Original bassist Mike Mesaros is back in The Smithereens fold after a dozen years away, and, in addition to playing sporadic shows with the college-rock graduates, he’ll be on the new album the band is recording and which will be the group’s first in six years.
Mesaros first rejoined the Smithereens last fall at a memorial concert for guitarist Jim Babjack’s wife Betty, who succumbed to cancer last year. The full original group played a handful of East Coast show in January, and then some more around Memorial Day — although Severo Jornacion, who joined the band in 2006, is still playing most of The Smithereens’ current dates.
Bandleader Pat DiNizio this spring talked to an Ohio newspaper about the Mesaros reunion:
“Ever since we put the band together, we’ve been playing month in, month out for 37 years. Mike hadn’t done a show with us in 12 years, and it was like falling off a log. It really did sound great. His sound and his playing were actually better than I remember. He had a more mature touch and sound coming from the amps. It was much deeper and more resonant.”
The band, with Mesaros on bass, recently played a marathon 3-hour set at Daryl’s House Club, the upstate New York venue run by Daryl Hall. During that show, DiNizio — who still can’t play guitar due to nerve damage in his right arm — told the crowd that work is underway on a new record.
WATCH: The Smithereens with Mike Mesaros live at Daryl’s House Club, 5/27/17
“By the way, we are writing and working on a new album that we will release in the fall, and Mike is going to play on the album,” DiNizio said to applause. The record would be the follow-up to 2011’s 2011, which was the band’s first set of original songs following a string of The Beatles and The Who cover albums.
Below, check out The Smithereens upcoming tour dates
The Smithereens tour dates:
June 17: Pepsi Amphitheater, Flagstaff, AZ
June 23: Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
June 24: Suffolk Theater, Riverhead, NY
June 25: Laguna Grill & Rum Bar, Brigantine, NJ
July 2: Wonder Bar, Asbury Park, NJ
July 3: Wonder Bar, Asbury Park, NJ
July 8: Three Rivers Festival, Fort Wayne, IN
July 21: Crossroads KC, Kansas City, MO
Aug. 12: The Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansett, NY
Aug. 19: Tally Ho Theatre, Lessburg, VA
Dec. 1: River Club Music Hall, Scituate, MA
Dec. 2: Narrows Center, Fall River, MA
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Smithereens mark 25th anniversary of ‘Green Thoughts’ with digital live/rarities set
- The Smithereens’ Pat DiNizio releases jazzy Christmas single — stream ‘Winter Wonderland’
- The Smithereens return with all-new ’2011′ album; stream first single ‘Sorry’
- The Smithereens marking 30th anniversary with homecoming concert
So glad to read they’re working on new material. All of their releases are outstanding and 2011 was incredible, still play it on a regular basis.
Still sound the same as they did thirty years ago. No degradation. None.
Worried sick about Pat’s health, mind you, but for a band to sound like it did decades ago, that’s pretty astonishing. Looking forward to the new album. Those covers albums and comps/reissues were getting a bit irritating.
Good set, the band sounded great, and that looks like a really cool venue! I’d like to see a show there.