Triage, which consists of Ann Mounty, on vocals and harmonica; Tobie Dean Tripodi, on guitar and vocals; and Cherry Grove’s own Sue Cialini-King, on guitar and vocals, made a fourth annual appearance at Cherry’s on July 22, and offered a generous two-hour, 22-song show, in short, exciting music by a band that Grovites have taken to their hearts. Homecoming Queen Ginger Snap introduced the performance.
Opening Triage’s first set, with “Mystery Achievement,” with Ann on vocals, Tobie and Sue on guitar and then backup vocals, the band was on fire from the very start. For “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” the women invited singing along and got people up on the floor, dancing along. “Runaway” was a compelling new song for the band. With Tobie leading off, soon joined by the others, they delivered “You Really Got Me” with exceptional drive. “We Got the Beat,” they sang, and certainly proved that they do. Unable to suppress excitement, they offered, “(I wanna be) Sedated.” They lent their unique energy to “Jumping Jack Flash,” and with Sue leading the singing, and the others joining her, they limned a vivid “Highway to Hell.” They courted adventure with “Fox on the Run (you scream and everybody comes).” Their “Joker?”—smokin’!! “The Chain” ended this set.
Triage began the second set with “What I Like about You (you really know how to dance),” which inspired some women in the audience to pelt them with underwear. With Ann adding the harmonica line, the band embraced the indefatigable “American Girl” and sang “(Mama’s got a) Squeezebox (and it never sleeps at night)”—talk about tireless! They went on to a quietly romantic “With or Without You,” with sing-along. In “Hurts So Good,” we all reveled in the S&M invitation. They offered Alanis Morissette’s “One Hand in My Pocket” for a friend who came up from Florida especially for their gig. Triage expressed deep devotion with “Ain’t too Proud to Beg,” and brought us back decades with “I’m a Believer,” “Me and Bobby McGee,” and “Mony, Mony.” We just couldn’t help singing along and, during the last, Tina showered them with dollar bills. “Maggie May” was their encore.