Playing CTGB Night with Members of Guster, Talking Heads, and The Zambonis Caps Off Rock n’ Roll Year

Being a suburban rockmommy is a gift that keeps on giving, especially at gigs like CTGB Night in Fairfield, Conn., this past Sunday, when I joined musicians from Guster, Talking Heads, and other bands for a post-holiday tribute to the iconic CBGB’s nightclub.  

Hosted by rock dad Dave Schneider of The Zambonis, with pals Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads, CTGB Night delivered on its promise of rock n’ roll nostalgia while spotlighting dozens of emerging and established artists playing the tunes that are forever interlinked with the NYC nightclub’s 1980s heyday.

I was honored to join the lineup and sing and play a cover of The Pretenders’ “Message of Love” – one of the band’s lesser-known hits. The selection was serendipitous, as I’d only seen Chrissie Hynde and her band once when they opened for Guns n’ Roses in 2024, and had always wanted to cover a Pretenders tune.   

Yet the best parts of the evening went well beyond my own solo performance, accompanied by guitarists John Pioli and Chris Cavaliere, drummer Kenny Owens, and bassist Alex Swift.

So many moments stood out — like when Scheider brought his 90-year-old dad on stage, or when featured guest Ryan Miller of Guster belted out one of the best versions of Elvis Costello’s hit “Watching The Detectives” I’ve ever heard live. Watching vocal powerhouses Hazel Foley and Liz Ashkins take on classics by Blondie and The Pretenders had me awestruck and begging for voice lessons, while meeting Weymouth was both heartwarming and humbling. She and Franz are possibly the kindest humans on the planet, and I so wish I’d lived in New York City when Talking Heads played at CBGB’s on a regular basis!

Other noteworthy performers included Fairfield dad Matt Smith (Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer”); musician/journalist Rob Tannenbaum (Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime”); and teen sisters Evelyn Ryan (drums) and Ryan Ryan (bass, vocals), whose badass cover of “Bad Reputation” (Joan Jett) was a clear audience favorite.

We closed out the night with all guest vocalists taking the stage with the CTGB house band for a group rendition of The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” a cathartic reminder that the night belonged to us.  

Here’s to hoping this Fairfield tradition stays, as the spirit of CBGB’s continues to thrive in my new home state of Connecticut.

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All photography by Niles Weiss