March 10, 2012 
Review by Bluebird.
Cafe Sun, Sunderland, MA.
Do you like The Beatles? How about The Rolling Stones? The Yardbirds?
Follow UnionJack, British Invasion Band, to hear music history's finest in classic blues rock.
From Their Biography:
The band is from Western Massachusetts. Members: Dave, Les, Gary, Jim, and Mr. Scary, feature the look and sound of the 1960's British Invasion era. The Beatles, Gerry & the Pacemakers, DC 5, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, The Hollies, The Searchers, Herman's Hermits and many other artists from this time, are played with inspiration and creativity.
The Band:
Jim Brown - Jim O'Connor - Dave Lempke - Gary Wilkinson - Les Bowler
Performance Credits:
UnionJack British Invasion Band has appeared annually at the Abbey Road on the River Festivals at Louisville KY and Washington DC since 2009. They have also appeared at Foxwoods Resort Casino annually since 2004. UJ is not an imitation, but a celebration of the British Invasion Groups of the 1960's. You can find them appearing all over New England, Boston, Hartford, Worcester, and Springfield.
The Venue:
Cafe Sun is a gymnasium stage for local and national acts, offering direct fundraising to the Sunderland Elementary School. It is run by music director, Edward Hines, who is also a multi-talented musician himself. When you walk through the halls of this public school, at any time of day, really, you can hear someone, somewhere, playing an instrument. Piano recitals, Mexican guitar, folk jamborees and wind instruments are common place sounds in the colorful surroundings. Mr. Hines, as the kids know him, has introduced these lucky students to performances by the NYC Opera, Ballet, and the local cultural favorite of Polka by Eddie Forman. Many faculty, and even the principal, Tim Merritt, are not only music enthusiasts, but musicians themselves. I thought I was cool because I heard Peter Frampton sing, "Nana and the Banjolele" at his last FCA show. Well, my daughter came home telling me that one of her teachers plays the banjolele in class every Friday.
The Show:
UnionJack performed several non-stop sets of danceable British Invasion music to a wide audience at this event. This was a family crowd, with a wide range of ages. Their music pulled the entire community together in a focused spirit that truly celebrated the music of the 1960's-70's era. The instruments and musicians were top notch and reminiscent of the bands they represented. Each song was respectful to the original, yet the UnionJack versions had a crisp flare and heavier bass lines as I could hear during the show and on their CD's. I think this made for a fresh perspective of our favorites, kept the people dancing, yet stayed true to the music of the originals.
When UnionJack says they are British Invasion, they mean it. Even the students were enlisted in a few of the songs, ending with the youngest grades singing along to "Hey Jude." Local vocalist, Carol Devine, joined the band and blasted to the 80's with Pat Benatar's ever rockin "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."
UnionJack's energy, talent and commitment shows with every song. Their dedication to keeping quality music alive is evident in their performance as well as their CD recordings. Most of all, I am greatly impressed with their generosity to this local community in offering their music to support the Sunderland Elementary School's Cafe Sun. Bands like UnionJack will keep songs echoing in the hallway for years to come !
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Check Out Their Amazing Set List:
Set 1
All My Lovin
From Me To You
This Boy
Please Please Me
You're No Good
Under My Thumb
Ferry Cross The Mersey
Love Potion #9
Needles and Pins
The Game of Love
If I Fell
Runaround Sue/Runaway
Can't Find The Time
Spooky
Brown Eyed Girl
The Last Time
All Over Now
WORDS
Do You Love Me
Set 2
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Tell Me Why
Hide Your Love Away
Satisfaction
Miss You
Because
Catch Us If You Can
Louie Louie GLORIA Sloopy
Have You Ever Seen The Rain
In My Life - It's Only Love
Got To Get You Into My Life
HELP!
Good Lovin'
The One After 909
Nights In White Satin
Glad All Over - Anyway You Want It
Something
I'm A Believer
Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
Midnight Confession - Temptation Eyes
Set 3
I Saw Her Standing There
For Your Love
She's Not There/Time Won't Let Me
Hello
Another Girl
The Night Before
Honky Tonk Woman
Sha La La La La La - Baby It's You
Fooled Around and Fell
I'm A Loser
Michelle
Day After Day
No Matter What
Kind of Hush
8 Days A Week
She Loves You
Can't Buy Me Love
Ticket To Ride
