Bubba's now resides in more spacious confines on 17th Street and Pacific Avenue. The old Laskin Road location could have never hosted any musical acts on a large scale, due to the prioritizing of tightly cornered pool tables and mindlessly contented Top 40 Dee-Jays. Although the sports-bar atmosphere still remains (the owners being huge Pittsburgh Steelers aficionados) in the new digs, Bubba's rock 'n' roll vibe has increased ten-thousand fold. Pairing good bands from this area and other low-cals with $1.50 Miller High Lifes has made for some good nights out. If the ambitious scheduling continues, Bubba's just MIGHT earn itself a lofty comparison to the long-gone-but-never-forgotten Route 44. But let's not turn the pressure-cooker on right now. My buds Ken and Holly in tow, we three chose to live in the moment rather than waiting for fulfilled expectations.The Gonowheres have improved quite a bit since their stints at another closed-down club (Sunset Grille -- now a Weight Watchers) circa '98. Checkered-flag rawk 'n' roll a la Zeke/Puffball with a smidgen of the 'Head got the 'billy contingent from Carolina (numbering 50-60 strong) appetizingly whet for what was yet to come. Holly ordered some French (I have the freedom to call them as such!) fries for us to share. They were an o-tay snack that somewhat curbed my alkie ingestion. Of course, I ate them sans ketchup.
Ever felt Cramped? Jimmy & The Teasers, from the state just south of mine, have obviously decorated their mansion with a lux interior and surrounded the gates with poison ivy. All of the Sparkle, Drano and Hot Shot was sprayed at the human F-L-Ys circling the Teasers' perimeter. Also looking into the 96 or so tear-filled eyes were kindred spirits The Mono Men and Nomads. Ken offered to buy me a Rolling Rock. This garbage man wasn't BUZZed enuff, so he understood my nod in the affirmative.
Headlining was the once-popular Route 44 draw (Ken and I had seen this band there frequently long before becoming amigos) Jack Black (also from En Cee). The trio isn't officially together anymore, but JB reunited for tonight's one-off performance. Suggesting a tri-auto wreck of Link Wray, The Clash and Golden Earring, "Drive Them Wheels" (this one especially speeds like "Radar Love," containing Ken's favorite lyrical couplet: "Mama cooked the chicken in bacon grease/Daddy came home and ate every last piece"), "Top Daddy In A GTO" (another fast car cheered loudly by the grandstand) and "Untouched" (the initial jumpstart) rumbled into "The Twilight Zone" with a brand new Cadillac. Holly traveled to another dimension during JB's rental of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Hanky Panky," but sought to trade the scrap-heap that was Elvis Presley's "Burning Love." She vented her frustrations upon a "King"-sized cut-out of Mister Priscilla positioned stage left. While Holly was busy dethroning, Ken and I discussed a later-in-the-week appearance by chainsaw-wielding Jackyl at Hoopla's. Because of the similarity in names, we anointed the final act as Jackyl Blackyl. I telepathically requested Whitesnake's "Stihl Of The Night," but my plea was instantly massacred by the group. To loosely quote the jazzbo guitarist George Benson: "Well, there's music in the air and there's sawdust everywhere. So give me the night." JB and the openers had given us a damn fine one.
Special thanx must be given to Beano (hope I spelled yer name correctly), for the unexpected gift of a Gunther Brewing Company bottle opener. Based outta Baltimore, Em Dee once upon a time, Gunther Beer had been a particular favorite of his father. This handy item is the fourth piece in my Gunther collectibles set, joining ex-lion tamer Gunther Gabel-Williams, former Kansas City Chiefs football coach Gunther Cunningham and the shared name with a bus service.
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