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adouglas

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Joined
Aug 12, 2005
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5,592
Location
On the tail end of the bell curve in Connecticut
So last week I took our hopefully-not-quite-so-doomed greyhound Jak (who has a bone tumor in his skull) up to Tufts U in Massachusetts for a bone scan. On the way back I happened to be passing close to our next gig venue, so I decided to drop in. It's called Papa's Pub, and it's in New Britain, CT.

Now, the last place we played, in White Plains NY, was a very, very nice spot. A classy joint, as they say. Lots of fabulous young people drinking martinis and such. Very expensive decor. Not the kind of place that puts neon beer signs up in the window.

Papa's Pub ain't no pub. It's not only the kind of place that puts neon beer signs in the window, there's an eight-foot illuminated Bud Light sign over the stage. There are three pool tables. It's cavernous. I couldn't swear to it, but it sure does look like the bar top is made of plywood. The bartender is named Ed, and he looks like Dave Atell.

It is, in a word, a dive. The men's room showed the telltale signs... stall doors that had obviously been kicked in at some point, etc.

But it didn't actually smell bad or anything, and it's plenty spacious.

So I walked in at about 5 pm or so in the middle of the week. There were two old locals jawing with the bartender about nothing in particular and the smallest hispanic guy I've ever seen drinking a beer all by himself. I introduced myself to Ed and mentioned that I'm in the band that's going to be playing there this coming Friday.

He said, "Oh, Friday is hip-hop night!"

I blanched and stammered out something about how we're not exactly what you'd call a hip-hop band. We play OLD SCHOOL R&B, soul, funk and Motown.

This is going to be one very interesting gig.
 

Aussie Mark

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Joined
Nov 9, 2003
Messages
5,646
Location
Sydney, Australia
I knew calling that hip hop crap "R&B" would get somebody in trouble one day.

On a positive note, I've played in many places that match your description of the venue, and most of the time they have been great gigs.

Maybe you can try bluffing the hip hop crowd by introducing your band as an "historical insight into the origins of R&B music"?
 

five7

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Nov 24, 2008
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4,295
Ay least there is no chicken wire up in front of the stage.
 

Freddels

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Apr 23, 2006
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875
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Near Wistah
That describes just about every bar in New England. Did the bathroom have a trough instead of urinals? If not, then you should be ok. :)
 

cellkirk74

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Joined
Jan 14, 2009
Messages
1,345
Location
Germany near Frankfurt
maybe the bartender is a funny guy or at least has no clue about music? Around here hip-hop night can be pretty much everything but punkrock / heavy metal. Your description of the venue does not sound like a hip-hop-club either, so don´t worry.

But please tell how it was....
 
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Lynottfan

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Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
367
I hope none of you boys in the band look like women, could be trouble for ya! :)
 

Basspro

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Mar 21, 2009
Messages
415
Location
Las Vegas
I think most of us at one time or another played at a dive like this,
some can really be fun though. We expect some pics! Just have fun with it.
 

jlepre

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Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
3,020
Location
Parsippany, NJ, United States
Don't sweat it...I was in a band called Fly by Nite and we were adverstised for weeks on the radio as a RUSH tribute band. The only thing is that we didn't play ONE RUSH tune! LOL

The night ended up as one of our BEST gigs ever! LOL
 
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