Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Frenchtown NJ’ Category

Galactic Empire (Artie’s Bar & Grill, Frenchtown, NJ, May 18, 2024)

Posted in Bit Brigade, Frenchtown NJ, Galactic Empire, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The Avengers on May 19, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED : May 18, 2024] Galactic Empire

I was intrigued by Galactic Empire even though I was there more for Bit Brigade.  I love the idea that the band played Star Wars music and dressed in costume (I understand that they may have been sued and have had to modify their costumes so as not to completely break copyright?).

I’m not the huge Star Wars dork that many people are, but I do like the music.  And I thought a heavy metal version of some of the songs would be great.  I had watched one video online and I liked it a lot.  And the backstory is pretty fun

Comprised of some of the most infamous and feared villains in the galaxy — lead guitarist Dark Vader, drummer Boba Sett, guitarists Red Guard and Shadow Ranger, and bassist Bass Commander — GALACTIC EMPIRE’s commitment to their mission is unparalleled.

When they came on, all the tall dudes who were hanging in the back came rushing forward so I couldn’t see them all that well (and that was the whole point, right, seeing them).  So that kinda sucked.

But when they came out and played the 20th Century Fox Fanfare, that was pretty cool. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Bit Brigade (Artie’s Bar & Grill, Frenchtown, NJ, May 18, 2024) [GALACTIC EMPIRE]

Posted in Bit Brigade, Castlevania, Contra, Duck Tales, Frenchtown NJ, Galactic Empire, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The Avengers on May 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 18, 2024] Bit Brigade

I had seen Bit Brigade six years ago (can’t believe it has been that long) and assumed my son would love to see them too: a heavy metal band playing the music from video games while a guy in the band plays the game?  Sounds perfect.

They tend to play bars so my (underage) son was shut out.  But when they announced this show at a place in Frenchtown, and it was all ages, we were there!

I actually thought it was going to be outside, but it wasn’t (possible showers, but I don’t know if it was always meant to be inside or not).

When I got the tickets (for him and his friend) I assumed Bit Brigade was headlining as I had not heard of Galactic Empire.  Yup, a Star Wars cover band–two gimmicks in one night, but that’s cool.  And then the night of, my wife decided that she’d like to see the spectacle as well, so she joined us and it was even more fun having her there as the boys immediately left me to hang by themselves.

I was a little surprised that BB went on first, but in retrospect it makes sense.  BB is really fun, but they are kind of static–we all watch the guy play the game(s) and the band totally rocks.  Whereas Galactic Empire is more dynamic–band members running around and a bigger stage presence.  Plus, as it turned out, everyone was there for them and not Bit Brigade.  Except for us. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Red Baraat (ArtYard, Frenchtown, NJ, March 10, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in ArtYard, Frenchtown NJ, Red Baraat on March 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 10, 2024] Red Baraat

My family and I saw Red Baraat seven years ago at a free festival.  They were great.

Their sound?

Red Baraat is “the pioneering 8-piece Brooklyn Bhangra, party juggernaut…. the drum and brass + guitar band delivers an unprecedented, high energy, gut-busting fusion of jazz, hip-hop beats, rock muscle, funky go-go, and scalding hot bhangra.”  And what’s that?  Well, bhaṅgṛā is a type of upbeat popular music associated with immigrant Punjabi youth. It was invented in England starting in the 1970s by people from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.

I have definitely wanted to see them again. They play around, but never conveniently.   They played in Philly on the 29th, but I couldn’t go.  Then I found out that they were playing in ArtYard in Frenchtown!

I went to get us tickets and found out it was sold out!   Which is awesome for the band and the venue.  I hope this means they’ll bring even more cool bands to their location and I hope it means that Red Baraat will come back.

Read Full Post »

Joseph Keckler (ArtYard, Frenchtown, NJ, February 2, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in ArtYard, Drugs, Frenchtown NJ, Funny (ha ha), Joseph Keckler on February 2, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: February 2, 2024] Joseph Keckler

I saw Joseph Keckler open for Sleater-Kinney five years ago.  It was a great and memorable performance:

The short version is that he has an utterly amazing voice.  It is deep and rich and operatic and I can honestly say I have never been in the presence of someone who could sing like that before.

But he doesn’t sing opera.  Well, he does, sort of.

He came out on stage and didn’t introduce himself.  He asked us how we were doing and then said that he wasn’t doing great.  Then he turned on a laptop and played a musical motif and he began to sing in beautiful Italian.  The video screen behind him projected the translation of the words.  And they were hilarious.

It was a song about going to a party and eating shroom-laced chocolate.  Then walking home and wanting to kill himself until he remembered he had to brush his teeth.  It is called, naturally enough “Shroom Trip Opera.”

I saw that he was touring and then I was shocked that he was playing in Frenchtown (not all that far from me).  I was thrilled to discover there was a performance space closer than Philly.  So he introduced me to this location as well. (more…)

Read Full Post »