New Brunswick Life » John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com New Brunswick Life - The Heart of New Jersey Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:07:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 en Rising Gas Prices Lead to Perverse European Lifestyles http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/08/05/rising-gas-prices-lead-to-perverse-european-lifestyles/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/08/05/rising-gas-prices-lead-to-perverse-european-lifestyles/#comments Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:43:03 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/?p=898 So it’s come to this: our trusted American existence compromised by our oil dependency. As gas prices fluctuate between $4.00 and $5.00 per gallon, we are forced to seek near-Marxist alternatives to our God-given automotive right, many of us choosing a primitivism we haven’t experienced since childhood.

In Europe, gas prices are nearing $10.00 a gallon, yet Europeans seem to make less noise about it than Americans. Why? Are the Europeans of heartier stock? Can they bear more abuse than the average American? Not if we include France as part of Europe. No, it’s not a matter of tolerance, but lifestyle. The Europeans have been relying on bike power as a viable mode of transportation for decades. In Amsterdam, for example, bicycles are so prevalent that the government has built bicycle parking decks. Few things are more surreal than seeing a three-story parking deck loaded to the hilt with bikes. Furthermore, the most perpetrated crime in the Dutch city is bicycle theft. Of course, the argument could be made that theft is the most perpetrated crime because everything else is legal, but that’s for another time and another article.

In the US, on the other hand, bicycles fall out of favor as soon as we get our driver’s licenses. Ours is a car culture. We build ‘em bigger, faster and more impractical each year: SUVs, 350 horse-power sports cars, that mythical, lumbering beast known as the Hummer. Until recently, our automotive obsession has set us apart and above the third- and even the second-world. Now we are relegated to two-wheeled barbarism like man suddenly becoming the monkey. It was Earth all along!

In order to pocket a few more duchets, I am forced to take my bicycle around town, exploiting local resources for my preternatural impulses. Flaunting my masochism, I also wear an awful bike helmet, which the Mexicans mock openly. So much for thug life.

I careen through the angry New Brunswick streets like some stoned Dutch or Italian meth head. Down Livingston Avenue to Morris Street, I stop at the George St. Co-Op for fresh organic produce that will suit the evening’s victuals. I pop upstairs to the Namaste Cafe, say “Hi” to Drew and Dave, and down an ounce or two of wheatgrass juice. “This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.”

Seated in the cafe, two intellectuals are engaged in heated debate about the state of tea and the progress of the ward system. This is the conversation that comes on after a strong wheatgrass fix. Broiled tales of anarchy and triumph mask the collective apathy we’ve been nourishing since Kurt Cobain checked out. Before I let myself get sucked in, I strap my helmet back on, swallow my pride, and point my technologically-retarded steed toward Easton Avenue.

You never realize how many hills are in this town until you have to push yourself up them. All the way up the Easton Avenue hill to Somerset Street I curse OPEC, Saudi Arabia, George Bush, Lukoil, and the Rutgers University Glee Club for reasons yet unknown. I raise my hands in triumph when I reach the top of the hill. My destination for this part of the trip is in sight.

It would be a matter of sacrilege, among zealous locals and students, to go about in New Brunswick without stopping at Thomas Sweet’s for ice cream. The Easton Avenue establishment is a cornerstone of New Brunswick confection year round. Thomas Sweet’s has gone unrivalled in the ice cream market until recently, with the opening of Cold Stone Creamery on George Street. Chain competition notwithstanding, Thomas Sweet’s continues to churn out the best confectionary concoctions this side of the Raritan. I opt for the “Dexter Freebish,” a gooey conglomeration of vanilla ice cream, caramel, chocolate fudge and cashews.

After a large serving from Thomas Sweet it is difficult to get back on the bike, but I persevere. On the ride home I contemplate the possibility of New Brunswick residents dusting off their old bikes, venturing out into the streets, exploring their colorful neighborhoods, and perhaps breathing a little easier as the air clears. I imagine Robert Wood Johnson adding a bike parking deck to its massive fortress of healing. I envision children playing in the streets again, and cars narrowly missing them as the children dive for safety. I can picture drug deals going awry and drunkards soiling themselves during an epic bar crawl.

