Band Returns for a Swinging Night of Tom Waits & Original Tunes

 By Sally Deering

Girl groups are a rare breed of women doing their own thing in the male-dominated music world; they create their own unique sound and groove just as cool as the boys.

Vicki Kristina Barcelona fits those stilettos perfectly – a girl group with its own style, doing music their way. The three singer/songwriter/musicians – Amanda Homi (percussion), Rachelle Garniez (accordion/guitar) and Terry Radigan (guitar) – sing original tunes they wrote and a Tom Waits†repertoire. They perform throughout the Metropolitan area and are returning to the back parlour at Fox & Crow on Thursday, June 22 at 8 oâ€clock for another show.  

And we lucky to have them back in Jersey City.

Along with the Brooklyn-based bandâ€s original tunes, VKB will devote most of the evening to Tom Waits†songs the band has deconstructed and reinvented in their own style. For instance, their rendition of “Temptation” is a sexy, hip-swiveling snake dance of seduction. Waits would be proud.

They are terrific musicians, too. Radigan is an intense, high voltage guitarist and Garniez strums a ukulele-banjo, blows a kazoo and a deftly handles a big-ass accordion so beautifully, she could make a dove cry. Homi, the dark-haired percussionist and a highly-trained vocalist plays lots of interesting percussive instruments throughout the show including a Washboard Tie.

On a recent Monday, Homi took a moment from a rehearsal where she was learning a new instrument – the Gnibri – to talk about how the band hooked-up and what their future plans are.

RVO: How did you get the name VKB? Are you all fans of Woody Allenâ€s movie?

AH: I have to admit; it was my idea originally. I was tossing around a lot of names. For an eclectic female trio, you think of so many names. It seemed to fit.

 RVO:  There seems to be a true camaraderie on stage. Are you friends offstage?

AH: Yes. We get along great. Our last excursion upstate, we were even laughing in the grocery store. Terry and Rachelle are both fantastic women – talented, funny and smart.

RVO: You are a terrific percussionist. I bet you can make beats out of anything. Whatâ€s the weirdest instrument youâ€ve ever played?

AH: Weirdest instrument? Iâ€m learning a new one as we speak. It has three strings and itâ€s a fretless instrument. I wish I knew the correct name for this. (The Gnibri).  I bought it in Morocco, which has some wonderful instruments. I do study percussion and instruments all over the world. I like to be authentic as much as possible.

RVO: How do you collaborate? Do you rehearse often?

AH: We meet up as often as we can. Everyone travels and has different agendas. Weâ€ll meet more often if we have an upcoming gig. I think collectively, itâ€s such a huge repertoire, weâ€ve kind of honed ones we really like to do the most. When a song is not getting there, weâ€ll try to make it work. A lot of arrangements get changed. Some of the songs, we really like it. We do Chicago, but it never felt right, and recently we hit on the right groove and feel. I think at this point, the ones that we stick with, and keep in the set are the ones we constantly want to do.

RVO:  Will you be putting out a CD soon?

AH: We have yet to officially put out a CD. This configuration with Terry and Rachelle, weâ€re only together for over a year. Weâ€re recording very soon.

RVO:  Can you talk about how you mesh your originals with Mr. Waits†tunes?

AH: At this point, it depends on the length of the show. Weâ€ll do two originals each, but focus on the Tom Waits material.

RVO: Do you prefer intimate venues like Fox & Crow?

AH: We feel very comfortable in an intimate setting. Part of performing in a theater setting is to make the audience feel as if itâ€s intimate.

Terry Radigan

 RVO: You have a great singing voice; are you professionally trained?

AH: Actually, I am a professional singer. The percussion thing, I donâ€t consider myself a professional percussionist.

RVO: How would you describe the VKB sound?

AH: I would say weâ€re eclectic. I think thereâ€s a looseness which I really like: always keep a groove and an arrangement. That looseness; itâ€s like falling off a cliff and catching yourself. You want to be confined to your arrangements and you carefully worked them out, but when you perform it, you want to be able to veer a little way off that. Iâ€m a fan of gypsy music. Thereâ€s a very high skill-level musically, but at the same time you have passion and a danger-be-damned, devil-may-care feeling. Collectively, when we tap into that, I think weâ€re at our best.

