Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox – Sunday, October 6th – Mission Ballroom

Arriving by Uber on Sunday I was dropped off in the ride-sharing circle and joined into a confluence of pedestrians who were coming from parking lots and the light rail platform. Although the fall night was brisk, or maybe because it was, some of my fellow concert goers were straying from the walkway and making their way into the beer garden adjacent to the venue doors. As the mixed use project anchored by Mission Ballroom, fills in with future restaurants, drinking establishments, and shopping, I can see a lot of people showing up hours before a show to enjoy a complete evening out.

Gone was the mosh pit, and photo pit from the Social Distortion and Flogging Molly split bill I recently attended. In its place, rows of seating filled the former general admission area. These seats ranged in ticket price, and general admission took up the stadium seating in the back of the room.

Going to punk shows at bars, small venues, and people’s backyards when I was younger I’m definitely not use to sitting at shows, but it turned out the room was set up perfectly for what was going to be a very intimate concert experience. Another difference between this night and the last time I was there to shoot a show was what people were drinking. Gone were the tall cans of beer and glasses of whiskey. In their stead were glasses of wine, mixed drinks, and coffee mocktails. In house partner Queen City Coffee Collective served up non- alcohol versions of cocktails like a Paloma, Moscow Mule and a Gin & Tonic with a coffee twist. I was intrigued and might have indulged if I had not pounded a Forto 200mg coffee shot right before walking in the venue. I made my way to the front of the room and got my camera gear set up.

There was no need for an opener for the concert which turned out to be a musical variety show in the vein of televisions Lawrence Welk Show or the Dean Martin Show. Gone were the waltzes and polka of Lawrence Welk. Instead there were popular songs like “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons, Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” and “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor, done in early American music stylings of jazz and swing. Like the Dean Martin Show there was a master of ceremonies who drank, sang, and introduced the other musical acts, dancers, and comedians. He and the piano player kept things flowing from the beginning musical number to the encore. They interwove a variety of male and female vocalists, musical solos, tap dancers, and a tambourine hype man. Like all ensembles, this show could not have existed, in a successful way, without the entire cast of characters. The show was amazing top to bottom, even if I had to stay seated on my bottom.