THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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1995 - Concert Dates

The Presidents Of The United States Of America (PUSA):

Lineup: Chris Ballew (Vocals, Basitar), Dave Dederer (Guitbass, Vocals) and Jason Finn (Drums, Vocals)

1995-01-14

OK Hotel, Seattle, WA

Setlist

1995-01-25

Moe, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Supernova show. Chris Ballew joined the stage for their last song, and sang up a little. There was no Presidents of the USA show.

Opening band was Cat Food

1995-02-17

Weathered Wall, Seattle, WA

Setlist

1995-02-25

Occidental Park, Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Pioneer Square Fat Tuesday

Free outdoor concert

The Presidents of the United States, the Daddies, Leftover Salmon and Hit Explosion!

1995-02-25

Jimmy Z's, Everett, WA

Setlist

"They played and played and played. They just didn't want to quit. The guy said last song and they played about four more. Chris was just not going to leave! It was wonderful."

with Stuntman (former Treepeople)

1995-03-02

OK Hotel, Everett, WA

Setlist

Kristin Barry with Chris Ballew.

1995-03-03

Viva Zapata!, Satyricon, Portland, OR

Kick Out the Jams / Kitty / Video Killed the Radio Star / Little Indian Princess / Feather Pluckin / Bug City / Lump / Stranger / Puffy Little Shoes / Peaches / Naked and Famous

Benefit for a Home Alive/Mia Zapata Fund.

with Foo Fighters

Audience Tape

Notes:

Wikipedia says that this was the first public performance by the Foo Fighters, but according to foofighterslive.com this was their second public performance. Foo Fighters set was also taped.

1995-03-04

Moe's, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Popllama record release party for their Self-Titled debut album.

with Ottoman Bigwigs, Geraldine Fibbers

Press:

The Presidents of the United States, the minimalist trio with the non-minimalist name, unveil their long-awaited, self-titled debut CD tomorrow night (1995-03-04) at Moe. The Presidents - Chris Ballew, Dave Dederer and Jason Finn (who recently left his other band, Love Battery, to devote full time to the Presidents' ticket) - are currently big-time, label-signing darlings, one of the most talked-about and highly desired bands out of Seatown. But the gang o' three, whose songs usually have something to do with amphibians or sex - or amphibians having sex - have for the moment sidestepped the biggies and are putting out the new record on Northwest-based PopLlama.

1995-03-10

Under Acme, New York, NY

Setlist

1995-03-13

Brownies, New York, NY

Setlist

1995-03-17

SXSW showcase - Steamboat, Austin, TX

TV Eye (Cover) / Kitty

Incomplete setlist

ASCAP's Annual SXWS Showcase.

Showcase that got Presidents of the USA signed (Sony/Columbia), and also The Refreshments who got signed to Mercury Records.

with The Stuntman, Sardina, Vitreous Humor, The Refreshments, Lustro

1995-03-25

King Cat Theater, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Joan Jett, with the Presidents of the United States, Hater, Chagrin and Kathleen Hanna; $10

1995-04-01

Live Room, Seattle, WA

Setlist

The remarkable folk-rock-psychedelic musician Jason Trachtenberg will be performing on the Live Room on April Fools Day.

Tune in and turn on for this special show on KCMU 90.3 FM, 8-9 pm, on April 1.

Accompanying Trachtenberg will be Chris Ballew from the Presidents of the United States of America, playing bass.

1995-04-20

Moe's, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Artists for a Hate Free America Benefit

with Green Apple Quickstep

1995-04-22

OK. Hotel, Seattle, WA

TV Eye / Lunatic To Love / Puffy Little Shoes / Video Killed Radio Star / Peaches / Lump / Naked And Famous / Supersonics / Stranger / Back Porch / Feather Pluckn / Bug City ( Different Chorus) / Dune Buggy / Candy Cigarette / Lip / Tremblo Blooz / Kitty / Body

Audience Tape

1995-04-25

Seattle, WA

Setlist

1995-04-28

Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA

Body

" So we finally get Neil Patrick Harris over there. Chris asked if he would come up on stage and teach us some anatomy and Neil declined. After the rest of us went in, Neil went back to Chris and asked if he could get the other three people in. Chris wrote him a note that said, "Let this nice young man and his friends in!" So the rest of the crew got in.
It was a rocking good time. Neil was jamming out and they dedicated BODY to, "All the doctors in the crowd and to all the people who just play doctors on TV." We all cheered for Neil."

