene was disqualified for not playing War Pigs for the party's host Ralph Gatti, while Manchisi's Purple Haze adlib during Play That Funky Music got Bill's attention.
A strong mix by IRONMAN as always was appreciated by the band, especially knowing that the stairs to Saratoga is not one of their favorites. While many were questioning Bill's motives for not doing War Pigs (a challenging song on the highhat especially without a left foot!), it may have been his desire for White Castle at the end of the night after a long and spirited performance.
"$5,000". The price of admission for WITE LITE went up substantially last night at the JA Gala as the band's backyard party auction item was hotly contested, going for $2,500 for two lucky winners, including a 2011 Wedding. (Thanks Rob for bidding us up!) The band is now booked over a year in advance!
Embellishments aside, it was a fun event as the band played outside during cocktails. The first few songs were played largely to the event staff (including a teaser of Bohemian Rhapsody while taking requests) and Substitute caused a flurry of activity about the band's volume, prompting an acoustic like version of Apolitical Blues. Click here for the setlist as best I can remember it. More folks gathered as the set progressed and Bill Greene took MVP honors with outstanding drumming and great rock block vocals (including I Feel Good and Rock n Roll Music). Highlights seemed to be Tom Petty, the old Beatles tunes and the beer bottle slide in Tush. The band was in excellent form throughout and special mention to Tom Greene who played the whole set in a jacket and tie despite the 80+ degree weather.
A great mix from Brian at IRONMAN sound and fabulous food helped to raise over $200K for a great cause.
Special thanks to IRONMAN sound for a great mix and a donation of time as well. These guys are the best.
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Continuing a December tradition, the band with special guest Pat Smith played Proud Mary to a MasterCard friendly crowd in the morning and then headed off to the Lemp Hall downtown to play the end of year celebration for the Carlyle Yacht Club.
This was one of the finer establishments the band has played in and the tension was high early on as Tom Greene had a "large bread" moment listening to the Eagles music in the background during setup. In addition, the band's bowling shirt motif did not seem to mix well with the tuxedos and evening wear though this crowd was clearly there to have a good time. Hosts Bob and Cheryl Reany were very gracious providing the band with first dibs on the food and it's own table and although the late start forced a compression of the band's set list from 3 to 2, it was a great event.
Opening with the now standard acoustic set that showed great promise, the band kept things relatively quiet in the beginning with Beatles (including We Can Work it Out) but by the time Little Wing was played , the crowd was already on the dance floor. Early set dance numbers included End of the World, Squeeze Box, Honky Tonk Woman, and Cinnamon Girl, which seemed to be a soundtrack of life moment for some. Kevin again flew in for the event providing solid rhythm work and a great version of Folsom Prison Blues though did forget he was not the lead singer for I Am the Walrus. IRONMAN sound professionals Rusty and Brad provided an outstanding mix as always.
The second set opened with a tribute to Frank Zappa, who had passed away on this date 16 years ago. Cosmik Debris has taken on a life of its own, adapting to the audience thanks to Kevin's adlibs and schtick. Whether it was the tacet in Rock and Roll Music, the ZZ Top tribute, the soda glass slide or the band leaving the stage during Bill's Funk 49 drum solo, they are clearly mastering their performance craft. Bill was outstanding during the rock block and Closing with Sweet Home/Werewolves (an audience request) and Fight For Your Right, the band left them wanting more, a rarity for WITE LITE but essential, as bass player Tom Greene had vacated the building seconds after the closing G chord.
Mike again took MVP honors given a recent return from Australia and a solid schtick performance but all of the band was in strong form. 2010 promises to be a great year with a new album and tour dates already in discussion. Look for a rerelease of Christmas with Me in time for the Holidays.
After two less than stellar performances, the band needed a strong outing and with the presence of East Coast members Zach and Kevin, that's just what happened at Lake of the Ozarks for MOA's 2009 event. With an excellent mix from Brad (Will West Music) through a BOSE sound system that had to be heard to be believed the band's vocal's have rarely sounded stronger or clearer. Opening with Shame and playing two originals (bringing back When We Were Younger for Kathy Mac who was in attendance), the band ripped through 3 sets with all members strong throughout. Zach took vocal duties for Fire, Heartbreak Hotel (I thought it was good), Roadhouse, Tush, Squeeze Box and Born to Run among others) while Kevin added rhythm guitar, excellent bantor ,a sea of white paper and a customized (though unauthorized) optometric version of Cosmik Debris. (Click here to see the performance on YouTube).
