Recently at Arlene’s Grocery, a bar in downtown Manhattan, a small band from Boston carved out a night for themselves. The performing bands: Griffy Jones, Sunbear, Bald by Choice, and Winkler. The place: Arlene’s Grocery at 95 Stanton Street, Manhattan. I arrived at 6:30 p.m., which gave me just enough time to drink a little before seeing the show.
Arlene’s Grocery is a cozy place, covered in edgy stickers with 2000s pop-punk playing on the speakers. The venue initially started as a bodega in 1995, according to the venues website, but over time it morphed into a venue where up-and-coming bands played to young, loving crowds. After my third drink, it was around 7 p.m. and I shuffled into the dimly lit dance hall just left of the entrance.
Walking in, I was greeted by the first band, Griffy Jones, a New York based rock band. They’re a difficult band to pin down. They are not quite emo, but they’re not full on rock either and there’s a tinge of country in the instrumentation. On their bandcamp, they call themselves anti-pop, which is good enough for me. Griffy Jones gave a great performance and opened the way for the other bands.
Sunbear was up next. A singer from New York, her voice was packed with emotion, but she kept the mood light. “Oui, oui. Has anyone been to Paris?” she asks in a faux French accent. The crowd laughs and she goes into her next song “I am all i need,” a soulful ballad about self-reliance. While on the stage, she would routinely hold up signs that read “Applause” as a way to have fun with the crowd. Sunbear kept the people happy, and as she left the stage, I wished the set could have gone on just a little longer.
Next up was Bald by Choice, and ironically, none of the band members were bald. The four members wore their hair long with light facial hair. They kicked off their set with a cover of Television’s, “See No Evil”, paying tribute to the recently deceased Tom Verlaine, who had fronted the groundbreaking punk band. After this, they went on to their songs. The band takes a page out of Television’s book with loud riffs and wailing vocals. Bald by Choice hails from Brooklyn and can be found on Instagram, as can all of the other artists.
I was leaning on the back wall when Winkler came on – the lights became a deep indigo and the crowd grew to its largest. A local band from Boston, Winkler has been steadily gaining an audience with the help of TikTok and Spotify, both proving exceptional tools in finding new music. The band consists of five members: Justin on vocals, Christian on drums, Ava on bass, Alex on guitar, and Maddy on vocals. All the members were stylish and exuded an aura. I am unsure what feeling to place on this aura, but it was a positive presence nonetheless.
It was their debut album release show, and they decided to play the whole thing for us. Their music can most obviously be compared to the solo works of the individual Beatles members, John Lennon and George Harrison being the most overt stylistic influences. However, there is more to this band than just some knockoff Beatles tunes. They really do put their own spin on it. While not acoustic, the band does provide a very warm sound, mainly from the fuzz on the guitar and the welcoming vocals.
Far and away one of their most popular songs, “Call it Good Times,” received a cheer from the crowd when they began to perform it. Bathed in a blue hue light, the band looked more like shadows, fulfilling the ancient ritual humans have been doing for time immemorial. Like shapes dancing on the wall in a neolithic cave, they rocked on and swept me outta my stupor. When the band finished, the crowd erupted and the band seemed very grateful to their fans. After this, I left and entered the unwashed streets of Manhattan with only one priority: ship up to Boston and see what’s happening over there.
