Wolfgang

at Pearl Street
by Bill Simms

Performing at the newly revitalized Pearl St. in Northampton was the blues-based party boy posse, Wolfgang. Combining a tapestry of influences such as blues, rock, jazz, and barroom swing into a cohesive whole is no easy task, but Wolfgang do it with authority. The savvy and seasoned flavor of players Guy Wallis on bass/vox, Jim Fogarty (no relation to John) on drums/vox, Jessie Luke on keys/vox, and Greg Gatstka on guitar/vox (at times sounding like a young Jeff “Skunk” Baxter during his Steely Dan peak) reflect the years of late night tavern experience these guys have. Songs like “Wind it Up” and “Hot Rod” roll simple, positive messages into a barreling beer keg barreling down the dance floor.

Wolfgang chose their name as a tribute to their favorite “rock and roller,” W.A. Mozart (personally, I’ve always related more with Salieri). Wolfgang is a band with heart and soul, donating performances and personal efforts to various charities in their area. They also own and operate Wolfgang Central, a public access show highlighting area bands.

So if your tastes run toward full-tilt, pub-crawling boogie/blues/rock (say, Spin Doctors, Phish, and a little Grateful Dead poured into a beer stein), check out Wolfgang.