ࡱ> BDAc $jbjbSS "P11 ]>>>>> J>"rrrrrrrr,rrrrrrrrr:rr,,rf ->>LVariations on a Theme from The Improper Bostonian, July 2003 by Caitlin O'Neil If you had a theme song, what would it be? Depending on the day, it could be an inspirational anthem like the tune from Rocky, or a bouncy little number that skips along with quiet confidence. At theme bars, you can pick a genre to suit your mood any night of the week. Theme nights are gaining momentum around town, setting the stage for the evening with blues, blue grass, rockabilly, Sinatra songs or avant garde jazz. Here are some of the best places to wet your whistle. Hillbilly Night at Johnny D's While Johnny D's might not be Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, the famed Nashville dive where country stars are born, it has been the home of Hillbilly Night every Monday for the past year. A mere $5 gets you an earful of local country, Western swing, and bluegrass bands like the Bagboys and Rust Farm, as well as national acts like fiddler James Leva. The first Monday of the month is reserved for Western swing dancing to the strains of the Coachmen. "A few years ago, my wife and I went to a Ralph Stanley concert attended by thousands of people," says August Watters, who runs Hillbilly Night with his wife, Nancy Harrowitz. "We thought there were not many opportunities to hear this kind of live music in Boston. So we approached Johnny D's." They named the event after Boston's fabled rockabilly venue, The Hillbilly Ranch in Park Square, and the long running radio show Hillbilly at Harvard. "A lot of people see the sign and wander in," says Watters. "They're always pleasantly surprised. It's more of a listening scene than a bar scene." Watters and Harrowitz's band, Almost Gone, kicks off each Hillbilly Night at 8 pm. The featured band follows at 9 pm. The jangling guitar and driving beats are less Hee-Haw, than "yee-haw!" and soon the eclectic crowd sitting back on its heels is kicking them up instead. Rockabilly Night at the Jeanie Johnston Pub Admit it: When you think "Southern," you think south of the Mason-Dixon Line, not south of the Charles River. But with that train of thought, you're bound to miss tut tn the rockabilly revival that heats up the Jeanie Johnston Pub in Jamaica Plain on Friday nights. Rockabilly used to be a JP staple, with groups like Little Memphis playing the Brendan Behan and weekly events at the Midway Cafe and the Milky Way Lounge. Jason Mclsaac, booking manager at the Jeanie Johnston, has revived the tradition with the CrankTones and the Coachmen -- both side projects of the Western-swing band the Spursplaying on alternating Fridays at 10 pm. "The Coachmen play rockabilly," says Johnny Scwcia, the only musician in all three bands, "and the Crank-Tones are more straight-ahead '50s style rock 'n' roll." Both bands sing honky-tonk songs about "Trucking, drinking and women." What could be better after a long workweek? Bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon are $2.50, and chicken wings are a quarter each while they last. "It's great to come out and hear local live music," says James Ash of Brighton, who enjoys the music regularly with a large group of friends. "And it's nice that you can still talk too." The bar has the feel of an upscale frat house, with a central wraparound bar, Irish photos and sports memorabilia on the exposed brick walls, and TVs tuned to sports. The stage is tucked into a corner, giving the room a laid-back country vibe while the bands play. "We used to be empty on Fridays," says co-owner Hank Kirchner. "But now the crowds have found their way." 144 South St., Jamaica Plain, 617-524-4086. Sinatra Sundays at Lucky's Lounge If the remake of Ocean's Eleven didn't give you a thirst for Rat Pack-era entertainment, let Lucky's Lounge take you back with Sinatra Sundays. With Lady Luck martinis in the shaker, Italian specials from the kitchen and crooners belting tunes like "All of You" and "The Way You Look Tonight" to the live accompaniment of the Al Vega Trio, it won't be long before you'll feel the spirit of the Chairman. The series began as an annual tribute to Frank Sinatra on the anniversary of his death. The event proved so popular that last year it became a weekly series. The crowd doubled after six months," says manager Bill Costa. "To get prime seating now, you need to get here by 7 pm." Bill and Rene Oranburg of Boston and Alan Stone of Chestnut Hill arrive in time to snag a prime table in the lounge and enjoy dinner before the music begins. "It's usually five deep in here," says Rene, who adds that the bar