Beru Revue is an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that played that city's club circuit in the 1980s and reunited in 2006. Their live shows were marked by a high level of energy, costume changes and props, often outrageous stage antics, and a great deal of audience participation. They debuted at Grendel's Lair in Philadelphia on September 6, 1981. Although Beru Revue had a strong and loyal local following, they had only a single notable radio hit in their 7-year career, with Hoods A Go-Go. Their songs were noteworthy for a distinctive style ranging from driving R&B-based hard rock to the very danceable, and for Bob Beru's lyrics, which were intelligent and socially conscious, including a heavy dose of humor and sarcasm. Some of the more popular songs dealt with issues such as urban crime, war and politics. Beru's farewell concert was held at the Chestnut Cabaret on September 24, 1988.
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Original Line-up
- Bob "Beru" McCafferty - lead vocals
- Greg "T-Bone" Davis - guitar
- Johnny Sacks - bass
- Jerry Healy - guitar
- Buzz Barkley - keyboards
- Tommy "Sir Thomas Drake" Pinto - drums
Later History
Beru and Davis returned in the early 1990s with a new band, BeruHaHa. In the early 2000s, the members of the band began to talk about holding a reunion, but it soon became clear that health issues would interfere. In October 2004, bassist John Sacks died of colon cancer, and then in December 2005 guitarist Jerry Healy succumbed to emphysema[1]. The remaining members, along with two replacement musicians (Mark Julian Teague of BeruHaHa and Jerry Getz of Philly band The Daves), finally played reunion concerts on November 3 and 4, 2006, at the Grape Street Pub in Manayunk. Both shows sold out rapidly. The band played an additional show on November 22, 2006, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of disc jockey Pierre Robert at radio station WMMR-FM. On April 28, 2007, the above lineup (abetted on several songs by a horn section) played a sold-out show at the Media Theater in Media, PA.
Recordings
Studio: "I Got A Job" LP, Straight-Face Records, 1983. "BeruHaHa" cassette, 1992(?) Live: "Be Careful Tonight" LP, Straight-Face Records, 1984. "Beru Revue Live" CD, 1997 (recorded at shows in 1987-88)
