Dart season is finally over, which may mean very little to most readers of this column, but those of you who participated in this grueling Tuesday night ritual that lasts the length of the National Hockey League’s season – putting immeasurable strain on personal relationships, personal finances and professional competence – can empathize with my bittersweet sense of relief.
Congratulations to Lenny and the guys from Moran’s (501 Garden St., Hoboken) for beating our team from Duffy’s (239 Bloomfield, Hoboken) in a very close match (see, aren’t I a good sport for congratulating those lowlife &*@%$?) to advance to the finals. And congratulations to O’Donoghue’s (205 First St., Hoboken) for winning the championship – we look forward to kicking both your asses next season!!!
Nevertheless, with my Tuesday nights now free, I have no idea what to do with myself. I tried spending a nice quiet evening at home watching TV, but to be honest I just got too fidgety. Besides, ever since Buffy the Vampire Slayer moved to UPN the show just hasn’t been the same – for some reason, all those new plot twists between vampires, demons and witches seem a little less plausible lately.
Luckily, I found an outlet last Tuesday when my friends’ band was playing at Whiskey Bar (125 Washington St., Hoboken). My buddies Martin Bak (vocals, guitar), Andy Averbuch (vocals, guitar) and Martin Lowe (drums) teamed up with Shaun Ellis (vocal, piano), Greg Weiss (vocals, guitar) and Jason Bonthron (bass) to form Smoove. The group combines reggae/ska with hard rock to develop a self-described “avant-jam” that makes for a memorable musical experience. After opening with an enlivening version of Bob Marley’s “War,” the band went on to tightly nail a bunch of eclectic tunes during their far too-short one-hour set – most notably a killer rendition of Musical Youth’s "Pass the Dutchie.” Smoove is set to play again at Whiskey Bar on Wednesday June 26, where they’ll be headlining following Tristate Conspiracy, who start at 10 p.m.
In the meantime, the band has gigs this Saturday at the Asbury Art Museum (708 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park) for a nude show opening (nice job booking that one, guys!) and next Saturday at Princeton’s Café Improv (102 Witherspoon St., Princeton). For more information on the band, check out www.smoovemusic.net.
Whiskey Bar
continues to showcase some of the best live music in the area every week from Tuesday through Saturday. This weekend, crowd favorite Big Orange Cone takes the stage on Thursday night, with Mike Dalton playing on Friday night and Ethan Brand on Saturday. Tuesday nights, the Whiskey Bar features the Battle of the Unsigned Bands, providing a platform for the area’s new talent. And another important piece of information, Whiskey Bar features nightly drinks specials, including bottled beer bucket specials and a happy hour with $1.50 pints and $3 Stolichnaya Vodka drinks. For more information, check out www.whiskey-bar.com.All the same, I’m still looking for something to fill up my Tuesday nights (besides much needed practice for next dart season), SO…
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