Holiday shows are a tradition for Me First And The Gimme Gimmes. Why would we think they'd let COVID-19 get in the way.
Last night, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes debuted their Gimme Gimme TV Holiday Extravaganza via veeps.com. A throwback to the times of classic variety shows. Think The Sonny and Cher Show, Donny and Marie, and The Carol Burnett Show, complete with host Belly Reynolds, comedy sketch troupe Western Cuck Exchange, special guests, and commercials. Presented by Dino&Luigi and sponsored by Fat Wreck Chords, and Liquid Death Water, it was a bright, shining escape at the end of a year that hasn't been easy for live music.
The band took to the stage to sing some of our favourite cover songs including some holiday treasures. The December 2020 lineup included singer Spike Slawson, Pinch (Andy Pinching - Damned and English Dogs) on drums, CJ Ramone (Ramones) on bass, Stacey Dee of Bad Cop/Bad Cop and Scott Shifflet (Face to Face) on guitar.
RELATED: Bad Cop/Bad Cop Toronto Interview and CJ Ramone Final Tour Live at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern
The Gimme Gimmes opened the show with Santa Baby. Alternating between music, skits and commercials, they used old school transitions and inserts to take us back.
Fat Wreck Chords' commercial was a beautiful K-Tel-style commercial, featuring many of their recent releases, and the Liquid Death Water commercial was hellish gold! I hope they both turn up on YouTube.
Special guests are crucial to variety shows and first guest, Karina Denike of Dance Hall Crashers/NOFX and Spike, delivered a beautiful version of Frank and Nancy Sinatra's Something Stupid duet. Shannon Shaw of Shannon and the Clams joined Spike to sing Deep Purple, originally sung by Bea Wain. The song has been covered by Nino Tempo & April Stevens in 1963 and Donny & Marie Osmond in 1995.
Ending the evening with José Feliciano's Feliz Navidad, everyone joined the band on stage. It was a traditional variety show finish.
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes TV! Setlist
Santa Baby
Rainbow Connection (Muppets cover)
Me and Julio (Paul Simon cover)
Country Roads (John Denver cover)
Sloop John B. (The Beach Boys cover)
Karina and Spike - Something Stupid (Frank and Nancy Sinatra cover)
The Man With All The Toys (The Beach Boys cover)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland cover)
Mandy (Barry Manilow cover)
Who Put the Bomp (Barry Mann cover)
Shannon Shaw and Spike - Deep Purple (Bea Wain cover)
Feliz Navidad (José Feliciano cover) everyone
