The Smithereens formed in Carteret, New Jersey in 1980 and spent much of the next decade becoming exactly what their records promised: MTV-rotation regulars, Saturday Night Live guests, and a touring outfit that shared bills with Tom Petty, Lou Reed, and the Ramones. Those records — Especially for You (1986), Green Thoughts (1988), 11 (1989) — blended the melodic precision of British Invasion pop with the bruising instincts of American garage rock, and they still hold. Especially for You turned 40 last year. The Feb. 27 show at Colony Woodstock is in a room that holds 150 people. Both things are true at once.
About the Show
The band has been touring since founding vocalist Pat DiNizio’s passing in 2017, with the three remaining original members (guitarist Jim Babjak, drummer Dennis Diken, and bassist Mike Mesaros) supplemented by a rotating roster of guest vocalists. Recent touring has included Wesley Stace alongside veterans Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms, John Cowsill from the Cowsills and Beach Boys, and Marshall Crenshaw, each bringing a different angle to a catalog built on what the band has long described as “the melodic punch of the British Invasion, fused with the raw energy of American garage rock.” The most recent studio offering, The Lost Album (Sunset Blvd. Records), surfaces tracks recorded in fall 1993 during a between-labels stretch that left the material sitting unreleased for nearly three decades. American Songwriter gave it four out of five stars, calling the results “finished, overdubbed and finely crafted tunes” consistent with “the act’s classic, unembellished and ageless rock and roll.” The record spans Brit-pop to power pop to what the review calls an “almost metal attack,” a snapshot of the band at a specific creative moment, finally available. The February 27 Woodstock date comes one night after a Homer, NY show, part of a multi-state 2026–2027 run. Carsie Blanton and The Burning Hell open.
Venue & Logistics
Colony Woodstock sits at 22 Rock City Road in Woodstock, NY, in a building that opened in 1929 as the tallest structure in town, originally a hotel where visitors came to dine and hear big bands in the great room. It is now one of the Hudson Valley‘s more reliable live music rooms. For a band that once traded stages with Tom Petty, a 150-person room is part of the draw. Doors at 6 p.m.; show at 7 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets run $55–$86. No refunds. Attendees under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Buy tickets