MARKY RAMONE AND THE INTRUDERS

Record release show (The Answer To Your Problems?) at the Wetlands, NYC, July 26, 1999.

Last Monday (7/26/99), I saw Marky Ramone & the Intruders play at Wetlands in NYC. This was the record release show for their new album "The Answer To Your Problems?". The show was awesome!!! The doors opened at 8:00, there was a pretty big crowd, considering the Intruders were the only band on the bill. I was selling the new CD "The Answer To Your Problems?", as well as the Ramones video "Ramones Around The World".

The Intruders came on stage a little after 9:00. The line up was Ben Trokan on vocals and guitar, Johnny Pisano on bass and vocals, and of course Marky Ramone on drums. They really sounded great! They were really tight, and it was awesome! Ben sang incredible, and he was great on guitar. Its always amazing to watch Johnny play bass that good, and that fast, without even using a pick! Marky was awesome as always, never missing a beat. He just plays so fast and so fun. The band sounded just like they sound on the new album, and it was incredible!

The first song they played was Peekhole. They played all the songs on The Answer To Your Problems(except Don't Blame Me), they also played some songs from their 1st album like I Wants My Beer, Anxiety, Can't Take it With You, Oh No Not Again, and they did a cover of the Voidoids song Blank Generation (Marky was the drummer for the Voidoids, before he joined the Ramones). All the songs were great! When the Intruders played songs from their 1st album, they sounded even better at this show then the songs sounded on the album (due to the fact that this line up is better). Their cover of Blank Generation was faster, and heavier then the Voidoids version, and I liked it here better. The band sounded incredible! I can't really put into words how great the band sounded, it was unbelievable!!

The band kept the crowd really into it the whole time. Everyone was just blown away by the band! The Intruders have never sounded better. The last song they played was Better Than Being You. I thought that was cool that the 1st song they played live, was the 1st song on the new album, and the last song they played live was the last song on the new album, but the setlist overall was in a completely different order. When they were done playing, lots of people came up to me and bought the new CD! Everyone there seemed to love the show. I definitly had a great time, I thought the band was amazing. I highly highly highly recommend you see the Intruders if they come to your town!!!

And if you don't have The Answer To Your Problems, I highly recommend that too, its a great great fuckin album!!!

(Extensive review by JC, Thanks)