If all you want for Christmas is to ride a mechanical bull for 2.2 seconds or dance atop the bar with one little person and two bra-clad beauties and get your ass paddled three times… you still can. But for Western Mass. residents, obtaining a taste of the Salty Dog Saloon ambience now requires a short Pike hike.
Springfield's Salty Dog on Bridge Street closed its doors a few weeks ago, and while speculation surrounding the duration of said closing initially ran the gamut, a recent post on the venue's website offers much more clarity.
"It is with great sadness that we have to announce the closing of the Salty Dog in Springfield [after] a great run of almost seven years," club owners report. "[But] things have just gotten too crazy downtown."
While the post goes on to note that a return to the area is possible if everything "settles down," it is equally quick to point all Dog-devotees to the venue's sister location—1 Kelly Square in Worcester—in the interim.
*
In the meantime, those seeking a blues Christmas downtown should—not surprisingly—hoof it to the City's home of Blues, Brews and BBQ, Theodores' on Worthington Street, this Saturday, Dec. 26. Theodores' itself copped the Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive award for "Best Blues In The Country"; this weekend's featured performer, Ryan Hart and the Heartbeats, recently won the Connecticut Blues Society's Challenge for the third time and will represent the Nutmeg State at the 2010 International Blues Challenge in January.
*
That same evening, Dec. 26, Belchertown's Black Moon Music Lounge (myspace.com/blackmoonjazz) will host The Cantalini Christmas Jamboree—featuring the husband/wife singer/six-stringer team of John and Christina Cantalini. Best known for their work with The Flying Cantalinis, the duo promises that a slew of special guests from throughout their respective 25-year-plus professional careers will adorn the seasonal set list of classic rock and Christmas-inspired chestnuts they have planned for the engagement.
*
In other news, fans of veteran Valley performer Jesse Sterling Harrison can breathe easy in the knowledge that their favorite indie/experimental artist is breathing easy at home after a prolonged hospital stay earlier this month.
"I was treated for an acute asthma attack," the prolific multi-instrumentalist checked in to report, "and it was no fun, but I finally did get to see League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I'm out now… and on five different drugs, but breathing and taking it easy."
Harrison went on to lament the subsequent cancelling of a couple of shows during the period of convalescence, particularly in light of recent accomplishments.
"All this happened right after a really nice gig that was probably our most mistake-free show so far," he added, "but what can I do till the ol' lungs heal? Hard to sing… or even stand up without them."
Still, Harrison says that he fully intends to hit the stage again and even release another CD in 2010. Look for more details in this column.
Other than that, all that remains is the annual "holiday hangover" bash by the Bay State's own melodic metal-meisters All That Remains. Fresh off the release of their latest video, "Forever in Your Hands" (recording during a recent tour stop in Washington, D.C. and currently available on iTunes), the celebrated Metal Blade recording artists will be joined by local decibel-deliverers Medicated Savage and Once Beloved this Saturday, Dec. 26 at the Pearl Street Ballroom for a specially priced show ($19.93 a ticket) not coincidentally sponsored by the Valley's on-air home of "everything that rocks," Lazer 99.3 FM. For tix/more info on that one, kindly point your browser to iheg.com.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
