Marky Ramone at Emo's - more photos...
photo by jeff barringer - staff photographer |
by jeff barringer
club kingsnake staff
Marky Ramone & Friends
Hometown: New York, New York
http://www.myspace.com/MARKYRAMONE
Marky Ramone & Friends Concert Photos
Friday November 23rd, 2007
Emo's (Austin, Texas)
Also:
Superzero,
The Sweethearts
I was surprised when I saw Marky Ramone's show listing pop up on Pollstar. The last time I saw Marky was in 1983 at the second and last Ramones show I ever attended. The first time I saw Marky I met him backstage in 1978 at the Ramones show at the Armadillo World Headquarters.
Road To Ruin had just been released and at 15 I lied my way backstage posing as a budding journalist writing for the high school newspaper. I interviewed Johnny and eventually did start a little music fanzine that lasted all of 4 or 5 issues based on that interview and a couple others. I spent all night backstage with the band, finally getting kicked out by their tour manager after the show. It was a magical night for me, one that left an impression on myself and my family as I eventually dragged my brothers into my passion for all things Ramone.
I had hoped to score an interview with Marky Ramone before his set at Emo's in Austin, but it was just not to be. I had exchanged email's back and forth with his wife and then phone calls with his tour manager. Pressed for time Marky literally was in and out only long enough to perform and then headed off down to the valley for a couple shows in McAllen and in Brownsville. I was able to get a photo pass from his tour manager but with the lighting issues in Emo's small room, the packed crowd, and Marky's stage placement in the back my shots were marginal at best. I didn't want to use a flash (SERIOUS faux pax in music photography), so I took what I could and then stood back and watched.
Billing themselves as Marky Ramone & Friends, Marky has assembled a tight little foursome to try to replicate that Ramones magic. With a lead singer whose lanky frame and gawky presence invokes the spirit of Joey, a bass player that bears a vague resemblance to Johnny and a guitar player on lead that looks nothing like a Ramone, they blew through 20 odd songs at that standard 3 minutes or less pace. They weren't the Ramone's but they were damned good and as close as we will ever get to the real thing again.
They played nothing but Ramones classics or Ramones tributes. Favorites like "Blitzkreig Bop", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", and lesser known songs like "I Just Want To Have Something To Do" brought smiles and tears to an audience composed of hard core fans young and old. My brother Jim brought my nephews Blake and Jack up for the show though with a start time of midnight it was waaay past their bed times. Jack, at 10 years old, spent the whole night singing along, amazing a couple of audience members with the fact that he knew the words to all the songs. Blake, his 14 year old brother, surprised us all by spending the whole night in the mosh pit holding his own with people twice his size and age. Imagine my surprise to look up from my camera to see who was blocking my shot by stage diving, only to realize that it was my nephew. If his mother reads this she will kill me, yet it is destined to become another part of the Ramones legacy in our family.
Thanks to Marky Ramone for inviting us out, his wife and his tour manager for arranging the pass, and the security crew at Emo's for not booting my nephew.
Marky Ramone at Emo's - more photos... photo by jeff barringer - staff photographer
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