So last Thursday I was almost knocked to the floor by a six-foot tall white bunny rabbit playing the bagpipes. And I’ll bet you my $50 that sentence has never, ever been written before in the English language. But as a matter of fact, it’s true.
I was casually standing in the corner of the Baggot Inn (82 W. 3rd St., Manhattan) when suddenly this large bunny rabbit burst through a side door, nearly knocked me to the ground and gave me a not-so-gentle reminder that the St. Patrick’s Day season is at hand. Perhaps the bunny costume signified the reverent Easter holiday that follows soon after – who knows. All I can tell you is that it was an eye-opening experience to say the least.
But my severe mental scars and subsequent bunny-related nightmares not withstanding, the rest of the evening was a blast. For $10, I was able to catch the absolute best of the best when it comes to the New York City Irish rock scene (Yes. That is an actual genre). There’s nothing like the hard-singing, hard-drinking, gravelly voiced bellowing of what is best described as "Irish folk rock" to put you in the mood for a couple pints. It’s a combination of punk, ska and rock blended with the tradition of Irish folk music that was made most famous by the Pogues and their snaggle-toothed lout of a former lead singer, the devastatingly handsome Shane MacGowan. (If you don’t get the sarcasm here, check out this dude’s pic on www.shanemacgowan.com). Following their lead, New York bands like Black 47, Rogue’s March, The McCabes, The Prodigals, The Itinerants and Seanchai (which infuses hip-hop as well for a rather unique sound) have been bringing the thin blood of beer drinkers to a boil with their infectious cadence that sends fans into a mad frenzy and dares listeners not to stomp their feet and bang their head in appreciative unison.
Last Thursday, these bands and a bunny with bagpipes (you really had to be there) got together on one stage for a benefit for www.CelticTV.com owner Billy Phillips, who was recently injured in a car accident. My thanks to Sean Murphy of www.MurphGuide.com and Sean Miller of www.Hoboken-bar.net for cluing me in on the event.
It was an excellent kickoff to the St. Patrick’s Day season, which believe it or not is right around the corner. Hoboken’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is March 1. That is just three weeks away!
So get ready for the messy, long-lasting hangover; not from the drinking but from blowhard politicos denouncing the festivities as they wrangle for the curmudgeon vote.
And if you’re staggering down Washington Street and happen to see a six-foot-tall white bunny rabbit playing the bagpipes, I recommend you get out of his way. (Before anyone asks, there were other patrons in attendance who can confirm the story of the white bunny rabbit playing the bagpipes, so you needn’t worry about Hal and his hallucinatory friend, Harvey.) q
If you know how I can effectively waste $50 in the Metro-area, please write to:
"Hal Wastes His Wages"
c/o The Hudson Current
1400 Washington Street
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
Or via e-mail: Current@hudsonreporter.com
Hoboken’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is March 1. That is just three weeks away!