Tom was the crowd favorite and Apolitical was a standout. Bill's rock block was superb as was his drumming. Mike took MVP honors with one of his best performances in quite some time (Getting Better a particular standout) along with the call to bring the session indoors which given the weather was the right call and provided the band with one of the better stages it has performed on. Closing with Fight for your Right, the performance rejuvenated the band who then celebrated with an evening cigar and impromptu performances of A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (You had to be there).
WITE LITE did a short 2 set performance and Brian and Tracey's wedding adding another notch to a long resume of public performances. Meticulously planned by Brian (including stopping the rain) the night at the Chatillon-DeMenil mansion was an enjoyable one for all. The performance stretched the band including numbers like I Will (which Tom thought was "I Won't" as the bass was conspicuously absent during the first few songs), Here There and Everywhere (the couple's wedding song), My Girl, Brown Eyed Girl and Glory Days. This had the band off to a bit of a rocky start but they then found their groove and played more of the notable rock standards, and even closed the night with Shout.
Dan and Mike from IRONMAN sound provided a great mix (we can't help saying it but these guys are the best and we don't know what we'd do without them) while challenged to not have a sound check. Play That Funky Music was a highlight of the show and the band now heads off to Jeff City for a performance next week with Kev and Zach joining for the occasion.
Congrats Brian and Tracey and thanks for taking a risk with us. We can now say "WITE LITE does WEDDINGS!" All the best.
Special thanks to Bob Horner and Rusty from IRONMAN sound for a great mix and a donation of time as well. These guys are the best.
Sally's 50th birthday party had a little bit of everything at "Bones" in Jeff City last night. A new soundman, an acoustic performance of Taylor Swift’s “The Best Day” by Tom and his daughter Julie that stole the show, an appearance by a more confident LITE WITE including young t-Bone on lead vocals, and a blistering solo by young James Manchisi on the Sky is Crying after being handed the guitar in mid-song.
The band opened with a stripped down acoustic like performance for the first set and vocals were especially strong throughout. End of the World and Folsom Prison Blues were early standouts and the full band (including Zach and Kevin) made for a more diverse performance throughout. There was even a Frank Manchisi sighting in the crowd and the band was thisclose to a reunion during Hymn 43 though a flute was nowhere to be found. (I guess we'll have to wait another 20 years but let's hope sooner). Heartbreak Hotel was also superb with Zach's vocals being as strong as ever thanks to an excellent monitor mix by Shane that earned him a hefty tip at the end of the night. Little Wing closed the first set and was also outstanding.
Set 2 and 3 got progressively louder and the bands acapella opening of Don’t Pull Your Love may have seen it’s last live performance. Bill even had a drum solo during Funk 49 and was typically solid through the rock block vocals.
Tom threw an awesome party and played an outstanding version of Apolitical Blues and Born to Run though it is not often when we will remember Tom's acoustic guitar performances more than his bass ones. The band had to talk him out of putting the bass up for sale on eBay at the end of the night.
Kevin was solid throughout (earning him the distinction of “the filler” by the soundman) and his bantor is sorely missed when not in attendance. Kev also was more mobile hopping back and forth through out the crowd during Play That Funky Music.
All Manchisi's were excellent and Mike earned MVP honors for rising above technical challenges, and playing 3 strong sets with a bad leg as well as entertaining the crowd with AC/DC and Aerosmith requests.
Look for a full set of tour dates in 2009. Happy Birthday Sally!
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A new first for the band. Playing to a MasterCard friendly crowd in the morning that was webcast to multiple locations (some outside the US!) WITE LITE performed a short 3 song set at the MasterCard O'Fallon office early this morning before heading off to the evening XMAS party gig.
Opening with an acoustic set that showed great promise, the band kept things relatively quiet for the first set, the ony exception being the Little Wing guitar solo that prompted two complaints for volume early on in the evening. Kevin's version of Folsom Prison Blues reincarnated Johnny Cash with the help of a team of IRONMAN sound professionals including Paul (the fifth member of WITE LITE), Fred, Red, Barney and Brad.
The second set opened with an a cappella opening of Don't Pull Your Love, complete with 4 part harmony and the band's vocal performance was as strong as in recent memory. Bill Greene took home MVP honors with a strong performance throughout despite cutting his hand as Manchisi's trademark cymbal hit dislodged the cymbal and knocked over the microphone stand. IRONMAN agreed to provide a wingnut to secure the cymbal for future sessions. With a full moon in place, the band did play Sweet Home Alabama/Werewolves of London though Finnegan's randomized vocal selections throughout the song left most of the band wondering where he was going. When asked later, Finnegan said he mistook Manchisi's "WTF are you doing look" for a plea for vocal help. The band closed with an uncharacteristically slow version of Walrus that eliminated Manchisi from MVP honors.
