Does Robot Conor Dream of Electric Drums?
Square LoopThe Dreamtoday returned to the backroom at Silhouette Lounge on the night of Monday, 19 December 2022.
Baby Bowler and Square Loop bookended the bill. Last minute add Class President sparkled in opener duties.
On the previous episode of As the Sil Turns we followed the trials and tribulations of two self-anointed sleuths sniffing out a possible case of human trafficking in the general vicinity of the Allston dive bar.
Nothing so dramatic unfolded this Monday night. It was a more paint-by-numbers evening, which is probably for the best, because who knows if Bill the Bartender’s heart could stand such excitement on a nightly basis?
Sometimes you just want to set up the drinks, trade a few laughs, close out your tabs, and go home – the kind of routine schedule that regular 9-5 working stiffs would recognize. Workers in the service industry are no different. They appreciate predictable hours and payouts too.
A few choice cuts from Bill:
Some Taco Bells are “really nice.” They call them “cantinas” and you can find a lot of them on the West Coast. [The “Living Más” website describes cantinas as follows: “A Taco Bell "Cantina" features an urban restaurant design, open kitchen, custom menu, and alcoholic beverages. Yes, you read that right. A Taco Bell with beer, wine, sangria and twisted Freezes.” Taco Bell Cantinas are located all over the United States, not just the West Coast. -ed.]
Bill sees himself as a Sam Malone-type from the sitcom Cheers. The long-running series revolved around the affable, ex-athlete bartender, who serves drinks but doesn’t drink himself. Bill noted, though, that taking a shot once in a while is “part of the job.”
Bill’s working New Year’s Eve at his other gig, Roadrunner. It will be a big night, a storm before the calm of the cold weather season for the service industry. People just don’t go out as much in deep winter. Bill sees things picking up again in March.
Stay out of Bill’s service square!
Other quick hits:
Random patron on the dimming lights at the Silhouette Lounge: “There’s rats gnawing at the wires somewhere.”
A 20-year regular was a bit miffed to lose her $5 in the jukebox when the establishment silenced the machine for the “start” of the music show in the backroom. Her apoplexy intensified as the show took another thirty minutes or so to genuinely commence. But she took it in stride, enjoying a game of pool with her mathematician husband and a friend that they hadn’t seen in “50 years.” Between rounds she wandered over to the bar and struck up conversations about Malthusian population theory.
Pink Navel was in the house.
Class President
Eddie O'Sullivan (Class President)Lowell’s Class President opened as a one-piece with guitarist Eddie O’Sullivan.
Without the usual bass and drums contributions of Evan Kelley and Cullen Ryan, the delivery shifted gears from pop rock fury to a more introspective, singer-songwriter sound. O’Sullivan juiced up the reverb to thicken the stew with good results.
By the way, is this not the most Irish-American sounding roster you’ve ever heard? Not fecking tryna slag any’un, but t’even the photographer of t’eir EP Ellipsis is named Kaylee Hennessey. Sure look. Rumor has it Class President is releasing a new album around February.
Baby Bowler
Baby BowlerForget inflation, is Marshfield’s Baby Bowler barreling towards a major Connor deficit in 2023? The band was a four-piece in 2020, when they recorded the EP Keep It Up! with the help of two Con(n)ors: Connor Scribner (bass) and Conor McMahon (drums).
Fast forward to 2021, when they recorded another EP Hardwork as a three-piece with only one remaining Conor: Conor McMahon.
At this rate of Con(n)or dropoff, are we projecting a completely Conor-free Baby Bowler by the end of next year? The emo pop-punkers may want to look into the latest advances in artificial intelligence and robotics as a cautionary hedge against future Conor loss. Perhaps start auditions for Connorbot 3000?
Connorbot 3000
The Dreamtoday
The DreamtodayThe Dreamtoday returned to the Silhouette Lounge with an extra member.
Actually, more than one extra member. There was also a guy from Woburn who didn’t play on Monday night, but said he used to perform with them. He satisfied himself by acting as a kind of carnival barker for the band, ushering strangers into the backroom as the show was about to start.
When it started, the audience was greeted by a five-piece that delivered a more robust, multi-layered sound than the four-piece that played here in November. The band comes with the heavy psych flavor mixed with a pop sensibility and a mountain of energy. Shout out to the fan who adjusted the lead singer’s sagging mic stand midsong. Extra points for one of the guitarists rocking The Endorphins t-shirt.
Square Loop
Square LoopWorcester’s Square Loop closed out the bill, making it an official “Boston show with no Boston bands” night. Which is a great thing, actually. More than half the bands listing any given metro center as their point of origin are, in truth, from the surrounding area.
It makes sense for practical reasons. If you’re trying to explain to someone on the other side of the country where you live, Malden, or Natick, or Weymouth won’t help them much. You say instead, north, west, or south of Boston. And once you realize they only hear the ‘Boston’ and rest runs through their brain like water though a sieve, you start just saying ‘Boston.’
It is what it is, but for local Bay State shows, there’s no reason not to represent for real. Square Loop represented some poppy, punky, emo-inflected rock n roll for real. The four-piece band must be gearing up for their record release show at O’Brien’s Pub in February. Let’s hope Bill the Bartender is wrong and the pub kids come out of hibernation for the gig.
The Florida foursome use all caps and exclamation point at O’Brien’s Pub.