The Stingers: Bombs Away at the Beach!

Mike Faure' (Saxophone) 

Last Sunday was a monster for bike riding along Chicago's beautiful shoreline which definitely needed the action after a fifteenth month shutdown. Grinding gears up hill, stopping and going. Turning and diving quickly to avoid a high speed impact and shouting words like, "ON YER LEFT"! is just good cycling etiquette, zooming past folks as if they were standing still on this congested thoroughfare. Yes sir,! The Too Much Club is open for business and the Lincoln Park Zoo had much to offer with the monkeys, lions and a lonely Polar Bear that was wishing for winter on this hot summer afternoon. Not much to report at the free zoo. So I flip-flopped back north toward Foster Beach.

Becoming thirsty, I noticed The Dock at Montrose beach, walked on deck and ordered a cold brew and some fish tacos. The outdoor seating was perfect as gentle breeze blew off Lake Michigan where I was maybe forty feet from the small wooden stage. I recall my friends at TNT Chicago playing here a few summers ago before the invisible war and the many suicidal casualties  lost on the front lines. However, the wonderful world of music will always been plagued with rock stars with lost hopes and dreams of becoming rich and famous. And today was no different.

Since 2011, The Stingers have been preforming live shows all over Chicago, Rockford and Blue Island. But that's all a big fat lie. Their docket stated that The Stingers have played in the surrounding area and that could suggest places like Niles, Jefferson Park and The Penny Road Pub. I may have Facebook fact check this and have my attorney review my article before it's published. Fuck all that nonsense!  There's no time for all that and we need to get moving on this show review. 

Opening up the show with an Amy Winehouse classic titled: "Rehab" with a nice steady tempo as the spectators sway to the snappy beat. Watching the bright orange wedge drip from a Blue Moon beer on the hot wooden table, my friend Mark Rainman shows up. "Dude, What's up?" he shouts with glee. "Take a seat Rainman," I said. This band sounds pretty good, but the chick on stage doesn't look like the girl I have on file." I was referring to the lovely female vocalist, Yvette Lee. Again, my sources are full of Miss Information and that can get a man killed during war time. 

The Stingers came out strong on stage, yet their audience was weak with that feel-good energy that most musicians crave. Mark Rainman came back with two double shot Margaritas for us as the band played songs such as "Walking on Sunshine" and "I Love Rock-n-Roll."  Mark was having buyers remorse paying $50.00 for only two drinks and the lead vocalist/ guitarist Rick Ricchiuto was taking request for The Stingers next set on stage.  I wrote out a request list with song such as "Fuck Like a Beast" (WASP) "Balls to the Wall" (Accept) and "Angel Fuck" (Misfits) gave the list to Mark to give to the band and management almost tossed him out again.  

Perhaps these song were too complex for these Frank Zappa fans and simpler chord progression would be in order for this family friendly concert event at The Dock. The most impressive band members are Mike Faure' (saxophone) and bassist Mitch Ferris. These two musicains created a dynamic force that Sunday evening and with that in mind, The Stingers get a satisfactory performance as they closed the their set with the blues hit titled: "Messing With The Kid" written by Junior Wells. You gotta love that smooth bass line and saxophone complementing each other under the blue and purple stage lights. I suggest coming down to The Dock for more summer fun before The Too Much Fun Club gets shuts down by the Mayor of Chicago.