* MCats Gig #81 – Tiki Bar VII

Summer gigs are sometimes challenging due to vacation schedules and the weather. But The MCats Band and Mother Nature pulled it together for an epic summer gig at The Sunset Tiki Bar & Grill at Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford. Guest drummer and local legend Tony Caliendo joined us again, and the rain (in this crazy rain-filled August of 2018) stopped long enough for the gig to go on!

A mellow first set (for listening – how we typically open a gig) was following by a rocking last set (for dancing – how we typically close a gig). Between sets, my 14-year-old stepson, Antonino Salvatore Ciampa (AKA Nino Ciampa) was chatting with Tony about the openings to various classic rock songs (of which Nino is a huge fan). Tony then graciously offered to have Nino open the second set by playing drums on “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure, which wasn’t even on our original setlist. I’ve been looking for an opportunity for Nino to play with the band, but schedules prevented him from practicing with the band. Practice? Who needs practice?! Nino is a talented multi-instrumentalist and rose to the challenge. Thanks to friend of the band Erik Wegweiser for the video!

Fun fact! Nearly every band considers changing their name at some point. (See the Wikipedia page for Goo Goo Dolls for an example.) Our band’s name is a play on The McCarthy-Town School, the elementary school in Acton where all of this started. We’re not really changing the name, but last night, while texting with my daughter about the gig, I told her that I had come up with a new name and asked her to guess. Her guesses: “The MDogs” and “The Fab Five Dads.” My answer: “The YouMans.” Why? Because we end every gig with a group hug and saying our tagline: “We love you, mans!”