Rest of the setlist remains a mystery.

1995-04-29

Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Venue details unknown. Might also be "Live Room". Details wanted!

1995-04-30

The Backstage, Seattle, WA

Presidents worked as judges.

No PUSA show

The winners of American Music's Guitar Starz V contest last Sunday were Rattlesnake Dick (acoustic guitar), Glen Lynskey (electric guitar) and Jason Martin (bass), who also will be the new bassist for the art of noise outfit Tchkung! AM Guitar Starz coordinator Mary Truscott said the members of the Presidents of The United States of America - part of the panel of judges - "added a distinctly bipartisan flavor to the proceedings."

1995-05-12

Moe's, Seattle, WA

Setlist

With Laundry, Superdeluxe

Review:

Live at Moe's Rockin' Cafe

One thing that you can always expect to have at a Presidents show is fun. Crazy, sweaty, intoxicated fun. The music is upbeat, the band is rowdy and there's always the opportunity to dance to those kinda funky pop songs that are currently winning fans over by the hundreds here in Seattle.

This particular gig was opened by Laundry, a free jazz wanna-be outfit that featured standup bass, drums and electric guitar. All three guys being decked out in matching lounge jackets didn't really help the situation much, as the performance and songwriting left quite a bit to be desired. In between songs it was difficult to hear even a smattering of applause.

Superdeluxe reversed the gears and pulled the crowd in with their retro chic fashion sense and sweetsexy vocals. Thick guitar sounds filtered into sugary pop progressions for much of the set while vocal harmonies occasionally appeared in the spaces. With enough stage patter to rival your favorite Vegas act, Superdeluxe kept the crowd swinging during their hour long set that included "She Came On", "Half Asleep" and "Suitcases".

As bubbles wafted through the air, Christmas lights beamed, and illuminated raspberries fell to the floor, Superdeluxe got the crowd hot and sweaty for the headlining act.

When President Chris Ballew took the stage, instead of launching into the smashing set that has become their reputation, he introduced guitarist Chris Atella. Clad in a dark overcoat, Atella worked his electric guitar at a superhuman level of speed and technical precision for a devastating five minute solo.

Returning to the stage with the rest of his band (including drummer Jason Finn in a stunning house dress), Ballew joked about his own guitar playing inadequacies. The crowd didn't seem to care much what Ballew thought, as the room started shaking to the sounds of "We're Not Gonna Make It", the self depreciating rock 'n' roll anthem the band covered on their self titled debut album on Pop Llama Records.

Without a break in the action The Presidents fired through a good number of songs from the record including, "Boll Weevil", "Bug City", "Dune Buggy" (they like to play all the bug songs in a row), "Body", and their rather critical tribute to the local basketball team, the Supersonics.

Although the whole set was chalk full of hyperactive stage antics (leaps, bounds, wild gesticulations, etc.), highlights might have been the Dave Dederer/ Chris Ballew guitar cross, or maybe the high fives, of maybe Ballew's vocalized air guitar solo. Of course, the crowd always loves going back in time for the Buggles early eighties hit, "Video Killed the Radio Star".

As Dederer told the audience that the set was drawing to a close, the room suddenly filled with hundreds of cat sounds. This is the ritual mating call for "Kitty", the opening track on the album.

Although the Presidents chose not to play that song, they ended with "Peaches", before retiring to the backstage for about two seconds to grab fresh drinks. Upon their return, the crowd jolted with energy to Ballew's whiny suggestion that they 'rawck till dawn'.

