''Live in Concert! Greatest Hits and More'' is a live album by
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
rock band
The Smithereens
The Smithereens are an American rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio (vocals & guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar & vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar & vocals), and Dennis Diken (drums & ...
, released in 2008 by
Koch Records
MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch", formerly known as Koch Records and eOne Music) is a New York City-based independent record label and music management company. It was formed in 2009 from the music assets of Koch Entertainment, which had b ...
.
The album features music from The Smithereens' four-night stint at The Court Tavern in
Jim Babjak
Jim Babjak (born November 17, 1957) is an American guitarist and ex-banker. He is the lead guitar player and co-founder of The Smithereens. Babjak has written and sung several songs for the band. He also is the leader of the band ''Buzzed Meg''.
...
: "There's no doubt the Court Tavern was our
Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is a nightclub on Mathew Street, Liverpool, England.
The Cavern Club opened in 1957 as a jazz club, later becoming a centre of the rock and roll scene in Liverpool in the late 50s and early 1960s. The club became closely assoc ...
, so it was a natural choice". The band charged only $5 for admission, the same price as when they used to play there in the early 1980s. Kurt Reil of The Grip Weeds recorded all four nights on his portable studio equipment and later mixed the best performances at his House of Vibes studio.
In addition to the band's best-known songs, the album features live recordings of two
Pat DiNizio
Patrick Michael DiNizio (October 12, 1955 – December 12, 2017) was the lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, and Mike Mesaros, from Carteret, New Jersey ...
solo songs, "Any Other Way" and "Since You Went Away", originally released on his 2007 album,
Pat DiNizio
Patrick Michael DiNizio (October 12, 1955 – December 12, 2017) was the lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, and Mike Mesaros, from Carteret, New Jersey ...
. The set also includes
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
Batman Theme
"Batman Theme", the title song of the 1966 ''Batman'' TV series, was composed by Neal Hefti. This song is built around a guitar hook reminiscent of spy film scores and surf music. It has a twelve bar blues progression, using only three chords u ...
", a live staple for the band. Though the album's 11 minute version of " House We Used to Live In" wasn't planned, according to Babjak, the song always had an extended ending for live shows. "When I thought I was about to wrap up the jam at what is now the halfway point, Pat pulled out a harmonica", Babjak explained. "This surprise added a whole new dimension and I was thrilled when I heard the results. The chemistry between the four of us was really strong that night. Luckily, this spontaneous jam was captured on tape".
Track listing
All songs written by
Pat DiNizio
Patrick Michael DiNizio (October 12, 1955 – December 12, 2017) was the lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, and Mike Mesaros, from Carteret, New Jersey ...
, except where noted.
Personnel
;The Smithereens
*
Pat DiNizio
Patrick Michael DiNizio (October 12, 1955 – December 12, 2017) was the lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, and Mike Mesaros, from Carteret, New Jersey ...
– vocals, guitar
*
Jim Babjak
Jim Babjak (born November 17, 1957) is an American guitarist and ex-banker. He is the lead guitar player and co-founder of The Smithereens. Babjak has written and sung several songs for the band. He also is the leader of the band ''Buzzed Meg''.
...
Dennis Diken
Dennis Diken (born February 25, 1957) is an American drummer, DJ, author, music historian, and founding member of the band the Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, and Mike Mesaros in Carteret, New Jersey. Besides ...
– drums, vocals
;Technical
* Kurt Reil – engineer, mixing
*Mike Olear – assistant
*John Koneval – assistant
*Kristin Pinell – assistant
*Joe Lambert – mastering
*Paul Grosso – creative direction
*Andrew Kelley – art direction, design
*Todd Sinclair - original cover concept
*Anne M. Bray – front cover photography
*Paulie Gee – back cover & inside booklet photography
*Chris Jordan – liner notes