A few months ago, a gathering of Saxapahaw regulars met up at The Eddy Pub for a hilarious evening of fun. The FauxBand “Heart To Heart” (also known as “Hard To Hard” and “Hot To Hot”) put on a ridiculous and highly entertaining show that can be best described as karaoke meets wandering improve comedy.
The brainchild of Mark O’Brian and Corey Landry, the fauxband sang cover songs while interweaving a storyline about being a band from Jersey who was doing a benefit concert to raise funds for a possibly crooked jewelry store that has fallen on hard times. I think there were a few unsuspecting patrons in the pub that night who had no idea what they had gotten into. Hopefully someone explained to them that the show was a farce and meant to be comedic.
Mark and Corey’s alter egos Sergio and Emilio put on a truly entertaining show, boasting prominent mustaches, slicked back hair, gold chains, Justin Bieber keyboard guitar and fake accents. They played a series of ironic song choices with rolling commentary that often felt more like stand-up comedy than karaoke. It was enough to keep you laughing all through the evening and to make their spouses want to cringe and possibly disown them for the night.
You can get a taste of their performance in this video:
This was their second annual performance and this year they came with a pregnant backup singer and a few other characters mixed into the crowd, whom you may recognize as locals and Eddy Pub staff.
They kept in character all night, interacting with the crowd during the band’s break, chatting about their life in New Jersey and selling faux-tastic gold and platinum necklaces to raise money for Baxters Jewelry.
After the encore performance, they opened the floor to the rest of the crowd from some karaoke fun.
The idea must have caught on because the pub is hosting a battle of the fake bands this Sunday night, appropriately on April Fools Days.
BATTLE OF THE (fake) BANDS: APRIL 1, 2012
This is NOT karaoke, oh no… although there will be singing…
This is NOT open-mic, oh no… although there will be performing…
The Battle of the (fake) Bands consists of you or you and your friends coming up with a band persona, dressing up and acting out your band’s “concert”, complete with your lively sung songs. (karaoke music best found on www.youtube.com)
REGISTER YOUR BAND by MARCH 25th!! Email theeddypub@gmail.com
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Luck Photographers,
I find your photographic study of my former band, Heart-2-Heart, to be quite impressive. You are clearly very talented individuals. However, I could not help but notice that you referred to Hard Too Hard–one of the greatest combinations of musical talent since Jamiroquia teamed up with Rod Stewart–as a FauxBand.
I’m not sure if it was the uncannily perfected harmonies, or the signature Jason Bieber keytars, but there was clearly something about the magic that was in the air at the very nice Eddy Pub that night that confused you. Hot Too Hot is no sadly longer (thanks to the out of control ego of a certain Emilio), but in its day, it was certainly a very real band–no more “faux” than the beautiful jewels which Seth Baxter chose to adorn our quite handsome bodies with.
I look forward to your response, and the correction of this egregious error.
Yours,
Sergio S. Sergio