Karen Ponzio Photo
Dust Hat.
Robin Woerner waved the crowd toward the stage. “We encourage dancing,” Brendan Toller said — the we being the band Dust Hat.
That was the first and last time Friday night that the party-ready audience at Cafe Nine had to be told to participate in Dust Hat’s frantic rock ‘n’ roll fun.
Deniz Tek of the band Radio Birdman was playing the second of three East Coast shows, having already played in Harrisburg, Pa. the night before. Tek was accompanied on Friday by Keith Streng (of the Fleshtones) on guitar and the Godoy twins, Art and Steve (of the Vibrators), on bass and drums, respectively. Tek and his band were heading to Europe after one more show in New York the following night. Joining the band for their U.S. shows on keyboard was Ron Sanchez, who co-owns Career Records with Tek and played on his new EP, a collaboration with James Williamson of Iggy and the Stooges called Acoustic K.O., which was released on Friday.
The New Haven-based Dust Hat, together since fall 2016, opened with a set that got the crowd easily settled into the night ahead. Their songs kept everyone dancing and singing along to familiar tunes made fresh again, opening with “Ain’t Nothing But a Party” and continuing on through such favorites as Shocking Blues’s “Venus.” Woerner took the lead on a couple of songs and played tambourine, keeping a high-energy dance vibe going all night, arms waving and hair flying while smiling and obviously enjoying herself. She shared vocals with Toller, clad in glitter covered shoes, who also played guitar. Dan Soto, on bass, also sung the final song. Jeff Slocum on guitar and Rob Ruby on drums rounded out Dust Hat, playing to an audience that swelled as the band moved through its set — a list stayed true to the more fun and danceable rock songs of the 60s, 70s and 80s. When Dust Hat was finished, the audience was well warmed up for the headliners and in full party mode.
Deniz Tek.
Once Tek and friends took the stage, the rest of the night became an onslaught of guitar-heavy, full-on rock ‘n’ roll, recalling an era when a band did not have to ask if people were ready to have fun and feel free. The Godoy twins’ consistently strong rhythm and Sanchez’s keyboard stylings laid the groundwork for colossal and classic guitar work from Tek and Streng. They did not let up, even as their work covered them in sweat. Tek took most of the lead vocals and provided more than enough moments of guitar genius, but it was clear that this was a band working together, each member’s playing illuminating and encouraging the others. When Streng took over vocals for the song “Big Accumulator,” Tek played harmonica. When Tek introduced a Fleshtones song “Never Grew Up,” Streng set it on fire. Streng continuously leaned into the audience with his glittered guitar, much to their delight, and even hit the ground as his playing got more intense. Cheers of yes and rock ‘n’ roll continued throughout the night, and after the final song was played, the crowd chanted “three more” instead of the usual “one more.” The band took a very short rest and then obliged with three more tunes, including an instrumental that Tek said had not been recorded yet.
After the show was over, Dan Soto of Dust Hat quoted the Rolling Stones by saying “it’s only rock ‘n’ roll” and then added “but it’s entertainment, and you gotta have fun.” No one at the Nine on Friday was about to argue with that.