Subterranean Jungle: Heaven is wherever we can get together

I disappeared for a couple of months and the world ended. Legends have left us, notably Shane MacGowan and Robert “Balcony Bob” McBride. MacGowan once tried to drive his tour bus into Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel when it was at the Peerless Building for his stage entrance. Balcony Bob worked for over 30 years to keep people safe from such incidents at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, The Strand, and The Met Café. He was a lifer and really the last of the tribe. I could tell he was ill but he was stubborn and kept punching to the end. We’ll miss you Shane and Balcony Bob, okay mostly Bob.

Now that we’re past the obituary part, let’s talk about clubs closing because apparently I’m a goth columnist in 2024. Mayday and Dusk have recently closed. I only got to Mayday once. I had a colonoscopy earlier that day, so definitely wasn’t full of shit that night. I saw a great punk band from Cincinnati called The Drin that Ian O’Neil told me about, followed by his band Happiness. It was packed and I thought this could be the new Monday night place like Loser Bar at The Met, Sunday nights at Talk of Town, or even Aurora (Fuck Buff Chace) which had some banger weeknight shows. Two weeks later Mayday announced they were done.

So Dusk, what can I say? I don’t think anyone could bottle up the music, community, and love that Dusk has given us for the past 14 years. The first time I went to Dusk was before they were doing live music. The room reminded me of the bar in the movie From Dusk Till Dawn, which is fitting because they had a painting up of a vampire to the end. I think pizza was their thing in those early days. When Dusk started hosting live music everything popped. Harris Ave was no longer just for drag racing or shootings at shitty bars named after dead painters. I saw some of the most memorable shows with bands like The Silks, The Queers, The Callouts, The Schizophonics, Tall Teenagers, Midnight Creeps, Richie Ramone, The Moodrunners, Daddy Long Legs, and too many others to name. Outside of playing hockey, no place made my hips hurt more than shaking it at Soul Power on Friday nights. Let’s not forget all those festivals Dusk hosted like the iconic Revival Fest on July 4, Shiza Fest, metal fests, and providing a space where bands could play outside in 2020-21 when we couldn’t be inside.

Maybe Dusk will open again one day at another location but til then: THANK YOU Rick Sunderland, Danielle Tellier, Danny Baldwin, Dan St. Jacques, Tom West, Amanda Salemi, and the whole Dusk crew. The magic happens regardless of whether you go, or don’t go to a show. The difference is that it might not happen next month if you don’t go.

WES’ RIB HOUSE

As one door shuts another is bound to open. In this case Wes’ Rib House is back with barbecue and live music. I saw a Shane MacGowan tribute there and am curious to see how it goes.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

LIGHT SPEAK, TALL TEENAGERS, AND DR. JONES

I haven’t seen Light Speak, partially because this is their first show, but look forward to their debut! Tall Teenagers are one of my favorite local bands and recently released a great new EP, Chasm. I’ll have more on it later but for now we’ll call it trashy guitar swing dance.

Light Speak, Tall Teenagers, and Dr. Jones rock Askew in PVD on Feb 23.

MAX CREEK

Max Creek isn’t my jam but they have been playing music here since like the 1800s. I think Roger Williams once tried to get them to stop but he’s gone and these hippies are still around. Seriously these guys are legends, dance the night away brothers and sisters.

Max Creek will jam away like old world satanists on February 23 and 24 at The Met Café in Pawtucket.

DUSTY & THE BRAKES

This is a great night at Askew – a special night cap after Molly O’Leary’s record release show earlier in the evening. Come early, stay late, take in all the amazing music.

Dusty & The Brakes, Olivia Dolphin, and Bethany Killian bring the vibes to Askew on February 24.

NASTY HABITS

I love the Stones so am more than happy to plug any Stones tribute band rolling down the line. This night is a good illustration of why the Stones are superior to Zeppelin. The Stones tribute band takes their name from a great lyric in the song “Live With Me.” The Zeppelin band is too dumb to come up with a name. I mean how can you not come up with a great name for a band that mostly wrote about Gollum and various elves?

Nasty Habits (Rolling Stones tribute) and A Night of Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin tribute) rock The Met Café on March 1.

Email music news to mclarkin33@gmail.com.