Author: Erik J. Heels

Last night, after finishing remodeling his kitchen, Paul and the gang loaded up the tour bus and headed to Boston (well, Brighton, actually) for their much anticipated gig at the Brighton Beer Garden (BBG).

The BBG is a theme-based joint, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Some college or something.

In any event, the BBG was packed with lots of 40-somethings from Greater Acton, lots of 20-somethings from Greater Boston, and one 30-something (thanks for coming).

Note to self: two longer sets work better for these types of gigs rather than three longer sets. Second note to self: change band’s tagline to “From Brighton To Boylston.” Or something like that.

Set 1

1. Good Lovin’ (C) – Grateful Dead
2. It’s All Been Done (D) – Barenaked Ladies
3. Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
4. Born To Be Wild (E) – Steppenwolf
5. Just What I Needed (E) – The Cars
6. Sultans of Swing (Dm) – Dire Straits
7. Stray Cat Strut (Cm) – Stray Cats
8. Peace, Love and Understanding (G) – Elvis Costello
9. Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
10. Stand (E) – R.E.M.
11. Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly (C to Eb, sax) – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
12. Breakdown (Am) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
13. Psycho Killer (Live) (Am) – Talking Heads

Set 2

1. Sunshine of Your Love (D) – Cream
2. My Best Friend’s Girl (F) – The Cars
3. Learn to Fly (B) – Foo Fighters
4. Can’t Get Enough (C) – Bad Company
5. Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room (recorded in D, play in A) – The Brownsville Station
6. Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
7. Pump It Up (B) – Elvis Costello
8. Back In The U.S.S.R. (A) – Paul McCartney
9. Tush (G) – ZZ Top
10. I Fought the Law (D) – The Clash
11. Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
12. 867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
13. Turning Japanese (G) – Vapors

Set 3

1. *It’s a Shame About Ray (A) – The Lemonheads
2. Take Me To The River (Live) (E) – Talking Heads
3. Cover Me (Bm) – Bruce Springsteen
4. *Are You Gonna Be My Girl (A) – JET
5. Takin’ Care of Business (C) – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
6. Runnin Down A Dream (E) – Tom Petty

* = new

I’m pretty sure that yesterday the MCats set a record for the total number of songs played in a gig: 42!

Of course, because 42 is the answer to everything!

The photos are a bit out of focus, but the party-goers all celebrated Valerie’s 39th birthday (39, right?) in style!

Thanks to the Gores for hosting a fine event on a great evening for a party in Acton!

I even manged to capture a before (sound check) and after (last call) video. So you can see why “set 1” songs differ from “set 3” songs. Party on!

Set 1

1. Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
2. Breakdown (Am) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
3. Stray Cat Strut (Cm) – Stray Cats
4. Moondance (Am, sax) – Van Morrison
5. Bad Moon Rising (D) – Creedence Clearwater Revival
6. Sultans of Swing (Dm) – Dire Straits
7. Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
8. Stand (E) – R.E.M.
9. The Last Time (E) – The Rolling Stones
10. Psycho Killer (Am) – Talking Heads

Set 2

1. Margaritaville (D) – Jimmy Buffett
2. My Best Friend’s Girl (F) – The Cars
3. Brown Eyed Girl (G) – Van Morrison
4. Learn to Fly (B) – Foo Fighters
5. Peace, Love and Understanding (G) – Elvis Costello
6. Can’t Get Enough (C) – Bad Company
7. Louie Louie (A) – The Kingsmen
8. Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room (recorded in D, play in A) – The Brownsville Station
9. Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
10. What I Like About You (E) – The Romantics
11. 867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
12. Turning Japanese (G) – Vapors
13. Mustang Sally (C, sax) – Wilson Pickett

Set 3

1. Birthday (A) – The Beatles
2. Oye Como Va (Am, sax) – Santana
3. Tequila (E, sax) – The Champs
4. Take Me To The River (E) – Talking Heads
5. Refugee (F#m) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
6. Born To Be Wild (E) – Steppenwolf
7. Takin’ Care of Business (C) – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
8. Pink Cadillac (E, sax) – Bruce Springsteen
9. Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
10. *Cover Me (Bm) – Bruce Springsteen
11. *Glory Days (A) – Bruce Springsteen
12. Summertime Blues (Remixed Live) (D) – The Who

Encore

1. Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly (C to Eb, sax) – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
2. Smoking Gun (E) – Robert Cray
3. Brown Sugar (C, sax) – The Rolling Stones
4. Love Shack (C) – The B-52’s
5. Runnin Down A Dream (E) – Tom Petty
6. Sweet Caroline (recorded in B, play in A) – Neil Diamond
7. Dirty Water (E) – The Standells

* = new (for the Jersey girl)

The MCats rocked Main Street in Acton and only drew one police car!

But seriously, a perfect venue, perfect weather, awesome hosts, and a fun night!

Thanks to the Thorpes for what we hope will be an annual tradition!

