Music Madness recently caught up with the annual Squirrel Nut Zippers Holiday Caravan Tour. It had landed at the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, CT. All who ventured out for a Sunday night show were treated to a night of madcap mayhem. SNZ is not only a band of highly skilled musicians, they are entertainers of the highest quality.
The 106-year-old venue was a fitting locale for Squirrel Nut Zippers’ style of music. It wonderfully combines swing, dixie, and “Nawleens Jazz“. One could feel the history of the theater that once housed the likes of John Philip Souza, Mary Pickford, John Barrymore, and countless others from bygone years. With its spacious main floor and its up-close balcony, Wall Street is an exciting theater to see live music!
Formed in 1993, the band has taken several hiatuses and has seen multiple band member changes throughout its history. In spite of layoffs and lineup changes, it has always come back with a vengeance. Most importantly, the band has remained true to its roots. Fans from “back in the day” when their song “Hell” exploded on mainstream radio would not be disappointed. Today’s version of SNZ and the music they play is as engaging as ever!
Bandleader and founder Jimbo Mathius and multi-instrumentalist “Dr. Sick” led this merry group of musical rapscallions on a raucous ride. In spite of vocalist Cella Blue being incapacitated, she was still a focus of attention. Cella was decked out in an explosion of color along with a festive green nightcap. Adding to the color was a gold Christmas wreath which adorned her elevated foot as she sat through the show. Dr. Sick went through several partial wardrobe changes. He started with a festive red plaid jacket. Along the way, he was adorned with a wild holiday sweater with the likeness of Krampus, the anti-Santa. The stage was decked out for the holidays as one would expect. No one was shocked at seeing a trombone adorned with an evergreen garland or a spiral cymbal decorated with Christmas lights.
For an hour and a half, the crowd was treated to songs from throughout the band’s history. Holiday songs were splattered across the setlist and were well received. However, when the first strains of “Hell” were heard, the crowd went wild! The band’s energy was steady throughout the show. Not only was it steady, but it was also contagious! The main floor had most of the seats removed and folks took advantage and danced to their hearts’ content.
There are still some Holiday Caravan dates left in 2021. CLICK HERE for SNZ tour stops. If you are anywhere close to one of their shows, do yourself a favor and check out this glorious band that revives old-time sound in a spirited way!
