SOD: The Frank Stalloners "Tijuana Shuffle"

Two weekends ago was the 5th annual Equifunk Music Festival. It was my third straight year attending the campground music venue, and it was just as insane as the years prior. All of us in the Stalloner camp look forward to this event each year, but this year was especially important because it marked the last performance by The Frank Stalloners for the foreseeable future. With one guitarist out west and the keyboardist following shortly, the group has found it's performances limited, so when the opportunity presents itself you can bet they're firing on all cylinders.

This year, The Stalloners shared a bill with such acts as Galactic, Dumpstaphunk, The Pimps of Joytime, Bustle in Your Hedgerow, and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds (who are from Brooklyn incidentally). The music is always good, and every year I leave with a new band I'm interested in hearing more of. The first year I went, I learned who Anders Osborne was. Now, I don't think there's another artist I've listened to more in the past three years. This year, having already heard of Dumpstaphunk and Galactic, the new group for me was Sister Sparrow. From the little investigating I've done of the band thus far (Hey, I've been busy...), I've come to realize that these guys are meant to be seen and heard. In other words, I'm thinking they're a Live band, and the recordings just don't give you the full scope of their performance and ability. Nonetheless, I will absolutely be listening to more of their stuff for a better crafted assessment.

This year, The Frank Stalloners had one of their most energetic performances. The additions of Tom Cumming on guitar, and Dave Chillano-Villano (aka DCV, please forgive spelling), brought a whole new layer to the already thunderous sound they possess. And even though there wasn't much time or space to practice with the new additions before the show, the group was as tight as I've ever seen them. Classics, like the Derek and the Dominoes anti-ballad "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad," and Steely Dan's epic "Kid Charlemagne," were as powerful as they were intricate. Tom's solo on the latter was eerily identical to the records. But as I've always said about these guys, the real meat, is in the originals.

"Rita," a Johnny Vla original, is a tune everyone loves. From Bar's to Barbecue's, I've never heard someone say, "I didn't like that one," or anything close to it. "Hookers and Coke," is basically the anthem that sealed the deal between The Stalloners and Equifunk. Everyone who's heard of these guys,  requests it by name. "Selena Roberts" is the ambitious instrumental with the obscure title, it's also a Melichar tour de force on bass. But it's "Tijuana Shuffle" that best represents the band as I see them. This was one of the first originals I heard them play, a long time ago. It's gotten tighter, quicker, and better since those early days, but it's never really changed, just like the band. It's a staple, a well written piece that plays to the strengths of each member, and even had newcomers Tom and Dave riding that wave. It's a shit-kicker of a song, and though they could probably play it in their sleep, they bring the same energy to it every time. Matty's slide guitar is the perfect accoutrement to Danny's stone-smoked voice, and as they trade lines for licks through the verses to the chorus, you can almost tell they're related. Almost.

This year, The Shuffle was given a dose of steroids. Though Danny's lyrics and charisma are the basis for this song (and it obviously goes without saying the song doesn't exist without them), the instrumentals were exceptional. Tom Cumming's guitar solo is simply one of the singular best I've ever seen. The build between him and the band is perfectly explosive. And when it all shifts back into a lower gear again, Matty does some simple slide work, that slowly grows a second nature of its own. There's a nice balance there between him and the keys, the kind of subtle wit that you have to listen for. Once you hear it though, you won't be able to stop listening for it. It's a great indicator of how well they know each other both musically and otherwise. DCV and Mega hold down a gnarly beat, ABB style, to top it all off. In other instances, I might say it's easy to forget about those two stick jockeys behind their rigs, but with this group that never happens. If they're not tight, the bands not tight. Fortunately, that never happens.

It's a bit disturbing to think that it could be another year before I hear these guys as a full group again. But knowing them, I'm confident it will be sooner. They love it too much. We all love it too much for it to end. So I have no fear that it will, but a tinge of remorse that it's over for now. Let this show stand as an example of their wild antics, and pure talent. It's been a pleasure to be a part of.

Don't worry, more videos to come...