If you go

Thurs, June 22, 8-10 pm

Vicki Kristina Barcelona band

Fox & Crow/In the Parlour

594 Palisade Ave, JC

(201) 984-2775

www.foxandcrowjc.com

 For info on the VKB band:

vickikristinabarcelonaband@gmail.com

The post GIRL GROUP GROOVES first appeared on River View Observer.

 Spotlights Performers that Connect with Jersey Cityâ€s Diverse Community

By Sally Deering

 The stage isnâ€t very big at Fox & Crow, the hip pub and “parlour” on Palisade Ave. in The Heights. Nevertheless, itâ€s a great Jersey City venue for some pretty big talent and nobody knows that better than the clubâ€s music curator/booking manager Margo Parks.

For more than a year now, Parks has been scouting the acts for Fox & Crow; just one of her many jobs in the music industry. She also works at Kaleidoscope Sound recording studio in Union City and books talent for the annual A-Town Get Down in Savannah, Georgia. Married to popular musician Walter Parks (lead guitarist for the late and great Ritchie Havens), Margo Parks books gigs for her husbandâ€s band, Swamp Cabbage, too. Although not a musician, per se, Margo Parks spends most of her time and energy with musicians– and thatâ€s just fine with her.

This is not a line of work Parks just fell into. She holds a Bachelorâ€s Degree in Music from NYU, where she studied the business of music; and she has spent the past 20 years honing her craft as scout and booker.  And when sheâ€s not curating acts for Fox & Crow and gigs for Walterâ€s band, Margo and Walter host art happenings at The Statuary, their home in The Heights, on JC Fridays.

“Swingadelic” performed at Fox & Crow, Jan. 20

On a recent Friday night, Parks invited an all-female band Vicki Kristina Barcelona to perform at Fox & Crow and they wowed the crowd with two sets of Tom Waits†songs that melded beautifully with their originals. On Fri, Jan. 20, Swingadelic grooved the parlour. And Parks already set Februaryâ€s entertainment schedule with acts like Chrissi Poland, Adam Falcon and Jon Shain.

 RVO:  We loved Vicki Kristina Barcelona, how did you get them for Fox & Crow?

MP:  Walter, my husband is a musician and Terry Radigan of Vicki Kristina Barcelona Band hosts a roundup once a month in Brooklyn. She invited Walter to that a couple of times. Her group also performed. Iâ€ve known Amanda, whoâ€s also in the band, through other groups.

RVO:  Your husband Walter Parks played with the late Ritchie Havens?

MP: Walter is a guitarist and singer. He has his own band Swamp Cabbage, and he plays solo. Walter was touring with Ritchie Havens for 9 or 10 years as lead guitarist. Three or 4 days a week, he was on the road. Heâ€s on the road a lot, these days, but mostly with his own stuff.

RVO: How did you get to be music curator for Fox & Crow?

MP: The owners wanted to have live music in the back room. That was about a year ago.

 I offered to help and it became a job. I love it. Iâ€ve been working in the music world for almost 20 years.

RVO:  How did you get into the business of music?

MP:  I studied music business in college. I went to NYU and got a Bachelorâ€s of Music – it was a specialty offered in the music school. I took all of the basic business courses in the business school, took basic music courses and courses that specialized in the music industry. The concert promoter for the Beacon Theater was one of my teachers. He taught us about contracts, publicity, the angle from the music industry. It was interesting. We did internships, too. I interned with Channel 13 and Monmouth Records. I worked with an artist manager, sort of what I ended up doing, and she worked with several different artists and I would help her with radio promotion. I ended up working with Empress Records. I was one of their first employees.

Chrissi Poland performs at Fox & Crow Feb. 25

RVO:  You also worked with Rachel Sage as her label manager?

MP:  With Rachel, I was an assistant, and then became her label manager, I talked to the distribution company, went to music conferences and we would have a showcase where we would bring in artists. I stopped there in 2004, and started working for Grassy Hill Entertainment. We did a lot of showcases like the Folk Alliance, and we would bring in other artists to do the showcases once or twice a year. I would say the time I would start to scout was when I helped found a festival in Savannah called A-Town Get Down. It started as a benefit for Alex Townsend, who passed away way too young. His family are friends of ours. It was our tribute to him. It ham Its become bigger than that  music event We is family are friends of ours. It was our tribute to him Its become bigger than ts become bigger than that first time, a real art and music event.

