Pat DiNizio at the Cake Shop

Pat DiNizio is a solo artist and lead vocalist of the Smithereens, the group he helped form in New Jersey in 1980. In 2000, he was also a politician, campaigning an unsuccessful run for the United States Senate, and in 2001 he was a host and program director for XM Radio. In addition to the Smithereens' albums, DiNizio has also released four solo albums, the latest of which is 2009’s Pat DiNizio Sings Buddy Holly.

DiNizio performed solo, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, at the Cake Shop tonight as part of the CBGB’s Festival. He is a big man with a greatly imposing stature, and yet he sang his baritone softly and strummed his guitar delicately. The Smithereens specialized in three-minute/three-chord pop tunes, and DiNizio maintained the tradition. His set consisted primarily of short and simple songs, including the Smithereens’ “Only a Memory” and other fan favorites. Surprisingly, however, he also covered Black Sabbath’s heavy metal “Paranoid,” which possibly he alone in history could turn into a slow, sensitive ballad. DiNizio is a well-rounded performer in more ways than one.

Visit Pat DiNizio at www.patdinizio.net