May 29, 2010

Polka Boy

It’s race weekend, and the city is packed with hundreds of thousands of visitors. The traffic is nuts and everyone wants to rev their engines. It’s time to party.

Abe was too tired, so my neighbor and party bud Dee joined me Friday night downtown. She brought a co-worker along and we cruised with the top down in the warm night air. As is my custom—honest!—I got rock star parking smack in front of the entrance to the club. Life is good.

Polka Boy was playing at the Rathskellar Biergarten, which was built over a hundred years ago and modeled after German clubs of the time. We arrived early enough to barely catch a seat at one of the picnic tables spread in front of the bandshell on the outdoor patio. Six men well into their cups allowed us to sit with them. They made awkward attempts at conversation, but they were friendly enough. They invited us to join them at a “titty bar” later. Somehow we found the fortitude to decline.


But then the band began to play. Polka Boy is a fourteen-man polka band, complete with tuba, three accordions and lots more brass (two of the three meanings apply here). This band is awesome. They played polkas, of course: Polish, Italian, and German. They may have slid in something Russian; we weren’t sure. But they took those accordions into new realms and played Tom Jones, Irish drinking songs, zydeco, Johnny Cash, rock and roll, Franki Valli, and the national anthem. Yes. And all of it was just great. The crowd was singing along with every song.

We left early, but the last song before their break was funk from the Average White Band. While you play this video, picture three accordions backing it up, swaying and playing and rocking out. That, my friends, is Polka Boy. They’ll be back July 9.

5 comments:

Blobby said...

I'm sorry. A nice lady like you should not be saying "titty bar". :)

Unknown said...

Not sure a polka band would be my cup of tea, but of course, with good friends and some booze, near anything is palatable and a good time. Glad you had one yourself.

Rox said...

You're a rebel! :o)

Ur-spo said...

I was once upon a time a very good polka dancer.
I haven't had such in 30 years I reckon.

THIS IS ME....ONLINE said...

Love, love , love that song! Sounds like a great weekend.

We were in Indy for the races about 11 years ago. We stayed with his loving, yet ageing aunt and uncle who lived there. Went to the parade and the day of the race, Hub took older son and met our friends there from KC. My youngest was one at the time and we stayed back and entertained the aunt and uncle. Mainly that consisted of watching a one-year old in a home that hadn't seen a baby in a very long time. Did I mention it was my birthday? Oh well, the parade was fun. Florence Henderson was the Grand Marshall.