If you’re the type of person who enjoys hearing the music of Frank Zappa performed live, there are two options available to you: Zappa Plays Zappa, fronted by Frank’s son Dweezil, and Project/Object. Both bands are excellent and pay fitting tribute to one of the twentieth century’s most talented and prolific artists, but the problem is that they don’t get along with each other. I prefer not to get into the details but instead concentrate on the music, because as we all know, music is the best. If anything, the world needs MORE Frank Zappa tribute acts. He made more than enough music to go around; there should be dozens of Zappa tribute bands traveling the world spreading the gospel of Frank.
Dweezil’s got the DNA, but Project/Object has the Zappa alumni: Ike Willis and Ray White are in the band, and their enthusiasm was infectious. It was a real party atmosphere in the club, and the whole band was interacting with the audience and cracking jokes all night, whether they were playing on Burlington’s reputation (by incorporating “heady nugs” into “Cosmik Debris” and another song, and joking that they doubled the population of black people in Vermont just by showing up) or commenting on audience costumes (Forest Gump and the woman dressed as a vagina were the obvious favorites, but there was also a giant penguin, Elvis, Moses, and Count Chocula).
They are all, as Ike said between songs, “pretty fucking good musicians.” Ike and Ray’s harmonies were sweet, and both played great guitar as well. Ray is a natural player, not a lot of speed but all feeling (and no pick), while Ike was wailing on his Strat and leaning on the whammy for emphasis. Along with Andre’ Cholmondeley’s pyrotechnic fretwork on his Paul Reed Smith, they had a nice range of guitar sounds to recreate songs from Zappa’s diverse body of work. Special mention goes to keyboard player Eric Svalgard, whose combination of Moog and Theremin was sublimely ethereal. Another fun part was toward the end when Ike played the part of a mad maestro, standing with his back to the audience and conducting a frenetic jam session by wildly gesticulating to each band member.
Here’s a partial setlist (not in order):
Cosmik Debris
Montana
I’m The Slime
Can’t Afford No Shoes
Packard Goose
Andy
Inca Roads
More Trouble Every Day
City of Tiny Lights
Uncle Remus
Apostrophe
Florentine Pogen
Illinois Enema Bandit
Pick Me I’m Clean
Pound for a Brown
Wild Love
Broken Hearts Are For Assholes (A cappella)
