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 Econoline performing at Mr. Beery's on June 10, 2011. - Photo by Jeremy Grand. Econoline at Mr. Beery's, June 10, 2011 By Jeremy Grand Mirroring his oft/goofy demeanor, Tom took to the mic and guitar wearing a Devin Townsend T-shirt adorned with Bender from Futurama, with a gnarly beard sprouting from his always grinning face. He spat out a welcoming comment before screaming out something a little less pleasing, with the sweat beginning to pour off his brow that never ceased until the set was over, while the grin slowly disappeared as the songs spewed out.
Econoline debuted its self-titled album at Mr. Beery's, in Bethpage, on June 10, 2011, to a modest crowd, who all waited patiently while the opening band, Bag of Bones, finally finished up. (Good band, long set.) However, the wait was worth it. To see these guys was a treat. Tom Doyle's raspy screaming, old-school voice and silliness was charming and fun; Anthony Zammit, wailing on the guitars, had a stoic vibe and easy going persona that would make anybody believe that he was just born to play; and Dennis Mirovsky, on drums, had this wild energy that radiated from behind his drum set, glasses, and boyish looks. Together they were flawless, playing as if nobody was looking, like this was just something they do. With little frills, besides the occasional witty remark, Econoline knew how to rock the audience, dragging back the gamut of metal from a more abundant past and reanimating it to the present, beating up the instruments like a pimp to his faithful ho. Econoline's following were loyal and hilarious, intently bobbing drunken heads, playfully wrestling like bearded puppies, interacting with the band during the set when appropriate. Loud, unapologetic, and full of energy and life, these guys were fun to watch and hear, especially within a crowd of fans. The album itself is a great listen, this coming from someone who really does not care for this genre of music. The lyrics are dingily poetic and often funny (not Weird Al funny, but subtle wit funny), taking themselves seriously, while not taking themselves too seriously. It is like one big joke, and a great homage to their influences. All that is missing is a backwards track with satanic verses amongst biblical references. To hear a couple of tracks and buy the CD (only $5), check out econolinerocks.com. 
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