Greene's rockblock vocal performance secured the win though all band members were strong throughout, including Bob Greene, who opened the second set with a blistering version of Sympathy for the Devil on guitar, making many in the Gannon audience wondering how he has time to practice given his work commitments.
2 Gigs in one day, Multiple locations around the world - "Priceless"
WITE LITE played a 5 song set at the Sheldon, the finest hall the band will ever play in as part of the corporate battle of the bands event for charity. The band performed Don’t Pull Your Love, Wall Street, Hard to Handle, Fire and I am the Walrus to a MasterCard and family friendly crowd in a very tight performance. Pictures and a video of the event are currently in the works.
Oneinchead took honors for best band of the evening and WITE LITE took home the best stage presence” award prompting numerous second guessing from band and family as to why. Was it the guitar player throwing a t-shirt that accidentally hit one of the judges or the numerous references to deceased artists that made up the band’s setlist? Was it the drummer’s oozing stage presence capped off by a concert bow at the end of the show? Too much bantor?
Regardless, the band was in strong form, and most importantly raised some money for a good cause. Thanks to all that came out to support us!
Photo below courtesy of Ray Marklin. Click here for a complete photo gallery from the show
A strong performance celebrating Sandy and Steve's 25th anniversary. Bill Greene took MVP honors despite being out of uniform (no WITE LITE t-shirt) and providing an old set list. He overcame disqualification with superb drumming and strong vocals through the 2nd set rock block. though almost lost an eye with the drumstick toss at the end of Born to Run. Opening with Don't Pull Your love, the band was solid in the first set and Tom Greene delivered a particularly strong Apolitical Blues with a new ending based loosely on the Waiting for Columbus version. Tom was particularly error free in the first set though this changed in the second and in particular third set after enjoying the refreshments during set breaks. Manchisi was strong but was again challenged with noise problems in the first set which were ultimately corrected. Judy Bierman's version of Sympathy for the Devil was a third set highlight as was the debut of Only the Good Die Young which showed strong potential. The band delivered two encores and left the crowd wanting more as we were forced to shut down for the 12 o'clock curfew. Hard to believe there were only three of them playing tonight with songs like Cosmik Debris, I am the Walrus and Born to Run. Ian of IRONMAN sound delivered a strong mix and is becoming a band favorite.
Playing to a friendly Fidelity crowd, WITE LITE helped Angela celebrate her 40th birthday at a surprise party at Saratoga. Electrical challenges again plagued the band at Saratoga with Manchisi serving as the "ground" in the soundcheck until the talented folks at IRONMAN sound (led by Karyn) fixed the issue to avoid the guitar player's electrocution. Tom Greene eliminated himself early from MVP honors by forgetting that there was a gig which required the use of a backup bass and POD, again causing challenges to the soundcrew. Bill Greene turned in another strong performance with a setlist quite similar to the 6/21 gig. Strong drumming and audibles of Blitzkrieg Bop amazed the Fidelity crowd, most of whom had only seen Bill as "Clark Kent" in the office. Manchisi took MVP honors with strong vocals on Born to Run and excellent recreations of Fire and Little Wing. The show ended with War Pigs and featured the most dancers the band has ever seen for the Black Sabbath finale.
Saturday's party for Bob and Judy's 50th was a significant change for the band, who delivered one of their best performances in recent memory. Sparked by a critical review, the band took matters into their own hands with Kevin Finnegan overhauling the set list and Bill Greene putting in a "Secretariat" like performance behind the drum kit as well as outstanding vocals - earning him MVP honors for the show. Opening with Don't Pull Your Love, the band focused less on originals and more on the hits, with Apolitical Blues (featuring T's extended ending), Getting Better (the only original played during the evening) and Walrus being first set standouts while the audience warmed to the bands diverse set list.
The second set opened with Celebrate and Birthday and with the crowd on the dance floor, Zach Manchisi made sure they stayed there with Fire and Jack Daniels Blues. Kevin followed with the ego tribute to Johnny Cash and Frank Zappa and the band then launched into the classic rock block where Kevin made sure that everyone knew that he "saw her face" in I'm a Believer . The set closed with Bill Greene delivering strong vocals on Slow Down, I Saw Her Standing There and Rock and Roll Music. Even Born to Run was inspired to close out the second set. Click here for the complete set list.