A rowdy version of "Kick Out the Jams" followed before an unprecedented party spontaneously set the room buzzing with joy. As the Presidents rocked through "Naked and Famous", an overzealous fan stripped to the skin and danced on stage for several moments before a security guy chased him behind the drum risers. Of course, there could be no better ending to a rock show, save Ballew's suggestion that we all get naked and shower together.

1995-05-13

Bellingham, Seattle, WA

Setlist

with Micron 7

1995-05-22

Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Presidents of the USA, Thurston Moore Trio, Guided By Voices

Review:

The Crocodile Cafe hasn't seen a bash like the one last Monday in a year or two of Mondays. You couldn't make a move without stepping on a star. In fact, it was pretty hard to move at all. Things were nicely cozy.

For live entertainment, besides celebrity-ogling, the Croc presented the Presidents of the United States of America, who, as lead singer Chris Ballew put it, "vomited out a short set"; the psychedelic, surf-instrumental wonderment of the Thurston (Sonic Youth) Moore Trio; and Guided By Voices, who were guided by voices all their own.

1995-05-26

Pine Street Theater, Portland, OR

Kick Out The Jams / Feather Pluckn / Lump / Dune Buggy / Bug City / Candy / Video Killed Radio Star / Twig / Little Indian Princess / Back Porch / Kitty / We're Not Gonna Make It / Peaches

Audience Tape

1995-05-27

Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA

Setlist

They Might Be Giants with The Presidents Of The USA

1995-05-27

Backstage, Seattle, WA

Setlist

with Super Sonic Soul Pimps and Jason Trachtenberg

1995-06-16

Backstage, Seattle, WA

Carolyn's Bootie (with Dave on drums, and Jason on guitbass)

with Super Sonic Soul Pimps, Jason Trachtenberg

Audience tape

1995-06-17

Fremont Fair, Roof of Graham's Studio, Seattle, WA

Setlist

Press:

"It's Fremont Fair weekend and once again, rock 'n' roll bands usually seen only in saloons will be illegally playing on the studio roof of the industrial artist and social gadfly known simply as Graham. Expected to perform are Model Rockets, the Quitters (made up of musicians that have quit other bands), Johnny Webelo and, just returned from the Big Apple, the Presidents of the United States of America."

1995-06-18

Fremont Fair, Roof of Graham Graham's Studio Seattle, WA

Setlist

Presidents played two shows. Saturday (17th), and Sunday (18th)

1995-06-21

Setlist

1995-06-25

Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA

Handwritten setlist matches to a recording of this show (except the last track). If anyone has the recording of this show. Please contact me.

Kick Out The Jams / Kitty / Lunatic To Love / Puffy Little Shoes / Video Killed The Radio Star / Tremblo Blooz / Little Indian Princess / Bug City / Monkey River / Lump / Supermodel / Mach 5 / TV Eye

Audience Tape

1995-06-26

Seattle Studios, Seattle, WA

Setlist

? Tape

1995-06-26

Crocodile, Seattle, WA

Setlist

The Crocodile Cafe will have a live CD recording party Monday with the Fastbacks, the Presidents of the United States of America and Chixdiggit.

1995-07-07

Pain In The Grass, Mural Amphitheater, Seattle, WA

Kick Out The Jams / Bug City / Body / Feather Pluckn / Baby You're A Rich Man / Lump / Boll Weevil / Video Killed Radio Star / Stranger / Back Porch / Little Indian Princess / Twig / Naked And Famous / Peaches / Sweet Emotion / Dune Buggy

with The Lemons, 50 Paces

PUSA let people join on stage and dance ("rule" was two at the same time). During Video Killed The Radio star Chris Ballew's niece Lisa joins the stage, and sing a bit with Chris.

Audience Tape, and Audience Video (Primary Peaches)

Press:

"A Pain in the Grass" - a free concert series at the Seattle Center Mural Amphitheater - boasts a strong lineup of local bands.

