I've seen the Calamity Janes play around Brooklyn and Manhattan at least 6 times, so when my friend Ellen invited me to see them play in Williamsburg, it was more to check out the venue than anything else. We braved the horror that is Bedford Ave on a Friday night, and made it to the "social club" at 59 Kent unscathed. The Bklyn Rod & Gun club passes itself off as a social club. You pay $10 for a temporary membership, and that comes with free drinks. The membership card acts as a drink punch card (see photo). The club is narrow. The majority of the space is taken up with a massive wooden table made from wood found in someone's backyard. The vibe is very communal, as birthday cake was passed around, and sausages for sale on a donation basis. At first the whiskey pours were quite generous ($5 for at least a double pour of Old Overholt? Yes please!) but eventually as the booze became scarce, pours were more modest.
Design-wise, the space was rusticy, as you would expect. Wood paneling, shelves lined with records and old jars, and a giant bass of some kind (also found in the friend's backyard) all contributed to the feel of the place. The website swears you can learn to tie fish for fly fishing, but it's quite outdated. To be honest, there were some old men working there with sportsman type hats on, so maybe there is a hunting/fishing element to the club.
The place was PACKED for the Calamity Janes. Which brings me to the concert. I didn't hear one song I haven't heard them play before, but that's not a big deal. The songs they do play are classics, and they play them well. They had a few guests play with them, some of whom were awful, some decent. The worst, though, was the usual suspect, Kerri, who doesn't seem to know what to say to an audience, talks too much, and literally was offensive on Friday night. She told the (admittedly young, hip-looking) crowd, that "you're my favorite type of audience. Williamsburg Hipsters!" not seeming to feel that this could in any way offend people. Not to mention many of us had come from other parts of the city to see them. She also kept trying to shush the group, at one point yelling that "You have to learn where this music comes from! It's from Appalachia, and started with the fiddle and banjo!"
Ok, thanks Kerri. Thanks for assuming nobody there had any idea about Old Time music, and for treating us like naughty school children.
In short, I don't think I need to go out of my way to see that band again. However, I am looking forward to seeing Isto play next time he's invited to perform at the Rod & Gun.
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