Music Monthly: April 2002 Performance: Rams Head Tavern 3/2/2002 Penn Link to photos from this show On a rainy Saturday night, CZ's Expensive Hobby played to a sold out, and packed solid, Rams Head Tavern. If you're like me, you've seen Carey's name in this paper often, and sometimes too often. But I decided that before passing judgment, I should at least see what the fuss was about, and experience it at one of the better rooms around. If you check out the web site, you'll see that not only has Carey played with Crack The Sky, for which he is known, but a lot of other respectable people. I was prepared therefore for him to be a great bass player, but what struck me repeatedly over the course of the over two hour long show was what a great performer he is. He played immaculate bass parts while singing his ass off and jumpin' about like a mad man. This guy knows how to put on show and the crowd appreciated it. The band was extremely solid and tight while displaying a casual "we're having fun" attitude. While the keyboards could have been a little louder in the mix, it's clear Glenn Workman is one hell of a player, and not a half bad yodeler either, for a guy with no shoes. Andy Shriver impressed me, he clearly has monster guitar chops, and although he gave us a little taste, chose to play within the band, taking the spotlight when it was his turn, but not calling attention to himself needlessly (a rare thing for a guitar player). Mark St. Pierre was in typical form on drums. What can be said about the horn section? They some bad muthas! J.-J. Gunning on trombone, Dave Makowiecki on trumpet, and Barry Caudill on sax, flute, and MIDI controller made a well oiled machine. Dave played a couple notes so high, bats were covering their ears. Much of the show was original CZ tunes. The material was very cool and made me want to check out their upcoming CD, "The Adventures of Elliott Finésse", which is still in production they say. Songs like "Sky King, "The Ride", and "Two Below" showcase the band's talent with intricate parts and great playling. It was like a glimpse into what Steely Dan could have been. Other original tunes spotlight Carey's great voice, like the silky "Don't Run Away" and the hard rocking "Y2K". Part of the night was given to a wide range of covers from Zappa to The Beatles (with full orchestration) and a very interesting version of "God Bless the Child" with horn section solos in the middle. All in all, it was over two hours of non-stop action. The packed house responded enthusiastically, and everyone seemed to have a great time. While I still don't want to see his name in every edition of MM, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this great band for myself. In this post-grunge, three chord era, if local artists want to see what proficient musicianship and enthusiastic stage presence can do to an audience, look no further than Carey Ziegler's Expensive Hobby.