A warm crowd greeted Newport native John Cowsill, who joined New Jersey rockers The Smithereens at a high-energy show on Thursday, December 12, at the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich, RI. The band that came together in the early 1970s, but really broke out in the 1980s, delivered a strong performance, with Cowsill impressive singing lead on only his second gig with the band.
They covered their major FM radio hits and some deeper cuts, with strong takes of “Only a Memory,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” “Top of the Pops,” and “Blood and Roses,” among others. The two-hour show included a nice jam on The Who’s “Sparks,” along with an encore that highlighted songs from their 2007 Christmas album, Christmas With the Smithereens.
The band’s power pop/rock sound holds up well, 40 or so years since many were originally recorded, and loyal fans were singing along to every word. WUN Lifestyle Editor Ken Abrams was there and shares some photos of the evening below.