The fifth annual all-ages rock series, produced by rock journalist Jeff Gilbert and hosted by KISW-FM

1995-07-08

KCMU Radio (now KEXP), Seattle, WA

Video Killed The Radio Star / Bug City / Twig In The Wind / Back Porch / Mach 5 / Monkey River (listen) / Lump / Tremolo Blooz / Candy / Candy Cigarette / Kitty / Froggie

PUSA plays in front of a small studio audience. Earliest circulating version of Monkey River. Next available live recording is from 2004!

Radio Broadcast

Released on extremely rare bootleg CD-R "On The Air"

1995-07-15

RKCNDY, Seattle, WA

Setlist

with Tiger, Static

1995-07-16

RKCNDY, Seattle, Seattle, WA

We're Not Gonna Make It / Kitty / Feather Pluckn / Baby You're A Rich Man / Supermodel / Twig / Dune Buggy / Bug City / Puffy Little Shoes / Video Killed The Radio Star / Body / Lump / Everybodys Happy Nowadays / Mach 5 / Lunatic To Love / Peaches / You Shook Me All Night Long /Naked And Famous / Kick Out The Jams

Setlist & date belongs to a previous night?

? Tape

1995-07-30

Moe's, Seattle, WA

Kick Out The Jams / Video Killed The Radio Star / Lump

Presidents played a whole set, and lump couple of times. Setlist is incomplete.

with Sicko

Press:

The Presidents of the United States of America will present a special el cheapo show ($2 or under) at Moe's Sunday between 8 and 10 p.m. for their first official video shoot. Not only can you see the Presidents, you can be in their video.

1995-08-xx

AUGUST US PROMO TOUR

photo by Steven Grant LaRose

Presidents played 50 promo shows in 3 weeks! Including:

Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA
Pink's Hot Dog Stand, Los Angeles, CA
Washington Square Park, New York City + 4 others shows on same day in NYC
Polynesian Room, Minneapolis
Flatbed truck, Minneapolis
Bowling alley, Chicago, IL
Inner Harbour, Baltimore
Pacific Beach, San Diego
Newbury Street, Boston, MA

If you know more details about these shows & dates, please help. Photos, Setlists, etc. wanted!

"On our first promo tour of the US and Europe we played in a bunch of crazy places. All of those that you have listed plus on the street in Santa Monica, in a video game parlor in Atlanta, in the lobby of 550 Madison Ave. Sony Bldg in NY, in various record "one stops" (big wholesale warehouses for CDs back when people used to buy them), at a sports bar in NY, in lots of record stores in the US and Europe, on the board room table of some radio station somewhere in the US (yes, we actually set up our amps and tiny promo gig drum kit on top of a board room table when we met with one of the few stations not playing "Lump" in late summer 1995...and the program director and DJs came in to meet us and we stood up on the table and played a few songs)...probably some other crazy places I can't think of right now...this was all in August (US) and September (Europe) of 1995.

On a riverboat in Sacramento! In 100 degree weather.

On a phony mississippi-river style "side-wheeler" on the Seine in Paris...not just tied up, but floating around the Seine with a boatload of journalists!

On a tour boat touring the canals of Amsterdam, again with a bunch of journalists...the boat motored around and we played a short set!

Later, when II came out, we did a few other funny ones, including a huge promo gig at Bercy complex in Paris where we were set up on a stage in an ice rink and contest winners had to wear skates and skate around while we played!"

- Dave Dederer

Press:

"The band played more than 50 shows during the three-week, 15 market promotional tour, including performances on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif., Pink's hot dog stand in Hollywood, Calif., and Washington Square Park in New York, which was just one of the band's five gigs in the Big Apple that day.