RVO:  What do you do at Kaleidoscope Sound?

MP: We do a wide variety of music, but mostly world music and jazz. I handle all of their bookings and scheduling. Thereâ€s a theme here. Itâ€s probably another way I learn about a lot of musicians, because I have musicians and bands calling.

Adam Falcon performs at Fox & Crow Feb. 18

RVO:  What exactly is The Statuary?

MP: The Statuary is our home. We bought it in 2005 from the Jersey Statuary that made religious statues, a family-owned business that made Marys and Jesuses and painted them for about 80 years. They were the only people doing it for a 200-mile radius. Then they retired. We renovated the building, and the first floor we keep as a gallery space. On JC Fridays weâ€ll have a free cultural event, an artist and music event. The first time we did it as a tribute to the family that owned the business. They still lived in the neighborhood and we wanted to show what the building had become. Thatâ€s what we had promised them; that we would keep it standing and would renovate it. It was inspiring to see the neighborhood come, people who had been to our house when they were kids. We had over 100 people come to that first event; it was a fun group of people. We try to keep each one thematic and different.

RVO: There seems to be an art renaissance happening in The Heights. Whatâ€s your take on it?

MP:  We have so many artists and musicians that live up here. This community is very active. Thereâ€s the Lumberyard series, the Farmers†Market, the Washington Park Association that has the Art & Music Festival. I think theyâ€re doing more throughout the year. The Holland Street Project, the Riverview Jazz Festival and the Riverview Art Association. Corkscrew has music on a regular basis. Art House does a lot of theater as well as art events. Itâ€s a wonderful community.

Jon Shain performs at Fox & Crow Feb 17

RVO:  Fox & Crow seems to have taken off as a go-to destination for live entertainment.

MP: At Fox & Crow, people are coming out just to see what weâ€re doing in the Parlour. There are so many places that have rock and roll and the blues. I try to do something different than what you typically get in a bar. Itâ€s such a small space, I want to keep it a listening room vibe.

RVO:  Do you like your work as a music curator; is it fun?

MP: The fun part for me, I love looking for live music and listening to whatâ€s out there and I like bringing music to the community. I like being able to introduce quality, culturally diverse music, especially when people respond to it. Last year, I had a young woman from Chicago who does a tribute to Edith Piaf. People came out and were excited and respected what she was trying to do. Those special nights are really exciting for me.

If you go

Fox & Crow Pub & Parlour

594 Palisade Ave, JC

www.foxandcrowjc.com

Coming up in the Parlour

Every Sunday in the bar, Adam Melchor, 5 – 8 pm  

 Fri, Feb 3     Sean Kiely, 10 pm – 12 am

Sat, Feb 4     Ray Corvair, 10 pm – 12 am

Tues, Feb 7   Backroom Broadsides (spoken word series), 8 – 10 pm

Fri, Feb 10    Pat Van Dyke w/ DJ Prestige, 9 pm – 12 am

Sat, Feb 11   Tyrone Cotton + Julia Patinella, 10 pm – 12 am 

Fri, Feb 17    Jon Shain, 10 pm – 12 am

Sat, Feb 18   Adam Falcon, 10 pm – 12 am

Fri, Feb 24    Dan O’Dea and Eagle Ridge, 10 pm – 12 am

Sat, Feb 25   Chrissi Poland, 10 pm – 12 am

The post PARLOUR MUSIC Margo Parks books the Acts that Draw the Crowds at Fox & Crow first appeared on River View Observer.

Itâ€s been said that doing stand-up stands out as one of the toughest show biz paths to take, a lonely venture of telling jokes to a boozy crowd with the intention of getting them to laugh at your hilarious observations.

Even Jerry Seinfeld started that way.

The difficult life of a stand-up comic hasnâ€t deterred Jersey Cityâ€s Brett Druck, a funny man who has taken his observational humor to comedy clubs in New York and New Jersey, Sirius XM Radio and TV. He plays comedy festivals and just began performing at colleges – his first will be Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and heâ€s working on his first comedy album.

Druckâ€s jokes go something like this:

“I made out with a ‘cougarâ€.

But then in the middle of it she stopped.

