Trucks, Trains, and Telecasters: A Review of Citizen Slim

“After the apocalypse, all that’s left is cockroaches and Telecasters,” claims Citizen Slim’s Ryan Fitzsimmons. The band certainly made this declaration come true at their first post-COVID show. The band is fronted by Ryan Fitzsimmons and Greg Klyma, the lead guitarists and songwriters, who play on dual Teles. They are joined by Chris DeSanty on drums and Tom Bianchi on bass, and all together form a distinctly country sound with rock-fueled guitar solos and grooves. Their opening song of the night, Klyma’s “Rock Out,” proclaimed, “I want to rock out like a high school kid!” And for the next two hours, they did.

Although their musicianship is of the highest caliber, the tone of the night was casual and often comedic. When one song featured a surprise trombone appearance, it was described as a “surprise boning,” and who could forget the loud announcement, “your amp just farted!” Meanwhile, Bianchi’s simple but catchy tune, “I Can Fuck It Up,” which, ironically enough, he did forget a verse of, had everyone laughing and sharing in his good humor.

But underneath the jokes and camaraderie are serious musicians who could jam out for hours if given the chance. On Klyma’s song “Jane,” Fitzsimmons launched into a ferocious guitar solo, in which he kneeled on the ground and almost appeared to be attacking his guitar. He utilized his pedal setup to push past the limits of his instrument and take the audience higher. At one point, towards the end of the searing solo, he turned to face his amp, bringing the guitar closer and further from it to create a distinctive sound. 

But the band is more than mere showmanship — they transition seamlessly from song to song, going from laid-back country beats to energetic guitar riffs without pause. This movement is symbolic of the way they toe the line between catchy country melodies and complex playing styles. They are masters of dramatic endings and keeping the crowd entertained every fiery second.

Keeping with rock ‘n’ roll tradition, nearly all of their songs revolve around automobiles, and as the band declared emphatically, “We’re Citizen Slim, and our mission statement is trucks, trains, and telecasters.” Indeed, their second-to-last song was titled just that. This song truly summed up their show and style, paying homage to their guitar prowess and fascination with 18-wheelers. In an intense instrumental break, Bianchi turned behind him to face DeSanty at the drum kit, and Klyma and Fitzsimmons soon joined to form a four-man circle of musicians rocking out to end the night. The show concluded with all four laughing as they walked off stage.

The Burren, 5/9/24