The surviving members of The Smithereens took to the stage in Red Bank, N.J., last night to pay tribute to their fallen bandleader, Pat DiNizio — performing a marathon set that featured special guests Steven Van Zandt, Dave Davies of The Kinks, Marshal Crenshaw, Ted Leo, Bebe Buell, Robin Wilson of The Gin Blossoms, Freedy Johnston, Richard Barone of The Bongos, Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng of The Fleshtones, and more.
DiNizio died last month at the age of 62. His bandmates — Jim Babjack, Dennis Diken, Mike Mesaros and Severo Jornacion — all performed at the concert, with several of them taking lead vocal turns as well. Some proceeds from the show’s ticket sales, and online donations, will go toward establishing the Pat DiNizio Musical Performance Scholarship at the Count Basie Theatre’s Performing Arts Academy.
The entire concert was livestreamed, and we’ve assembled video below, including clips featuring Van Zandt, Davies, Crenshaw, Wilson and Leo. Plus, you can watch the five-minute tribute film assembled for the concert. All that, and the full annotated setlist, is below.
We’ll add more video as it surfaces.
Setlist: Time and Time Again: A Tribute to Pat DiNizio featuring The Smithereens and Friends
Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, N.J., 1/13/18
1. “Sorry” (Little Steven)
2. “Only a Memory” (Richard Barone)
3. “Blues Before and After” (Robin Wilson)
4. “Green Thoughts” (Robin Wilson)
5. “Strangers” (Dave Davies)
6. “Baby Be Good” (ZouZou Mansour)
7. “Now and Then” (The Grip Weeds)
8. “Drown in My Own Tears” (Kenny Howes)
9. “Behind the Wall of Sleep” (Robin Wilson)
10. “All Things Must Pass” (John Jorgenson, The Grip Weeds, Richard Barone)
11. “Even If I Never Get Back Home” (Marshall Crenshaw)
12. “Well All Right” (Marshall Crenshaw)
13. “Strangers When We Meet” (Marshall Crenshaw)
14. “Cut Flowers” (Richard Barone)
15. “Blue Period” (Jim Monaghan, Kenny Howes)
16. “Life Is So Beautiful” (Jim Babjak)
17. “Cigarette” (Freedy Johnston)
18. “In a Lonely Place” (Freedy Johnston)
19. “Especially for You” (Ted Leo)
20. “Miles From Nowhere” (Ted Leo)
21. “I Don’t Want to Lose You” (Dennis Diken)
22. “Top of the Pops” (Bebe Buell)
23. “War for My Mind” (Mike Mesaros)
24. “Please Please Me” (Graham Maby)
25. “She’s Got a Way” (Lenny Kaye and Tony Shanahan)
26. “One Look at You” (The Grip Weeds)
27. “Nobody Lives Forever” (Freedy Johnston)
28. “House We Used to Live In” (Severo Jornacion)
29. “Sparks”
30. “Time and Time Again” (Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng)
31. “Blood And Roses” (Robin Wilson)
Encore:
32. “White Castle Blues”
33. “A Girl Like You” (Little Steven, ZouZou Mansour)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Pat DiNizio, The Smithereens’ lead singer and songwriter with ‘the magic touch,’ 1955-2017
- The Smithereens reunite with Mike Mesaros, recording new album — watch this 3-hour set
- 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 bittersweet. That opening tribute really got me.