1995-08-03

3rd Street Mall, Santa Monica, CA

Feather Pluckn / Video Killed The Radio Star / Lump / Dune Buggy / Kitty / Back Porch / Boll Weevil / Mach 5 / Little Indian Princess / We're Not Gonna Make It / Peaches

Audience Tape

1995-08-04

KWOD (106.5 FM), Sacramento, CA

Lump

"But while I was keeping KWOD real, the music industry was always presenting me with music that I didn't feel fit KWOD's direction. Like, I tried hard to avoid goofy stuff. But on my birthday on August 4, a Seattle band called Presidents of the United States of America were guests on my show as we talked about their funny act. They played "Peaches" live on the show, although the band's current single was "Lump." The label knew that I wasn't warming up to the nutty song so they had the band do some of their other songs to show me that they had several fun songs. I admit the guys were funny and as the band was closing the interview, one of them threw in a plug for "Lump." I ended up playing the song and other funny follow-up songs by the group." - Alex Cosper

Radio Show

1995-08-05

Kitsap County Fairgrounds, Kitsap Bowl (Endfest), Seattle, WA

Setlist

End Fest with Bush, Everclear, Gin Blossoms, Catherine Wheel, Throwing Muses, Better Than Ezra, face to face, Supersuckers, The Presidents of the United States of America, Korn, Hagfish and Dambuilders

Press:

The Presidents of the United States of America - The buzz is on about this funtime Seattle band, soon to be heard on a major label. Will its wild, beer-soaked club energy fade in the afternoon sun? Nah!

Review:

"I have fond memories of the first time I saw PUSA live. It was at Endfest '95 at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. The Presidents performed right before Korn on the second stage. They had the kids (myself included) pogoing up and down, joyously bouncing to "Peaches," "Lump" and just about every other song from their excellent self-titled debut record." - Travis Hay

1995-08-06

Champoeg Park Amphitheater, St Paul, OR

Setlist

Radio festival (sponsored by KBBT-AM 970 The Beat).

with Bush, Better Than Ezra, Everclear Throwing Muses

1995-08-20

Brewstock '95, Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, WA

ticket scan by Toby Dodds

Kick Out The Jams / Feather Pluckn / Baby You're A Rich Man / Bug City / Lump / Stranger / Dune Buggy / Mach5 / Peaches / Little Indian Princess / Back Porch / Boll Weevil / Honky Tonk Masquerade (Joe Ely cover) / Kitty / Video Killed The Radio Star / Supermodel / Naked And Famous

Chris broke a string before Back Porch, and played it with one string basitar! After the Back Porch, Dave & Jason played Honky Tonk Masquarade.

with Second Coming, The Ape Hangers, Archers of Loaf, The Posies, and Pavement.

Audience Tape

Press:

Brewstock '95, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Cheney Stadium, Tacoma. Must be 21 or older; $15 a day or $25 for both days.

1995-09-02

Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA

Posteer - Bumbershoot - Seattle - PUSA / Presidents Of The United States Of America

Setlist

Presidents played at 3pm

25th Anniversary Bumbershoot on Laber Day Weekend

Press:

"It's Bumbershoot's 25th anniversary, and they do it up big with a Jimi Hendrix exhibit, guitar festival and tribute concert, with Jimi's Experience band mate Noel Redding, George Clinton and others. New York rockers The Ramones and Patti Smith both draw big crowds. The Presidents of the United States of America play music that makes you laugh. And the whole Warped Tour touches down at Bumbershoot, featuring No Doubt, L7 and Sublime. In contrast, there's the classy jazz of the legendary Mel Torme and the bittersweet country / folk of the returning Lucinda Williams." - Seattle Times

1995-09-02

Coliseum, Seattle, WA

Supermodel / Body / Bug City / Naked And Famous / Back Porch / Mach 5 / Sissy Radish / Dune Buggy / Lump / Peaches / Video Killed The Radio Star / We're Not Gonna Make It

Audience Tape. Released On CD "Naked and Famous"

1995-09-04

European Promo Tour!

European promo tour. Most likely took place in September 4 - September 19

More details wanted!

1995-09-05

Manchester Academy, Manchester, United Kingdom

Setlist

Foofighterslive.com: The show was part of the BBC Radio 1 promotion 'In The City', so they may have aired some of the show.

