One of the many, many, many things visible when looking at the stage in Goodbye Blue Monday is a large painted sign reading FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. It could easily be a random find in an ocean of random finds. But at this cafe/bar/venue/junkstore in Bushwick it feels more like a mission statement. Years could be spent in this room just looking at all the fantastic junk on the walls and ceiling. Every square inch has something to pore over. Miniature houses, lamps, books, vacuum hoses, large mobiles made from naked dolls and ice skates, books, a rocking horse, mirrors, action figures and wreaths of 45 records dangling from the ceiling over the stage, books… if you can think of it, it’s probably here somewhere in this eclectic assemblage of ephemera. I haven’t even mentioned the sculpture garden in back (or the books), this place is chockablock with tchotchkes! (And, I’m a sucker for Vonnegut and nerdy references.)
Beyond that, Goodbye Blue Monday has live bands every single night. For FREE. Let me say that again. There is a FREE show every night. Now, because there’s a free show every night, there are a lot of opportunities as a spectator, to see a lot of different kinds of music. And there are a lot of opportunities as a band, to play a show. You don’t have to guarantee a head count, or know anybody special, you just get to play a show. (Contact the venue through their myspace page to set up a show.) The drinks are cheap-ish. Not remarkably cheap–bottom of the menu: $4 for 16 oz. cans of PBR or Ballantine’s. But the atmosphere of the venue and the severe lack of cost for the shows make up for any lack of supercheap bar options. It’s cold outside. Go warm up at a free show. Or just go stare at a bunch of cool crap. Goodbye Blue Monday is my nominee for this month’s Champion of Awesome.
Goodbye Blue Monday
1087 Broadway (between Lawton and Dodworth)
[Bushwick/Bed-Stuy]
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Tags: Art, ballantine's, bar, beer, books, Cafe, free shows, Goodbye Blue Monday, junk, PBR, sculpture garden
…not to mention the diversity of music each night, from no name folk acts to free jazz ensembles to straight noise to theatre esque performances… GBM has been an up and coming place and will continue, it operates just low enough on the radar to remain a cool spot but once you know it you never forget it!