“Throwing Muses” is Still Rocking

On a recent Sunday night, I once again ventured into Manhattan to catch a show at the Bowery Ballroom at 6 Delancey Street.  It’s one of my favorite places in the City because it’s small, intimate, and the sound quality is really good.  For a local reference, compared to the Tarrytown Music Hall, the Bowery Ballroom is a third of the size.

The headline band was “Throwing Muses,” an alternative rock bank formed in the early 80's in Newport, Rhode Island with twelve records to their credit.  I’ve seen them at least six times before, always enjoyed their vitality and energy.  Once again, they didn’t disappoint.

They played two nights in a row and I went the second night.  When that is the schedule, I try to decide whether a band might be better on the first night because they may have more energy, or on the second when they will feel more comfortable with the venue. On Sunday night, the lead singer asked the crowd if anyone had been at the previous night’s show, and almost 50 hands went up.

Throwing Muses’ lead guitarist and singer, Kristin Hersh, has released nine solo albums and also started the band “50 Foot Wave”.  Kristin has a step-sister, Tanya Donelly, a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter who co-founded the original Throwing Muses band.  Then she went off on her own to play in the bands “Belly” and “The Breeders.”  Tonya, a great guitarist in her own right, was the opening act, and she even came on later with Throwing Muses.  It was like “old home week”.

Throwing Muses was great.  You may know them for their song “Bright Yellow Gun,” which they played to close the show.  Their fans loved it. 

To talk Rock and Real Estate email me at gary@leogrande.com