PUSA opened for Foo Fighters

1995-09-06

2 Meter Sessies, NOB Audiostudio 1, Hilversum, Netherlands

Body / Lump / Peaches (Video) / Supermodel / Twig

Sessie #520

Soundboard tape

1995-09-21

Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco, CA

Setlist

1995-09-22

Cattle Club, Sacramento, CA

Setlist

with Slider and Salmon

1995-09-23

Cactus Club, San Jose, CA

Poster - Presidents Of The USA - PUSA - 1995-09-23

Kitty / Peaches / We're Not Gonna Make It / Lump / Stranger / Kick Out The Jams / Feather Pluckin / Baby You're A Rich Man / Boll Weevil / Dune Buggy / Carolyn's Bootie

with Slider and Salmon

Soundboard Tape, Released on CD "No Strings Attached", "Kung-Fu-Fun" and "Satellite 6"

1995-09-26

Whiskey, Los Angles, CA

Setlist

with Dag and Slider

1995-09-27

Backdoor, Tijuana, San Diego, CA

Setlist

with Dag and Slider

1995-09-29

Boston's, Phoenix, AZ

Ticket - Poster - Setlist - PUSA - Boston

Setlist

All Ages show.

with Dag

1995-10-01

Golden West, Albuquerque, NM

Setlist

with Dag

1995-10-03

Emo's, Austin, TX

Setlist

1995-10-04

Urban Art Bar, Houston, TX

Setlist

with Dag

1995-10-05

Galaxy Club, Dallas, TX

Setlist

With Chixdiggit, Super Deluxe

1995-10-07

Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO

Setlist

this was listed previously under venue "Lions Lair"

with Dag

1995-10-09

DV-8, Salt Lake City, UT

Setlist

with Dag

1995-10-17

Moore Theater, Seattle, WA

Setlist

With Chixdiggit, Super Deluxe

1995-10-30

Nickelodeon's Help-A-Thon

Lump / Kitty

Nickelodeon's second annual Big Help-A-Thon.

TV performance.

1995-11-01

The Bottleneck, Lawrence, Kansas

Setlist

1995-11-07

Peabody's Downunder, Cleveland, Ohio

Ticket - Poster - Presidents Of The USA / PUSA - Cleveland

Setlist

1995-11-09

Lee's Palace, Toronto, Canada

Kick Out The Jams / Feather Pluckin' / Baby You're A Rich Man / Boll Weevil / Back Porch / Bug City / Lump / Candy / Kitty / Lunatic To Love / Dune Buggy / Devil In A Sleeping Bag / Mach 5 / Feel Like Makin' Love / Peaches / Body / Stranger / Naked & Famous / We're Not Gonna Make It

Kick Out The Jams from this show was officially released. Check out B-Side Guide for more info

Soundboard Tape, Released on CD "Funk Punk & Twang"

1995-11-12

Paradise Club, Boston, MA

Kick Out The Jams / Feather Pluckn / Baby You're A Rich Man / Boll Weevil / Puffy Little Shoes / Back Porch / Lump / Bug City / Dune Buggy / Little Indian Princess / Tube Amplifier / Naked & Famous / Man / Tremblo Blooz / Feel Like Making Love / Peaches / Kitty / Lunatic To Love / Video Killed Radio Star / We're Not Gonna Make It

??? Tape, Released on CD "Everybody Supernova"

1995-11-13

Club Babyhead, Providence, Rhode Island

Kick Out the Jams / Feather Pluckn / Boll Weevil / Back Porch / Lump / Stranger / Candy Cigarette/ Naked and Famous/ Dune Buggy / Bug City / Candy / Tube Amplifier/ Supersonics / Feel Like Makin' Love / Peaches / Ladies and Gentlemen Part 1 / Carolyns Booty / Kitty / We Are Not Going Make It

Soundboard Tape, Released on CD "Providenze"

