Bill O Writes

Those of us who went to Barnstable High in the ’70s or ’80s know the McGarrys, a family with 10 kids. Kate’s a jazz singer who earned a Grammy nomination last year. Eddie is a firefighter who put out a terrific CD of original folk-rock songs. Neil is an actor who’s appeared on many Cape stages.

Then there’s Allen, who recently returned from a hiatus and is performing 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays at the Island Merchant in Hyannis.

I haven’t been able to get there in time for a full gig, but I’ve caught the end portion of three shows. Do yourself a favor and get over there some Friday.

Some years back it seemed like half the pubs in Hyannis had a guy who stood up at one end of the room and played songs by Jimmy Buffett and James Taylor, along with an obligatory cover of “Brown-Eyed Girl.”

Allen McGarry is not one of those guys.

He plays songs by some of the great contemporary songwriters, but he digs a little deeper. He covers the Boss, for example, but it’s “One Step Back,” a gem from Springsteen’s under-appreciated “Tunnel of Love” album. It’s a bold choice, because McGarry’s playing to a Friday night dinner-date crowd, and the song is all about romantic pain.

Some of McGarry’s other covers include Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” Bruce Cockburn’s Pacing the Cage,” the Waterboys’ “Fisherman’s Blues” and Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s “From the Beginning.” He’s experimenting with different arrangements of Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield” (another fine date night selection!), giving it a Spanish guitar feel the last time I heard it.

McGarry has a soothing voice and an impressive but understated touch with the guitar.  On and off-stage, he’s a charming, likable guy. His shows are a great way to kick off a Cape Cod summer weekend.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 9:54 pm and is filed under Live music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.