A good, lonely ride always puts me in a pensive mood, but it is time to head back down Somerset Street, away from the beating heart of the city, towards the old homestead where I live among the Mexicans, Blacks, Bohunks, Trannies and Junkies. I fill the quota for Polish and Irish in this neighborhood. A gentle soul has left empty beer bottles on my front stoop. This must be Heaven.

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/08/05/rising-gas-prices-lead-to-perverse-european-lifestyles/feed/ Downtown Comic Book Store Threatens Yuppie Way of Life http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/29/comic-book-store-fallout-shelter-2/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/29/comic-book-store-fallout-shelter-2/#comments Thu, 29 May 2008 13:44:43 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/?p=140 New Brunswick is evolving along a familiar path. Contained within its meager borders are convenience stores and tire fires, grade schools and stoned bus drivers. The rumor mill is abuzz with talk of a nuclear power plant being constructed on Route 18. Our little city resembles the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield more each day. Thanks to Mark Gangi and Diana DePasquale, New Brunswick now boasts its version of “The Android’s Dungeon”, sans obnoxious Comic Book Guy. On the contrary, Mark and Diana, The Fallout Shelter’s proprietors, are quite lovely people. I had the pleasure of chatting with them recently to discuss their new venture.

Lacking knowledge of the reach and popularity, I questioned the comic book market in New Brunswick. Diana claimed that the store has received a “very positive reaction” since it opened it’s doors in February. “We have a small yet faithful base of customers who are into comics and gaming,” she added.

We meandered through the racks as Mark and Diana gave me the grand tour. I took a mental catalog of the latest offerings from Marvel and D.C. Among the more familiar Supermans, Spidermans, and X-Men, you can find independent titles like “Dork”, “Emo Boy”, and “Rex Libris”.

Standing at the front of the store is a rack that highlights materials catering to the female comic book enthusiast. Diana refers to it as “Lady Town.” Mark is quick to mention that the name is still up for debate. Nomenclature notwithstanding, books titled “Bite Club” and “Emily the Strange” will intrigue even the most misogynistic.

When asked about purveying local material, Mark expressed the difficulty in locating local books, but added that he “would love to do that.”

For the dedicated collector, there is even a reserve list program. Reserve 5-10 books a month and receive 10% off. If you reserve over 20 books, the discount is 20%. All reserves are bagged and boarded, and accompanied with a free copy of the previews each month.

Aside from comic books, gaming is a large segment of the Fallout Shelter’s offerings. For the uninitiated, we aren’t talking about “Grand Theft Auto 4″ or “Call of Duty”. On the other hand, we aren’t talking about “Monopoly” or “Hungry, Hungry Hippos” either. The Fallout Shelter deals in more advanced strategy games like “Carcasonne”, “Lord of Kings”, and “Memoir 44″.

Thursday night is gaming night at the Fallout Shelter. Beginning at 9:00 pm, they usually have 2 games going on simultaneously: “something more in-depth,” according to Mark, like “Settlers of Catan”. This is offset by “something light like Zombie Flux, or… a card game.”

But even the gaming-impaired will recognize some events. For instance, there will be Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) this summer. “Someone from The Wizards of the Coast will be out here to demo the 4th edition,” Mark informed me. “There is some interest in running D&D games here in the summer because some of the usual players who are students that have gone home, the ones that are staying are trying to get together and hold something here possibly on Sunday.”

In addition to D&D, HeroClix and Magic the Gathering will figure prominently into the gaming schedule. Mark joked about the stringent rules for Magic tournaments, “Being able to run Magic tournaments, I think it’s easier to get into the CIA. I’ve had to take a test, I have to get a registered judge, I have to run 6 events, and if they work out…” Mark trailed off, implying that the process might be endless.

