Red Hook and Danjaboots

So this past weekend was pretty mellow... spent most of it relaxing in Brooklyn. Did a major cleaning of my bathroom (my tub has never looked so white--ever) and watched some football. And set up my stereo (yay for new speakers), so I now have kickass sound in my living room.

Saturday afternoon was spent on a double date with Jen and Jeff exploring Red Hook. On the coldest, windiest day of the year, nonetheless. We started out at the Six Points Brewery where we ate a lot of barley and smelled a lot of hops. And drank a lot of *good* beer. From there we walked to the Hope and Anchor Diner, where we ate like kings, despite the awful music and the worst cole slaw ever.

A quick walk to the artist studios on the water gave us frostbite, and the studios were all closed, so we warmed up in Fairway. Which is quite possible the best supermarket in the world (sorry, Stu Leonards). J&J hopped in a cab to be whisked away to the warmth of Manhattan while Deanna and I ventured further into Red Hook in search of Steve's Key Lime Pies. We found them and took the bus back to my place.

We at the Swingle (a 4" key lime pie tart dipped in chocolate, eaten on a popsicle stick) which was truly heaven, then met Jon and Caroline for some sushi at Shinjuku followed by Rotary Downs at Magnetic Field. Cake meets Wilco meets Pavement. Very good stuff!

Monday night rolled around and I found myself at the Knitting Factory Old Office for two fantastic sets of music. Scott Metzger solo set followed by Danjaboots--Scott with Joe Russo on the skins. Scott's solo set was great--he pushed himself to play more complicated finger pickings and rhythms and did some great covers.

But nothing tops a Danjaboots show. The band exists to play songs about three things: drinking, fighting and fucking. They opened with a lively version of Cracker's "It Ain't Gonna Suck Itself (an open letter to Virgin Records)" and ran through their usual songs--Dylan's "The Man In Me", "Flaco Dominguez" (a tribute to Jake, who showed up after that song), crowd-favorite "Go Home Hippie" and closed with Ween's "Piss Up a Rope."

But the real highlight was the new song they premiered. Written that afternoon on a big piece of cardboard, "Fat, Drunk and Lazy" was a huge hit. Lyrics were botched, chords messed up, drum beats absent, but the message was clear--and I think most guys can relate to it--"I may be fat, drunk and lazy, but I still make you come." Pure genius.

Tonight is a Jammuary event at the Slipper Room followed by Dave Smith's band "Who Put the Bad Mouth on Me." And hopefully a dinner interlude at Dumont Burger... mmmmm burger