DESCRIPTION:
The Violent Femmes perform "Add It Up" to a sold out crowd at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD on Saturday, 9/30/16.

The song is the track 4 (of 12) from the band’s 1983 self-titled debut album. Featured in this video is lead singer and guitarist Gordon Gano. Bassist Brian Ritchie and drummer Victor DeLorenzo formed the band in 1981 in Wisconsin. The New Yorker called it a “quintessential high school album.”

While cliché, the “revolving door” of many a band is the drummer and John Sparrow is the trio’s fourth. He was introduced right before their appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” His presence with Richie and Gano is not new however. He’s played the cajón – boxed-shaped percussion instrument – in the Femmes’ backing band, the Horns of Dilemma, since 2005.

Part of touring is playing your hits. Gano still sings the line “Why can’t I get just one f-ck’’ with the same fervor he did as a high school kid, despite turning 53 in June. It sounds somewhat absurd coming from a grown man, but the crowd loved every bit of it, singing along enthusiastically from start to finish.

He talked with John Kruth of Observer about its survival and new meaning:

“I’ve been thinking about that song lately. I was a teenager when I wrote it. But at what point does sexual frustration end? So it turned out to have greater longevity than I imagined.”

This was the 5th stop on their 12-city fall 2016 tour, which promoted their ninth studio album “We Can Do Anything.” It was released 16 years after the trio’s eighth album, “Freak Magnets” (2/22/00).

You can hear saxophonist Blaise Garza as well.

(Recorded with a Canon 80D, Stage right location).
Shot for www.ParklifeDC.com

I DO NOT OWN RIGHTS TO THE CONTENT OF THIS FOOTAGE. I ONLY RECORDED IT. (Unless otherwise noted I, Theresa C. Sanchez of Red Tess Freelance, LLC, wrote, compiled, and uploaded the above content. Any reuse should be quoted & attributed appropriately). Thank you. Enjoy.