It’s a night of 10,000 Maniacs greatest hits including “More Than This,” “These Are The Days,” “Hey Jack Kerouac,” “Trouble Me,” “What’s The Matter Here,” “Candy Everybody Wants” and more at The Ridgefield Playhouse on July 17 at 8 p.m. as part of the Pepsi Rock Series Powered by Xfinity. 10,000 Maniacs will celebrate their 35th anniversary this year and they’re still doing what they do best, Playing Favorites. On June 3 the band released a live recording of their best-known songs from all eras of their multi-platinum career. “In Your Tribe” was named one of the Top 100 Most Important Releases of the decade by Rolling Stone. Make it a great night out with dinner and a show - visit Bareburger (38 Danbury Road, Ridgefield) for dinner and enjoy a complimentary glass of house wine or draft beer with your entree when you show your ticket!
A 30 year collaboration of Jerome Augustyniak, Steven Gustafson and Dennis Drew joined by vocalist/violinist/songwriter Mary Ramsey in 1993 and guitarist Jeffery Erickson. 10,000 Maniacs are one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the last three decades. Together with artists like R.E.M., they defined college rock and created the first wave of alternative rock bands and what became known as the alternative rock format on FM radio.
Formed in 1981 in Jamestown, N.Y., 10,000 Maniacs struggled until their first full-length album release was spun on BBC Radio 1 by legendary DJ John Peel, giving the band their first minor U.K. hit, “My Mother The War” and enabling them to tour overseas behind it. Their major label debut, The Wishing Chair, was produced by another legend, Joe Boyd, and released to much critical acclaim. However, it was the Peter Asher-produced follow-up, In My Tribe which went double-platinum in the U.S. and yielded the first of a string of radio hits with “Like The Weather.” Subsequent releases Blind Man’s Zoo, Our Time In Eden, MTV Unplugged and Love Among The Ruins sent more songs up the charts, most notably “These Are Days” and the Bruce Springsteen/Patti Smith-penned “Because The Night.”
The mid-’90s through much of the next decade was marked by line-up changes and breaks for other projects, but the core members remained intact. Now with renewed purpose, 10,000 Maniacs return full force, reminding us of their storied past while they chart a new course and celebrate their 35th anniversary. Recorded before an adoring crowd in Jamestown, Playing Favorites features 14 tracks, including hits and fan favorites from the group’s storied and influential career. The six-piece core (Jerome Augustyniak, Dennis Drew, Jeff Erickson, Steven Gustafson, John Lombardo, and Mary Ramsey) is augmented by strings, horns, and backing vocalists, making their lush sound even fuller and more engaging. The album spans from 1983’s independent Secrets Of The I Ching to 1987’s In My Tribe to 1993’s triple platinum MTV Unplugged (which featured the Billboard #11 single “Because The Night”) and beyond. The band’s studio releases have featured revered producers including Paul Fox (XTC, Robyn Hitchcock), Fred Maher (Lou Reed), Joe Boyd (Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention), and Peter Asher (JD Souther, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor).
For tickets ($45), call the box office at 203-438-5795, or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.