She said, ‘I canâ€t do this, I have kids.â€

I was like, ‘Itâ€s okay; I have parentsâ€.”

 Hereâ€s another

“People say the children are our future.

That terrifies me.

Iâ€ve been around 12 year-olds.

Iâ€ve heard the way they speak.

Fifty years from now youâ€ll hear some girl like ‘OMG srsly. I canâ€t even, bye.â€

And youâ€ll be like, that was a terrible State of the Union Address.”

 Dreck holds a BA in Communications from William Paterson University in Wayne and performed his first paying gig at Just for Laughs in Chicago. Since then, heâ€s been a finalist in The Andy Kaufman Awards, and in 2012, Dreck was featured on NBCs AMERICA’S GOT TALENT. Heâ€s played the Jersey City and Hoboken Comedy Festivals and New York Stand-Up 360; and he tweets jokes and performance dates to his 19,000 followers on Twitter.

RVO: Are you originally from New Jersey?

BD: I grew up in South Orange, in the suburbs. Iâ€m the youngest of three; I have an older brother and sister. My parents experimented with the first two – ‘Heâ€s not going to do anything crazy,†– and figured Iâ€d be alright.  Their biggest fear was that Iâ€d eat a bunch of candy.

RVO:  How did you get into stand-up comedy?

BD: I went to William Paterson University which was great. Itâ€s the reason Iâ€m doing stand-up. They offered stand-up comedy by the American Comedy Institute, as a free elective, so I took it. I enjoyed the writing and performing aspect. At the end of the class the final was a performance at Carolineâ€s in the City. It was great. My professor really encouraged me. He told me I had a knack for it. From then on, I could have signed up for a second class, but I did it on my own, which was dumb. I went in blind. I had this idea you are just funny or youâ€re not. You get lucky and famous and thatâ€s how you get your career – or you donâ€t. I didnâ€t realize how long it takes to become a good comic.

 RVO:  How long does it take?

BD:  Iâ€d say it takes five to ten years. Making people laugh and the intricacies of what comedy is are only learned by an extensive amount of stage time and analyzing life from a comedic stand point. There are a whole lot of aspects.

 RVO:  What do you think the state of comedy is these days?

BD:  Comedy fluctuates. The root of it was the Catskills comedians. That will never change:  set up, punchline, set up, punchline.

 RVO: Who are the comics that you enjoy watching; who inspires you?

BD: I love watching Jim Gaffigan ‘cause heâ€s punch, punch, punch.

RVO:  Do you remember the first time you made someone laugh?

BD: Itâ€s a very vivid memory. I was at Friendlyâ€s with my family, I said something weird and my whole family was laughing, one of those good laughs.

RVO:  Do you enjoy standing up on a stage alone telling jokes?

BD: Itâ€s the best feeling in the world. Thereâ€s an expression; ‘The second best feeling in the world is laughing and the first is making people laugh.” You gotta earn your chops doing stand-up exclusively. Itâ€s a refined art.

RVO:  What does it take to be good at stand up?

BD: Doing stand-up, a big part of it is getting comfortable on stage and getting centered emotionally and mentally. The hardest part is each crowd is different, you have good shows and bad shows. You canâ€t let the bad shows affect you emotionally. You figure out what worked, what didnâ€t and you donâ€t let it affect your confidence. Get on stage, get those 10,000 hours to be good at anything.

Another aspect is developing your material. Itâ€s scientific whittling. Stuff that works with 80 percent of crowds, you stick with that material. If it keeps working almost all the time, thereâ€s something there. You can hear it in the laughter. It gets that huge laugh, that pop. Keep at it. Thatâ€s how you get a successful act.  It could take me two years to get one joke right.

 If you go:

Brett Druck will be performing at the following clubs. Check his website, www.brettdruck.com for info.

Wed, Thurs, Fri, Apr. 15, 16 & 17: Marcus Monroe Show at TBA

Sat, Apr. 18: Comedy Cabaret; Marcus Monroe Show at TBA

Tues, Apr. 21: Fancy Show, Brooklyn, NY

The post Stand-Up Comic Brett Druck Hones his Laughs Being Funny is Serious Business first appeared on River View Observer.

The Powerhouse Lounge is a Jersey City nightclub with food service, mostly loved for their incredible pizza, and sushi.  It opened three years ago in 2010 and now you donâ€t have to journey into New York City for a classy trendy club because itâ€s here.

