Modern Day Romeos Expects Laughs at Durty Nellie's

Modern Day Romeos (MDR) storms the rock scene at Durty Nellie’s Saturday, April 30 to perform another crowd-pleasing interactive performance. The show begins at 10 p.m.

MDR has been featured at Durty Nellie’s for at least seven years, and performs covers from the gamut of rock genres, including Motown, Classic Rock, Metal, 80s and 90s hits, and the best hits of 2000 and beyond.

MDR audiences can enjoy material originating from Taio Cruz, Mumford & Sons, Neil Diamond and Aerosmith. This varied foray of music allows Modern Day Romeos to pull a wider demographic than other bands might reach.

“We alter most of the songs to our own style and add a lot of comedy and medleys to make your favorite songs new to you again,” drummer Mike Zaitz said. “Our fan base ranges from 21 to 61 [on a regular basis], and we want to make sure we have something for everyone.”

MDR’s lead vocalist Jim Wojdyla said another element that makes the band distinct is the comedic acts Wojdyla and his band mates deliver in order to open each show.

“We do a special comedic intro before we play [at Durty Nellie’s],” Wojdyla said. "One time only. Never to bee seen again there or at any other venue. We put a lot of time and money into them.”

The “comedy-rock” band incorporated comedic intros into their act seven years ago. Wojdyla was a good candidate to spearhead this addition of material, as he studied improvisation at Chicago’s reputable Second City Training Center.

“We pull out all stops,” Zaitz said. “We’ve made MDR movie parodies of classic pieces like Thriller and Grease as well as SNL [Saturday Night Live] re-makes or spoofs from movies like Blues Brothers and Napoleon Dynamite.”

Other highlights of MDR’s distinct interactive style include band members joining the crowd for “bad-dancing” competitions, making room for a “break-dance circle,” or performing impressions and comedy songs to get the crowd laughing.

“Our goal is to let the room know it’s OK to forget about the week’s troubles for the next three hours,” Wojdyla said.  

So why does MDR continue to execute this goal at Durty Nellie’s several times each year?

“Durty Nellie’s is one of the biggest venues in the area with some of the best lighting and sound you’ll find,” Zaitz said. “Regularly filling it to capacity, we’ve played sold out shows the past two Halloweens, and in prior years have sold out New Year’s Eve in back to back years.”

Durty Nellie’s is located downtown Palatine at 180 N. Smith St. Tickets at $7 at the door. Visit moderndayromeos.com for information on the band. Show details listed at Durty Nellie’s.