Centrally located on Bayard Street, between George Street and Neilson Street, the Fallout Shelter is a unique addition to New Brunswick’s colorful downtown scene. You can expect to hear a lot more about it as Mark and Diana carve out their niche in the diverse Brunswick market.

To see the latest stock and upcoming events, visit http://www.falloutsheltercomics.com/.

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/29/comic-book-store-fallout-shelter-2/feed/ 40.494474 -74.443148 Hub City Hellrazors - 81, Pioneer Valley Western Mass Destruction - 51 http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/09/hub-city-hellrazors-81-wmd-51/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/09/hub-city-hellrazors-81-wmd-51/#comments Fri, 09 May 2008 18:15:53 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/?p=125 On Sunday, May 4, the Hellrazors took another hard-fought victory, this time over the Western Mass Destruction (WMD) of Massachusetts. Locked in a grueling battle, the Hellrazors and WMD traded blows in 23 jams over the 40-minute match. A Bomb again dominated from the jammer position taking lead jammer in 7 of her 13 jams. Carmen Monoxide, Jheri Kill and Demonica Mars had fantastic numbers in the second half to push the Hellrazors over the top.

The Western Mass Destruction did not go quietly, though. They led the Hellrazors 31-24 at the end of the first half. With 3 Hellrazors in the penalty box, WMD exploited this weakness and scored 9 points in the 10th jam.

Here’s how it all went down:

* denotes lead jammer

Jam Hellrazors Jammer WMD Jammer Score
1st half - 1 A Bomb* Piss ‘N Mona 4-0
2 Carmen Monoxide* Pixie Scabs 3-2
3 A Bomb Nora Morse* 0-4
4 Jheri Kill* Hellen Bed 5-0
5 A Bomb* Piss ‘N Mona 4-4
6 Carmen Monoxide* Pixie Scabs 4-0
7 A Bomb Nora Morse* 0-4
8 Demonica Mars* Holy Hellga 1-0
9 A Bomb Bloodbath & Beyond* 0-0
10 A Bomb Nora Morse 0-9
11 A Bomb* Bloodbath & Beyond 3-0
12 Demonica Mars Pixie Scabs* 0-8
1st half 24-31
2nd half - 1 A Bomb Nora Morse* 0-4
2 Jheri Kill* Pixie Scabs 8-0
3 A Bomb* Nora Morse 4-0
4 Carmen Monoxide Hellen Bed* 4-1
5 A Bomb Ballistic Miss L 0-3
6 Carmen Monoxide* Ballistic Miss L 4-0
7 A Bomb* Nora Morse 8-4
8 Demonica Mars* Holy Hellga 4-0
9 A Bomb* Chickadee Struction 8-0
10 Demonica Mars* (Jammer in penalty box) 5-0
11 A Bomb* Nora Morse 8-8
Final 81-51

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/09/hub-city-hellrazors-81-wmd-51/feed/ Danger, Secrecy, Intrigue, Kraut Rock http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/03/danger-secrecy-intrigue-kraut-rock/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/03/danger-secrecy-intrigue-kraut-rock/#comments Sat, 03 May 2008 12:56:56 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/?p=123
I’d been trailing him for months by way of Oslo, Sri Lanka, Cairo, Edison. As each clue turned up another dead end, my mind obsessed over the question, “Where is Guy?”

I received word that Guy (that’s ghee, like the Indian clarified butter) had left 4 associates behind in New Jersey of all places. Reaching them was my best hope for getting the information I so desperately needed. I made phone calls, sent emails, hired carrier pigeons until, finally, they agreed to meet with me.

Per the agreement, I met their Gimp at Stuff Yer Face in scenic downtown New Brunswick. A large, haggard, bull of a man, he eyed me suspiciously from behind his pink Fish Bowl drink. Our eyes engaged in a brief power struggle. When he finally spoke, his words were curt and unintelligible. He stood up, patted me down for a gun or wire, then applied a blindfold.

