The Slambovian Circus of Dreams spends eleven months of the year as one of the most underrated rock bands in America. Once December comes, they bring the traditions of a Slambovian Christmas to all of us, and it is the most fun you will have at a Christmas party this year. The Circus made its yearly holiday stop to the historic Infinity Hall and did not disappoint.
Please scroll below for the MisplacedStraws Slambovian Circus of Dreams live photos and review –
The night begins with band’s calling card “Slambovia” from their 1999 debut “A Good Thief Tips His Hat”. Right away you realize that a Slambovian concert is a full-sensory experience. The stage is meticulously decorated by multi-instrumentalist Tink Lloyd and looks like your favorite local music store adorned for Christmas. The band, Joziah Longo on vocals and guitar, Sharkey McEwen on guitar, bassist Bob Torsello, keyboardist RJ McCarty, Matthew Abourezk on drums, and Lloyd who plays nearly everything, are incredible musicians who impress with every song.
The show is divided into two sets. Each set features not only humorous stories and anecdotes from Longo, but a great mix of original songs (including their own original Christmas songs) and holiday favorites. The traditional Christmas songs aren’t necessarily what you would expect, such as “The Night Before Christmas” mashed up with the Cream classic “Pressed Rat and Warthog”. The one non-Christmas cover of the night was an absolutely beautiful version of the Rod Stewart classic “Mandolin Wind”. Longo’s voice at times bears a striking similarity to Cat Stevens and was just perfect for the song.
I always love when bands create original Christmas music and the Slambovian’s excel at that. “Every Little Light” is a dramatic, poignant song that should become a Christmas classic. Other originals, “Pirate Christmas”, “Suddenly It’s Christmas”, and “Evenings Like This”, show range from fun, spirited songs to modern Christmas canon. Of the covers, “Must Be Santa” with its dueling accordions (and Santa himself running around) is outdone only by the totally unexpected rocking take on Jimmy Fallon’s legendary Saturday Night Live tune “I Wish It Was Christmas Today”.
As the night comes to a close, The Slambovians remind you just what a great rock n’ roll band they are with sizzling slide guitar from Longo and McEwen on “Freight Train Blues/Trans Slambovian Bi-polar Express” and a house-rocking encore of “Angels We Have Heard on High / Gloria”.
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams have been a band for over 25 years, and its members have been fixtures in the rock scene for much longer. They may not sell out arenas, but they have a tremendously loyal fanbase that grows with every show. They approach music with the perfect blend of humor and reverence and have created a community of fans that are more of a family. It is impossible not to leave a Slambovian Circus of Dreams show without a smile on your face. As the song says, “Evenings like this make the pain go away”.
