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The Dream Syndicate Find Themselves at the Troubadour: While we know of the Dream Syndicate as a key element in the '80s Paisley Underground scene which also included the likes of the Bangles, the Rain Parade and the 3 O’Clock), it's simplistic and reductive to keep them (and indeed those others bands) boxed in like that. It's worked to their advantage at times; all four of those bands appeared on the 3X4 compilation in 2018, covering each other’s tunes, and then appearing at Grammy Museum together to chat and then perform together. So it’s not an issue of shoehorning.
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It was appropriate, then, that Vicki Peterson opened the Troubadour show alongside her husband John Cowsill. Peterson, of course, is best known as a member of the Bangles, while Cowsill was in family band the Cowsills. For two decades, he's been the drummer in the Mike Love-led Beach Boys too.
It's wonderful to see Peterson and Cowsill on stage together; not only is their affection for each other beautifully evident, but their harmonies are gorgeous. To be fair, the Cowsills, the Beach Boys and the Bangles are all known for their harmonies so it only makes sense.
They opened with the Cowsills band song "You In My Mind," and played a couple of songs by John's late brothers - Barry's "Come to Me" and Billy's "Vagabond." We got a few songs by Billy Cowsill's band the Blue Shadows, and one from the Action Skulls, the band this duo are in with actor and musician Bill Mumy. A treat!
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Peterson and Cowsill returned to the stage to help the band with recent song "Damian" (see photo above), and the encores included covers of the Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don’t Fear) the Reaper" and George Clinton/Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain."
This was a triumphant show from a band that, at this point, has nothing to prove but they're proving stuff anyway.
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