Aug. 15, 1980 Gusto review: Tot Rocket and the Twins at Gabel's



A hot August night with a couple of legends in the making. See the Footnote.

Aug. 15, 1980 Gusto review
Tot Rocket and the Twins,
plus an early glimpse of Pauline and the Perils at Gabel's
Like emissaries returned from faraway places, Tot Rocket and the Twins gave their New Wave debriefing to a hot and hearty crowd of about 200 in Gabel's Bar on Hertel Avenue Thursday night.
It's been about three years since these one-time Amherst residents headed east to seek their fortunes and now that they've put out a single and gathered a few favorable fanzine and radio notices, they had stuff to show the old hometown.
After several seasons of getting it together in Connecticut, they plunged into New York City's club scene last month. The seasoning showed around their eyes – guitarists Robert Poss and Andrew Halbreich having darkened their sockets for a somewhat depraved and degenerate effect – and in their cool stage manners, which struck a contrast to the two locals bands that preceded them.
Their musical whammy centered in double rhythm guitarwork, which gave their fast-paced set a dense and busy midrange that tested the eardrums of anyone who happened to stand too near to the PA speakers. For contrast, there were snatches of Halbreich's harmonica, an instrument which isn't often heard in New Wave. The vocalist and the social commentary lyrics only occasionally bobbed into focus, but no matter – this kind of gig is supposed to generate energy, not panel discussions.
All systems were on-stream when they hit their single, "Reduced," guitars a-churning. From that peak, they saw fit to shift into a couple new songs, which show them moving toward melodies and harmonies. The encore – the Supremes' "Stop in the Name of Love" and the Ramones' "Chinese Rock" – was particularly well-chosen. "Good band," rock writer Gary Sperrazza! remarked, "but they ought to change their name."
Opening this tripleheader were the Detours, a trio that tossed bass and guitar solos back and forth, though the guitar parts could have used more volume.
After them came the city's best temporary rock band, Pauline and the Perils, which has only another 10 days of existence before singer Pauline DiGati departs for London.
The crowd packed tightly around Pauline, a petite, Parisian-looking, high-fashioned New Waver in a purple body suit who has developed into a remarkably assured declamatory vocalist over the summer.
The Perils – rock writers Geoff Copp on guitar and Tim Switala on drums, plus guitar builder Russ Steinberg on bass – were a revelation of what a summer band can become. They tossed in dozens of classic rock riffs behind a set that was half original, half cover tunes.
They borrowed brilliantly. Shocking Blues 1969 hit, "Venus." The Rolling Stones' new "Let Me Go." Moon Martin's "Hothouse Babies." Devo's "The Girl U Want." The trio seemed exceptionally tight and snappy. Their final round of concerts includes the free show Sunday afternoon at UB's Main Street Campus. After the 25th, if somebody out there needs a solid New Wave backing unit, they're available.
* * * * *
IN THE PHOTO: Cover photo from Tot Rocket and the Twins "Television Rules" single.
* * * * *
FOOTNOTE: The website last.fm reports that when Tot Rocket went east, their first top was East Haven, Conn., followed by stops in Jamaica, Queens, and the East Village, which is where they were at this point in their adventures. Poss and Halbreich had a parade of drummers -- Michael Goglia played on their "Eviction" EP in 1980 -- played major clubs like CBGB, Max's Kansas City and the Playroom. They went electronic in 1983, changed their name to Western Eyes and got electronic music composer Nicolas Collins to remix their previously recorded stuff, which came out in 1984.
Poss then joined New York avant-garde composer Rhys Chatham's band and hooked up with another ex-pat Amherst resident, Susan Stenger, to start Band of Susans, becoming prominent in the experimental music scene. He produced all the Susans recordings, was the band's frontman and composer through 1995 and continues to collaborate with Stenger, who moved to England. Trouser Press magazine noted that his 2002 solo album, "Distortion Is Truth" album, "sums up the theory underlying much of Poss' work." His most recent release, a 16-song album in 2024, is entitled "Drones, Songs and Fairy Dust."
Pauline Digati put in some time in the New Wave scene in England and Scotland, but she didn't stay long. She came back to be seriously influential as a female lead singer with the Perils, then with the Promise, the Rain and Big Happy Family. After more time out in the '90s, she raised her kids, then came back in the 2000s, first in Perils reunions, then with a new group, Perilous. They released a single, "Dear Heart," earlier this month and, according to their Facebook page, they're booking dates through the rest of the year.

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