fills up with a mixed crowd of those who grew up with the Rat Pack and young hipsters who like the club's retro feel. "l never thought I'd see people of different ages hanging out at Lucky's on a Sunday night," says Matt Kojalo of Brookline. "It's great." Located in a warehouse basement, Lucky's has got the atmosphere of a Prohibition speakeasy and seems just right for a Sunday-night outing. Low light, leather booths and plenty of gilt-framed photos of Old Blue Eyes complete the secret-clubhouse effect. Mark Mahar sings weekly, often joined by Alex MacDougall as well as regulars and guests who step up to the mike and live out their Sinatra dreams. "The music is as smooth as the martinis," says Maryanne Spillane of South Boston. "They both make me dizzy." 355 Congress St., Boston, 617-357-5825. The Subconscious Cafe at Zeitgeist Gallery The Zeitgeist Gallery in Inman Square isn't afraid to take chances. A case in point: the Subconscious Cafe, the avant garde music night that takes place on the first and third Saturday of each month. "People come to hear something you can't hear anywhere else," says organizer Rob Chalfen. "We create music that's intellectual and challenging." Chalfen describes the program as "new chamber music," which can encompass elements raning from world music to modem jazz to 21st-century classical and electronica. The crowd is as eclectic as the music, drawing musicians, music aficionados and those in search of something different. "We get some students," says Chalfen. "But mostly it's anyone who's tired of the same old rock'n'roll. It's pretty accessible stuff that incorporates traditional music and then turns it on its head." At the storefront on Cambridge Street, the vibe is both earnest and anything-goes. This series appeals to people who care about serious music but aren't afraid to try something new. A recent show featured electronic upright bassist John Voigt in a series of improbable duets with musicians playing "prepared" guitars, which run the gamut from morphed washing machines and vacuum cleaners to traditional guitars played with kitchen utensils and glass bottles. "I want to be challenging," says Chalfen. When you visit the Subconscious Cafe, "you know that's what you're going to get." Doors open at 9 pm and the music starts by 9:30. Shows are $10. 1353 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-876-6060 Blue Mondays at the Abbey Lounge If the beginning of another work week gives you the blues, then amble over to the Abbey Lounge to drown your sorrows in Pabst Blue Ribbon and soak your spirit in the appropriate music. When J. Grimaldi, who tends the bar and books bands for the Abbey, was looking for a blues band to play on Monday nights, he called up his cohorts from his band, Schnockered, cousins Eric and Ed Anderson, to fill the bill. Since January, the Double D Blues Band has taken the stage with Eric on guitar; Ed on drums; Eric's dad, Steve, on bass; Ed's dad, Fred, singing; and Fred and Steve's cousin, George Hamilton, on piano. "It's a family thing," says Eric Anderson. "All of us have played in bands before but never together." The dads pick the songs, a mix of classic blues and modem favorites, including "It's a Mean Old World," "Mustang Sally," and "Shake It Up and Go." Musicians are welcome to join the jam, which nuns from 8 to 11 pm. "We end early for people who have to get up early on Tuesdays," says Anderson. The band is among them; they all work day jobs ranging from mechanical engineer to pilot to Internet executive. Despite free hot wings, the mismatched tables and chairs sat mostly empty on a recent Monday night. The lonely sound of cars passing in the rain mingled with the brooding blues, creating the perfect place to forget your troubles. If you don't like Mondays, a few trips to the Abbey might change your mind. 3 Beacon St. Somerville 617-441-9631. $ 5OJQJOJQJ=OP,-KL2 3 _ ` p q !RS]^=OP,-KL2 3 _ ` p q !RS]^ !?@]^{|EF!!""##$$D !?@]^{|EF!!""##$$ / =!"#$%ntsShimmerLeftCenteredRightJustified(none)SingleWords onlyDoubleDottedThickDashDot dashDot dot dashWaveNormalRaisedLoweredNormalExpandedCondensed(none)SingleThickDoubleShadowSinglesingle1.5 lines1.5 linesDoubledoubleAt leastat leastExactlyexactlyMultiplemultipleNoneClearSolid (100%)5%10%20%25%30%40%50%60%70%75%80%90%Dk HorizontalDk VerticalDk Dwn DiagonalDk Up DiagonalDk GridDk TrellisLt HorizontalLt VerticalLt Dwn DiagonalLt Up DiagonalLt GridLt TrellisAutoExactlyAutoAt le [4@4NormalCJOJPJQJmH 0`0 Heading 1$@&5<A@<Default Paragraph Font P     X$#$$&'$%W4;\; =? 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