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Arts & Entertainment

Feelies Return To Maxwell's for 25th Annual 4th of July Show

The legendary band treated fans to the classics and some new material.

Many bands have passed through Maxwell's and may even have a strong history with the place. But none of them have a relationship with the Hoboken music spot like the Feelies.

For this iconic rock band, Maxwell's is home. For some—including this writer—this was the first time they ever encountered the band that influenced such rockers as R.E.M. and Velvet Underground. But for others, this was tradition.

Famously known for playing a series of shows on the Fourth of July at 1039 Washington St., the band that hails from Haledon, N.J., didn't disappoint and gave fans—old and new—a show they won't soon forget. Double-fisting their drinks of choice for the night, fans waited anxiously for the band to come onstage with some even chanting, "We like the Feelies. We love the Feelies!" And as the band stepped onto the stage at 9:37 p.m., the room erupted with energy.

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The band started the set with "When Company Comes" followed by "Sunday Morning." With complex and layered instrumentations paired with sparse lyrics, the Feelies is unlike anything this writer has seen before. And granted these guys may have never got on the Billboard Hot Singles chart or sold millions of albums, but they're undeniably legends in their craft. Between songs, talk started to circulate throughout the room about the band's potential new record. And of course, someone had to ask. Although the band did promise some new material on Friday night, drummer Stan Demeski, who clearly looked like the youngest member of the quintet, quickly joked that the new album would be out "before I'm 60."

While it's no secret that the band loves to play at Maxwell's, bassist and only female member Brenda Sauter told everyone that the Feelies actually had something else to celebrate that night other than Independence Day.

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"[Percussionist] Dave [Weckerman] pointed out that this is the Feelies 25th anniversary playing on the Fourth of July," Sauter announced, inspiring everyone to cheer in congratulations to them. Glen Mercer then asked everyone, "How many of you were here back then?" And another round of enthusiastic applause ensued.

No matter what song the band decided to play that night, the crowd cheered them on. However, it seemed that songs like "The High Road" and "Original Love" inspired the most grooving and head bopping (for those too shy to bust a move) in the crowd. Not only did the Feelies play their 80s classics, but they also brought "Decide" – a track that Mercer needed to use a little cheat sheet to remember all the lyrics.

Of course, the almost three-hour set wasn't filled with just Feelies material. The band paid homage to some of the bands they enjoy and covered "She Said She Said" by the Beatles, Neil Young's "Don't Cry No Tears" and "Take It As It Comes" by the Doors. After two full sets and two more encores, it seemed the band was more than ready to give the people more. And if the fans had their way, they would have had the Feelies play all night. But at about 12:30 a.m., the band called it a night and greeted them a great holiday weekend knowing that true Feelies devotees would be back for more on the next two nights.

The Feelies will be playing two more shows at Maxwell's on July 3 and July 4.

 

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