#30 - 2011 October

By Sarah L. Myers
Editor-in-Chief
New York, USA

It's my favorite New York City bar, my favorite New York Dolls song, and now it's my favorite way to get trashed.

When your summer dies a slow death, it’s hard to imagine colder weather just around the corner. If New Yorkers hadn’t just gotten over the earthquake, Hurricane Irene would have been a surprise. Whether it’s Armageddon or global warming is irrelevant. As long as it comes with a drink special, we’re cool with pretty much anything. Thirsty is now five years old, and just like all those New Yorkers who defied evacuation orders, we’re not going anywhere. Bring on the blizzards. Let’s rock n’ roll!

The Dirt Daubers

If there’s one group of people I can’t ever get enough of, it’s the Legendary Shack Shakers. Thirsty readers know our history - these guys have been with us since the beginning. Colonel JD Wilkes and his wife, Jessica, formed the Dirt Daubers in western Kentucky (presumably just to make an even bigger racket) and brought their hillbilly/hokum set to Union Hall September 9th. The setting couldn’t have been better. The old-timey library books and Bocce Ball space fall somewhere between hipster and Cracker Barrel, though the “Benji” soundtrack on the jukebox implies some irony. Jessica, in a pink cupcake dress, works a kick drum in 5-inch heels (let’s see you do that, guys) and handles mandolin, ukulele, banjo, and guitar. JD, up to his old tricks again, works the washboard, kazoo, and banjo. Songs like “Wake Up, Sinners” and “The Devil Gets His Due” have a ragtime Shack Shaker preach, and Jessica playfully acts as the put-upon housewife in “Single Girl.” Nothing like giving your hubby a hard time when he’s strumming right next to you! It was a great night with great friends. The Shack Shakers open for the Damned next month, just in time for Halloween…

Charlie Benante, Erin O, Sarah and Frank Bello

Sometimes there are shows so massive you can’t believe they’re happening. The Big 4 franchise rolled into Yankee Stadium September 14th, bringing Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica to a sold-out stadium of metal maniacs, including yours truly and my flame-haired partner in crime, Erin O. I’d never seen any of the bands live, let alone been to Yankee Stadium, so I was literally shaking with anticipation. We found the press gate, collected our VIP passes, and finally found the press box after several Spinal Tap moments of lost elevators and wrong hallways. We had a better view from the top, but I just couldn’t resist seeing the circle pits up close and personal. We headed to the floor for Slayer, picking up new random friends along the way, and found the safest spot in the house - the press “holding area.” Close enough to smell the sweat, but get none of it on you! I knew the payoff for “Raining Blood” would be a big one (it’s still one of the heaviest songs I’ve heard in my life), and the crowd’s reaction was only crazier when Metallica did “Enter Sandman.” There were times I forgot where I was, and turned around to see what a sold-out stadium even looked like. When you’re so close to James Hetfield you feel the flames on your face, it seems unimaginable you’re sharing it with a sea of people. The highlight of the night was meeting Anthrax for their “Worship Music” press conference. We chatted with Charlie about “Married With Children,” and made small talk with Frank Bello, who is by far the nicest rock n’ roller I’ve ever met. Feet throbbing and heads exploding, Erin and I barely made it into a car home, thinking even we outdid ourselves this time. It was the ultimate heavy metal night, fulfilling all of my adolescent “Metal Edge” dreams!

Sarah, Flor Zabala and Lenny Kaye

A mere three days after the Big 4, Thirsty celebrated its five year anniversary at The Suffolk, then Scott H. Biram just had to come back to the Mercury Lounge to undo us all. Another great Thirsty friend, Scott brings one of the rowdiest crowds in town, but not even the girl on mushrooms could distract me from my favorites like “Sinkin Down” and “Truck Driver.” Scott’s new LP hits October 11th… Also on my radar for October, Marky Ramone’s Blitzgrieg visits Gramercy October 13th - can’t wait for a Gramercy punk show when I’m not on crutches - and David Pattillo and the Dead Exs showcase some good old blues rock n’ roll at Bowery Electric October 19th. After that it’s off to Atlanta for a little Dan Sartain, then back home for another NYC Halloween. Zombie Motely Crue, anyone? Just guess who I’m going to be… Stay Thirsty to find out!

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