Best Local Cover Act

Uncle Wally

Folks generally divide themselves into two groups: those who hate cover bands and those who don't. Year after year, it's the same argument: those in the first group contend that cover acts are cover acts because they're not bright enough to write their own stuff. Others counter with the assertion that anyone capable of sounding like those painted devils in KISS, then Aerosmith, then Joe Cocker, and then Elton John all within the course of one set is brilliant. I've found it's safest not to take sides.

Anyway, after scouring the area for candidates, and then adding a few write-ins from readers, we were down to a five-band list that saw two repeaters from last year's poll: Mud Soup and Probable Cause. By the time the dust had settled and the readers had spoken, neither band would win this year's title. That award goes to Uncle Wally, a relatively new five-man group made up of refugees from the hard-rocking Roxxi and the Cast -- two of the area's longest-running cover/tribute acts. UW take a similar musical stance to both aforementioned bands. On stage, they dedicate themselves to, yes, you guessed it, recreating the music of KISS, Aerosmith, Elton John, and Joe Cocker among others. All of this apparently meets the approval of the band's growing fanbase. Recently, at Worcester's Plantation Club, the crowd roared as it was treated to a veritable album-rock greatest-hits tour. Fred Grassesch did his microphone-hugging-leadman thing, while guitarist Mike Gianfriddo, keyboardist Tom Misale, and bassist Glenn Stewart rocked along like there was no tomorrow. Bringing up the rear, drummer Dana Gagnon pounded away at his kit as if he were on stage at the Centrum. Sure it was rock and roll, but rock with a little theater rolled into the package at no extra charge.

-- Mark Edmonds