The Lighthouse Tavern in Waretown, New Jersey, has been our place to go on Thursday evenings for their Trivia Night. However, Lori and I had to go there this past Saturday because The Snakes were playing. Over the years, I have become quite fond of Celtic music, especially the drinking songs. I still feel that the fast Irish numbers remind me of punk rock.
We came to know The Snakes by a chance night out at St. Stephen's Green Publick House in Spring Lake, New Jersey. We were amazed at how they had the entire bar singing along. Between the classic rock songs and the Irish classics, you couldn't have left without a smile. They even take requests, whether they know them well or not, which makes for a lot of fun. They have come to know me by my constant request of "Sally MacLennane" by The Pogues.
Last time we saw them at The Lighthouse, they had to quit by 10pm. Something must have changed because they went until midnight this time around. There is something infectious about songs like "Whiskey In The Jar" and "Drunken Lullaby." Of course, popular songs like "Wagon Wheel," "King Of The Road" and "Country Roads" are sprinkled in.
The crowd was very mixed age-wise, which is a good testament to their massive appeal. They utilize the basic guitar, bass guitar and drums, with an injection of Tin Whistle, Accordion and Mandolin. On this particular evening, a patron from the crowd joined them for "Moondance" with his flute. Another Van Morrison number had the place swinging when they performed "Jackie Wilson Said." Even though this venue doesn't have a dance floor, one was created by the patrons when they found their own little space in front of the band, making it hard for the servers to maneuver with food or drinks. The entire evening just helped to make the entire weekend that much better.