Professional Fun: A Review of Amateur Chops

Meet the band that hails “from the unforgiving streets of suburban Massachusetts”: Amateur Chops. True to their name, they won’t bore you with pseudo-professionalism. Instead, they live to entertain. As the previous band exited the stage, lead singer Jeff Ahearn (a.k.a. Scrape from the Cape) introduced Amateur Chops by declaring, “Unfortunately, the talented musician portion of the evening is over.” Jokes like this continued throughout the night — after completing the first song, Ahearn transitioned into the next song by calling out, “enough of that nonsense!” He’s not afraid to acknowledge the band’s mistakes, either. After “Girly Tees,” Ahearn announced, “Something went horribly wrong there,” though truthfully, the audience was none the wiser.

Perhaps the fact that they don’t take themselves too seriously is the key to their success. While Ahearn has spent time as a musician touring in Europe, he much prefers his new, more casual style. “We don’t have to do anything that is other than for the pure love of playing the music,” he tells us, explaining why he’s “having more fun doing this than any other time touring Europe.” From their big smiles, carefree movements, and plentiful beer supply on stage, it was obvious the band was having the time of their lives. 

Even despite all this comedy, Amateur Chops’ musicianship shines through. Their songwriting is insightful and implores the audience to stop and think — “A young man thinks he’s searching / An old man knows he’s on the run,” Ahearn sings in “Go East.” His lyrics are vulnerable and, at times, confessional. In the same song, he admits, “I stand behind bad decisions and easy ways out / The path well worn cannot take me home / Of this I’ve got no doubt.” Ahearn’s masterful songwriting is complemented by the band’s ability to change the mood at the drop of a hat. For instance, “Stuck With Me” begins as a slow ballad, with just Ahearn singing over a gentle keyboard melody. Then, the drums come in harder, and the song immediately becomes more of a punk anthem as Ahearn’s vocals reach a level near shouting. The band’s versatility allows them to master a variety of styles, from humorous to honest, while still staying true to their sound.

When asked about his influences, Ahearn told us, “Any band that you could say, ‘Wow, those guys seem to really be feeling it and might stumble about a bit to get their point across.’ But if it’s real, if it’s emotional, if it’s intelligent, that’s the kind of stuff we like.” After watching the show, we can attest that Amateur Chops certainly lives up to these goals.

Ahearn describes his band humbly: “Crotty plays bass and sings. Brooke plays guitar and sings. Dan plays drums. Dana plays keyboard. I tell jokes and drink beer.” And as simple as it may sound, the audience has a damn good time watching them.

The Burren, 5/23/24