To paraphrase Jon Landau: “I’ve seen the future of Rock and Roll and it’s as though 1971 Marc Bolan, 1967 Mick Jagger, 1972 David Bowie and 1974 Russell Mael all walked into a time machine together and were reformed in 2023 as Billy Tibbals.” There is something happening in the Power Pop and Glam underground. Bands like Uni Boys, The Lemon Twigs, The Reflectors and Billy Tibbals. As well as a ton of bands all over the country, it feels like a shift, like something is about to explode.

Strutting on stage as the Billy Tibbals Band cranked into gear (made up primarily of the excellent-on-their-own Uni Boys) Tibbals took control of the crowd and never let go. Mr. Tibbals’ music, available on his excellent EP, Stay Teenage, is an assured amalgam of the aforementioned but updated with the energy of 2023. Well, that plus exuberant youth and love of the style. 

Gesturing to the crowd to come closer to the stage (and to him, feeding off the energy) as they danced to and sang along with just about every song, Billy and the band showed their influences with a raucous mid-set cover of “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and a wild left turn closer: Divine’s (yes, THAT Divine) “Born to Be Cheap” at which point the show was over and, ever the the Peacock of the walk, Billy stepped off the stage and disappeared into the crowd.

Some people are born to Rock, some are born for the stage, Billy Tibbals is both. The evening was capped by the Junk Shop Bubblegum Glam band Hammered Satin, celebrating their new Double-A Side single on Curation records (please keep an eye on Curation. They have put out Uni Boys’ “Do It All Next Week” album, Billy’s first single “Onwards and Upwards” as well as, “Rock and Roller” & “Rock and Roll Angel” by Satin.) 

Hammered Satin rides that fine line between homage and parody, calling to mind the best of the glory days of glam, they are best described as “Bay City Rollers writing T. Rex songs to be sung by Slade”.  If that sounds good to you, it should because it’s absolutely delicious.

Photos by @areallulu & @tallerby6inches

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