The Friends Of Dean Martinez in Tampa

Lounge Laura (whose nature it is to do weird stuff) recently caught the spaghetti western sounds of the Friends of Dean Martinez in a land known as Tampa, Florida....

OK! Rockers and loungers unite with me for my concert review of FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ and THE MINSTRELS. I had no idea what to expect from the Minstrels-a 60s power-pop band, mostly from Canada. I'll add, too, that I am mostly not impressed and mostly depressed by many bands I see. This wwwaaayyy-out Beatle/Gerry and the Pacemakers/invasion-ey band knocked me out not only with those aforementioned influences, but, imagine my shock and extreme pleasure, that they not only did Brigette/Serge's "Harley Davidson" (in perfect Quebec French!), but also "Taboo"...ahhhhaahhhh....I lost my mind! So, it was 60s pop and exotica combined....too much, baby! FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ were absolutely SUBLIME! They opened up, steele guitar wailing, with "Summertime", and ran thru other hits, as well as what I assume were many cool, western-Enio-desert originals...Dean Martin's (natch) "Sway" and...uh...the black-and-tan stained memories are interfering at this point...uh...some song Jack Jones popularized...oh, and they did "Misty" as well. I got misty just hearin' it! So, it was a great night of lounge in a town that sorely needs it but probably wouldn't appreciate or get too much of it anyway, good ol' Tampa, Florida. Cheers to the drummer of the Minstrels, too, who wore a turtle-neck for his more mod band, and who filled in for FRIENDS OF wearing a Hawaiian shirt that might even make Jack Diamond a tad envious! And thanks to the gals who told me this would be a good show!