Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler, TK Style

Philadelphia and its environs are full of little clubs, banquet halls, and music venues.  I found myself at the TK Club in Conshohocken on Friday for a rollicking night of zydeco.  CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band were bringing it to a pre-Mardi Gras group of fun-lovers, and the place was jumping.

​Check out CJ's gold shoes above - I wear similar shoes to work just to stick it to The Man.  The band was a five-piece, with CJ on accordion and lead vocals, and the others playing lead guitar, drums, washboard/spoons, and bass.  I didn't catch the names of the other guys, but the dude playing the washboard was amazing.  He played on his back, he ventured into the crowd, and he moved like a man possessed, but all with a huge grin on his face.  

​I love zydeco.  It's fast-paced, has a great dance beat, and I'm a sucker for the accordion. It was a fun time, and BRP was out there dancing like a fool.  

​I had never heard of the TK Club before, but it's a pretty big place with a large dance floor, pool table, one of those bar bowling games, a couple of TVs showing whatever Philly sports team is playing (the 76ers when we were there - yeah, they won big), and a large bar area.  Drinks are dirt cheap.  It reminded me of a VFW or American Legion Hall.  Or maybe a Knights of Columbus venue.  If you've ever been to one of those, you get the idea.  

​One interesting thing:  they had a cigarette machine.  When was the last time you saw one of those?  It's been a long time for me.  Price?  $8 per pack!  Like everything else, the cost of getting cancer has really gone up.  The TK also has a stringent rule - no loud profanity allowed.  Ouch, how did they know I would be there?

​It was great to dust off the dancing shoes, see a live band that was tight and fun, and get out of the house and check out a new venue.  

​Speaking of new venues, guess what?  The Main Line is getting another one!  118 North will open on North Wayne Avenue next week.  Most of the music that they are bringing will be cheap to see - there is a funk band coming for $5 - and it's being billed as a bit of a sister venue to the Ardmore Music Hall.  Nice!

​Check this out:

​So what the heck is that picture?  Well, I was at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philly, and they have a couple of these sculptures by an artist named Nick Cave.  Nick Cave?  You mean, of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, the Australian and one-time Berlin-based rocker?  I figured it might be, but alas, this is a different Nick Cave, a Chicago-based artist.  Confusing?  You bet.  Whatever, the sculptures are centered around dogs, and then all of the wires and other items are from flea markets.  I love flea markets (and Berlin has some great ones), so there is the roundabout logic that results in these pictures on BRP.  

​Hey, it's been a great sports run in Philly recently, and BRP's alma mater got into the spirit.  Yup, the Hokies knocked off the #2 ranked men's hoops team in the country, and they did it on the road.  Nice to have that #2 team be the hated in-state rival, UVa.  Hahaha, they thought they had the game won, but the Hokies were having none of that.  Zap!

​OK, off to watch the Olympics.  Enjoy yourself and be good.  Lots of great stuff is coming up on BRP, so check back and tell your friends to do the same.  Take it easy.
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