Several months back, I managed to straddle the divide between the good and bad, young and old concert-going experience in just one evening. It’s no coincidence, of course, that I was still 29-years-old back then–well on my way to becoming the “Snack Wells and Cat Lady” I would be at the stroke of thirty. In any case, the evening started at the Nomad–not a bad place to hear music, mind you. I do have fond memories of catching ska concerts there back when it was called Five Corners.
I can’t recall which band was playing this night, but I do remember them being so loud as to cripple the conversation I was trying to have with a hot’un 25-year-old at the bar. (I first spotted him on MySpace and then worked the courage. Last time I’d ever try that one.)
The deafening decibels got old after so long, even while ogling the mop-haired cutie didn’t. I eventually went for a stroll, ending up at the The Viking Bar (1829 Riverside Ave.) a few blocks over, where a trio of gray hairs were plucking swing and bebop at reasonable, acoustic levels. As I’m sure you can imagine, the evening turned on its head just then and improved ten-fold, despite the fact that, by then, I was in the company of a pity-partying, forty-something divorcee. But I was able to ignore him, mostly, because the music was so good. And while I didn’t exactly get out of my seat and dance that night, I did bounce around quite a lot.
I bring this all up to plug The Viking Bar’s Wednesday night Jackson’s Juke Joint concerts–yet another series of grown-up music events. Tonight brings the First Annual Rock & Roll Polka Fest with Daddy Squeeze’s Polka Pals plus the Tin Star Sisters. It all starts at a very reasonable 7 p.m.
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