It was a wild night out at Irving Plaza in the East Village on Friday, February 28, with a show featuring the alternative/indie rock band Andy Frasco and The U.N. In fact, it was a plain all-out, high-energy spectacle, and I wish you could have experienced it with me! Although the “start time” was 8:00 pm, Andy Frasco and The U.N. stormed the stage at 10 pm looking like a band of disheveled, and borderline maniacal yet delightfully schizophrenic musical performers and played nonstop for a full one hour and a half!
A Throwback Band to the 70s and 80s
Andy Frasco and the U.N. is a sinfully decadent throwback to wild and nostalgic rock concerts from the 70s and 80s, with sing a-long lyrics usually centered on blue collar themes, aphorisms, and stories about life experiences. Frasco’s live show is the stuff of legend— an unpredictable, euphoric, and borderline chaotic experience that’s part concert, part all-out party, and part full-blown spectacle. Reminiscent of a cross between the 70s Glam Rock and live stage sound of Ian Hunter’s Mott the Hoople, combined with the melodies and story-telling of Simon and Garfunkel, blended with a comedic writing style like Randy Newman, Frasco brings his nostalgic take on genre-bending music to both new and familiar places.
Whether it’s leading massive singalongs, stage-diving into the crowd, or swapping instruments mid-song, Frasco turns every performance into an unforgettable, feel-good communal experience. His ability to blend rock, funk, jam, and blues with raw humor and unfiltered storytelling has made him one of the most dynamic and compelling performers on the road today. Mihali (lead singer/guitarist of Twiddle) was the great opening band, which made this a must-see event for fans who love electrifying, genre blurring performances.
Colorful Stage Set and Props
Predictably, there was a large drum set located on a riser center stage with the Andy Frasco and The U.N. Laker’s basketball-styled logo printed on the front of the kick drum. Most prominently, the first thing that appeared lighted was Andy Frasco’s Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In flowery and multi colored lettered font in blue, white, and yellow stylized to a circa early 1970s backdrop projected behind the band, taking up the full back wall behind the drum kit and riser.
The next main prop gets dragged out by the crew before the performers take the stage. It appeared to be a large brown wooden piece of furniture I called “Central Headquarters.” This is essentially a modified electric piano and synthesizer used as Frasco’s main instrument, with a retractable top ledge that also can rise an additional two feet in the air. It was also used by the musicians so they could get a running start and jump on top of it. That’s where they would stand and play their wild and wacky guitar and saxophone solos while the electronic wooden “elevator” raised the soloist to new heights in the air!
Frasco’s wild guitarist Shawn Eckels was no stranger to “Central Headquarters.” Eckels used it effectively several times, often jumping on it sideways, landing on his side while almost instantaneously flailing his legs wildly and spastically thrashing his arms and legs in the air while violently strumming his guitar. Frasco’s tenor saxophone player would simply climb on during a song, ride the elevator to the top, and stand there looking cool while blowing two to three minute solos.
This show comes ahead of Frasco’s 10th studio album, Growing Pains (out on May 23rd) which features his latest single, Try Not to Die, which was performed early during the set. Other notable original songs performed by the band were Crazy Things, Somedays, Dancing Around My Grave, Spill the Beans, and Puff Break (Believe That). The band also covered some popular songs, including their wild version of La Bamba and Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine.
Unpredictable Stage Antics
One of the biggest highlights of the evening was when Frasco went out off stage into the massive audience, and told everyone to hold hands in a circle. He then motioned the frenzied crowd to follow his lead by going right or left to a raucous rendition of the Jewish wedding dance song Od Yishama played by the band. Shortly thereafter, Frasco was doing it wearing a silver-colored elderly lady’s wig!
The new album Growing Pains, produced by Frasco himself for the first time, features collaborations with Billy Strings, G. Love, and Eric Krasno, and captures the unfiltered, larger-than-life energy that has made him one of the most compelling figures in modern music. Beyond the stage, Frasco has built a deeply engaged fan base through his World Saving Podcast viral variety series, and unpredictable live antics, making every show feel like something bigger than just a concert—it’s a total visceral experience.
Check out Andy Frasco and the U.N. at one of their next concerts. andyfrasco.com
Read this article on Andy Frasco and the U.N. at Irving Plaza where I originally wrote it in The Village View:
Kaju Roberto is an accomplished musician, singer/ songwriter, journalist, and an award-winning producer. He is the artist Rad Jet on Spotify.