Mardi Gras season almost here...

So when exactly IS Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras 2011 falls on Tuesday, March 8. Mardi Gras, “Fat Tuesday”, is the last day of the Carnival season, as it always falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. However, up here in New England we just find a good date close to Fat Tuesday and have masquerades and costume balls, celebrating the funky music of New Orleans.

Find The Chicken Slacks this year at the Second Annual Chicken Slacks Costume Ball, at the great C-Note in Hull, Massachusetts. New Orleans dance party!

See you there on Saturday night, March 12....

Check out our YouTube channel

We're having fun with our Chicken Slacks YouTube channel, adding new live videos of the band, plus posting dozens of classic videos of the music that has inspired our vision.

New live Slacks video includes three songs from our recent appearance at Johnny D's in Somerville, Massachusetts-- covers of deep funk classics from Clarence Reid, Rufus Thomas, and Johnny Guitar Watson.

Our "favorites" collection includes many obscure gems-- Cardell Funk Machine, The Soul Investigators, The Soul Brothers Six, The Soulfadelics-- and great cuts from more familiar names-- Spencer Wiggins, O.V. Wright, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin and more.

Drop on by Chicken Slacks TV! Updates every week.

Looking through the photo album

Some faves from 2010...

Private party at Copperfield's on Landsdowne Street

Opening night at The Tap in Haverhill, MA

Another Thursday at The Cantab Lounge...

New portrait by Ron Pownall.

Just found this...

...on The Highlife:

From Dec 22--

"I only just found this out recently, but The Cantab Lounge in Cambridge, MA has a gem of a night every Thursday. Brought to courtesy of one of the funkiest and most soulful units this region has to offer, The Chicken Slacks. One of the gentlemen sitting by where I was just happened to be the father of the drummer, Mark, and was himself a drummer. He also happened to mention that Mark had randomly broken out his old Gretsch drum kit from 1957 for that night. Talk about classic. Please ignore my giggly commentary, I was kinda caught up in the funkiness of it all. Check them out one of these days when you get a chance."

Thanks!

Happy Holidays

A little shameless self-promotion

Gratifying to read recent posts on Yelp about the Slacks at The Cantab Lounge.

“The bar-- Cantab Lounge. The band-- The Chicken Slacks. The day-- Thursday. The night-- Funky. The mood-- Elated. The evening-- oohhhhhh sssoooo grroovvyyyy…”

“Two Words: Diamond D...”

“Everyone should go to Cantab Lounge on Thursday nights. The band, The Chicken Slacks, were far from slackers. Not only did they jam until 2am, but also Jeremy (sax player) could be seen smiling while billowing into his horn…”

“In a phenomenal move of showmanship, Diamond D leaves the stage completely at least a few times and retreats to the back office...then returns minutes later to crazy applause. Serious performers know how to enter and exit a room…”

“You need to come on a Thursday night to be funkified ASAP if you have never been…”

“But for my money, there is undoubtedly no better night of dancing in Boston then the Chicken Slacks on Thursday. This funk-soul outfit brings together twenty-something hipsters, soccer moms, and a plethora of goofily grizzled barflies…”

“On Thursday nights, Cantab Lounge is THE place to be. Why? Two words: Chicken Slacks. ..”

Thanks to all who took the time to be kind!

Photo shoot on the docks

Had a fun photo shoot recently with the legendary photographer Ron Pownall, hanging around Pier 4 at the Boston Navy Yard. We were in good hands-- Ron has shot a huge collection of iconic photos of Dylan, Janis, Tina Turner, Springsteen, Marvin Gaye, the Stones, on and on, including a few covers for Rolling Stone magazine. Check out his work here, and look for our new band portraits soon!