1995-11-14

TLA (Theater of the Living Arts), Philadelphia, PA

Kitty / Lump / Peaches / Dune Buggy

"PUSA definitely played Kitty, Lump, and Peaches. During Dune Buggy, someone threw a blue Matchbox car on stage and Chris jumped on it and smashed it the best he could. "

with Supernova

1995-11-17

David Letterman Show

Lump (YouTube)

In their network television debut, the Presidents of the United States of America perform their breakthrough hit, "Lump"

Soundboard Tape, Available on CD "Kung-Fu-Fun"

1995-11-17

Tramps, New York City, NY

Kick Out The Jams / Feather Pluckn / Boll Weevil / Bug City / Back Porch / Candy / Lump / L.I.P. / Kitty / Mach 5 / Naked And Famous / Toob Amplifier / Peaches / Body / Video Killed The Radio Star / Supermodel / We Are Not Going To Make It

with Supernova

Listen songs from this show

Review:

Simplicity and Also Crunch By Neil Strauss

Songs about a blind spider driving a dune buggy, a kitty that doesn't want to be petted and a lazy boll weevil that won't leave its house were the order of the night when the Presidents of the United States of America performed a sold-out show on Friday at Tramps. Sounds awful, doesn't it? But the Presidents are the most popular band to have emerged from Seattle this year, an antidote to the misery and self-absorption of grunge. They have a Top 40 album, "The Presidents of the United States of America" (Columbia), and a hit single and video for "Lump," a song that's either complete nonsense or about a brain tumor.

At Tramps, the Presidents proved they were more than a one-dimensional novelty band. The music was built for a good time, with one-line choruses, stop-and-start verses and instrumental noises that imitated song lyrics about scratching kittens and bad drum solos. With Chris Ballew playing a two-string bass and Dave Dederer on three-string guitar, the band merged the simplicity of punk rock with the dense, low-end crunch of the disposable hard rock of the 70's and 80's.

The band did get silly at times, dedicating nearly every song to New York City and counting the number of lighters raised in the air. But they were also quick to make fun of themselves, acknowledging the borrowed riffs from their song "Peaches" by prefacing it with Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love." As for critics who might accuse them of being one-video wonders, the band beats them to the punch by ending their set with a version of the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star."

Supernova, which opened the show, made the Presidents seem sophisticated by comparison. Dressed in orange spacesuits, the trio played two- and three-chord punk-rock songs from its album, "Ages 3 and Up" (Amphetamine Reptile). With a wobbly voice similar to Tom Verlaine's, Supernova's bassist, known only as Art, sang about Oreos and drool. For the audience at the club, a good quarter of which hadn't gone through puberty yet, these were probably more appropriate topics than cars and girls.

Audience & Soundboard Tape

1995-11-20

Masquerade, Atlanta, GA

Presidents Of The USA

with Catherine Wheel

1995-11-20

Masquerade, Atlanta, GA

Kick Out The Jams / Lunatic To Love / Boll Weevil / Back Porch / Man / Dune Buggy / Bug City / Lump / Feather Pluckin' / Tube Amplifier / Naked And Famous / Kitty / Stranger / Peaches /// Candy / Mach 5 / Video Killed The Radio Star / Wre Are Not Going To Make It

1995-11-26

Whisky, West Hollywood, LA

Setlist

1995-11-29

London, UK

Lump / Peaches

Soundboard Tape, Released on a bootleg CD Rockin' The Whitehouse

1995-12-01

Paris, France

Setlist

Soundboard Tape

1995-12-03

Logo, Hamburg, Germany

Setlist

with Supergrass

1995-12-04

Loft, Berlin, Germany

Setlist

with Supergrass

1995-12-06

Strom, Munchen, Germany

Setlist

with Supergrass

1995-12-07

Luxor, Köln, Germany

Setlist

with Supergrass

1995-12-09

Noise-Now Festival, Bonn, Germany

Setlist

1995-12-10

Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland

Candy Cigarette / Naked And Famous / Lump / Dune Buggy / Mach 5 / Peaches / We're Not Gonna Make It

