Til' September

Last Saturday, Hubby Dear and I checked out Til’ September, a rock band at a local biker bar. They were a.w.e.s.o.m.e. After a seemingly long time, heard a local band of high caliber with a great vocalist and talented musicians. They played a couple of sets with a good mix of classic and contemporary rock and closed the night with the quintessential Doors classic-Roadhouse Blues with almost everyone on the dance floor.

Most of the band members with the exception of the keyboardist belonged to the armed forces lending to the band's uniqueness. The vocalist, Scott, an army major by the day is Hubby Dear’s colleague. The keyboardist, a stay-at-home dad graduated with a degree in music. And oh boy, did he rock? With his fingers flying on the keys and strong back-up vocals, he was a treat to watch. Some of the proceeds (donations and tips) were collected for “Freedom Alliance”, a support organization for kids who lost a parent or parents to the war.

Great music for a greater cause.

I could not stop my feet from tapping to their music and eventually got pulled on to dance by a spunky, carefree middle aged woman who was a fixture on the floor.
The bar was unlike others I have been to. This was a place right next to a highway, a joint we sometimes crossed and were suspicious of. The minute we stepped onto the entrance, we were partially greeted by 'smokers', stealing a few drags in between their drinks. Although the crowd on the night of the show is somewhat diverse, its patrons are mostly heavy duty bikers on Harleys and mean looking Bullets, dressed up in their leathery gears from boots to head bands. There was this woman dancing provocatively and flashing intermittently to the men around her and at the far end, was a group of old ladies, quietly sipping their alcohol and swaying themselves to the music. By old, I mean old. Really. The beauty of this dichotomy was that everything seemed normal, nothing was out of the ordinary, everyone was groovin’. I shuddered to think about the scene these exact circumstances would create in a place like Delhi.

It was a far cry from a high end bar, devoid of the bells and whistles but it wasn't sleazy. It had a simple lay out, regular tables and chairs filling up most of the area leaving a very tiny space for the band and its equipment. The actual bar took up most of its space and I have to admit, I was mighty pleased with their restrooms. They were surprisingly clean and well kept! They had a food menu which we didn’t try since we had filled ourselves up with a sumptuous sushi dinner before getting there. Hubby Dear was content with the big bottle of Kirin he polished at the Japanese restaurant. I wanted to drink some more though I was doubtful if this place would serve anything else other than beer and hard liquor. But the friendly server in somewhat shabby clothes surprised me with a glass of Shiraz.

With a solid band performing, interesting company (people watching can be so engrossing!), I’d be damned if I asked for more. All along while listening to Scott belt out some classics and alternative stuff, I couldn’t help but think of my brother and his band. His singing and range were quite similar to my brother’s and made me reminiscent of all the gigs my brother’s band performed at and how proud, almost snootily, I was to be the rocker's sister. I tell ya, those were the days!

The show ended a little after midnight satiating the hunger for good ole’ music in all of us. Hubby Dear and I congratulated Scott and came away feeling rather gratified but also wanting more. This is a band I would definitely listen to again. They rocked, to say the least.

PS: If you live in the Baltimore/Whitemarsh area, check them out. They seem to be in great demand and do shows mostly in that part of town.