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Community Corner

Rock the House 7: It's Not Music for "Old Fogies"

Deena and the Laughing Boys owned the night, which benefited the HK Community Fund.

4 bands. 5 bucks.

They're practically giving it away at the "house"--and loving every minute of it.

"Rock The House 7" loaded into the Baird Center in South Orange last Friday with another superb quartet of local bands. This night's offering was guitar driven excellence from Rich Maloof, The Mungers, John Williams and the Southern Wood All Stars, and Deena & the Laughing Boys.

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"We are not 50-year-old fogies doing Eagles covers," explains Alex Silberman, one of the founders of the RTH series. "We are completely cross generational."

Indeed, the successful concert series has the partnership and support of Maplewood's youth driven HK Community Fund, whose mission of engaging teenagers in community activism is a perfect fit for RTH. Under director Tom Kerns, the HK fund provides material support, as well as on-site volunteers who wait tables and apprentice in all aspects of each RTH production. The resulting mix is a well-oiled, feel-good vibe that leaves you wanting more.

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Rock The House began as a desire to feature local talent more regularly in the wake of the 2008 MapleWoodstock festival. Silberman called an August '08 meeting of interested parties to see how they could keep the music playing year round--no one came. Undaunted, he rescheduled for September, a dozen folks showed up, and a great local event series was born. "With the economy starting to go south, venues were drying up," said Silberman, "We were fortunate to strike a deal with The Baird Center. It's all about the community."

The business model is blissfully simple: the $5 cover charge defrays the overhead for each evening, and the remainder is split evenly among the bands. To be sure, none of the bands is getting rich at RTH, but the gesture is greatly appreciated.

You can even come hungry. Leah Gomberg caters every show with seasonal food, beverages and desserts.

Maplewood's Rich Maloof opened Rock The House 7 with a glowing acoustic set featuring a Celtic style that proved to be a magnet for the many kids in the house (yes, kids are welcome), and they crowded and jostled close to the stage. Rich is a 20-year veteran of the New York City music scene and delivered a terrific, heartfelt set at this, his second RTH. Get connected with his Facebook page and hear him soon.

The evening then shifted to "The Mungers," a South Orange foursome playing  their "first time out of the basement," as described by Billy Fishkin, bassist and a RTH organizer. The band heated up as the set progressed and reached a peak with the driving, satirical song "Mrs. Hussein," a delightful, irreverent review of Saddam's marriage to his first cousin.

John Williams stepped up next with his "Southern Wood All-Stars." If you follow John or the groove at MapleWoodstock, you could place many of these talented players from their work in bands like the Nightmares, The Cucumbers and The Caterpillar Book. They pounced on  their set from the very first chord, and delivered Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" with passion and strength.

But last Friday's Rock The House belonged Deena and the Laughing Boys, who ripped and rocked through the final, all original set featuring much of their latest CD, "Somewhere in Blue."

The razor-sharp siren Deena Shoshkes led the group through songs of whimsy, wonder, hunger and hurt. The group closed with their hard driving "Gemini Guy" (some guys can't make up their minds) that featured the evening's best solo riffs and palpable electricity. Deena's crew has been together for a year, but had the ensemble and cohesion of a group with a much longer life. Bookmark their site.

Next year will mark the 1st anniversary of Rock The House (date TBA). Keep your weekends clear. It's an unrestrained revel right in your own backyard.

 

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