The party was way more fun than my one photo indicates!

Set 1

1. Good Lovin’ (C) – Grateful Dead
2. Sunshine of Your Love (D) – Cream
3. Stray Cat Strut (Cm) – Stray Cats
4. Breakdown (Am) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
5. Peace, Love and Understanding (G) – Elvis Costello
6. Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
7. Just What I Needed (E) – The Cars
8. Stand (E) – R.E.M.
9. I Fought the Law (D) – The Clash
10. Psycho Killer (Live) (Am) – Talking Heads
11. Sultans of Swing (Dm) – Dire Straits

Set 2

1. My Best Friend’s Girl (F) – The Cars
2. Pump It Up (B) – Elvis Costello
3. Back In the U.S.S.R. (A) – Paul McCartney
4. Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
5. Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
6. Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room (recorded in D, play in A) – The Brownsville Station
7. Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
8. Can’t Get Enough (C) – Bad Company
9. 867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
10. Turning Japanese (G) – Vapors

Set 3

1. No Matter What (A) – Badfinger
2. Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo (A) – Rick Derringer
3. Takin’ Care of Business (C) – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
4. Refugee (F#m) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
5. Smoking Gun (E) – Robert Cray
6. Tequila (E, sax) – The Champs
7. Brown Sugar (C, sax) – The Rolling Stones
8. Oye Como Va (Am, sax) – Santana
9. Summertime Blues (D) – The Who
10. What I Like About You (E) – The Romantics

Encore

1. Love Shack (C) – The B-52’s
2. Mustang Sally (C, sax) – Wilson Pickett
3. Louie Louie (A) – The Kingsmen
4. Lean On Me (C) – Bill Withers

At Clock Tower Place in Maynard. ABig Night Out was the second annual ABRPTSO fundraiser supporting Project Wellness and Project Graduation.

Set 1

1. My Best Friend’s Girl (F) – The Cars
2. Back In the U.S.S.R. (A) – Paul McCartney
3. Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
4. Pick Up The Pieces (Fm, sax) – Average White Band
5. Stray Cat Strut (Cm) – Stray Cats
6. Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room (recorded in D, play in A) – The Brownsville Station
7. Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly (C to Eb, sax) – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
8. Brown Sugar (C, sax) – The Rolling Stones
9. Mustang Sally (C, sax) – Wilson Pickett
10. I Fought the Law (D) – The Clash
11. Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
12. *Turning Japanese (G) – Vapors

Set 2

1. Refugee (F#m) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
2. Oye Como Va (Am, sax) – Santana
3. La Bamba (C, sax) – Ritchie Valens
4. Moondance (Am, sax) – Van Morrison
5. Can’t Get Enough (C) – Bad Company
6. What I Like About You (E) – The Romantics
7. Louie Louie (A) – The Kingsmen
8. Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
9. Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo (A) – Rick Derringer
10. Tequila (E, sax) – The Champs
11. Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
12. 867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
13. Runnin Down A Dream (E) – Tom Petty

Encore

1. Takin’ Care of Business (C) – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
2. Love Shack (C) – The B-52’s

* = new

At the Maynard Rod & Gun Club.

Set 1

1. Good Lovin’ (C) – Grateful Dead
2. Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
3. *Breakdown (Am) – Tom Petty
4. Spooky (Em) – Atlanta Rhythm Section
5. Feelin’ Alright (C) – Joe Cocker
6. Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
7. Take Me To The River (E) – Talking Heads
8. I Fought the Law (D) – The Clash
9. Bad Moon Rising (D) – Creedence Clearwater Revival
10. Back In the U.S.S.R. (A) – Paul McCartney

Set 2

1. Monster Mash (G) – Bobby “Boris” Pickett
2. My Best Friend’s Girl (F) – The Cars
3. Werewolves Of London (G) – Warren Zevon
4. Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
5. Just What I Needed (E) – The Cars
6. Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
7. *Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room (recorded in D, play in A) – The Brownsville Station
8. Psycho Killer (Am) – Talking Heads
9. Brown Sugar (C) – The Rolling Stones
10. Takin’ Care of Business (C) – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Set 3

1. Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly (C to Eb) – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
2. Refugee (F#m) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
3. Louie Louie (A) – The Kingsmen
4. Can’t Get Enough (C) – Bad Company
5. La Bamba (C) – Ritchie Valens
6. What I Like About You (E) – The Romantics
7. Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo (A) – Rick Derringer
8. 867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
9. Love Shack (C) – The B-52’s
10. *Time Warp (A) – The Rocky Horror Picture Show
11. Runnin Down A Dream (E) – Tom Petty

* = new

The Grant and Sweeney families hosted the MCats by the railroad tracks in South Acton yesterday. It’s true: we were louder than the MBTA! Pink Voyd’s Tony Caliendo joined us on again drums.

