Its been a week and I'm barely recovering from my recent trip to NYC. My wife and I, plus the Murdocks started our trip on a Wednesday night, red eye, via Jet Blue. Upon landing it seemed like it would be like any other New York trip, shop, drink and enjoy the sights. It was my mistake, as shit could not be further from the truth. Thursday night was semi quiet as we rested from our flight and caught up with our friends from Brooklyn and Jersey. We tore the floor up that night at the Union Pool bar. We jived, we cut a rug, hell we even slow danced! but as cool as that night was, it was only the tip of the iceberg.
It's Friday night and we're getting polished up for Rebel Night. If you're not familiar with Rebel Night, it's a 50's/60's rock n roll club thrown by Dj's June, Kick & Sei. I know what you're thinking, this is going to be some cheese ball club that time warps you to saddle shoes, white t-shirts and pompadours. Well yes and no. Yes there's vintage, yes there's a few 50's hardcore's but it's not the vintage fashion show that has tainted the LA Rockabilly scene. Do you know what I'm talking about? Kids bidding on vintage clothes until there's no money left to give mom for their share of the rent?? Nor is it the Alpha male and female battle to see who knows who (10 extra points if you know a foreigner). I'm not bashing LA, I love LA, I was born and raised but spending most of my twenties in the rockabilly scene, I've seen the best and the worst of it. Any whoo, the night started like most bar nights, give the gent at the door your id, step through, scope the crowd and proceed. As we made our way to the back of the club where the rock 'n' roll was blaring we huddled in a corner with our good friends, even meeting up with our Spanish friends Nieves and Jose (Beiby) who coincidentally were in from Spain the same weekend as us. As the drinks slowly set in I noticed it wasn't like one of those shows I mentioned earlier. This place was full of smiles and people who did not give a flying fuck who you were, where you're from or who you were with. Hipsters, Soul kids, Rockabilly's and plain jane bar kids were jumping up and down frantically to the beats Kick, June and Sei were spinning. One by one our crowd separated to join the madness. Brenda B was busy spinning on the dance floor and then falling on it! Moni screamed in rock 'n' roll madness as Chauncey rocked out as only he can, air guitaring and pogo dancing. Nieves and Jose admired the madness of the diverse crowd. Apparently in Spain having such a diverse crowd in a specific genre club is not so common. My local friends were busy tearing their clothes and bumping people with their fabulous booty. Myself, well I was busy carrying June on my shoulder, then dropping him. I followed that by annoying strangers with my drunken jibberish (sorry Anna). Drink after drink, song after song we pounded the dance floor. There really wasn't a care in the world and the smiles on everyone's faces helped reinforce that feeling. Now here's a fun fact you may or may not know, NYC bars don't close until 4am! Even that wasn't long enough for some serious rockers. Otto's allowed a small group of us to keep rocking until 5am! My best advice to you is don't be stupid go to NYC and if you can, do it the week of Rebel Night. It will be the best time you will ever have.
Thanks everyone for making this past weekend so damn wild. It's hard to find people who encourage drunken deviant behavior and still love you the next day. I count the days until the next Rebel Night. Thanks NYC.
http://www.myspace.com/rebelnight
http://www.myspace.com/unionpool
It's Friday night and we're getting polished up for Rebel Night. If you're not familiar with Rebel Night, it's a 50's/60's rock n roll club thrown by Dj's June, Kick & Sei. I know what you're thinking, this is going to be some cheese ball club that time warps you to saddle shoes, white t-shirts and pompadours. Well yes and no. Yes there's vintage, yes there's a few 50's hardcore's but it's not the vintage fashion show that has tainted the LA Rockabilly scene. Do you know what I'm talking about? Kids bidding on vintage clothes until there's no money left to give mom for their share of the rent?? Nor is it the Alpha male and female battle to see who knows who (10 extra points if you know a foreigner). I'm not bashing LA, I love LA, I was born and raised but spending most of my twenties in the rockabilly scene, I've seen the best and the worst of it. Any whoo, the night started like most bar nights, give the gent at the door your id, step through, scope the crowd and proceed. As we made our way to the back of the club where the rock 'n' roll was blaring we huddled in a corner with our good friends, even meeting up with our Spanish friends Nieves and Jose (Beiby) who coincidentally were in from Spain the same weekend as us. As the drinks slowly set in I noticed it wasn't like one of those shows I mentioned earlier. This place was full of smiles and people who did not give a flying fuck who you were, where you're from or who you were with. Hipsters, Soul kids, Rockabilly's and plain jane bar kids were jumping up and down frantically to the beats Kick, June and Sei were spinning. One by one our crowd separated to join the madness. Brenda B was busy spinning on the dance floor and then falling on it! Moni screamed in rock 'n' roll madness as Chauncey rocked out as only he can, air guitaring and pogo dancing. Nieves and Jose admired the madness of the diverse crowd. Apparently in Spain having such a diverse crowd in a specific genre club is not so common. My local friends were busy tearing their clothes and bumping people with their fabulous booty. Myself, well I was busy carrying June on my shoulder, then dropping him. I followed that by annoying strangers with my drunken jibberish (sorry Anna). Drink after drink, song after song we pounded the dance floor. There really wasn't a care in the world and the smiles on everyone's faces helped reinforce that feeling. Now here's a fun fact you may or may not know, NYC bars don't close until 4am! Even that wasn't long enough for some serious rockers. Otto's allowed a small group of us to keep rocking until 5am! My best advice to you is don't be stupid go to NYC and if you can, do it the week of Rebel Night. It will be the best time you will ever have.
Thanks everyone for making this past weekend so damn wild. It's hard to find people who encourage drunken deviant behavior and still love you the next day. I count the days until the next Rebel Night. Thanks NYC.
http://www.myspace.com/rebelnight
http://www.myspace.com/unionpool
3 comments:
go monkey boy go!
I haven't had so much fun at a rockin' show in a long time. I felt no evil eyed stares because I wasn't dress the part. The fun wasn't fake and people weren't trying hard live up to the "savage" lifestyle of 50's rockers. People, of all sorts, came out enjoyed the music and had a good time. How I wish the LA scene were like this, I would probably go out more if it were.
Wow! Now I am even more envious that I wasn't there! Urgh! You are not leaving me behind next round... I WILL BE THERE! Your post was an excellent promo for Rebel Night. Although the word Rebel tragically reminds me of the Morrissey loving, Harley buckle wearing, plucked eyebrow guys in the 90's that we all love to hate. ha ha ha
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