McCarthyizm
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McCarthyizm

Buffalo, New York, United States | SELF

Buffalo, New York, United States | SELF
Band Rock Celtic

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"McCarthyizm at Thursday at The Square"

By SEAMUS GALLIVAN
Buffalo News Contributing Reviewer

With the 19th season of the Thursday at the Square series drawing closer to an end, it's hard to dispute the event being not only the jewel of summer socializing in downtown Buffalo, but also a great showcase of the underrated music scene.
Even on a supposed light night, there had to be at least 10,000 people there, from dudes double-fisting to moms dancing with their munchkins. And onstage, the local favorites went toe-to-toe with an international chart-topper.
McCarthyizm brought its A-game, kicking the night off with a 90-minute set of pensive pop rock with a half-lit Celtic swagger. Vocalist-guitarist Joe McCarthy, lead guitarist Paul Ceppaglia, bassist Dave Mucha and drummer Joe Suplicki are tight as a rope and have a firm grasp on their sound.
"Pair O'Docs," the charged-up title track from the band's last album, got a brassy boost from tenor sax man Jim Runfola and trumpet hound Jim Bohm. Fiddle filly Helen Butler and the poster boy for South Buffalo punks, David Moore of Jackdaw on uilleann pipes (and also accordion), brought out the Emerald Isle vibe of "Victor's Morning."
All four aided a fist-pumpin' "Not Go Home" that left the stage hot enough to short a few circuits and steal the show.
Headliner John Waite and his sharp band (Jimmy Leahey, guitar; Sean Michael Ray, five-string bass; Billy Wilkes, drums) were barely off the plane when they took the stage for a slightly shorter set. The England native's solo single "Change" and an earlier cut from his late '70s breakout band the Babys, "Back On My Feet," were out-of-the-gate speaker-shakers that firmly stated, "We don't need no stinkin' sound check!"
The band was dialed-in, and Waite commanded the upper register with the tremendous, deep-into-the-chest power that made him a great rock 'n' roll frontman. They ignored major sound problems to finish "The Hard Way," the title track from his latest album, with a bang.
As well as Waite's voice carried the rockers and the band ripped, their soothing country soul rendition of Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" was a perfect encore. Still, McCarthyizm's set was solid enough to hand them an upset underdog victory.
At least that's the way I remember it best.
- Buffalo News


Discography

Pretty Naked (1993)
Vesuvio (1995)
Eterniday (1998)
Pair O'Docs (2001)
Victors & Vices (2011)

Photos

Bio

Born in the days before alternative was a marketing term, McCarthyizm soon became a band known for blending 60's garage and 80's underground rock with strong melodies and intelligent lyrics. Add some raucous rhythm and a tasty measure of Celtic flavoring and you've got a cocktail with a punch that delivers one helluva good time, all the time.

The Buffalo-based McCarthyizm has traveled throughout the northeast, playing to converts in Cleveland, Pittsburgh,
New York City, Boston, Los Angeles and Toronto. They've shared the stage with bands like the Goo Goo Dolls, Eddie Money, 10,000 Maniacs, John Waite The Smithereens, along with Canadian favorites like Crash Test Dummies, Jason Plumb, Spirit of the West,
Hawksley Workman, and The Lowest of the Low.

McCarthyizm has also earned several Buffalo music awards over the years including, Top Original Rock Band and Top Recording. But that's all stuff for the resume. What matters is the song. The bands song craft has been there from the beginning, along with their need to get into the studio. So the boys have saved their pennies and returned their empties and have been able to release several critically acclaimed recordings.
So check it out for yourself. Put that McCarthyizm disc on and turn it up. If you dig intelligent, infectious pop/rock, here's the mountain for your shovel. Better yet, catch'em live. Depending on how close it is to St.. Patty's Day (and/or how much whiskey is left in the bottle), you'll also here some rocking Celtic tunes, both traditional and original. It's all good. And it's all in the song.