John Powhida International Airport
I finished a lot of work today and decided to check in on the John Powhida International Airport at Toad. Toad is about as big as the Plough and Stars; similar layout. The crowd is a bit more post-collegiate (as opposed to 30-something), and perhaps a bit less alcoholic.
Now Powhida is the leader of The Rudds, which any good Boston rock fan knows is that great local supergroup with the likes of Andrea Gillis, Brett Rosenberg, and Tony Goddess, each of whom has had his or her own band in the present or the past. So this event is interesting, Powhida playing without his usual retinue.
The Airport is comprised of people like Billy Beard, Allen Devine, and others. Good players, but certainly not the rock-and-soul synthesis that makes the Rudds so powerful and encompassing.
The first set was all solo recordings — a bit awkward and music-geeky. High points were the Rudds-like “Wendi” and a folkie romp “Eva the Bartender.” The second set reverted to Rudds hits and oldies: Best bits were an outstanding cover of Todd Rundgren’s “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” and a nice (Rudds-like) version of the O’Jays “Love Train.”
They’re in a month-long residency on August Thursdays: Worth checking out.
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…..thanx for the post and glad you checked us out.we are just finding our footing and hope to get some background vocals happening. the rudds came to a bit of a stand still a few months back and i wanted to play some new songs and i was getting a little tired of playing “stand a chance” and playing the same damn set. i’m glad for the music-geeky comment, thats kind of what were going for! best, and perhaps the rudds will re-emerge in the fall, i’m honestly not sure. thanx for the blog, j to tha po