2020/10/24 Summerfeet @ Hometown BBQ, Brooklyn, NY
June 24 was my first taste of live music in 102 days, Summerfeet the first band to return a much needed sense of normalcy to a musically starved community. Four months later to the day, I saw Summerfeet for the fifth time, this most recent Brooklyn street party standing in stark contrast to the private suburban gigs that marked each of the first four outings. Though the cast of characters was the same, the change in setting was everything.
Featuring the soothing and sometimes jammed out sounds of Summerfeet and their trademark brand of yacht rock for hippies, this NYC Freaks block party had a little of everything from kids, dogs, bikes and babies to barbecue, sunsets and camaraderie. It was my dog’s first ever trip to any of New York City’s five boroughs and my first since March 10 (The Brothers @ MSG). To mark the occasion, we made yesterday’s visit to Brooklyn a full family affair which included a completely bored almost-teenager, a semi-engaged eight year old, and a five-year old Goldendoodle. {Fuck ‘em all, at least the dog had fun.} We enjoyed the sights and sounds, taking in a waterfront view of the Statue of Liberty on the way in while Charlie explored the olfactory palate of the urban landscape.
As a band was setting up in the shadows of an apartment building by Louis Valentino Park, Neddy’s quote about “music growing from the cracks of the sidewalks in New, New York” rose from the memory banks in the full glory of its truth. Brooklyn’s street scene was positively transplendent on this unseasonably warm seventy degree afternoon and I simply couldn’t get enough of it. To that end, one of my personal highlights was a walk with Charlie to the car and back, Dennis’ voice floating on the breeze as he sang Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show’s late 70’s yacht rock anthem, “Sharing The Night Together”.
I couldn’t shake my wonder at Red Hook’s incredible street scene and I was just so taken with everyone living their city lives, casually participating, or not, as it suited them at that particular moment, nothing more than casual observers to the incidental music in their path. I couldn’t get enough of the bikes rolling down the barricaded street and passing within a few feet of the band while unbeknownst to them a sizable crew of friends gathered for BBQ and rallied much more intently around the comforting tunes of one of their own. The crowd at Hometown figured heavily in our afternoon as this was a Freaks day for the ages, one of my favorites since March 10 on my last aforementioned visit to New York City.
Summerfeet has become all of our band and that is as much a testament to the character of its artists and the quality of their friendships as it is to the music. Love ya, fellas!
We left shortly after halftime as it was getting a little cold and my kids were done. I mean, how many episodes of “QB1” can an almost teenager be reasonably expected to watch while ignoring a concert and the burgeoning street scene around him.
4,267 mellow steps that include a walk around the block for a sunset view of Miss Liberty as I took Charlie for a walk. {My suburban dog has never pooped on a leash and had no clue that she was supposed to do her business. Nice walk, though ;)}
Cosmic @ Sea Girt Lanes, Sea Girt, NJ
Cosmic was scheduled to play their first indoor show in 245 days and I was planning to be there, provided of course that it felt safe. I was fully prepared to pay my ten bucks and turn around but was pleasantly surprised to find a sparsely attended and very spacious scene. The band was set up dead center of the alley on lanes twelve through fifteen, about halfway between the fault line and the pins. Though there was a small dancing area in front of those lanes, I opted instead to make my home on lane twenty-six, the furthest possible location on either side with the nearest human a full seven lanes away. I was also pleased to find perfect sound on the outskirts as the alley had its own PA system with four oversized speakers spread evenly across the width of the lanes. Basically, I had my own speaker and a shit ton of space and although I do prefer to gather and share energy, I was perfectly comfortable and safe and happy.
Cosmic was scheduled to play their first indoor show in 245 days and I was planning to be there, provided of course that it felt safe. I was fully prepared to pay my ten bucks and turn around but was pleasantly surprised to find a sparsely attended and very spacious scene. The band was set up dead center of the alley on lanes twelve through fifteen, about halfway between the fault line and the pins. Though there was a small dancing area in front of those lanes, I opted instead to make my home on lane twenty-six, the furthest possible location on either side with the nearest human a full seven lanes away. I was also pleased to find perfect sound on the outskirts as the alley had its own PA system with four oversized speakers spread evenly across the width of the lanes. Basically, I had my own speaker and a shit ton of space and although I do prefer to gather and share energy, I was perfectly comfortable and safe and happy.
Celebrating Halloween a week early, the band was dressed as Star Wars characters. Props to drummer Dan Donovan for his Princess Leia costume — epic! I arrived with five songs left in the first set as the familiar notes of “Candyman” rang out before a four-pack of originals closed the frame, including the second of three tunes on the night with wolf in the title, this original called “The Wolves” which played really well after debuting at a show in my backyard earlier this month. {I missed “Wolfman’s Brother” in the two-spot. Doh.}
The second stanza came flying out of the break with “Mason’s Children” before a slightly awkward transition into an otherwise hard-charging “Hell In A Bucket.” I remember hearing “Illusion” for the first time (also debuted at my house 10/3/20) when it was just a solo acoustic demo and to hear the full band jam that grew out of that FB video is positively stunning. “Lost Sailor” > “Saint of Circumstance” preceded a gorgeous “Dark Star” with a super hot and highly danceable improv jam at the end that led into “Drums/Space” before a dark and sinister Halloween jam kept the themed setlist intact.
“Also Sprach Zarathustra” was hands down my favorite tune of the night and as we all got down hard before a dope cover of Cream’s “Politican” closed the main set proper. “Casey Jones” opened a trio of encores before the highly predictable “One More Saturday Night” > “Werewolves of London”.
Saving the best for last, Cosmic announced a bi-weekly residency for the foreseeable future. Woot!
13,222 steps, somewhat moderate but not too shabby for half a show.
Set One: Boys In The Barroom%, Wolfman’s Brother, Treat You Right*, Wine Women Rock*, This Fire* > Friend Of The Devil, Restless Heart*, Candyman > The Wolves* > More Time*, Words In The Wind*, Raised Upon A Fire*
Set Two: Mason’s Children > Hell In A Bucket, Illusion*, Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance, Dark Star > Jawa Jam^ > Drums > Space > Halloween Theme Jam > I Am Aware*^, Just A Little Light > Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) > Politician. Encore: Casey Jones, One More Saturday Night > Werewolves Of London.
%acapella, *originals, ^debuts.