When the blindfold was finally removed, we were in the Court Tavern (why did we have to meet at Stuff Yer Face?). Guy, Guy, Guy, and Guy were just starting a set in the back half of the main bar. They referred to themselves as Guy due to the fact that they all shared (stole?) Guy’s passport.

Their instrumentals were the kind of infectious jams that transmuted an unexpected contact high. I was mesmerized by Guy’s particular brand of psychedelic space surf punk. Their persistent vamping was peppered with subtle freak-outs, no doubt a direct result of their disordered minds.

The guys from Guy played comfortably in a variety of style conglomerations from art punk reminiscent of Sonic Youth to the brooding psychedelia of Radiohead to ferocious psychobilly ala Reverend Horton Heat. Throughout the set, I heard elements of Pink Floyd, Can, The White Stripes, Buddy Guy, Rob Zombie, and belly dance.

Leaping from genre to genre, and spiraling into psychedelic noise, Guy made a strong impression on my subconscious mind. Their sound is a refreshing shot in the arm, like smooth China White that twists your stomach, blurs your vision, and leaves you itching for more.

When the set ended, Guy asked, “So, what information do you need from Guy?”

I was astonished by the speed that the words flew from my mouth. “I need his recipe for quiche. I’m having a dinner party, and thought it would go swimmingly with potatoes-au-gratin.” They agreed, and promised to pass the message along to him if he could be reached.

Guy will be appearing at the Court Tavern again on Tuesday, May 20th at 10-ish. You can find out more at www.guytangiers.com.

Guy can be heard on WNBL - New Brunswick Life Radio. Click “Listen” at the top of the page to hear Guy and other great New Brunswick bands.

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/05/03/danger-secrecy-intrigue-kraut-rock/feed/ Hub City Hellrazors 83 - River City Roller Girls 58 - 04/20/2008 http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/04/24/hub-city-hellrazors-83-river-city-roller-girls-58-04202008/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/04/24/hub-city-hellrazors-83-river-city-roller-girls-58-04202008/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:38:10 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/?p=112
The Hellrazors delivered a crushing 83-58 defeat to Virginia’s Roller Girls on Sunday. From rinkside, we witnessed first-hand the damage wrought by the Hellrazors as they dominated the Roller Girls from the initial whistle. River City suffered several disadvantages while their jammers, the skaters who score points, were in the penalty box on numerous occasions. These gaps allowed the Hellrazors to score with near impunity.

Though the Roller Girls came on strong during the second half, claiming several jams, the HCH gave themselves plenty of breathing room. At the end of the first half, the score was 52-17, with the Hub City skaters barely breaking a sweat. Standout performers, as far as I could tell, were jammers A Bomb, for her incredible speed and ability to snake through the pack, and Carmen Monoxide, for utilizing brute strength to push the pack aside. Monoxide was also particularly vicious in the blocker/pivot position, taking out River City’s jammers and racking up several penalties.

For the next bout, May 4 against Pioneer Valley, we’ll be testing out our new method for reporting the event. We’ll be keeping track of jammers, pivots, blockers, and the points scored in each jam to bring you a jam-by-jam breakdown of the entire match. This match will be at home at:

Kendall Park Roller Rink
3550 State Route 27
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
(732) 297-3003

Check out the Hub City Hellrazors and the NJ Dirty Dames at www.njdirtydames.com

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/04/24/hub-city-hellrazors-83-river-city-roller-girls-58-04202008/feed/ So, What the Hell is Roller Derby? An Evening with the Dirty Dames http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/04/17/so-what-the-hell-is-roller-derby/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/04/17/so-what-the-hell-is-roller-derby/#comments Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:32:54 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/?p=103
The cracking of bone like distant gunfire, the penny-flavored blood that warms the tongue, the all-too-familiar reek of blackened leather, these can mean only one thing: a new season of roller derby is upon us. In this latest incarnation of the predominantly female sport, New Jersey is represented in the rink by a coven of cannibals known as the Dirty Dames. The Hub City Hellrazors, a rogue platoon of mercenaries from the Dames’ camp, have their season-opener on Sunday, April 20th, against Virginia’s River City Rollers at the Kendall Park Roller Rink. Last month we had the rare opportunity to get weird with the Hellrazors, and other D.D.s, during their fundraiser at the Court Tavern.

