“Great show, man,” I said as I shook the Strange Boys bassist’s hand. He responded, “Thanks a lot”, and our conversation was almost as long as their set. I had to throw in “man” otherwise we wouldn’t have connected on such a real level. He understood so I walked away, he went back to talking to the two young females that shook his hand before I did. The Strange Boys were among many bands (Mika Miko, The Coathangers, others don’t remember) that played Saturday night (June 13) in Bed Stuy Brooklyn at The Market Hotel. They were by far the best band and played by far the shortest set. The Strange Boys, an Austin, Texas band (we think in their early-20s), are a recent find by the Kennedy family. I read about them in an interview with Patrick Carney, the Black Keys drummer. He said something to the effect of “they will kick your ass every time”… raced to their MySpace, ignored rent and ordered their debut CD, And Girls Club. I haven’t stopped listening for months straight. It’s the best music I have heard since first hearing The Black Keys and The White Stripes. I’m pretty excited.
Back to Bed Stuy. And their concert. First off, the venue, The Market Hotel was a hard find considering there is absolutely no advertising of the place outside. Just a brick wall, a dude chillin’ and a dirty dirty gray door -- so we walked by it, convenient when a visitor to Bed Stuy. Also, I had searched many minutes to find its’ phone number. None found. Just a MySpace saying they rarely sell tickets for shows. When we arrived another dude (dude’s are flockin’ to Bed Stuy this season, birds going south) informed us we will pay between 9 and 15 dollars, our choice. I gave nine, get over it. We walked in. You won’t catch me doing this. It’s not my style. But you’ve got those that don’t watch the concert hangin’ outside the toilets, sitting Indian-style (that’s so offensive?) on the wooden floors, smoking cigarettes, self-rolled…I saw the tobacco pouch!...smoking inside, get over it…the place felt like it was somebody’s attic and we were invited…and it looked like an overgrown bar toilet…you know exactly what I’m saying.
To the main area…in corners there’s couches and people are relaxing waiting for the music like it’s just another Saturday night in Bed Stuy…for me too…it was also bring your own alcohol…and that’s why I brought my East Pack, seven sixteen-ouncers will do the trick.…more people sitting a certain style on the wooden floors, flicked ash now apart of their designer jeans (somebody must have designed everybody’s jeans, so it applies for all these dudes, dudeettes)…and we proceed to have pointless conversation, the music’s so loud I can’t hear you so we play the leaning into each others ear game every time we gain the motivation to stop acting like I heard what you said…drink your Bud and tap your toe to the rhythm of the pregame musicians…you need to work on your toe-tapping, this is Brooklyn!...
…we headed to the front of the pack when we sensed it was time for The Strange Boys…they were setting up and I sensed a sensation of urination coming…always a key to concert experience…you don’t want to be emptying that Bud when your band is playing their hit song…you haven’t heard it enough on the radio…well, I don’t listen to the radio and The Strange Boys aren’t well enough known yet to have a hit…I wanted to make it back in time to hear All the songs…I got back and my brother was in a different spot…not a problem, more of a positive because in case I get greedy and consider movin’-n-shakin’, more than toe-tappin’ and whisperin’ under breath-rappin’. nobody around me knows me…and a – “Hi all, we’re The Strange Boys from Texas”…they were off…and my head-nodding was in mid-season form…-“Any requests?” and the audience yelled “Should Have Shot Paul”, a Strange Boys song that has McCartney dedicated blog forums going crazy crazy…it’s funny, and don’t get over, simply laugh at “popped the wrong mop-top”…they threw in a Creedence Clearwater cover and 5 or 6 of the classic songs and were done…when it was done, it was a big disappointment – only because we didn’t see the, “This is our last song” coming…coming after the 5th or 6th song played…however, much worth the wait…and Strange Boys, let me know when you’re playing a 6 song set again…I’d seriously go see it…someday though, I have to see a more complete show filled with their entire 16 song catalog…I would also make the trip back to the Market Hotel, I don’t really recommend, but you can take it that way if you must…now go online and purchase And Girls Club by The Strange Boys! And go see them live…if you can make me dance, you must be good.
Back to Bed Stuy. And their concert. First off, the venue, The Market Hotel was a hard find considering there is absolutely no advertising of the place outside. Just a brick wall, a dude chillin’ and a dirty dirty gray door -- so we walked by it, convenient when a visitor to Bed Stuy. Also, I had searched many minutes to find its’ phone number. None found. Just a MySpace saying they rarely sell tickets for shows. When we arrived another dude (dude’s are flockin’ to Bed Stuy this season, birds going south) informed us we will pay between 9 and 15 dollars, our choice. I gave nine, get over it. We walked in. You won’t catch me doing this. It’s not my style. But you’ve got those that don’t watch the concert hangin’ outside the toilets, sitting Indian-style (that’s so offensive?) on the wooden floors, smoking cigarettes, self-rolled…I saw the tobacco pouch!...smoking inside, get over it…the place felt like it was somebody’s attic and we were invited…and it looked like an overgrown bar toilet…you know exactly what I’m saying.
To the main area…in corners there’s couches and people are relaxing waiting for the music like it’s just another Saturday night in Bed Stuy…for me too…it was also bring your own alcohol…and that’s why I brought my East Pack, seven sixteen-ouncers will do the trick.…more people sitting a certain style on the wooden floors, flicked ash now apart of their designer jeans (somebody must have designed everybody’s jeans, so it applies for all these dudes, dudeettes)…and we proceed to have pointless conversation, the music’s so loud I can’t hear you so we play the leaning into each others ear game every time we gain the motivation to stop acting like I heard what you said…drink your Bud and tap your toe to the rhythm of the pregame musicians…you need to work on your toe-tapping, this is Brooklyn!...
…we headed to the front of the pack when we sensed it was time for The Strange Boys…they were setting up and I sensed a sensation of urination coming…always a key to concert experience…you don’t want to be emptying that Bud when your band is playing their hit song…you haven’t heard it enough on the radio…well, I don’t listen to the radio and The Strange Boys aren’t well enough known yet to have a hit…I wanted to make it back in time to hear All the songs…I got back and my brother was in a different spot…not a problem, more of a positive because in case I get greedy and consider movin’-n-shakin’, more than toe-tappin’ and whisperin’ under breath-rappin’. nobody around me knows me…and a – “Hi all, we’re The Strange Boys from Texas”…they were off…and my head-nodding was in mid-season form…-“Any requests?” and the audience yelled “Should Have Shot Paul”, a Strange Boys song that has McCartney dedicated blog forums going crazy crazy…it’s funny, and don’t get over, simply laugh at “popped the wrong mop-top”…they threw in a Creedence Clearwater cover and 5 or 6 of the classic songs and were done…when it was done, it was a big disappointment – only because we didn’t see the, “This is our last song” coming…coming after the 5th or 6th song played…however, much worth the wait…and Strange Boys, let me know when you’re playing a 6 song set again…I’d seriously go see it…someday though, I have to see a more complete show filled with their entire 16 song catalog…I would also make the trip back to the Market Hotel, I don’t really recommend, but you can take it that way if you must…now go online and purchase And Girls Club by The Strange Boys! And go see them live…if you can make me dance, you must be good.
