Apparently the Deer Tick I’ve come to know and love is slightly different than that of the band’s original version. After hearing they’d been a bit more folk-based in their early days, I could only wonder if they were as booze-driven then as they are now. Because this current rendition is entertaining as hell, and I can’t help but think liquor’s playing a big part in that.
Especially for their festival set, a rugged, day-drinking kind of affair that showed Deer Tick sloshing through most of their 2011 release Divine Providence. Don’t take that to mean they sounded sloppy, though – each song, especially “The Bump,” was performed spot-on, but definitely not soberly. And a true highlight came in their rockin’ cover of “Fight For Your Right To Party,” which stood out to me as the best tribute MCA got all weekend. It really left me trying to figure out how I’m gonna get a drink with these guys someday.