Doc Martens, fishnet stockings, short skirt — I looked good as we descended into the basement of the Court Tavern. This year’s fundraiser featured live-band karaoke lead by the awesome rock band, Deep Release. I’ve never been a fan of karaoke myself. Aside from witnessing the occasional train wreck croon a Dali-esque version of “Bad Medicine,” I’ve found karaoke to be a crude hobby akin to blogging*. Introduce the live element, a band like Deep Release for example, and karaoke is nearly civilized, dare I say, an art form.

Before the festivities, amid soundchecks and cheap beer, we took some time to chat with Mental Block, a blocker with a penchant for late 19th-century French sadism art, and other Dames willing to divulge juicy tidbits of derby lore. Did I mention how good I looked?

Check out the New Jersey Dirty Dames at www.njdirtydames.com.

New Brunswick Life (NBL): What is roller derby, and how do you win?

Mental Block (MB): Roller derby is a full-contact fast paced sport consisting of two 30-minute periods or three 20-minute periods. Each period consists of two-minute jams running throughout. During a jam, two teams of four blockers, also known as a pack, and a jammer from each team are out on the track at once. Players skate in a counter-clockwise direction while the jammer from each team tries to successfully pass the opposing pack to score points. The first jammer through the pack is called the lead jammer and jammers score points after their second time lapping the opposing pack. The jammers are the only ones who can score points and the team with the most points at the end wins.

NBL: Why do you think roller derby is so popular with women athletes?

MB: I think derby has become so popular with women because of the do-it-yourself aspect (DIY) of the sport. This is a sport where women run their own leagues and have to handle not only the skating part of it, but also the business, promotions, and everything in between. In a way, it gives us satisfaction knowing that all this hard work pays off in the end. Also, this is a sport that’s inspiring to women since being an athlete with years and years of skating experience isn’t a prerequisite. We welcome any and all who have the dedication and mindset to play and learn to skate, hit, and run a business. Some of our best skaters first came here barely able to skate and you would never know it by watching them now.

NBL: Are there any teams in the league that you would consider rivals?

MB: Well, there happens to be a few other New Jersey leagues that have popped up within the past year or so and I guess we can consider them rivals since we were the first New Jersey DIY flat-track league in this current incarnation of derby (shameless promotion), but even as competition, we respect the other leagues in the state and often support them just as much as they support us. When we play them in a bout; however, the pressure’s on!

NBL: Do you ever rumble?

MB: We will this year. Last year we did, against the Garden State Rollergirls. They play in Newark. They came here last year. We beat ‘em. (chuckles) It’s the last bout of the year called The Battle for New Jersey.

NBL: Does the team travel to other states, or do you bout solely in NJ?

MB: The NJ Dirty Dames league consists of two teams for intra-league play, the Rink Wreckers and Troop 666, but our All-Star travel team, the Hub City Hellrazors, does bout out of state, most often in neighboring states like New York and Pennsylvania. Last year, our farthest game was in Richmond, VA, but this year our farthest is in PA. Being a DIY league, it’s often hard to find the money to travel too far out of state and since we all have day jobs aside from this, it’s hard to take the time off, but we love having home games so we don’t mind!

NBL: Does it ever get really violent?

MB: It’s tough. You do hit each other, but there are so many rules to it where it’s not the old scripted roller derby. This is more of a competitive game where you can’t just elbow each other in the head or pull each other’s hair and bite each other although some people would like to see that. It’s more along the lines of we can hit each other, but it’s usually from here to here (motions to the torso area) you can’t use certain parts of your body.

When we’re practicing, we learn how to fall correctly.

NBL: Which injury are you most proud of?

