Williamsburg hipsters from Greenpoint to Bedford-Stuyvesant have been flocking in droves to hear tributes to The Ink Spots at local watering holes and music venues. From what we can gather, a full-scale revival Ink Spots revival is in progress.
“This has gone critical,” sneered one local Williamsburg hipster standing outside the Trash Bar. “Yeah, we’re a fickle crowd for sure, but just as the falafel stand gets replaced by the new pizza dive, we want fresh food…and fresh music. Dude, just look at the line waiting to get into here. It’s the Spots tonight and we’re way the hell past capacity. Set the world on fire.”
Said another fan waiting in line, Pabst Blue Ribbon in hand, “This is the music we live for. Part down tempo indie folk, part Americana, part R&B — what’s not to like. It’s like Tune Yards meets Adele, and so amazing cuz these Spots tunes are seriously old.”
When asked if it mattered that The Ink Spots didn’t record with a wall of sound, this fan responded, “Not really, Brooklyn loves its unplugged artists. It’s retro cool and I don’t have to worry about wearing earplugs. It’s all good.”
As locals proclaim the old group the new “in thing,” the run on The Ink Spots’ CDs and original vinyl at GEMM records has been fast and furious over the past month. Meanwhile, Tribute bands have been cropping up at local Brooklyn venues, pushing more well know acts from nightly bills.
Part-time Brooklyn resident Dennis Shin echoed the hipster sentiment for the old group. “I’ve been listening to The Ink Spots for more than twenty years. I could have told you this was cool stuff back then. But seriously, I showed up tonight to see Ava Luna at Music Hall, but bailed as soon as I discovered I could see an Ink Spots tribute band.”
Shin, a well-known music blogger, felt compelled to bail on the Ava Luna in favor of a hasty interview with the lead singer of The Ink Spots cover band. “I feel bad for the Lunas, but the Spots are happening now. Maybe next week, not so much.”
Such is life in New York’s latest music scene. It’s been 60 years since The Ink Spots had a hit song in the rotation, but fans couldn’t be more pleased with the group’s posthumous success. We went in search for some additional answers as to the true nature of this revival.
“It boils down to this,” said a local record-store owner who helped outline the essence of the revival. You have to go back to why we’re known as hipsters. It’s from West African word “hipi”, meaning to open one’s eyes. Not that you’d comprehend that factoid.”
Suddenly by surprise, he dropped his smug attitude and momentarily teared up, “The Ink Spots are that Eyes Wide Open moment, ya know? We’ve all spend so much time trying to figure out the vibe on our fave artists that we forget to shave and wear the same clothes week after week. Sharon Van Etten, for example, her latest album is so honest and we love her for it, but these old Ink Spots records get right to the crux of whatever emotion they’re feeling, and out it comes in three minutes or less. That’s fresh music magic.”
Then it was business as usual and the smugness returned, “Are you going to buy something or just stand there? There’s a fee for standing.” We snagged the last copy of Someone’s Rocking My Dreamboat.
– Peter Dysart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO2DahaFlGY
