At SF Sketch Fest this week, members of the '90s comedy troupe the State staged several concerts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their cult film Wet Hot American Summer. The cover band Middle Aged Dad Jam Band — which features Ken Marino on vocals, David Wain on drums, and often Shudder To Think's Craig Wedren (who wrote music for both the movie and MTV's The State sketch comedy series) on guitar — played San Francisco's Great American Music Hall with appearances from castmates Joe Lo Truglio and Michael Ian Black, Janeane Garofalo, and Marguerite Moreau. The following night TMADJB did a second set featuring all Billy Joel covers with some of the same guests, plus the State's Thomas Lennon. Here are a bunch of videos:
Then last night Lennon hosted his own event at Music Hall, a night of all Smiths covers. Guitarist Lennon and Smiths tribute band the Sweet And Tender Hooligans were joined by comedians Ana Gasteyer, Tony Hale, and Natasha Leggero as well as musicians Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's and Ben Gibbard.
Gibbard has covered Morrissey a bunch over the years. The Smiths' "This Charming Man" appeared on the reissue of Death Cab's 1997 demo You Can Play These Songs With Chords and the band did an acoustic take on "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" for a Radio 104.5 session in 2008. He also played Morrissey's solo hit “Everyday Is Like Sunday” during one of his Live From Home broadcasts during COVID lockdown back in 2020. (The Death Cab frontman has called "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" his favorite Smiths tune.)
Last night Gibbard reprised "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and sang another Smiths classic, "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side," and Moz's 1989 single "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys."
Here's "Playboys":
Here's "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" at soundcheck:
Earlier in the day yesterday Death Cab For Cutie announced they've signed with an indie label after 21 years on Atlantic and shared dates for a North American summer tour. A few weeks ago Gibbard performed at Postal Service bandmate Jenny Lewis' wedding to her dog Bobby on her 50th birthday.
The Wet Hot crew will take its celebration to Sundance Film Festival today with a movie screening and panel at Velvet Room, and then another Middle Aged Dad Jam Band show, which this time will include Christopher Meloni (Gene in the movie).
