The latest victim of a cultureless movement
It seems another slap of greed’s hand has struck our mile-square burg. Scotland Yard — the preeminent blues club for decades — was sold. The new owners have decided to convert this legendary space into (yet another) beer-pong frat bar, removing all elements of great live music and essence of cool.
Seriously, what the fuck? I’m just about ready to give up on this area. Not just on Hoboken, but the NYC metro area altogether. Day in, day out we hear these tales of development that, while bringing in money to the region, destroy its character. We’re becoming a whitewashed wasteland of easy-listening fodder and high prices catering to the least common denominator of a cultureless populous.
When will this end? How far will this area go before all that is considered culture extends no further than The Lion King or Applebee’s? Sadly, it will not end. The fact is, NYC is a city of commerce. Simply put; if it doesn’t make money, it’s not important, no matter how passionate the advocates may be. This is not a cop out or complaint, it’s a matter of fact and history.
Luckily, there are still folks in Hoboken who are trying to keep the music alive. In the case of Scotland Yard’s closing comes the open arms of the nearby Dubliner. With it’s decent food, affordable drinks, true pints of Guinness and a rooftop, The Dubliner has been a popular tri-level Irish pub for a while now. Adding the energy of live music only adds to its charm.
Many of the popular Scotland Yard showcases call this their new home. Though the performance area on the second floor is kinda small, The Dubliner as a whole is perfectly suited for this laid-back blues scene. Plus, the added bonus of that transient crowd shuffling to and from the roof deck and first floor exposes the music to new, unsuspecting ears.
Last night I was there to see my friend Tracy Thorne who was debuting a few new songs. I had gotten there late, so I missed my friends David and Stacy from Las Vandelays do their thing. The evening ended with a set by Christine Santelli who had been at Scotland Yard for over 15 years.
Bartender Mike was a transplant too. As Christine treated us to her rough-edged songs, Mike added accents with smooth harmonica from behind the bar. He would get up and perform a couple of tunes himself.
It’s sad to see yet another music landmark drowned into oblivion, but refreshing to see good samaritans still trying to keep the fight going. I hope this is a long stay at The Dubliner, but I cannot honestly say I expect it. It’s that dying faith in me that hurts the most about what is and has been happening here.
See Also:
Photo Gallery
Tracy Thorne
Las Vandelays
Christine Santelli
Great article.
“We’re becoming a whitewashed wasteland of easy-listening fodder and high prices catering to the least common denominator of a cultureless populous.”
Perfectly stated.