There is a doorman so always dress to impress – bring your corporate I.D., and wear business attire to get in – especially if you are interested in the corporate happy hour from 5-to-8 pm.  Itâ€s a deal offering food and drinks for just $20. 

Once inside youâ€ll notice the ambiance is very stylish: dark leather seating, a cascading waterfall behind the bar, and 3 gel-fueled, wall-mounted fireplaces.  According to the General Manager Walter Sawicki, “We wanted to create a dark, sexy, trendy, place equal or better than any New York City lounge”.

There is a bottle service deal and the cost varies according to the liquor brand you choose.  Average cost for 4 people is $220 and up.  On Friday, and Saturday nights there is a live DJ accompanied by a percussionist.  On Thursday nights all their large screens play the video of the Top 40 music the DJ is playing.

The seating is very well arranged in sections.  There are V.I.P. areas where you and your friends can have privacy but are still right in the mix.  If you feel like dancing you have plenty of room to bust out that move, or you can just sit at the comfortable bar and chill or make new friends.

There is a coat check policy which is great since winter is coming and you donâ€t want to lug around your outer wear. This is not your neighborhood sports bar so be prepared to indulge in a classy treat.

If you go:

The Powerhouse Lounge

360 Marin Blvd. Jersey City

(201) 918-5125

www.powerhouselounge.com

Hours: Tues-Thurs, 4 pm-2 am

Fri, Sat, 4 pm-3am

The post The Powerhouse Lounge in Jersey City-A Classy Treat first appeared on River View Observer.

Willie McBrideâ€s

This bar/club is off the beaten path but worth the taxi ride if you canâ€t get the free limo. Itâ€s a wonderful place to relax, mingle and meet new people. McBrides features a full bar serving a variety of drinks for your pleasure and you will find them to be delicious and reasonably priced.

McBrideâ€s is one of the few remaining venues that offers live music, and dancing with an incredible sound sytem and a eclectic mix of live bands.

watch your favorite sporting event. The back room is a large open area with a small stage, and some sitting booths with lots of space to dance and when the club lighting is on it completes the party experience. It offers three large bathrooms so no lines. The top floor of McBrideâ€s features dining only. McBrideâ€s is owned by Sean Hession an Irishman from County Mayo in Ireland and all the charming collectables decorating his

Sean Session turned the old Holiday Inn at 616 Grand street into McBrideâ€s in 1996.

Willie Mc Brideâ€s

The post In the Clubs at Willie Mc Bride’s in Hoboken NJ first appeared on River View Observer.

Room 84 is aptly named because the address is 84 Washington Street in Hoboken. It is an intimate club; not a very large space.  There is enough room to accommodate private areas called V.I.P. sections for a more private setting with friends.  These spaces are sectioned off by sheer curtain panels letting you enjoy your party, but still being part of the overall scene with a dance floor.

The dominant color is white with colorful lighting dimmed enough to make you feel intimate.  The bar is long so everyone can get to it and order drinks if bottle service isnâ€t required.  If you do order bottle service it is quite an experience because you do feel like a V.I.P. with lots of attentive service from the staff.  The bottle service is very affordable compared with other clubs in town.  For $250 the Friday package special you get 3 bottles of top shelf liquor, and a carafe of juices and sodas.  On Saturday, the 3-bottle special is $300.

The owner Joseph E. Branco revitalized the defunct BAR NONE club into Room 84 in 2009.  BAR NONE was fun, too, with arty decor and inexpensive drinks.  Most of the patrons came from the hood looking for a good time.  Hoboken was becoming more upscale, and so was the club.

Branco created this new concept for Room 84 with new décor, V.I.P. bottle service, and cover charge.  With a great staff, and live DJ music playing Top 40s, Room 84 became a classy Club/Lounge.  On Wednesday the club becomes the Underground Comedy Nightclub where you can laugh all night for free with no cover charge.

Photo Room 84 facebook page

If  You Go

Room 84

84 Washington St

Hoboken

www.room84hoboken.com

(201) 420-1112

Open Wed-Sat 8pm ‘til closing          

 

The post IN THE CLUBS- Hoboken’s ROOM 84 first appeared on River View Observer.

