Nine Deeez Nite is More Than a Tribute Band
Here in the Professional 3, the nostalgia aspect is a major proponent of what I write about. I love to reminiscence about things from my childhood and younger years. Whether it’s wrestling, baseball, or old school movies, the P3 really exemplifies what shaped my life.
So when I went out to Just Jake’s in Montclair, NJ and saw the band Nine Deeez Nite in action again last night, their performance hit me right in the feels.
I’ve seen Nine Deeez Nite perform on several different occasions. Whether it be at Bar A in Belmar, the Downtown in Red Bank, or Just Jake’s, this band has brought their “A” game every time I’ve seen them live. “The Tribute to the 90’s” have been a staple in the Northeast for several years. However, they have performed all over the country, from Michigan to the University of Miami in Florida.
The band is made up of four men: Casey Slasher on vocals and the gimmicked keyboard, Shady Frasier on drums, Roach on bass, and Timmy Gibbler on guitar. Combined, these flannel-cladded, grungy looking men truly inhabit the 1990’s with their attitude and passion.
There has not been a time that I haven’t seen Nine Deeez Nite that fans, sober and drunk alike, haven’t been begging for “One More Song”. I look at that as an endearing phrase for a band to hear, especially in this day and age where people just EXPECT to hear an encore. You can’t fake that. The grassroots following of Nine Deeez Nite is a throwback to the 90’s, where the forefront of independent culture truly began.
Since this is the P3, allow me to indulge on three things that help make up the band’s success during performances. Without further hesitation…
THEIR VERSATILITY: During each performance I’ve seen with Nine Deeez Nite, their depth of songs they play never cease to amaze me. Obviously, with their aesthetic, they play Sublime, Lit, and Nirvana. However, Casey’s ability to flow with old school Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and the Notorious BIG is impressive. Ed Scanlon is still utterly impressed that Mr. Slasher can rap out the lyrics of the Barenaked Ladies “One Week”. Also, the band’s ability to play Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and play a medley of boy band songs tear down the house every time. To portray yourself as a “Tribute to the 90’s” and live up to the billing by being able to play everything is what Nine Deeez Nite stand out above the rest.
90’S TRIVIA: During every Nine Deeez Nite performance, Casey is the host of 90’s Trivia, in which participants gets called on stage and gets to showcase their knowledge of all things 1990’s and see if they can win a prize. (A Did-You-Know: You know when the game is coming when they play a TV show theme song.) If you answer a question of either pop culture, TV, movies, or sports from the year of the band’s choosing, you win a prize. Just this past weekend, I witnessed people win VHS tapes, a Backstreet Boys CD, and a Mark McGwire Starting Lineup figure. It’s a fun break in between songs to help portray fan interaction. Speaking of fan interaction…
WINNING A SHOT WITH THE LEAD SINGER: This was possibly the coolest experience I’ve had watching the band. The second time I’ve seen these guys, in 2014 at the Downtown in Red Bank, Nine Deeez Nite did a Twitter contest, where the winner would receive a prize from the band. All the person had to do was answer one question and do it the quickest: What was the name of the dog from Full House? Enclosed is my tweet and the band’s response:
Guys, go to http://ninedeeeznite.com and see where these guys are playing near you. It’s 100% worth the experience. Nine Deeez Nite bring back nostalgia and show the good times of the 1990’s through music, games, and fan experience. It’s, as they say, totally tubular.
Nine Deeez Nite is more than a tribute band: they are a complete fan experience.
Jon Harder