The third set opened with Fire and Little Wing and Manchisi delivered strong Hendrix like performances on guitar followed by Tush ( surprisingly a crowd favorite). The only weak spot of the show came during Twist and Shout which killed MVP consideration for Kev (and Tom who joined him) as his Fred Gwynn like "Ah's" were delivered way too early. Bill's only set audible of Blitzkrieg Bop was inspired, leaving no doubt as to who keeps time in WITE LITE. War Pigs closed the evening despite a crowd protest though the band enjoyed it nonetheless.
Ian and Nick from IRONMAN sound delivered a great mix. These guys are the best and more importantly, WITE LITE is back.
While the band has added Funk 49 to the set list, it seemed like Funk #2 to this writer. A beautiful night at Bob and Wendy Greene's was the setting as WITE LITE played at Wendy's 40th surprise birthday party. The show again saw it's share of highlights and challenges. Highlight's included Cosmik Debris, Apolitical Blues, Jack Daniels Blues (featuring Zach Manchisi) , Mary Jane and 2nd set classics like Brandy, Don't Pull Your Love and Ain't Seen Nothing Yet. Challenges included Shame, Back in The USSR and Blitzkrieg Bop with "Big Brown" Bill Greene again having tempo problems (I had no horse!) though his vocal on Play That Funky Music was outstanding. Third set featured a lounge version of Train Surfer as the band had been told to turn down during the outside performance and were eventually shut down after Roadhouse Blues because of volume - A "Let it Be" like ending to the show which was appropriate as the show included versions of Let It Be, Just What I Needed and Green Onions from two guests. LITE WITE again made an appearance and kudo's to young T-Bone Greene for taking vocal duties with "Very Little Help from his Friends" to stick with the Beatles theme. Click here for the complete setlist.
Ian and Megan from IRONMAN sound did a great job and while "a splendid time was had by all", a setlist overhaul may be in order. Look for the band to come out strong next time.
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. WITE LITE played at Jeff Gatti's graduation party that saw it's share of highlights and challenges. Things did not start well as the radio interference coming out of Manchisi's guitar rig was reminiscent of Spinal Tap's performance at the Air Force Base. Early into the first set, a power outage mercifully killed an inadvertent lounge version of When We Were Younger. The band finally got into a groove with versions of Mary Jane, Apolitical Blues, Cinnamon Girl and Walrus being among the band's best! The second set featured guest vocalist John Hertel who returned to sing Suffragette City, Heartbreaker, Living Loving Maid, Stairway to Heaven, Funk 49 and a ZZ Top medley that included Tush and La Grange among others. Tom Greene took MVP honors with standout performances of War Pigs, Cosmik Debris and Apolitical Blues though needs to invest in new cables as the band turned into a two piece a few times during the evening prompting a 2 minute jazz odyssey during San Berdino. Bill Greene rose above a summer cold and stiff neck to put in a strong performance despite tempo problems in Younger and Blitzkrieg Bop. Mike Manchisi overcame most of the technology challenges though the version of Brandy with the unintended harmonized horns made it their worst ever. The third set closed with versions of Aqualung and Hocus Henry (a mashup of Hocus Pocus and Henry the 8th). Yes James, you were right.
Paul Abouchon from IRONMAN sound was great as always and was a trooper dealing with the stairs and the ad-libs throughout the night.
Click on the Life Skills logo or hyperlink to learn more about this great organization
WITE LITE - BOBBYPALOOZA 9/22/07
You had to be there. They will be talking about this one for years to come. They will be talking about the inaugural appearance of LITE WITE, made up of young Tom Greene on bass, young Zach Greene on the drums and young James Manchisi on guitar playing Cadillac Ranch to open the session. They will be talking about young James Manchisi and the keyboard player launching into a 15 minute Jazz Odyssey based loosely on the Beatles “She’s so Heavy” and what a fantastic guitar player this kid is. They will be talking about the beautiful home that housed Boobypalooza , the hospitality of Bob and Wendy Greene and the gorgeous weather . They will (or at least the band will) be talking about Paul Abouchon of IRONMAN sound and the comparisons to George Martin of the Beatles. They will be talking about Zach Manchisi’s ability to start a song block with no one on the dance floor and finish two or three songs later with a packed house. They will be talking about the best version of Cosmik Debris since FZ was alive and Kevin Finnegan’s ability to channel the spirit for that and Folson Prison Blues. They will be talking about Tom Greene’s ability to channel John Entwistle’s bass playing from the grave on Squeeze Box and Lowell George’s vocals on Apolitical Blues. They will be talking about the Heartbreaker intro in the third set leading to the band’s on Train Surfer (complete with Whole Lotta Love guitar solo) even though Mike Manchisi was 50 feet from the stage. They will be talking about Bill Greene channeling John Lennon for Rock n Roll Music and I Am the Walrus which audience members commented they had never seen a band (other than the Fab Faux on television) attempt, never mind play so well.
