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Monday night is not an ideal time to be out gallivanting with friends and drinking alcohol. Quite the opposite, actually. Monday nights should be reserved for a fast dinner and maybe a shower to get the stink of the office off of your person so that you can be in bed and sleeping by 9:15 p.m.
Sleep evades most of us on the weekend, and Monday night is the night you should be using to play catch-up. Having said that, my day job makes me want to get hit by a bus day-in and day-out, so a few Mondays back I said fuck it and threw caution to the wind, stepping outside of the friendly confines of my bedroom in a rare act of spontaneity.
There is a bar near my apartment called the Phyllis Musical Inn. Outside of Rainbo Club (not a gay bar, just a really shit dive bar that looks like a place for addicts to shoot heroin), Phyllis might be my favorite bar in the city.
They have Hamm’s for two bucks a pop, mixed well drinks for four, and live music in their courtyard on most nights. Now this particular Monday night I had no idea what kind of music would be playing. I just knew that I needed a drink and something to listen to that would allow my brain to shut off for a bit.
I got lucky, as there just so happened to be a jazz quartet starting a show at 9:00 p.m. Now again, on a Monday night I’d usually say that this is a move reserved for lunatics and the unemployed. Hitting up a live show that early in the week and that late at night is a recipe for a very unproductive rest of the work week. But listen to these guys and tell me you’re not vibing right now.
Hell yes pic.twitter.com/uyIyx08yVG
— John (@dudaronomy) July 30, 2018
This quartet played for a little over two hours. There is absolutely something to be said for the power of music. You can get swept up in whatever it is you’re listening to rather easily, especially when it’s a genre that you’re partial to.
I love jazz, so it was not hard for me to lose myself in the melodic rhythm of the saxophone or the kick of the percussionist. But more so than the power of music, we have to give credit where credit is due – alcohol makes just about everything more tolerable.
I could have been at an ambient noise concert and been feeling it because guess what? I was four beers deep forty minutes into the show and watching someone play live music just does something to your psyche.
Screamo, experimental folk music, crustpunk, deep filthstep – I could have been sitting there watching four goats yelp into microphones and it would have been entertaining because I was just drunk enough where anything sounded nice. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s live and you’re in front of them with a beer in hand.
I was able to forget that it was a Monday night for two and a half hours. I thank God everyday that I grew up and became a fan of jazz music, but I’d also like to take some time out to say that without alcohol, live music would not be as good as it is talked up to be..
Image via Unsplash
Respond
jduda@grandex.co
Give me two drinks and a key bump and I’ll watch a homeless guy play paint bucket drums all night
I spent a night jamming to one guy doing percussion on a box while his buddy sang Flight of the Concords songs at a local dive bar. It was magical
You’re a stronger man than I.
Phish 1994-2000 on Spotify
Give it a try fam
Anything is better after 2 or 3 drinks
Yes, I believe that’s John’s take.
The worst is getting too excited for a concert then overindulging in booze and not remembering (most) of the concert. I would know because I did it last weekend…damnit
Or indulging in anything else that comes your way. I say I’ve seen Less Than Jake… but the memories are…hazy.
The problem is when you get to 8-10 drinks
“Damnit it happened again!”
Hot take: alcohol makes activities better
I saw Kid Rock live on Sunday and that man would make a sober person feel hammered. Dude can put on a show.
Did you get in the pit and try to love someone?
Monday is my favorite day of the week to go out drinking. Helps break up the monotony of the work week a little bit. Gives you something to look forward to on an otherwise dreadful Monday at work.
I went out on a recent week night to see a pretty cool rock band that is somewhat under the radar. Found out the hard way that IPA’s and margaritas do not create the best mix even in somewhat moderation. Did not make it into work until about 10:00. Well worth the show though.
Harvey Specter would never drink, let alone mix those drinks.