When I hear about a band made up of the children of rock stars I’m often skeptical, wondering if they would be getting the notice they are without their lineage. With TAB the Band, I have no such concerns. Their new album, Pulling Out Just Enough to Win, is getting raves and for good reason – it is phenomenal. A pure blast of 70’s era hard rock, greasy and dirty and like nothing else out there right now.
Who is TAB the Band? Tony Perry (guitars, vocals), Adrian Perry (vocals, bass) and Ben Tileston (drums, vocals). If the last name of Tony and Adrian looks familiar that’s because their father is Joe Perry, guitarist for Aerosmith.
I had my first chance to see them live, with their famous father, on Saturday night, as the Hard Rock Café in New York hosted a benefit concert for Musicians on Call. Founded in 1999, Musicians on Call’s mission is to bring live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in health care facilities to enhance the healing process.
The set was an interesting mix of Joe Perry solo material, early Aerosmith tunes, some songs off of TAB’s album, and some choice covers, Red House and Helter Skelter among them. Joe was ripping it up the entire set, and obviously enjoyed playing with his kids. Highlighting the Aerosmith material for me was a fantastic “Chip Away the Stone.” If I could have chosen one Aerosmith song to hear that night, this would have been the one – and they tore it up.
With all due respect to Joe Perry, I was there to see TAB the Band. In that sense, this was an appetizer, only a small taste of what they can do live. Only three songs from their album made the set, and although they were playing to a crowd that was obviously there to see their dad, and not familiar with their material, they gave it their all. “Secretary’s Day” and “CYT” were standouts, tight and powerful.
If you’re heading to SXSW, they’re playing shows on March 12 & 13, at Maggie Mae’s. After that, they’re going to be back in New York in April for a show at the Annex. I’m looking forward to seeing them then, more in their element, and in a more intimate setting.