The band left it all on the stage last night. Opening with Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (“and let me introduce to you the one and only Bobby Greene”) the band then played the Beatles “Money”, Sister Hazel’s “Shame” and Butch Walker’s “Taste of Red”. Click here for the complete setlist. Mary Jane, Getting Better (off the bands iTunes available first Album - click here) and the Walrus were standouts though after the first two songs, the band was really in top form throughout.
Zach Manchisi joined the group in the second set for Jack Daniel’s Blues and Fire and the band then launched into the power set including Don’t Pull Your Love, Brandy (aka Wendy) complete with a guest keyboard player and the three Beatle song closer with Bill Greene taking lead vocals to close the set.
Third set opened with two originals…Train Surfer for young Clayton Greene and Can’t Go to Sleep though the band needs to rework that one for live performance. A Hendrix rock block of Little Wing and Fire brought down the house and Zach Manchisi rejoined the group to channel Elvis and Jim Morrison (which as I write this, I’m realizing how many times I’m using the word “channel” and the fact that the bands setlist includes a lot of songs sung by artists no longer with us – 17 of the 46 tunes played based on my quick analysis! Zappa songs were standouts and War Pigs closed the set with one of the band’s strongest versions ever. Again, Paul Abouchon’s mix (Funky Music and War Pigs being standouts) was superb along with a great IRONMAN light show.
Even Buttercup was well done to close the night. MVP honors went to the entire band (Bill, Mike, Kev, Tom, Zach and yes Paul) .For a band that plays live 4-5 times a year, they showed they can go back to back with the best of them!
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Finnegan's bantor is a clear asset to the band though comments around having some "General Fun" and the catastrophic Sweet Home Alabama/Werewolves medley eliminated him from MVP consideration as he was in London and Soho in the rain long before the band had left Alabama! Getting Better was a strong original and the Hendrix version of Fire won raves from the audience as well. Click here for the complete setlist. Tom's bass on Squeeze Box was a highlight and the band was solid throughout the performance and a bit more animated than usual in preparation for the next gig at Bobby's.
But it was Zach Manchisi who lit up the crowd with Heartbreak Hotel, Roadhouse Blues and Summertime Blues resulting in a unanimous MVP vote from the band. Bob Horner of IRONMAN sound did a great job dealing with a challenging room as always.
"Baballo"
for the day) and Don't Pull Your
Love. Weak spots were Taste of Red and Substitute, which the rhythm section
inexplicably cut short after the bass solo. Click
here for the complete setlist.
Many
inquiries for upcoming gigs were received after the sets and additional iTunes
servers have been added to ensure demand for the band's CD is served and WITE LITE is
looking forward to the back to back gigs over the 9/21 weekend with the full
band.Armed with attractive business cards bearing the band website for the occasion, we are closely monitoring inquiries and a burst in traffic given the high demand.
Click on the Life Skills logo or hyperlink to learn more about this great organization
A strong three set performance highlighted by MVP Kevin Finnegan rocked the VFW hall in Overland, MO. Playing a number of originals in support of their wildly successful first album (including Getting Better, Can't Complain and Train Surfer) the band benefited from the fullness of the dual guitars and Kevin's vocal performance of Bill Withers' "Use Me" and Cosmik Debris secured MVP honors in addition to his strong rhythm playing. Click here for the complete song list.
Manchisi suffered from electrical problems through the first set eliminating him from MVP consideration and even after cable problems were addressed, the well intended "Peace of Mind" tribute to Brad Delp (who passed away the prior day) was also a questionable audible. Other changes included snippets of Won't Get Fooled Again to open the third set.
The band benefited from the added energy of Bill's old neighborhood who crashed the party later in the night including Paula's version of Twist and Shout in the third set (not shown in the setlist). However, it was the Zappa selections that seemed to bring the crowd alive with one commenting that "noone plays that stuff".
Upcoming gigs include "Bobbystock" and some other charity benefits. Stay tuned.
Happy 50th Mike!
