Did you know that the Library of Congress has an extensive vinyl record collection, and that when that collection gets periodically culled, the records get tossed in the bin? Enter the Vinyl Record Preservation Society, a DC based non-profit that places these otherwise doomed discs in the possession of schools and senior care facilities for folks to enjoy. A humble but noble effort, and one that needs funds to keep moving.
Enter the fine folks at DC’s Pearl Street Warehouse, a smaller room in the city’s Wharf which hosted a benefit for the organization on the last Thursday in what felt like a never-ending January. In addition to local rock and ska bands, the night’s lineup included saxophonist Ron Holloway, vocalist Franky Perez, Carmine and Vinny Appice and, much to my delight, the one and only Billy Gibbons.
After DC locals The Deplorables kicked the night off with a bite sized, three song set, ska band Free Lobster Buffet took the stage. I’m not a ska fan normally, but this was a fun one. Bassist Chris Boesen is also the head of the Vinyl Record Preservation Society, so the band was a natural fit for the night.
Cramming eight musicians onto the Warehouse’s tight stage, they got the crowd’s excitement up with a fun, high energy set. My own favorite was their jam “Nude Beach.” In addition, they brought out Holloway for a few tunes as well as Perez, who sang alongside FLB’s own Joan Bishop. This is a talented lot—great to catch them on one of their mid-Atlantic/East Coast dates. The tuba player gets sweaty and undressed during the set if that tells you anything about the fun levels. Boesen acted as emcee for the remainder of the night.
Saxophonist Ron Holloway then took the stage. The Washington native is notable for being a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s final quintet and playing onstage with Sonny Rollins, and has also released four solo jazz albums. In addition, he’s been a featured soloist in such roots ensembles as Gil Scott-Heron’s Amnesia Express, the Warren Haynes Band, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Little Feat. Most recently, however, he formed the Ron Holloway Band, and performed at Pearl Street Warehouse as part of the Ron Holloway Trio. The instrumental set was a smooth collection of funk and soul, underscoring just how fortunate the DC area is to have such a remarkable musician as one of its own.
If the night had ended there it still would have been great. However, the heavy (no pun intended) artillery was just being brought out when legends Carmine and Vinny Appice took to the stage for their Drum Wars set. If you’re keeping score at home, we’ve gone from rock to ska to funk to metal. And did we ever arrive at some metal. The Appices play together onstage for many of the songs which pull from their combined histories playing alongside Ronnie James Dio and Ozzy Osbourne. “Holy Diver” is in the set, you guys, and the crowd yelled “DIO! DIO!”—fists pumping in the air. Good stuff.
For me the sparkly and bearded cherry on the sundae this night was Billy Gibbons himself, a last-minute addition to the lineup. Somehow the organizers wrangled him out of Texas and back to PSW’s stage, where he last performed as a headliner in November, 2018. I was at that gig; I never realized how much I loved “Jesus Just Left Chicago” until Billy sang it standing 18 inches from me. Anyway, given the packed lineup it was a brief but satisfying six-song set, with Holloway again taking the stage to back Gibbons along with Carmine Appice. Franky Perez joined Billy for a delightful rendition of “Tush.” I almost fainted when Billy started going on about Waffle House. God I love him.
Ron Holloway has a few dates scheduled around DC over the coming weeks. Drum Wars with Carmine Appice and Vinny Appice perform at The Cutting Room in New York City on February 9. If you’d like to find out more about The Vinyl Record Preservation Society, check out www.vinylrecordpreservationsociety.com.
BILLY GIBBONS
CARMINE & VINNY APPICE
RON HOLLOWAY
FREE LOBSTER BUFFET
