Two different scheduled appearances by The Babies in Brooklyn were set up for Wednesday but just one went off and it was fantastic. Before a near-capacity crowd at Union Pool in Williamsburg, The Babies played a 40-minute set highlighted by a searing version of “Moonlight Mile,” the first single off the band’s much-anticipated forthcoming record.
The Babies had planned to play a separate set earlier in the evening just down Union Street at McCarren Park as part of the weekly Summerscreen series organized by Todd P. A nasty succession of storms in three waves scrapped that event, however. A tweet sent by Todd P at 4:02 PM announced the cancellation. That was a good call. The storm that rumbled through two hours before The Babies were to go on flooded streets and flat spaces. A safe stage load-on would have been difficult. Turns out another heavy storm passed at the time The Babies were to be playing, making the decision to cancel a sound one. Considering the precious value of the instruments involved (not to mention their connection to electricity), some of these outdoor shows can expose acts to property and personal risk. While it’s extra fun seeing a band outdoors, it’s impossible to know ahead of time what the weather will be like. Unless of course, you’re in Big Sur.
I had never been to Union Pool for a show before. I had hung out with friends at the bar’s heated outdoor deck on a cold fall night a few years ago but had not seen a band play there. I didn’t realize the performance room was tucked away off a hallway connected to the outdoor area. Admission to the show was eight bucks. Twelve-ounce Bud cans at Union Pool’s main bar are sold for $5 a pair. By the time I entered the music space, it was pretty full. A large open pocket of space up by the stage made it appear more crowded than it was. A couple minutes in, Kevin Morby of the Babies urged shy fans responsible for the void up front to step closer to the stage. It didn’t work. Near the room‘s rear, I got stuck next to a guy wearing a backward ball cap who spoke loudly to his girlfriend during the first two-thirds of the show. It was only when the Babies played Moonlight Mile that the guy shut up. There was so much extra oomph in that song, the whole place seemed wowed. Even the guy in the backwards cap.
Jarvis Taveniere of Woods filled in on bass for Brian Schleyer at this show. It was a pleasant surprise to see him up there.
I’m bad at predicting such things, but the new Babies record should be warmly received. Whoever or whatever helps propel success of a new release is a much narrower force these days. Pitchfork’s review of the first record was hideously unfair. XMU is said to be spinning the new cut. WNYU will most certainly play songs from the new record. Crowd sizes at Babies gigs here in New York the last year or so have been pretty good. Who knows.
I thought it was interesting that the band took exception to a New Yorker blurb that touted the band’s July 25, 2012 show at Public Assembly. Appearing in the same issue as David Remnick’s excellent profile of Bruce Springsteen, the New Yorker referred to the Babies as “an all-star side project.” After five days on the newsstand, The Babies (presumably written by Cassie Ramone) issued a retort on the band’s Facebook page. “WE ARE NOT A SIDE PROJECT,” was the loud and clear statement that garnered “likes” by 187 fans and counting.
Wednesday’s show ended with the traditional closer “Caroline.” Jeremy Earl and Alex Bleeker were among those in attendance. The set’s only glitch was a non-responsive effects pedal that Morby twice had to lean down and tinker with. I didn’t stick around for the headliner Deep Time. When I entered the G train at Metropolitan, lots of people wearing Ecuadorian soccer jerseys were making the transfer to the Brooklyn-bound L. Ecuador’s national team shut out Chile in Queens on Wednesday evening. An entertaining bluegrass duet played on the hot and smelly Brooklyn-bound G train platform. I was back home in no time using the G to the E.
Because of the afternoon rainout of the park show, I was able to catch the final three innings of King Felix’s perfecto. The MLB Network broke into coverage of Giants/Nats and gave us the Mariners television feed of the final nine outs. I also listened to Rick Rizzs on KIRO-AM via satellite radio. His call of the final out can be heard by clicking below.
The game’s home plate umpire Rob Drake has thirteen years in the bigs and had never been behind the dish for a no-hitter. His zone was wide the final three frames but not unreasonably so. With two out top seven, Drake called a strike on the first pitch to Tampa’s Matt Joyce. It was a tad outside. Rays skipper Joe Maddon went nuts and got tossed. It appeared to be gamesmanship. Maddon lingered on the field for a solid three minutes before exiting. I thought the extended lull would mess with Felix’s rhythm or mental state but it turned out he only got stronger. He struck out five of the game’s final six batters.
The television pictures were crisp thanks to bright sunshine in Seattle. There were tons of empty seats but fans filled a special “King’s Court” section near the left-field foul pole. Every time Felix pitches, section 150 is set aside as the King’s Court and those seated in that section wear special yellow King t-shirts and hold up King placards. This looks like fun and may serve as a model for other clubs with star pitchers.
-The owner of the great Woodside, Queens tavern Donovan’s is looking to sell both the business and the building that houses it. Known city-wide for its hamburger, Donovan’s has been a reliable place to get a cold beer or stiff drink. It’s just steps away from the 61st St. 7 train stop. Pub manager Jack Donovan tells NY1’s Jon Weinstein that his brother Joe wants to retire and free himself from the responsibility of running a business that’s been open since 1966. The posted sale price on Donovan’s according to Weinstein is $3.2 million. The obvious question here is whether the new owner would keep Donovan’s in its current form or do something else with the property.
-Joe Biden would be wise to avoid use of the “chains” metaphor in future attacks on Romney/Ryan. I was pretty surprised President Obama didn’t quickly renounce Biden’s off-script slip. While Biden’s delivery of a speech on topics he’s passionate about is worthy of praise, there’s obviously a problem with his restraint mechanism sometimes.