A new group - the Test Monkeys - invited me to photograph their show last Friday night, 9/21/07 at Dempsey's Public House in downtown Fargo. Many of you may know these guys as the Front Fenders; indeed, lead singer Mike Schlick, bassist Mike Delaney and guitarist Joe Rud are current members of the FF and TM drummer Mike Samek drummed six years for the FF four or five years ago. Samek tells me that they have been kicking around the idea together for about 10 years of a band that would play harder-edged stuff than the corporate/wedding dance 50-60s rock the FFs do so well. Enter the Test Monkeys April of this year. Their set is a wide ranging look at 70s through 90s guitar rock from ZZ Top's "Tush" to The Romantics' "What I Like About You" to Green Day's "Hitchin' a Ride" - to name just a few from their nearly 40-song set. Judging from audience reaction, these guys are well on their way...

(All photographs: ©Bruce Crummy 2007, all rights reserved)

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