The Allston Basement Party

Oh that's right...this guy went to an Allston basement party. A random one. One where I knew nobody except the people I came with. Well, that and a couple people in the band that was playing.




A couple of my friends - the bass and tenor sax player - in the ska band Big Lick played at a party in Lower Allston on Saturday night.  Five bands played about 50-minute sets a piece in this random house on Franklin St. And though it was only a five minute walk from my house, it seemed like I stepped into another world for a few minutes.

Here's a short list of things at the party that reminded me why I don't understand Allston:

• Everyone in the audience - except the people I came with - was wearing one shade of black, white, or gray. I felt like I was in the first ten minutes of the Wizard of Oz.
• Pabst Blue Ribbon. Everywhere. I still don't get understand the obsession with this beer. I brought a couple Sam Adams White Ales and felt so out of place cracking them I briefly thought about keeping them in my pockets and waiting until I got back to apartment to drink them. But like I said, that thought was brief. Very brief.
• Mosh pits....oh yeah. Multiple. I didn't see those coming (and luckily I kept my balance), and I guess I wasn't entirely surprised, but I've seen these guys play about a handful of times and that was the first mosh pit I've seen. I would have taken a picture but I like my camera.
• Mohawk. HUGE ONE. If you put your hands flat and place them together (unless you're Shaq), this guy's mohawk was bigger. Funny thing is he wasn't even at the party...we passed him when were almost back at my apartment after the show. I mentioned it to my buddy in the band - he stayed a little after we left - and he was like, "Yeah, I saw that guy!"

My friend Seb, the sax player (with the glasses), described it as the "rawest" show he's ever played. And he said that before he even got there. As you can see from the pic, the setting is quite raw...note the "if someone takes one bad step, this place could ignite like Great White is on stage" wiring in the background.