After a four-hour wait, the band took the stage, introduced by the hunky stars of the new ABC Family teen drama, Greek. Giving a strong performance, the band played songs from their first major label album, Every Second Counts, singing about the perils of young love, rejection and love’s scorn. Though their set only lasted a half-hour it was crammed full of energized pop/rock songs. With power packed, simplistic harmonies, the band bounced along to the music while lead singer Tom Higgenson jumped around holding the microphone above his head like a trophy.
After the fan favorite “Hate (I Really Don’t Like You),” most of the band exited the stage, leaving behind Higgenson and his acoustic guitar. Announcing simply, “This song is about a girl from New York City,” he launched into a quiet, acoustic personal confession “Hey There Delilah.” The summer hit is dominating the airwaves and climbing the charts, currently the number two single in the country. Knowing every word, the audience sang along, and Higgenson solidified their affections capella: “Here’s to you. This one’s for you,” pointing towards the sea of braces. Thanking the audience, the band took the stage again to play one more perfectly arranged pop song (“Take Me Away”).
The PWT’s, just as Tiffany before them, proved that intimate confessions
are best suited for a public setting.
– Laurie Kamens
“They don’t write 'em like that anymore,” the enduring line from The Greg Kihn Band’s “The Breakup Song,” was echoed by Chiller during their performance at The Zebra Club. Playing immortal classic rock songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s, Chiller dismissed the clichéd notion that rock is dead by breathing life into favorites from The Beatles, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and pretty much every other artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Zebra Club, the unpretentious and intimate night spot, was a perfect backdrop for Chiller. Local friends met up to enjoy the soundtrack of their lives, even if they had heard these songs a hundred times before. Chiller enthusiastically kept the audience entertained by playing many crowd pleasers. Joined for much of the set by a guest tambourine player, the foursome pumped out The Beatles’ “Day Tripper,” Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” and Eddie Floyd’s “Knock On Wood.” Paul Simon’s jumpy “Kodachrome” brought those with energy to burn to the dance floor, as did Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs’ garage-rock treasure “Wooly Bully.” And when the band asked those in attendance to add percussion to “Stuck In The Middle” by Steelers Wheel, super fans dubbed the “Chillerettes” happily obliged by clapping along.
Chiller remained tight throughout the set and showed no signs of slowing down. They channeled The Who’s grittiness on their rendition of “Squeeze Box,” and deftly replaced the organ solo on The Doors’ “Love Her Madly” with some innovative guitar additions. They even tackled the simple yet deceptively tricky vocals harmonies of The Beatles when they played a jaunty version of “I Saw Her Standing There.”
With the recent, unexpected resurrection of WCBS-FM and bands like Chiller
proudly carrying the banner for classic rock, maybe, just maybe, as Neil Young
so famously sang, “rock and roll will never die.” We can only
hope.
– Jessica Watz
