I had no great expectations walking in to see Foxy Shazam. Lets face it, I was there for Gaslight and Gaslight only! So when six dudes came out looking like gypsies and thrashing and tumbling around the stage I was intrigued. Playing what could be called gypsy punk sounding like a cross between Panic! At The Disco and Gogol Bordello with the singer sounding very Jack White. On paper, a mismatch to support the gritty Jersey rock of Gaslight Anthem but they certainly entertained the swelling metro crowd.
To be honest from the moment they walked out until the moment they finished and said goodnight, that hour and half is a blur. I know I sang at the top of my lungs, every word to every song. I probably carried on like a groupie. Having been blown away by their set the day before at Soundwave, I told my friends they were in for a treat. Four guys who play music that stirs the soul. Makes you escape into a world of classic cars and movie scenes, blue jeans and white t-shirts and where Springsteen and Petty are on the radio. They take you home. Their home of New Jersey. It could just as easy be about my home town.
Brian Fallon never skipped a beat, played with unbridled passion with a huge smile on his face. The band generally love what they do and it shows in the music. Mixing their set with the new album “American Slang”, 1st LP “Sink Or Swim” and the perfect “The 59 Sound”, we also got treated to a new song that carries the same flavour as the last record. A six song encore featuring ‘Bring It On’, ‘Navesank Banks’ and ‘Great Expectations’.
In my biased one eyed opinion, it was the best show ever! But I doubt even the casual observer would of walked out with a different opinion. Believe what they say about this band, they are that good.
