Music seen at Empire Dine and Dance, March 2, 2008
By TODD RICHARD | March 5, 2008
Portlanders know we should not expect much from Sunday night goings-on. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing going on; it means the unexpected is an invited guest.
This past Sunday night was a semi-private birthday celebration for a few well-known members of the Portland nightlife community, including local DJ and Brown Jacket Media guy Matty T. It was, apparently, the only thing going on in town.
Local working man’s bassist Justin Maxwell assembled a phenomenal band of local luminaries especially for the event. By the looks of the talent he pulled together for this “pick-up” gig, Maxwell might just be one of the fasteners that connects the music scene here in Maine. Jeff Farnsworth and Bob Colwell took care of the vocal duties, deftly cruising through loose, comfortable good time rock standards. Hits by the Beatles segued into “867-5309/Jenny,” featuring burning solos by saxophonist Darren Whitney. The high point of the set was their take on “Mayor of Simpleton” by XTC, a wonderful slice of pop songwriting mastery. Congrats to Maxwell for his “get” on the drum seat for the night. Ginger Cote is, in no uncertain terms, Portland’s best drummer.
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Topics:
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, The Beatles, Todd Richard, Ginger Cote, Justin Maxwell, Bob Colwell, Darren Whitney, Less
