The Showcase Showdown was an American band that was a fixture in Boston's punk rock scene in the 1990s.^[1] The band toured the Northeast extensively^[2] and became notorious for their tongue-in-cheek songs, often about obscure cultural icons from political history, television shows and comic books. Its name was among these references, referring to the "Showcase Showdown," a game play element on the game show The Price Is Right.

Background

Showcase Showdown released only two full-length albums, Appetite of Kings and Permanent Stains. They released much of their work on 7" vinyl singles and cassettes, and were featured on several split EPs including a split with Blanks 77 entitled "Drunk at the Karaoke Bar" featuring duets by mostly inebriated members of both bands.

The lineup of the group consisted of Albert "Ping Pong" Genna on vocals, Victoria Arthur on bass, Tom Cloherty on guitar, and Steve "Chez Nips" Maxwell on drums. Arthur was a medical student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School through much of the band's career, and her husband, Cloherty, was working as a social worker.^[2] After Showcase Showdown's breakup, Arthur and Cloherty formed the group The Spitzz.

Reception

Allmusic's review of the album Appetite of Kings noted the influence of the Sex Pistols, along with "aggressive pogo-punk".^[3] Critic Sarah Bee of Melody Maker, in a favorable review of the album Permanent Stains, wrote, "These men are in touch with their inner deviants."^[4]

Critic Ian D'Giff of Newsday wrote that Showcase Showdown's cover version of the Sex Pistols' song "Friggin' in the Riggin'", from the album Never Mind the Sex Pistols... Here's the Tribute, was "raging", and it "nearly makes up for the album's shortcomings".^[5]

Discography

References