Back in time with the Coffin Daggers and the Black Hollies

No no no, settle down! Put away your flux capacitors and your Dr. Who bootlegs. By back in time, I mean these bands evoke a different era of rock. Let's begin at the start of the night. 8pm Saturday 4/4/09: I had just gotten out of work. My friend Kevin had spent the day at my bar deciding what he was going to do for the night. After a few pints of liquid persuasion, I convinced him it was in his best interest to come with me to the Kilkenny Alehouse in Newark for a rock show! He agreed and off we went! From the Path to the cab to the KAH, in a pretty quick succession. The weather was just about perfect for a night out!

I like to get to a show early, it gives me a chance to set up, feel out the crowd and have a few drinks. That said I was 30 mins late! No worries though, the show was going to start a little late tonight anyhow. Jen, who sets up the shows, greeted me and Kevin and we talked about the last show I was at (see I won a dance contest). She asked me about what I've been upto as far as the local scene was concerned, right as Eric of No Pasaran! fame emerged! I introduced them as she had just told me she was looking to get some more punk and metal stuff together for upcoming shows.


As all this was going on I ordered my second beer, and the Coffin Daggers took the stage. I moved to the front and got to action. Coffin Daggers is Viktor Venom (guitar/theremin) Eudocia Rodzinak (keys) Peter Klarnet (bass) Pete Martinez (drums). WHAT! No Vocals!? How strange! What do they do for a front man? Who intros the songs? How does the band not just descend into chaos? CALM THE HECK DOWN, READER! Breathe deeply into your brown paper bag! All this jibber jabber ain't good for your blood pressure.

To answer your questions, In unconventional style bands many times an unlikely hero will rise..... with the cream and bastards. Pete Martinez acts as the bands lead, though I'm sure he'd most likely deny that fact, jumping from his stool and drums to intro the next song. And the band does descend into Chaos.... but the really awesome kind of chaos, instrumental surf rock dance mayhem type chaos! Though, no one shifts any egos into the forefront. Peter Klarnet's bass and Eudocia Rodzinak's keys compliment and some times clash Viktor's guitar. Viktor had more guitars at his disposal than the Swiss Army has options in a pocket knife. And just when I thought he got to the last one......THE MAN WHIPS OUT A THEREMIN! Pete Martinez's Drums often gave me that two tone style beat that just gets my feet moving!


I went for a third beer during their set and Jen pulled me aside. It seems she wanted a rematch from the events of her birthday. She challenged me to help her get the crowd moving. You gotta love Jen. She puts all the effort to get this show set up, supports the scene, promotes the hell outta the show, and she still has the nerve to challenge me to a dance-off! (Plus she wears these cute outfits, that's gotta do something for you!) Anyhow, I'm never one to shy away from a dare. Call it the Michael J. Fox in me, but I won't be called chicken! (There's your "Back to the Future" reference fan-boys!) I'm not much for starting this kinda thing out though, so it was definitely a joint effort. We got a few people to move up and dance! But just as the momentum got rolling the set was over. I was just feeling like I was at the hop in a fifties beach movie!

The Black Hollies blasted us right over to London during the same era. These cats were so mod I was waiting to give Joe Friday "Just the Facts"! Really though the Black Hollies have this really authentic sound that melds that part of history in rock with a more current one. They were truly out there doing their own thing. The Black Hollies are
JUSTIN ANGELO MOREY(Lead vocals, electric bass) HERBERT JOSEPH WILEY V(Lead guitar, Vocals) JON GONNELLI(organ, rhythm guitar) and NICHOLAS ALBERT FERRANTE(Drums). And you can say it was the booze, but I was so into the music that I couldn't just sit back and be content taking pictures. In fact after about three songs it looked like the whole place was dancing. Kevin, normally a wallflower when it comes to these things, even got in a few moves!

After the show, Kev and I left the bar in hopes of finding a cab..... but we found a Subway instead. Kev waltzed in and proclaimed his want, NAY his need for a $5 foot long! After we were sated, we promptly found a cab. And made it to the Path. It was a half hour wait for the train. And just like my time in Trenton the train at 3am in Newark on a Saturday night is no joke. But rather than tell you about the scary things I saw and the stuff they did, I'd like to just show you a picture of Kevin asleep at the end of the night on the Path, sleeping like a little baby! Sorry Kev!