SET 1

Good Lovin’ (C) – Grateful Dead
Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
Stray Cat Strut (Cm) – Stray Cats
Smoking Gun (E) – Robert Cray
Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
Cocaine (E) – Eric Clapton
Margaritaville (D) – Jimmy Buffett
Take Me To The River (Live) (E) – Talking Heads
I Fought the Law (D) – The Clash
Back In the U.S.S.R. (A) – Paul McCartney

SET 2

Sultans of Swing (Dm) – Dire Straits
* My Best Friend’s Girl (F) – The Cars
Peace, Love and Understanding (G) – Elvis Costello
Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
Just What I Needed (E) – The Cars
Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
Learn to Fly (B) – Foo Fighters
Psycho Killer (Live) (Am) – Talking Heads
Brown Sugar (C) – The Rolling Stones
Takin’ Care of Business (C) – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

SET 3

Oye Como Va (Am) – Santana
* Refugee (F#m) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Summertime Blues (Remixed Live) (D) – The Who
* Can’t Get Enough (C) – Bad Company
La Bamba (C) – Ritchie Valens
What I Like About You (E) – The Romantics
* Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo (A) – Rick Derringer
867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
Love Shack (C) – The B-52’s
Runnin Down A Dream (E) – Tom Petty

ENCORE/OTHER

You Really Got Me (live) (G) – The Kinks
Feelin’ Alright (C) – Joe Cocker
White Room (D) – Cream
Sunshine of Your Love (D) – Cream
Pump It Up (B) – Elvis Costello
Tush (G) – ZZ Top
Born To Be Wild (E) – Steppenwolf
Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2 (Dm) – Pink Floyd
Brown Eyed Girl (G) – Van Morrison
Moondance (Am) – Van Morrison
Gimme Some Lovin’ (recorded in G, play in A) – The Spencer Davis Group
Twisting By the Pool (A) – Dire Straits

* = new

Yesterday featured another party at the Seuess resident – and more rain! That’s three rainy spring gigs in a row. Hmm. We did manage to squeeze most of our songs in between raindrops. And the sun finally came out as we were finishing up. Pink Voyd’s Tony Caliendo joined us on drums and helped rock the joint!

SET 1

Good Lovin’ (C) – Grateful Dead
Brown Eyed Girl (G) – Van Morrison
It’s All Been Done (D) – Barenaked Ladies
Gimme Some Lovin’ (recorded in G, play in A) – The Spencer Davis Group
Feelin’ Alright (C) – Joe Cocker
Moondance (Am) – Van Morrison
Take Me To The River (Live) (E) – Talking Heads
Sailing (recorded in B, play in A) – Rod Stewart
All Star (recorded in F#, play in G) – Smash Mouth
Hard to Handle (B) – The Black Crowes
Cocaine (E) – Eric Clapton
Pump It Up (B) – Elvis Costello

SET 2

Just What I Needed (E) – The Cars
Honky Tonk Women (G) – The Rolling Stones
Love Stinks (C) – The J. Geils Band
Should I Stay or Should I Go (D) – The Clash
Peace, Love and Understanding (G) – Elvis Costello
Learn to Fly (B) – Foo Fighters
Margaritaville (D) – Jimmy Buffett
Spooky (Em) – Atlanta Rhythm Section
Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2 (Dm) – Pink Floyd
Pink Cadillac (E) – Bruce Springsteen
Born To Be Wild (E) – Steppenwolf
Tush (G) – ZZ Top

SET 3

Tequila (E) – The Champs
What I Like About You (E) – The Romantics
Brown Sugar (C) – The Rolling Stones
Twisting By the Pool (A) – Dire Straits
Back In the U.S.S.R. (A) – Paul McCartney
Just Like Heaven (A) – The Cure
Mustang Sally (C) – Wilson Pickett
Centerfield (G) – John Fogerty
Stray Cat Strut (Cm) – Stray Cats
867-5309 (Jenny) (F#m) – Tommy Tutone
La Bamba (C) – Ritchie Valens
I Wanna Be Sedated (E to F#) – The Ramones

SET 4

Werewolves Of London (G) – Warren Zevon
In the Midnight Hour (recorded in E, play in D) – Wilson Pickett
Sunshine of Your Love (D) – Cream
I Fought the Law (D) – The Clash
Sultans of Swing (Dm) – Dire Straits
Smoking Gun (E) – Robert Cray
Sweet Caroline (recorded in B, play in A) – Neil Diamond
The Last Time (E) – The Rolling Stones
Psycho Killer (Live) (Am) – Talking Heads
Oye Como Va (Am) – Santana
Dirty Water (E) – The Standells
Love Shack (C) – The B-52’s

ENCORE

Summertime Blues (Remixed Live) (D) – The Who
You Really Got Me (live) (G) – The Kinks
Runnin Down A Dream (E) – Tom Petty

OTHERS

White Room (D) – Cream
Soul Man (recorded in G, play in A) – Sam & Dave
There She Goes (G) – The La’s
Birthday (A) – The Beatles
Achy Breaky Heart (A) – Billy Ray Cyrus