Seasonal Singsong

One of the things I like about Christmas time in the UK is that when you go shopping you still get the old classic Christmas hits blasting out as you browse; The Ronettes, Darlene Love, Slade, Greg Lake, Paul McCartney & Wings, Jona Lewie, Shakin' Stevens and Gary Glitter. They all bring back memories of Christmas past and Christmas presents. However, whilst recently spending a few days shopping in Philly and New York I felt like puking. Good grief, the songs played in the states these days are soooo sugary; Awful Christmas soul ballad pap with added Hall and Oates. Too much turkey already!

What could save the USA from this new seasonal banality? Marah's Xmas Extravaganza that's what. On Saturday 10th December at the TLA, Philadelphia, Adam & Dave's Bloodline, Matt Mays & El Torpedo, Slo-Mo w/Mic Wrecka, The Shalitas and Marah all came together to deck the halls with some sonic tinsel.

I'd done my back in the previous day trying to lift my luggage off the floor without bending at my knees - Call the Health and Safety police! Anyway, on Saturday I walked for miles up and down the streets of Philadelphia. By the evening, with a bad back and sore feet, I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell what I felt. When I went into the TLA at about 8:45pm there must have been just five people in there! Nursing a beer, I spotted another frequent Marah groupie from the UK (the one who is not Wally) and then a few more people came in from the cold to catch the start of Adam & Dave's set. Mat Mays & El Torpedo followed and were great. Mays came across as a kind of an amalgamation of a 70's Springsteen and early Wilco, i.e. Bruce Tweedy. The band were very polished and the perhaps the best I've ever seen from Nova Scotia.

Slo-Mo was up next with just a short 3 song set, ably assisted by Mic Wrecka and bongo playing Sergei from Eastern Europe... Cuidado!

By the time The Shalitas came on the place was filling up nicely. What can I say about The Shalitas? Well if you didn't like their songs you could at least buy their Thongs at the merchandise stall instead.

The Marah boys came on stage at about 11:45pm. Enhanced with a four piece horn section, they played a stonking set that lasted a couple of hours. The old favourites like Christian Street, Freedom Park and My Heart Is The Bums On The Street where sprinkled with Christmas tunes from last year's A Christmas Kind Of Town album.



Despite having some back pain and not enough alcohol (both of which meant I couldn't dance) I really enjoyed the show. It was a fun night with everyone going home feeling good and full of Christmas cheer. A perfect antidote to Hall and Oates disease.

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