MB: Personally, I haven’t had any type of injury yet that put me out of play. I must say though, when you play derby, you have to get used to having aching knees and joints. I’ve gotten a few nice bruises here and there, but I’m still waiting for my “trophy” bruise one of these days. Some of our girls have been pretty seriously injured though with torn ACL’s, bad ankle sprains, concussions, etc. The list goes on.

NBL: What is the age range of the team?

MB: Right now we have a Fresh Meat (newbie) who is 50. With the Hellrazors, the youngest is 22 and the oldest is 42.

NBL: Are there any former or current roller derby athletes that you admire?

MB: Well, being a tender age of only 26, roller derby happened to be televised before my time so I won’t say that I really had much of a following of the sport. I was always a big hockey fan growing up and to me, finding derby was the next best thing. As for current athletes, I admire any of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the equivalent of the NFL to football, leagues because I think they are setting the standards in making this a real legitimate competitive sport as opposed to anything staged. I admire the NY Gotham Girls a lot because many of their girls have helped us throughout the season and it’s an honor to have a WFTDA league like them supporting and wanting to play an aspiring WFTDA league such as NJDD.

NBL: In your opinion, which is the most difficult position in roller derby, blocker, jammer, or pivot?

MB: I think every position is difficult in roller derby and requires constant awareness of everything around you. I’m a blocker so of course, I will say that the most difficult position for me to play would be one that I’m not used to playing like jammer. A jammer, on the other hand, might think that blocking or pivoting is more difficult. It just depends on what you train yourself to be the best at or where you feel the most comfortable, but in practice we alternate everyone in every position so if need be, we can back each other up.

NBL: Is there good money in roller derby? Have you lined up any endorsement deals?

MB: Right off the bat, I would say no. Any money that comes into the league comes from the skaters themselves, through fundraisers we organize, ticket sales, or from sponsors we try to get throughout the season to try to help support our league. We have to budget our money very wisely sometimes because we know that we are often just getting by with putting on our next bout and if we blow it, we won’t be able to do what we love to do. So it takes a lot of work and effort on our part to keep this league going and running steady. It’s also why we try to have fundraisers and benefits throughout the season. The bigger fan base we get, the more we can do in return for our fans. While we are always looking for sponsors for our league, at the same time, we have no interest in being run by a big business. We love having support, but if it means taking away our ability to be unique individuals, then we aren’t interested in the support. We aren’t here just to look pretty and get on the covers of magazines. We’re here to skate and pour our hearts into the game we love….and then get on the covers of magazines.


*Editor’s note: John Farley’s shameless blog - http://www.misinformationdesk.com

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/04/17/so-what-the-hell-is-roller-derby/feed/ Mardi Gras at the State Theatre - Feb. 2, 2008 http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/02/14/mardi-gras-at-the-state-theatre-feb-2-2008/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/02/14/mardi-gras-at-the-state-theatre-feb-2-2008/#comments Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:13:58 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/02/14/mardi-gras-at-the-state-theatre-feb-2-2008/

The whole city of New Brunswick is slowly adopting the habits and traits of New Orleans, coming into its own as a party city. There are several venues throughout the New Brunswick landscape that boast a festive Mardi Gras schedule around February, the most surprising of which is the State Theatre on Livingston Ave. The Theatre has built an extensive program for the month of February that began appropriately with a Mardi Gras party, a second-line parade, Dixieland, and Buckwheat Zydeco. Following Buckwheat Zydeco, the party continued on the State Theatre stage. Yes, on the stage.

The party was the first of its kind for the State Theatre. Held at the Crossroads Theatre from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, the party helped to raise $14,500.00 for Kids Meet the Arts, a program that provides transportation and tickets to shows at the State Theatre for children who might otherwise not be able to attend. Brian Beck, a Mardi Gras co-chair, stated that the program serves most of central New Jersey, but helps many of the children in New Brunswick schools.

Wes Brustad, CEO of the State Theatre, was modestly optimistic for the party’s success. “You never know when you do something new. It’s like playing craps. You throw the dice and see what happens, and this is great. We’re having a good turn out, we’re having a good time. Maybe we got something here.” Lynda and Rich Bronzelino concurred. “When we got letters in the mail saying there were extra parties going on beforehand, we’re like ‘We gotta do it, we gotta do it’” Rich crowed enthusiastically.

