Monday, January 21, 2008

Great Moments in Rock Club History.

So awhile back we had a very, very loud metal show. It was excellent. Late that night, when we were trying to close up, we had a lot of lingerers. Usually (at a private party or a pop show) the method employed to disperse these people is to put on an incredibly loud crunchy metal CD at top volume. Clearly with this crowd that would have no effect, except possibly to make them feel like the party was about to really start. So I turned to my boss and requested The Carpenters, at top volume, stat. He dutifully went to the S1rius Satellite box and found exactly that. The room was mostly cleared before the song finished. Now only the bands and the staff were left, and since we were not legally bound to get everyone out just yet, we all started chatting while we cleaned up and broke down the bar. In the meantime, the volume was turned down, but the channel did not change. The next song that came on was Almost Paradise.
I started singing along - loudly, as I am wont to do when it is late and I am tired and feeling a bit punchy. The guys from the first band just sat at the bar and looked puzzled, then mildly amused.

"Don't even try to pretend like you don't know the words," I chided them.

Immediately the three of them burst into song, adding hand gestures and gyrations where appropriate. They not only knew the words but how they were sung.

Yeah - that's what I thought. Beautiful.

2 comments:

Z said...

Look, darling, I'm on a diet and I'm supposed to be cutting out cheese. I should thank you again for continuing my musical education - I've never heard that gem before. But I completely agree that there are some songs that just everyone knows (except me).

heybartender said...

Well, if you haven't seen Footloose, then get thee to a rental DVD post haste, my dear. That cheese will be negative calories, as you will surely laugh off at least a couple of pounds.