June 13, 2204 By Patty McDonald
Please join Hingham’s Favorite 80’s band Metamorphosis and special musical guests for a reunion concert at Hingham Harbor’s bandstand on Saturday, 6/22/2024 from 5:00pm-10:00pm. Admission is free.
Flashback to June 28th, 1986 for the first of a series of rock concerts at the Hingham Harbor Bandstand featuring Hingham’s own Metamorphosis. The 1986 concerts were organized by Peggy (Warner) Magner, a lifelong friend of the band’s founding members and fellow Hingham High School (HHS) classmates. Organizing the concert was a labor of love for Magner who was required to obtain permission for the concert series from the Hingham Selectboard in the spring of 1986. Selectman Edward Lewieki stated he would allow the event if, “concert goers behave themselves.” (Hingham Journal, May 22, 1986).
Over 600+ well behaved fans of all ages came to listen to Metamorposis on that warm summer night, which marked the first time rock and roll had ever been played at Hingham Harbor. Although the concert was a huge success, the Hingham Journal reported that members of the “50-year-old bracket did not seem to enjoy the sounds.”
Flash forward to 2024 and the founding members of Metamorphosis – Bow Thayer, Mike Press, John Manley and Paul Rogalski – are still rocking well into their 50s! Once again Magner is leading the charge to bring back rock and roll to route 3A for a special Metamorphosis Reunion Concert on Saturday, 6/22/2024 from 5:00pm-10:00pm.
“This group of guys and friends provided us the highlights of our childhood, our musical playbooks growing up.” states Peggy (Wanner) Magner, “That love of music and the bonds of friendship that is still going strong almost 45 yrs later, is the reason for this reunion, to share the original songs of Metamorphosis & now the original songs of Bow, Mike & Paul.”
Metamorphosis formed in 1981 when the bandmates were only 12 years old. Their musical talents were initially developed as students of Hingham’s South Shore Conservatory (who will be special sponsors to the reunion concert) and then the Hingham High School (HHS) Jazz band where all 4 members graduated in 1985.
Throughout the 1980s Metamorphosis grew in popularity and friends of all ages planned their weekends around their concert schedule. The band always played to sold out audiences during their many concerts at the St. Pauls Church Auditorium and participated in Hingham events such as the 4th of July parade and Annual Sidewalk Sales in downtown Hingham.
Playing in Metamorphosis was only the beginning of long successful music careers for its members. Bow Thayer and Mike Press went on to form the highly successful Boston band, 7 League Boots with Hingham classmate Richard Feins. The group toured for 3 years sharing the stage with bands including Fugazi, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Buffalo Tom, & Beck.
After 7 League Boots disbanded in the mid 1990’s, Thayer and Press formed the band Elbow, which was successful in the Boston and New York markets. Press then moved to the West Coast and Bow headed to the Green Mountains of Vermont to pursue life and music solo careers.
Press produced and recorded the critically acclaimed album Keep your Head in 2007. Press’s new album Lil’ Sugar A lot of Salt, which was produced by the late great Grammy winner and producer Paul Nelson, is set to be released on June 16, 2024.
Bow went on to create other bands, The Benders, Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck and has compiled over 30 albums, along with creating the highly successful Tweed River musical Festival which ran for five years.
Bass player Paul Rogalski moved to Colorado where he met his talented wife Jessica. They formed Mojomama and started a music school for children, many of which have been showcased in Memphis and have won various music awards. Mojomama is currently in the top 10 on Colorado Blues & Roots charts!
John Manley continued to rock in many local Boston bands over the years while he raised his family in Hingham. “It is very special and unique to have such a large group of friends from Hingham still be involved in each others lives and family,” states Manley, “We are all looking forward to them reconnecting with us once again at the reunion concert”
Please join Hingham’s Favorite 80’s band Metamorphosis and special musical guests for a reunion concert at Hingham Harbor’s bandstand on Saturday, 6/22/2024 from 5:00pm-10:00pm. Admission is free!
Event Details:
Bring a picnic dinner, Bathing Beach Restaurant will be open
Carry in carry out all trash
NO PARKING at Boat Loading Lot!!!!!
Parking at Bathing Beach Lot-overflow at Station Street
Commemorative T-Shirts, stickers & Posters will be for sale.
Please visit the sites below to learn more about the members of Metamorphosis
Bow Thayer – https://bowthayer.com
Mike Press – https://mikerophonepress.com
Paul Rogalski – https://mojomama.net
This is nice but I find it interesting that not once did the Anchor write about a current band from hingham with a very similar story. Learn to Speak. Founded by 3 Hingham students plus 2 others. Started as music students at SSC. Started in bans at 12. Write originals. On Spotify. Play both originals and covers including 80s tunes ironically. The lead singer organized once a month all ages shows at the CNote in hull for 4 years and raised over $27K during the course of her high school years for charity. They also sell out shows. Play all over Boston area. So while nice to see this why not highlight a current group of extremely talented hingham musicians who all still live here? And btw they are not the only ones. Happy to say there is a vibrant youth music scene here on the South shore…