With Supergrass

? Tape

"I have so many good memories about this band. 10 December 1995 they played the Paradiso in Amsterdam, together with Supergrass. I don't recall anything about Supergrass that night (I will see them open for Foo Fighters tomorrow night). But P.U.S.A. ruled the stage. One was sick, so they were just with two. I wish I had a recording of that night; it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen." - Mirella

1995-12-12

King Tut's, Glasgow, UK

Setlist

1995-12-13

Manchester University, UK

Setlist

With Kula Shaker

1995-12-14

Garage, London, UK

Poster - Pass - VIP - Access All Areas - Garage London, PUSA

Setlist

with Kula Shaker

1995-12-17

The Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA

Kitty / Feather Pluckin' / Back Porch / Lump / Christmas Piglet / Tube Amplifier / Feel Like Makin' Love - Peaches

KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas

Soundboard Tape, Released on a bootleg CD "No Strings Attached"

1995-12-27

Moe Roc'n Cantina, Seattle, WA

Supersonics

"For broadcast in Times Square, New Year's Eve. At 12 noon, special invite-only show, about 90 people in audience. Countdown to "midnite", TWICE. They screwed it up the first time! They change into Seattle Supersonics uniforms for new song "Supersonics" Hilarious. Lots of confetti, noisemakers, balloons..."

30 minutes audience video

1995-12-31

Moe Roc'n Cafe, Seattle, WA

Feather Pluckn' / Spoonman

Incomplete setlist, and not in 100% correct order. Feather pluckn' and Spooman from this show was released officially on Live At Moe compilation.

A live Internet broadcast is happening this New Year's Eve at Moe’s Mo’Roc’N Café in Seattle beginning Sunday, Dec. 31 at 10pm.

The featured bands are:

1) The Presidents of the United States of America
2) The Posies
3) Super Deluxe

The show is being put on by SPRY, CompuServe's Internet
Division and I-music.

"Over at Moe's, co-owner Jerry Everard calls the Seattle club scene "amazing. It can go in any direction, big or small, high-tech or otherwise." Moe's put its New Year's show with the Presidents of the United States of America on the Internet, and Everard says that by the end of February, all of Moe's shows will be on the Net with audio and video feeds. "The technology allows us all kinds of possibilities. And when you're going out to that many people, the size of the club becomes academic." - Seattletimes.com

Press:

"The chart-busting Presidents of the United States of America will be playing New Year's Eve at Moe's, joined by the Posies and Super Deluxe. Tickets are available by lottery only. Entry forms are available only at Moe's, now through Dec. 17. The drawing will be held Dec. 18 and winners will be notified. Tickets cost $18. Good luck."

"The most anticipated, but almost impossible to see, show is the Presidents of the United States of America, the Posies and Super Deluxe at Moe's. The lottery for attendance has already come and gone and the lucky winners have been notified. More than 900 fans entered.

But there might be another way to see the Presidents and more. MTV is doing part of its New Year's Eve Countdown in Seattle with the Presidential Ones. "

"The Moe show was also broadcast live in New York over WNEW-FM. In addition, the Presidents have been voted best new artist of the year by Album Network. And a video for their next single, "Peaches," has been directed by Roman Coppola, who also directed the MTV "Buzz Clip" for "Lump." The Presidents launch their first major American tour next month."

Invite only show. Video taped by an audience member with a permission from PUSA.

40 minutes audience video, Show was also webcasted

1995-12-31

Times Square, New York, NY

Kick Out The Jams / Kitty / Peaches / Video Killed The Radio Star

On New Year's Eve, part of the Presidents' show at Moe's was broadcast live via satellite on the Sony Jumbotron in Times Square, where one of the largest crowds in New York history gathered for the traditional countdown to midnight.

Soundboard Tape, Released on bootleg CD "Kung-Fu-Fun"