When Dirty Mac first performed at Austin Community Tavern, the show celebrated drummer and vocalist Geoff Amann’s retirement and birthday.
The cover band’s second booking at the Steger venue on Dec. 23 is another celebration — the inaugural Rockin’ Holiday Bash, which Amann said he pitched to Austin Community Tavern owner Phillip Panozzo due to how many people would be in town for Christmas.
“We do have a few holiday-related rock tunes that will be quite a surprise,” said Amann, who retired in June after 23 years as an instrumentation scientist for Argonne National Laboratory.
Dirty Mac is billed as performing tunes from the 1950s through today with a guitar edge.
“We like to play what I would call ’50s rockabilly, like early Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, that type of stuff. It’s good dance music. We just started incorporating that. Previously the band had specialized in 1960s material,” said Amann of Homewood.
“Then again, 1970s rock stuff is prominent. We run the gamut because it’s fun.”
Dirty Mac’s sets have included songs by The Beatles, The Black Keys, BoDeans, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Dada, Gin Blossoms, Grand Funk Railroad, Kings of Leon, Material Issue, Robert Palmer, Tom Petty, The Police, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Todd Rundgren and The Smithereens.
Amann, who cited The Who’s version of “Summertime Blues” as his favorite song to perform live, connected with Dirty Mac nearly 14 years ago when he played at the former Ignorant Bliss in Crete where Pete Krajci was in the open mic band.
“Dirty Mac was (booked for) a festival in Wisconsin. Their drummer had left the band. They recruited me to practice with them for a month and a half so they could prepare for this gig. It went so well that they asked me to join the band,” Amann said.
“The other three guys have literally been playing in one form or another for about 30 years.”
Those guys are Krajci (guitar, mandolin) of Griffith, Indiana; Donny McElroy (guitar, lead vocals) of Homewood; and Steve Sweet (bass, vocals) of Frankfort.
“We’ve become best friends,” said Amann about Dirty Mac, which performs regularly at venues including Bottoms Up Bar & Grill in Lansing; 5th Quarter and Press Room Eatery in Homewood; and The Quarry Ballroom and Thornton Distilling Co., which are both in Thornton.
“We like to pick songs that people recognize. We try to stay true to the original (versions) but the musicians in us put a little embellishment using our individual talents.
“We’re out to make sure the audience has a good time and forgets about whatever is on their mind. We like to tear the roof off the joint.”
Amann noted that Austin Community Tavern, which has “a wonderful small menu,” is the result of the decades-long vision of Chicago Heights native Phillip Panozzo (cousin of Styx bassist and vocalist Chuck Panozzo) to bring a Texas-style music venue to the Southland.
“He really put his heart and soul into the place,” said Amann about Phillip Panozzo, who is originally from Chicago’s Roseland community.
“There’s not too many places that have live music in this area. It’s a welcome addition.”
Rockin’ Holiday Bash
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When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23
Where: Austin Community Tavern, 81 E. 34th St. (Steger Road), Steger
Tickets: free; table reservations available via phone
Information: 708-248-6791; austincommunitytavern.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.