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Following a seemingly endless two-week promotion scheme which hit nearly ever y folder of FirstClass at least once a day, everyone’s favorite advertisers ‘The Green Bikes” finally hit the stage Wednesday night at the Stillwater Canal Co. Pub in Memorial Union. Armed with an almost memorable advertising campaign full of quirky catch phrases like “the Green Bikes like to be ridden,” and the more obvious “Lee is going to take his shirt off,” the Bikes rolled onto the stage.
The Green Bikes, consisting of Erik Schwab on guitar and vocals, Norm Charest on bass and Lee Hunter sporting a green bike tire on the drums, played a fun-filled hour-long set of punk and ska cover songs, minus the original “Nailing Jell-O to the Wall.”
The song, which is about Shwab’s obsession with a girl at the gym, had a punky three-chord sound with a smooth flavor and bass line.
Schwab’s infatuation with the audience included taping his phone number to the amp in a desperate but hilarious attempt to get the attention of the ladies in the venue.
“[Do] you go to the gym?” Schwab asked one girl. “Can you spot me?”
Schwab tirelessly engaged the audience with a comedic routine in between songs, from carrying on a discussion with the bartender, to addressing Charest’s parents.
“Is that the beer talking?” Asked Schwab. “You don’t think it’s going to be good do you? Rip on us, it’s fine.”
Apart from the stage antics provided by Schwab and the quiet presence of Charest and Hunter, the bikes played covers from the likes of Blink 182, Suicide Machines, Green Day, Alkaline Trio and yes.even Enrique Iglesias.
The group opened with their cover of Blink 182′s “Dammit,” and went on to play a barrage of cover songs including a few Green Day songs including “At the Library” and “Basketcase,” along with a well-polished version of the Alkaline Trio’s “Stupid Kid.”
The band finished with a punked-up version of Enrique Iglesias’s “Hero,” and in the tradition of punk covers gave the sickening top-40 hit new life.
Following the song Hunter and Charest left the stage leaving Schwab to a solo electrified version of Green Day’s infamous event song “Good Riddance (Time of your life).”
Following the show the band could be seen doing what they do best, attempting to pick up girls, the key word in the sentence: attempting.
“Call me,” Schwab begged. “Shutdown!”
And to those of you who missed the performance, Schwab made sure to plug in their next appearance, flashing hand signals over and over for 10 p.m., Feb. 23, at the Wells Conference Center for the Battle of the Bands.
