WILDWOOD – If you remember the Strawberry Alarm Clock, Shindig!, mod clothes and flower power, then you can connect with The Large Flowerheads, a band from Bethlehem, Pa.
They may be one of the most authentic 1960s cover bands on earth with their four piece Ludwig drum set, Rickenbacker guitar, Farfisa organ and an electric sitar. They look 1960s and they sure do sound like that era.
They do justice to the British invasion, Motown hits and especially anything psychedelic.
The Large Flowerheads, named for a carton of artificial flowers they spotted in a borrowed rehearsal space in a warehouse, are returning for a second year to the Sensational Sixties weekend as part of a day of concerts at Fox Park April 24 before the main event across the street with Paul Revere and the Raiders.
Large Flowerhead’s drummer Maureen “Moe” Jerant sings tunes ranging from Linda Ronstadt to Martha Reeves. She is a powerhouse of drummer perhaps closer in style to the Rolling Stone’s Charlie Watts than Karen Carpenter.
She refers to Large Flowerheads’ bass player Dano D’Amelio as the “King of 60’s Music.” Rhythm guitarist Greg Geist and lead guitarist Billy Trexler round out the Flowerheads with more of a rock edge than pop.
The band has an entire decade of tunes to pick from with an eye for rarities. Jerant said the band has added some interesting new songs this year: Neil Young’s “Helpless,” The Rolling Stones’ “Mothers Little Helper” and “Paint It Black,” replete with sitar riffs, “Can’t Explain” from The Who, a Johnny Rivers’ version of “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” and a bunch of tunes from The Animals.
Other rarities in the Large Flowerheads’ set list, Manfred Mann’s “Quinn the Eskimo,” and Jerry and The Pacemakers’ “Ferry Across the Mersey.”
Jerant, who has played Yamaha Drums for years, said the band members suggested she get a vintage Ludwig kit for its appearance. She said she was afraid she would destroy an older drum set with all their travels but settled on a new vintage series from Ludwig in a “mod orange finish.”
The band’s members play multiple instruments, which allows Jerant to come out from behind the drums and sing some leads and play guitar. Jerant takes lead vocals on “Those Were the Days” a hit for Mary Hopkins on the Beatles’ Apple Records in its earliest days.
“There is an amazing passion in each of us to play and we all could play other music and play it well, but I think what really comes through for this band is our passion for just playing,” said Jerant.
She said she doesn’t perceive the Flowerheads as a cover band playing 60’s material.
“I really feel these guys dig around in their musical toolbox and really pull out the essence of the era and the passion of the music…” said Jerant.
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