Fat City Reprise is poised for world domination and you are powerless to stop them. And if they don’t get to dominate the world, they at least dominated my liver on this bus trip.

Monday – I get strep throat and a fever.

Thursday, same week – I am on a bus at 3pm with 25 other people drinking bottles of Jack, smoking, and generally carousing around on our way to New York City. This was also after I called out of work that day. And the next.

Who could possibly throw together such a debaucherous affair (gratis, mind you, and one that dragged this feverish amazon out of her death bed) for their friends and fans?? Only the fabulous foursome known as Fat City Reprise (Nick, Mike Vivas, Frankie Pedano, and Jay Miraglia), a Phildelphia-based pop-funk band with a devoted local following. Their songs are catchy and danceable – if you aren’t bouncing around as soon as they plug in, then you should just go on back home because you are not fun. Nick Anastasi, guitarist and Gemini, has described their sound as both “Thrift Store” and “ADD” rock, because the listener is in for almost anything with Fat City – they add stylistic nuances to their songs as to never be boring (and also to stay classy, Philadelphia).

FCR has been together, albeit in several incarnations, for the past four years. The most recent grouping has been together for only slightly more than a year, but the guys all grew up in the same neighborhoods and ran in the same social circles (sometimes without even knowing it). You can tell, just by being around them, that they share a connection that runs deeper than the music (and certainly deeper than the allure of fame). Maybe it seems like that because they’re not constantly at each other’s throats; I’ve learned from observation that bands have more drama than all 4 years of my being in a sorority combined, and these guys have had their share in the past. But they’ve got a solid line-up and a solid bond and the future is where it’s at. FCR recently released their debut self-titled album after a year of preparation (and anticipation). Although the album is impeccable in the quality of the music, is well-produced and complete in its track list, FCR is a band that MUST be seen live. There’s an intangible quality to their live performance that doesn’t quite translate to the CD… I feel like you used to be able to say this about far more bands back in the day, but now it seems like the powers that be in Hell.A. focus on polishing a “shiny penny” of an album rather than touring the singer or group. Plain and simple – a lot of bands suck live. Fat City is not one of those bands. Not even close.

The show/night of drinking in question was held at Kenny’s Castaways in the Village on Bleeker (actually, I don’t know for sure if it’s in the Village – I don’t know NYC that well… mostly because my NYC-born friend Dee is always pushing my drunk ass into cabs and just magically knowing where to go and I just have to be, well, drunk and funny). Kenny’s is kind of like a western saloon but with a both a leather-clad rock biker and the cheap British version of Jared Leto running the bar. They also have the worst Red Headed Sluts imaginable.

Naeemah kicked off the show. This is the second time I’ve seen her live (the other times being during Tuesdays at Grape Street) and that girl just rocks out. She has this really pretty voice – there’s something delicate and precise about it, yet it’s a trumpet – girl can wail – and you can tell she is just having fun doing her thing. Gotta tell you too – sounds great with a drum kit behind her.

Fat City came on next, sometime between the shots of Jaeger (thanks Victoria… or was that my fault?) and the shots of Jack (that was definitely my fault). I had not seen these guys play plugged in before and – holy shit – they rocked my face off. Literally, there were bits of face everywhere, it was simultaneously disgusting and awesome. This was definitely one of the most raucous shows I’ve seen them perform – sweat’s flying, Nick is playing like his fingers are on fire, there are chicks dancing everywhere. One of the things my musically-untrained ear appreciates so much is the fact that they play so well together and no individual instrument overshadows another. On the same note, each band member exudes such high energy that you’re not simply focused on Frankie’s pretty face, but on Jay (a silent character, but deadly mofo on the drums) doing his thing, the Vivas dance, and Nick on his knees like a white Hendrix. Amazing, guys. Well done.

I would write here about the various legal and illegal activities that took place on the bus outside the bar, but my memory is kind of fuzzy and I’d like to not get arrested. Bottom line – if you can get on a tourbus without taking it to the face, do it. It’s awesome.

If you’re on the East Coast, especially the Philly area, check out the Fat City Reprise MySpace and official pages, then get your ass out to Grape Street on a Tuesday night to see them. Their next big show is with IKE, Naeemah, and more bands at the TLA on Saturday, June 16 (I, sadly, will be at Bonnaroo) – check their pages for ticketing info (they are cheap and still available, so stop being a puss and go).