The $85 ticket included continuous live music and endless Southern fare. There was unlimited food provided by local restaurants including the Old Bay, Delta’s, Verdigre, Stage Left, Popeye’s and Aunt Carol’s Country Kitchen, and unlimited drink provided by Southern Comfort. The food, in particular, ranged from simple jambalaya (Old Bay) and macaroni and cheese (Delta’s) to more complex cuisine like house-cured salmon tartar with a zybeco drizzle (Verdigre).

It was barely 5:00 in the afternoon, and patrons were already adorned with brightly-colored masks and beads. Ladies festooned with feather boas were gaily twirling, displaying their true colors: purple, green, and gold. The bartender was fielding overwhelming requests for Stella Artois, Southern Comfort, and that Zeus of the New Orleans mixological pantheon, the Hurricane. A professional journalist could find himself caught up in the fracas, resisting, with all his might, a sudden lapse in objectivity. Luckily, I’m an existentialist, valuing subjectivity. I’m also a notorious hedonist; I dove in with carnivorous enthusiasm.

The entertainment was provided by The Roadside Graves, a local septet whose rustic sound reminded me of The Band or Widespread Panic. Early in the evening, the band could not garner much attention, providing only background music for dinner. After the crowd was appropriately primed and lubed, the band stood at the epicenter of the Bacchanalian foray.

A large chunk of the fundraising came from a special auction that included big ticket items like a guitar signed by Jose Feliciano that sold for $1300.00. The auctioneer for the evening, the entertaining Ellen Donohue, cajoled the crowd to bid higher and higher in what became a playful atmosphere. At one point, Brian Beck and his wife were in a bidding war against each other.

At five minutes to eight, the band led a second-line parade from the stage at the Crossroads to the lobby of the State Theatre where Kevin Dorn’s Traditional Jazz Collective was warming up the crowd for Buckwheat Zydeco.

After Buckwheat Zydeco’s thunderous set, the musical trappings on the stage were replaced with tables, chairs, desserts, and a wet bar. The stalwart revelers, the heroic primates of the Mardi Gras spirit, the remaining few who had the wills to carry on, took their places on the stage like extras in a theatrical adaptation of a night at Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop. Mr. Zydeco himself joined the foray as we tapered off and fought the encroaching end to a sublime evening at the State Theatre.

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]]> http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/02/14/mardi-gras-at-the-state-theatre-feb-2-2008/feed/ The Court Tavern - Review http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/01/23/the-court-tavern-review/ http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/01/23/the-court-tavern-review/#comments Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:36:42 +0000 John Farley http://www.newbrunswicklife.com/2008/01/23/the-court-tavern-review/ Highlights include live original music, $2.50 cans of PBR, and arguably the best juke box in the state.

The Court TavernIf there is a particular character to Old New Brunswick (pre-yuppification), it is alive and well and incredibly persistent at the Court Tavern. Standing in the shadow of the newly-built One Spring Street skyscraper, the Court Tavern looks like the diminutive old toad from a children’s fable, the last rampart of the old guard.

On any given night, The Court has two distinct faces. Upstairs, the local crowd swills cheap drinks, while yammering on about the latest trend in post-modern trepidation and hollering over soul, punk, or reggae blasting from the juke box.

Downstairs, where all of the great Tri-state bands have performed at one time or another, the stench of stale beer and sweat permeates the air. You know in an instant, blood has been spilled here.

The ghosts of the Court Tavern are pervasive. If it’s 1977 or 2007, you can’t tell. You can just as easily imagine Ween performing there in the late 80s as you would now see The Ergs. In fact, on occasion, you can still see Dean Ween performing there as his alter-ego, Mickey Moist.

With ever-increasing upscale bars and luxury apartments devouring downtown New Brunswick, it’s good to know that there is still some place for a music hound and helpless drunk to go to be himself.

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