Walking under a stream of ethereal twinkle and lantern lights and past homemade wall collages of indie-pop culture references, I already know this place is too cool for me. The self hung and dark colored stage lights are the only ones that cut through the basement’s darkness. Still, they provide more a general fog of aesthetic visibility than true clarity. The lounge area funnels into the main room: the stage—a small, raised platform holding a drum kit, some mics, and an amp. Under the same grungy multicolored stage lights, a handful of musicians, no older than 19, collect themselves to perform a lengthily titled song about bathtubs or washing machines, I believe, but I might be wrong. Surely about teenage love.
This is The Den. It’s not a hole-in-the-wall music club in the city or part of an underground music festival. And it certainly does not serve alcohol (the median age of attendees is around 18) though BYOB seems to go relatively unnoticed. This is the basement of a high school student, turned and tweaked and transfigured over the past year to accommodate the plethora of talented musicians and performers in one suburban town.
Tonight’s event includes a young adult gallery in the garage. Entitled MUCY—Museum of Union County Youth — the exhibit features various artworks from a few young artists. The pieces are thoughtfully crafted, the descriptions well-written, and, if I’m being candid, more than a couple works have me questioning my own vision as a film student.
(Spotted: Kaitlin [Colgate U'18], Shea *performing that night* [Wesleyan U '18], and Mikey [Marist College '19])
Back in the stage room, attendees chat with acquaintances and friends during set changes and laugh, rather too enthusiastically, at a stand-up comedian's jokes directed at the 21+ crowd in the audience.
Crowd pleaser, Mojo Jojo (or, at least, 2/5ths of Mojo Jojo, pictured above), perform their hits “She Goes out on the Weekend” and “Money and Girls,” and, damn, those harmonies are on point. I’ve watched variations of this same group perform at my high school’s coffeehouses and other music events for the past few years. Perhaps it’s just post-graduation nostalgia, or the oddly warm glow of those lights, but “Money and Girls” really gets the feels going in me. In retrospect, it was probably the aforementioned combined with the vibe of talented live musicians in an intimate setting that left me intrigued and wanting more.
Though The Den is rather private, equally engaging, public music events pop up around suburbia and can make for a vibrant night. If only one knows where to look.
JAZZ NIGHT
Jazz Night is hard to miss in my town. Every Tuesday, big band, swing, crossover, or latin jazz groups occupy three corners of the main downtown. Their tunes draw large crowds, mostly families with young children and older couples, and surely boost daily revenues for our five local frozen yogurt stores.
(A little shout out to this suburb, Westfield, NJ, as pictured on the balloon below.)
Certain locations allow for dancing. Though the parents don't usually take advantage of this grassy dance floor, their children certainly do. I don't know about you, but how could you not move (just a bit) to latin jazz played by musicians who 1. know their stuff and, 2. make the BEST facial expressions.
ROCKN' JOE COFFEE HOUSE
Not into jazz? Or perhaps large crows aren't your thing? Look out for little music cafes like our Rockn' Joe that advertise either live music or open mic nights. Chances are, the performers will be acoustic, intimate, up-and-coming, and oh-so-talented. You'll also probably hear some sweet covers of pop or indie songs.
A couple performers this night also played at The Den while I was there. A little more suitable for conversation, the live music at Rockin' Joe drew in larger groups of friends looking for some sweet tunes and even sweeter drinks. (Too cheesy? You'll be thinking otherwise once you try their Hot Vanilla).
Though suburbia may initially summon Tim Burton-esque images of visually similar houses and a bleak music scene, look a little deeper. You may be surprised what and who you find grooving to the beat of their own drum.
