On Friday, April 23rd, 2010, The Melody Inn in Indianapolis celebrated their 75th year in business with a huge birthday bash that included comedian Dave Dugan, and music from Miss Kimmy and Zorba, Six Gallery, The Leisure Kings, We Are Hex, The Cocaine Wolves, and The Fuglees… who I personally wanted to see the most, just based on their name alone. It sounded like a super-fun time. Too bad that I missed the better part of the shenanigans…
There's a lot of history surrounding this small, nondescript stage…
The Melody's history goes way back to 1935, when it first opened as a speakeasy/piano bar (depending on who's "history" you believe). John Dillinger was probably The Melody's most infamous and notable "regular". The Melody has exchanged hands several times over the years… the "punk rock nights" beginning about ten years ago, and which remains the cornerstone of The Melody's weekly entertainment, today.
Remnants of 75 years' worth of debauchery still hang on these storied walls, today. I swear, it's like a museum in there.
I spent the better part of the night nerding out with the camera, soaking in as much of the history, and the entertainment, as I could. Unfortunately, The Pandsters' abundant taste for margaritas and sidecars got the better of the [early] evening, and we had to unexpectedly depart after only the second act. Bummer…
The centerpiece of the room, both spiritually and geographically: Da Bar. Pandi spent just a wee too much time running up her tab here.
Regardless, it was still a good time (although, I would have much rather stayed for more of it, of course…). Here's to another 75 years, and to Indy's longest-running independent music venue! Bumps!
The lovely Miss Kimmy, of Miss Kimmy and Zorba. Miss Kimmy seems quite adept at channeling the likes of Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, and Patsy Cline. The girl's got pipes, I'll tell ya that much...
The extremely patient and kind comedian, Dave Dugan. Pandi probably won't remember it much, but her over-loud "helping" (heckling?) of Mr. Dugan probably made her the Most-Targeted Drunk of the evening. My response? "Ummmm, no… I don't know who she's with, actually…"
One things fer sure: Mr. Dugan's got impeccably good taste in music…!
