Photo Gallery: Ichi-Bons / Everly Hillbillies @ The Hangar, 03/11/2023

The Hangar on the Hudson was hopping off the hook with a desperate, reckless rock & roll revival of classic rockabilly, twang, garage, and surf from Toronto trio Ichi-Bons on Saturday night with superb support from local openers Everly Hillbillies.

Ichi-Bons’ relentless set featured instrumental hits from their new 7″ vinyl EP on Hi-Tide Recordings, like “Ich-I-Bon #1” and “Switchblade”.  The elegant Hideki Saito firmly held his place with the bass as drummer and vocalist Paddy Beirne swung, sang and screamed while guitarist and vocalist Mamoru Anzai tore up the stage duck-walking with elastic knees and bellowing a ferocious “Dust of Life.”  All topped with an adrenaline shot to the heart encore with their version of “Miserlou.”

Everly Hillbillies guitarist Graham Tichy: “Ichi-Bons, they’re rock and roll from Japan all the way to Toronto and right to Troy, NY!  See them the next time they come!  I saw them in Spain about a month ago, and it was so packed, I couldn’t get close enough; there were like 400 people in front of them-they got five encores in Spain!  Late 1950’s savage rock and roll, like post-rockabilly, pre-surf, that little slice in the middle, yeah!”

Openers Everly Hillbillies got the Hangar hyped and filled the dance floor, delivering one classic cover after another.  Birthday boy Ritz Carlton on bass, Graham Tichy on guitar, and Chris (Gringo Starr) Sprague on drums all harmonized and took turns on lead vocals, sounding great and making it all effortless.

Ichi-Bons drummer Paddy Beirne: “Am I allowed to swear?  Everly Hillbillies were fucking amazing!  I loved it!  They were playing all the tunes that I love, and they were playing them just right; they do them the way they’re supposed to be done.  The crowd at the Hangar tonight was great!  There were people dancing. There were people digging it. People were screaming when I screamed-which is always a good sign!”

Photo Gallery by Leif Zurmuhlen