By Martin Ramone Delossantos

Barcade is an adult Toy land.  With a great selection of classic arcade games like Miss Pacman, Teenage Ninja Turtles, Tapper and much more.  At the old school cost of 25¢ per game you can play all evening if you are skilled, and without going broke like in the casinos and much more fun.  With their large selection of American Craft Beers on tap, a full bar, and sandwiches that border on gourmet you have a winning evening.  It is accessible by Path train, stopping off at Grove Street and walking a few blocks.

 Barcade is a welcoming Night Spot because it can be a relaxing place if youâ€re alone, or a pumped up night competing with friends.  If you are going to unwind grab a game machine, a comfy seat, and order up a tasty treat…donâ€t forget the cash.

The place looks very casual, and the ambiance reflects it.  The wooden bar is the focal point where you can have your drinks, and meet new people, or just hang out with old ones exchanging who has the best scores.

Barcade is the dream child of Paul Kermizian, and four close friends.  Barcade first opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2004 because the parners lived there thus making the location a practical choice.  Since boyhood Paul loved playing arcade games.  After seeing an ad for an old game for sale he purchased and was hooked.

A few arcade machines later his apartment became his personal arcade.  Soon he noticed at his parties the guests were lining up to play his games.  The friends realized by combining classic arcade games, and good beers could be a fun business.  Investing all their savings, and maxing out credit cards while doing all the renovation they were able to open their first Barcade.

It proved to be a wise investment at the right time.  In 2011 the partners decided to open two more Barcades one in Jersey City, and another in Philadelphia.  The Barcade formula is successful because it is a fun place for an adult to be a kid again.

Must Be 21 or over to enter 

Upcoming Events:  Beer Nights

Kane Brewing Co. Sept. 26^th—6pm

Oskar Blues Co. Oct. 10^th—5pm

 Barcade

 163 Newark Ave.

Jersey City

 (201) 332–4555

www.barcadejerseycity.com

Hours:  Mon­–Thurs, 4pm–2a; Fri–Sat, 12pm–3am; Sun–12pm–2am

The post BARCADE IN JERSEY CITY MIXES ARCADE GAMES WITH ITS DRINKS first appeared on River View Observer.

Our newest feature looks at the Club scene in Hudson County 

By Martin Ramone Delossantos

Photos by Martin Ramone Delossantos

 Five West Supper Club is one of Hobokenâ€s most chic nightspots.  It is on Fifth and Madison Street exactly nine blocks down from Washington Street.  They have a free shuttle you can call for pick up, and ride home for one to fifteen people!

The club used to be known as BARNONE, and reopened as 5 WEST SUPPER CLUB in 2010.  The interior is tastefully decorated with dark, tri-colored, wood flooring, tall booths, a large dance space with a great sound system, and energetic lighting.

“The real bonus is the service,” General Manager Chris Lowther said.

He has created a fun, exciting place with a selective menu of delicious appetizer-style dishes to bring people together.  It reflects the clubs ambience, “to create a people-to-people environment,” Lowther said.

There are two full bars at each end of the nightclub.  The cocktail menu is creative with popular drinks like the “Virtue” and “Fetish”.  The selection of craft beers is current, and changes seasonally.  There is bottle service, and open bar available to share with good friends.

The club appeals to a diverse crowd ranging from early twenties to late thirties.  The dress code is “look good.”  DJâ€S such as “CREAM AND ALDEZ”, “GARY W”, and “PRISTIGE” pump out popular sounds to the crowdâ€s satisfaction.

Lowther has new plans for the club – his concept is called “two becomes one” although he wonâ€t share any details yet. Customers will have to wait till Sept. 6^th to see what changes heâ€ll be unveiling.  One thing wonâ€t change is his concept of the surprise experience he wants for his club guests: “Keep guests guessing what surprise entertainment will show,” Lowther said.

For private events, catering, evening reservations, and shuttle pickup:

5 West Supper Club

505 Madison St.

Hoboken

(201) 792-2244

www.thewestfive.com           

Hours: Tue–Thurs, 7pm–1am; Fri-Sat, 6 pm–3am

Closed Sun & Mon

 

The post In the Clubs: Chic and Craft-y 5 West Supper Club in Hoboken Serves Craft Beers and Tasty Apps in Upsale Digs first appeared on River View Observer.