Girlpope Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of The Whole Scene Going

With a vinyl-spinning extravaganza from DJ Donny Shaft.

Five years ago, Buffalo-based powerpop act girlpope called it a day.

After playing a farewell show on November 27, 2004--an epic 3-plus hour event that included a set list picked by the audience (the band's entire catalog was placed on a carnival spinning wheel turned by volunteers)--that was that. Or was it?

On Saturday, November 28, five years after its last performance, nearly to the day), girlpope performs a one-off reunion show to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its heralded CD, The Whole Scene Going.

In its decade together, girlpope garnered a loyal following, toured regionally, released several critically hailed CDs, and was courted by a major label. At home, the band was the opening act du jour for many of its heroes--Arthur Lee and Love, Jonathan Richman (twice), and Guided by Voices, to name a few. Still, salvos from rock scribes and run-ins with legends will only take you so far. Eventually, the band went the way of so many others who reach for the brass ring only to end up with green fingers--splitsville.

After the break, each band member concentrated on new projects: Mark Norris (lead vocals/guitar) went on to form The Backpeddlers; Rich Campagna (bass/vocals) played with 50 Amp Fuse; drummer Brandon Delmont plays with Son of the Sun and The Stay Lows; guitarist Tommy "The Kid" Stanford" joined up with The Found and The Missing Planes.  

So, why reunite in the midst of such much other activity? Well, 2009 marks the 10-year-anniversary of girlpope's sophomore record, The Whole Scene Going. While the album certainly never bothered the charts upon its release, it has developed a cult following in the years since. The All Music Guide calls the recording an "Energetic yet compact collection of catchy mod rock songs reveling in the raw attack of irreverent noise pop." Elsewhere, the album's lead-off track, "Indy 500," was cited in filmmaker James Gunn's (Dawn of the Dead, Tromeo and Juliet) "Favorite Power Pop Songs of All F--ing Time." In 2002, the album was re-released in Australia with bonus tracks by the appropriately named Shutdown Records.

For its reunion performance, girlpope will perform The Whole Scene Going in its entirety, along with selections from the group's debut album, Cheese of Nazareth.  

Web: www.myspace.com/girlpope E-mail: girlpope@msn.com

Saturday, November 28
Mohawk Place / 47 E. Mohawk Street, Buffalo
Doors at 9PM / Show at 10PM