Frenchy and the Punk Rock New Deal Cafe

Parlez-vous punk? Nearly 50 people got a lesson in the genre and then some, Wednesday night at New Deal Café, as the band formerly known as the Gypsy Nomads took the audience on a journey of music and bohemia.

Frenchy and the Punk used their folk roots, fused effortlessly with punk theatricality, to perform before what would become a captive crowd in the café’s back room.

“I heard about them through festival circuit,” said Amethyst Dwyer, bar manager at the New Deal. “They contacted us to see if we had any free dates and here they are!”

The Euro-American duo, known for a mix of styles from steampunk to a percussive gypsy rock, hit the stage after a three-week break.

Samantha Stephenson, a.k.a. Frenchy, a Brit born in France who lost her French accent in New Jersey, alternately powered and sauntered through vocals and percussion, as guitarist Scott Helland, a.k.a. The Punk, laid down clean riffs and harmonies.

Even some of the songs that could be considered dark (“House of Cards” comes to mind) had a humorously quirky edge. Instrumentals like “Isis Rising” served as showcases for the group’s musicality.

The two sets drew raucous cheers and inspired dancing. FATP weren’t remotely rusty, moving seamlessly from song to song. Even when Helland had to tune his new strings, Stephenson was able to hold the crowd with stories of — well, having to hold the crowd while Helland tunes his strings.

Helland’s guitar distortion gave “It’s Alright, It’s OK” a punk edge that was matched by Stephenson’s upbeat and unique vocals. Another highlight was “Magician and the Dancer” — a mysterious, breathy, vaudevillian-era story.

It was high theater and good music on a night made for both.