Posted on 06/16/2009 11:47:06 PM PDT by raccoonradio
A South Shore preteen band named after a Dropkick Murphys song about a drunken bruiser is getting support from their punk rock heroes as they fight for the right to perform in bars.
Ken Casey, a Dropkick Murphys founding member, told the 9, 10, 11 and 12-year-old members of Barroom Heroes yesterday: We survived and so can you.
“Most of the good punk songs out there are about the man keeping you down. You are not a true punk band until you’ve been shut down,” Casey said yesterday in a Herald interview before he invited members of the pint-sized band to join him backstage at the sold-out Aerosmith Dropkick show in Mansfield.
In the past week, Barroom Heroes shows at two South Shore bars have been nixed.
The band, Nick and Jake Bell, ages 10 and 11, Sam Wells, 9, of Weymouth, and Sam Attridge, 12, of Hingham, were “crushed” when last week’s Basta Bar show in Weymouth was cut hours before showtime, their parents said. Yesterday, a show scheduled for tonight at Quincy bar Kilroy’s was canceled.
“It was kind of unfair,” said Jake.
Added Nick Bell: “I’m bummed out about it. I like performing in front of crowds.”
Lisa Wells, mom of drummer Sam, said cops had a “knee-jerk reaction” when they pulled the plug on the family-friendly Weymouth show.
“This isn’t what on the surface it looks like it is. It’s not a crowded bar scene,” she said. “It was parents. It was kids.”
Added Carrie Bell, mom of guitarists Nick and Jake: “It’s coke, pizza and chicken fingers.”
Her sons were born to rock, she said. “This is a passion for them. This is what they want to do,” she said.
The Heroes had played two shows at Basta Bar before police shut things down, said Bill Egan, 48, the band’s music teacher who runs CD Workshop in Weymouth. He books the band at bars because it’s free, there’s a stage and a sound system.
“I like to take them out and have them perform like musicians do. Clubs are a nice place for them to play. It’s what musicians do,” Egan said. “I don’t think it’s hurting them.”
Police disagree. Weymouth cops acknowledge that the Basta Bar did nothing illegal when it allowed the band to play but called it inappropriate. “We just don’t think preteens should be in adult barrooms,” said Weymouth Police Capt. James Mullin. “Things happen in bars that young ears shouldn’t hear.”
Yesterday, Quincy licensing officials gave Kilroy’s owners a one-day suspension for serving a minor during an unrelated sting operation in May but it was suspended for a year pending no further incidents.
Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan said Kilroy’s decision to cancel the band’s show was unrelated to their violation.
“I don’t think it’s a proper venue for children that age,” Keenan said. “It’s clearly a night club or bar atmosphere. It’s not like a family restaurant.”
Two very well adjusted people. /sarc
Just like the cast of “I’m a celebrity (barely), Get me outta here”
I remember Old Skull too! Used to play ‘em on my radio show back in the day. Their LP was quite the squall. Somewhere in my video archives I have a feature done on them by ET or some such show - gotta go dig it out now. I remember the reporter seemed nonplussed by the “I hate Ronald Reagan” remark.
They love Reagan.
I remember the Old Skull controversy.
I seem to remember these kids were used as tools by their leftwing parents.
I also remember they were utter noise, even by punk rock standards.
Personally, I believe punk rock was about a time and a place: England in the late ‘70s.
There is no such thing as a true punk rocker anymore, just as there is no longer such a thing as a true hippie.
As much as it gladdens my heart to see kids with real guitars instead of video controllers in their hands, the venue is not proper.
Instead of vague support from other bands, how about an assist into an all ages venue or a time slot when shows are all ages and non smoking? That is what we do here.
The objection of the cops is that the performers are underage.
Makes no sense at all.
I kinda hate to admit it...but I am a Dropkick Murphys fan.
My wife thinks they are insane. Good party music.
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1179633
Update on the kiddie punkers: WBCN may give them airplay. Gig at alcohol-free night. Maybe the Marshfield Fair. And it’s ironic given their name that at least one band member is about 12 years away from being legally able to drink.
ROOT beer is okay though.
The Barroom heroes meet their barroom heroes: The Dropkick Murphys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NU783_LVCI
“Now I know why tigers eat their young!”
Ha! Rodney Dangerfield line, I think.
School Of (Punk) Rock.
Yep. From “Caddyshack”.
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