Saturday, March 18th marked the return of Boston Rock & Roll legends the Lyres (purists would drop the"the") to our fair capital city, and if you bunked this one, I hope you're still crying, 'cause you missed out on the most hoppin' happenings in a blue moon (and there was a blue moon that week).

Your intrepid reporter arrived to catch th Fabulous Itchie's opening set. Helmed by Ty Jesso on Bass and vocals and featuring the guitar stylings of Mr. Dennis "Hula bomb " Kelly (the Roberto Moreno of Providence rock) the lads did serve up a St. Patty's day themed cover of the Undertone's "Teenage Kicks", recalling Kelly's all Irish Punk tribute band, the Bold Finnean Boys. The band's current lineup favors a rawer; stripped down approach to sixties inspired guitar rock reminiscent, at times, of East Providence garage gurus the Porno Sponges (hey guys, how about a cover of "Beatrice Hicks"). They closed out their set with a fine rendition of "Louie Louie" done in a Wailers (that's West Coast, not Bob Marley and the) style.

With the crowd (and the band) suitably lubed up by large quantities of Microbrew, the Lyres took the floor (who needs a stage) and proceeded to light the joint up like a Christmas tree. Opting to use equipment graciously loaned by the Itchies (with Jeff "MonoMan" Connelly pounding away on Ty's Farfisa. Will he lose his Vox Endorsement?) the band got the whole crowd doing the hippy, hippy shake in no time flat with their potent mix of R&B infused power pop and clinically pure garage punk that would make Lenny Kaye proud. The Trinity Brew House basement became your parent's garage, circa 1966, needing only a Ford Falcon station wagon and some old tires to make the illusion complete. With the Lyre's guitarist chiming away on an electric twelve-string and the "96 tears" drone of the Farfisa the Boston Tea Party atmosphere was infectious. This band has enough backbeat for any five mere mortal combos thanks to the rhythm section of bassist Rick Corracio and Drummer Paul Murphy, both of whom have played with MonoMan on and off, for nearly twenty five years going back to their days in the seminal Boston Punk outfit, DMZ, for which they deserve a gold watch at least.

The set included the new and the old, both covers of sixties chestnuts and Jeff Connelly penned originals. Highlights included "Soapy, "How Do You Know", and the crowd pleasing "Don't Give It Up Now" which really got the rafters rattling. Monoman extolled the virtues of the house India Pale Ale between bouts of manic organ pummeling (the farfisa, get your mind out of the gutter), Davey Jones on a bender Tambourine flailing, and soulful singing/screaming worthy of a drunken night at the Rat fifteen years ago.

The Monophonic one's exuberance boiled over at one point, and he went ass-over-teakettle into the bass drum, but came up laughing. After a nearly forty five minute all out assault the band left the floor but were lured back out for an encore by the hooting and hollering of all assembled. And if this wasn't enough they returned a second time for a revved up rendition of "No Reason to Complain" which had strangers hugging strangers in sheer Rock and Roll rapture. All in all seeing the Lyres this way was more like attending the swingingest block party ever than a night at a club.

Kudos to Ty Jesso for organizing this bash, his efforts are frequently the only bright spot in the otherwise vast wasteland that is Rhode Island nightlife these days. I'll see you all at the Itchies/Fortyfives show at the Green Room April 28, unless you're L7.

Grab some Lyres re-releases from Matador Records.