Dick N’ Jane- Castaways, August 2005, Bridgewater, Massachusetts
“Phenomenal! Simply phenomenal!”
I’ve seen over a hundred cover bands during the last few years, and I must say Dick N’ Jane are among New England’s finest!
When we arrived at Castaways we had to park down the road because the parking lot was filled to capacity. As I waited inside to pay the cover charge, I heard comments from fans including “I can’t wait to see them,” “I hope they play 99 Luft Balloons” and “These girls are soo hot!” At that moment I knew I was going to see a great show. I have never heard such comments from eager fans going to a local cover band show! The crowd was excited and ready for a great time!
The three (sometimes four or five) part harmonies were right on the money and they added incredible depth to each song. The musicianship was outstanding and the stage presence was tremendous. Their new drummer, Matt Steinberg (formerly of Plaid Daddy), fit right in with the band like he’s been playing their songs for years. Lead frontman/rhythm guitar/recorder player, Mark Carey, proved himself as an exceptional front man with his superb vocal ability and interactions with the crowd. The keyboardist, Danny Joyce, successfully filled in the gaps that are usually missing in traditional four-piece cover bands, while also adding his enthusiasm and background vocals to each and every song! The bass player, Rob Murphy, and the lead guitar player, Pedja Vasic, also proved themselves as extremely talented players as they demonstrated their impeccable skills throughout the night!
Dick N’ Jane had the crowd on their feet the whole time. The dance floor was packed as they played huge hits mainly from the 80s to today’s hit music. Songs such as “Worst Enemy” by Lit, “Spiderwebs” by No Doubt and “Should I Stay or Should I Go Now” by the Clash were absolute crowd favorites. You could easily tell because the audience was jumping in the air so high that I thought they could possibly go through the roof!
Shayna, Mark and Kristi held the audience in the palm of their hands. Their crowd-interactions and high-energy performances truly represented their years of experience. During one song, Shayna was bouncing so high that Tigger himself would be jealous of her skills. Her rendition of Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life” and “Groove is in the Heart” by Dee-Lite rivaled the album versions. Kristi proved herself as an equally skilled vocalist be performing flawless versions of Janis Joplin's “Me and My Bobby McGee” and Guns N’ Roses’ smash hit “Sweet Child O’Mine.” The crowd went wild over all song performed by these three versatile and talented singers!
Although all members of this band stand-out as some of the area’s top musicians, they still played together as a BAND. The band appeared to be having the time of their life dancing, singing, playing, jumping, and poking fun at each other….which only makes the audience want to do the same. You felt like the three singers could shake their hips and the band would know exactly what to do.
They were tight! They were exciting! They are Dick N’ Jane!
