‘Seven Day Weekend’ keeps early rock’n’roll alive and kicking at the Tip Top Lounge

By “Cryptic” Josh Villaire
Collegiate Staff Writer

If Ol’ Man Winter’s cursed you with cabin fever and swirly optical spots from the crazies your other half inflicts on you maybe it’s time to cut loose from an encroaching case of the hermits and mosey on over to the Tip Top Lounge on Butterworth Ave.  As disarming as a fist sandwich to the pysche the duo known as ‘Seven Day Weekend’ consisting of Djs Tom Shannon and Andy Moroski emerged once again from the swirling depths this past January 20.  They’re honorable objective: glamorize rebellious roots of Rock’n’Roll history for our listening pleasure.

“To me the favorite accolade of all is when someone runs up to figure out what I’m playing,” Tom said.

Spinning heart-throbbing ‘50s rockabilly, ‘60s proto punk, wild R&B, and just enough sleaze to make your body sneeze, these guys are the genuine article.  Andy lives to bob pig-tails and blur hips while weaving a yarn in the thick of the shaking.

“I guess I do try to tell a story with wax like with the Frantics that has a wild Werewolf instrumental that will lead me on a tangent to the Tamrons, a ‘60s  punk band and other ‘50s and ‘60s R&B because I think people overlook that stuff,” Andy said.

Butterworth is no stranger to being passed up.  Take your first step on to this desolate avenue and you feel as if you’ve strolled clean off the city map.  Wild grass shoots out of decaying sidewalk.  Trash bags billow from busted windows.  Cars creep up and down the block eyeing the area with suspicious wonder yet rarely slowing down.  Places like this may seem the opposite of happening but when you’re an avid music junkie who’s prepared to scale the end of the world for a tune you only see the romance  in this intimate locale.  The streets, mixed with slush and grime, are as pregnant with the rotten fetus of Rock as Tom & Andy’s records are.  Our own cities legendary history is as lost to most as Tip Tops’ shady neighborhood.

“Grand Rapids has an awesome ‘60s psychedelic band called the Jujus who were number 2 on the charts next to the Beatles.  Fenton was a record label based out of Sparta, Michigan.  It was mainly this one guy who was putting out records by local teen bands from west Michigan inspired by The Byrds and The Rolling Stones,” said Andy.

Tom Shannon hunts down vinyl like some billionaires hunt wild game to populate their trophy rooms.  His Dj method is to sniff out the back catalog of fairly known Rockers people are familiar with and find their unknown, and buried hits.

“I try to play an Elvis song every time I spin called ‘Long Legged Girl’.  It has a fuzz-guitar that you don’t expect in Elvis,” Tom said.

The Seven Day Weekend duo shows a tight bond onstage that speaks volumes for their throwback record worship.  The revolving maestros’ hat slides between them with ease as Tom effortlessly takes the wheel of vinyl as Andy splits to top his gin and tonic off without skipping a beat.

As well as sharing musical taste the two harbor a heightened affinity for the look and noise a record produces as opposed to hand-held audio devices of today.

“It sounds flat if you play an I-pod or Mp3.  It’s not the same as a record.  The label design, that’s cool; that’s their expression of their identity.  When you start going to digital your losing a lot of the original spirit,” Tom said.

If you were one of the uninitiated and missed the madness of Seven day Weekend this past January 20 just keep your eyes puffy and don’t get sapped and you might catch ‘em swinging back your way soon!  Tom & Andy have become fond friends of their transient slot at Tip Top and they don’t plan on letting the dance bug sit yet.