Photo credit: Maggie Vaughn
Whenever a neighborhood watering hole comes under different management, it’s usually the intangible things that undergo the most drastic changes. Beyond a fresh coat of paint and some new signage, there are scant few ways to alter the physical environment that don’t require another large, risky investment, but the attitude adjustment that comes along with new ownership is ultimately more important than any cosmetic facelift could possibly be. So, while in most superficial respects the freshly minted Riverwest hotspot High Dive still feels a lot like the late Impala Lounge, and thus a lot like the River Horse before it, now having longtime Bremen Café bartender Jason McBrady at the helm seems to have imbued the place with a newfound sense of fun, one that was certainly in the air at Saturday night’s official grand opening party.
Packed well before the music even began, the two-band bill got underway with The Rockbirds (From Rockford), who, despite coming off like a plausible enough touring act on a flyer, are in actuality the jokey creation of a few members from Milwaukee’s own Fatty Acids. The trio’s name sums up the gimmick here: They’re birds, sporting gaudily colored wings and party hats fashioned into beaks, who like to rock, jamming on surreal, fragmented reinterpretations of dad-band favorites like AC/DC but squawking out a few originals as well, such as the twangy, beer-soaked “Born on a Barstool” (also they’re “from Rockford”). As far as novelty side projects go, The Rockbirds are a pretty enjoyable one, striking an amusing balance between high-concept prankishness and unapologetic goofiness, which went over well with the growing, jovial crowd.
By the time Sat. Nite Duets were set up on the High Dive’s small stage (which is smartly, almost mercifully resituated further away from the door than the music area had been with the previous tenants), the audience had more or less spilled out onto the sidewalk, but the accomplished local slack rockers had little trouble regaining the partygoers’ scattered attentions. In fact, their set, including fan favorites from their most recent full-lengths, last year’s Los DJs and 2013’s Electric Manland, seemed to strike a chord, so much so that they weren’t even allowed to put down their instruments until they had played the absurd, anthemic “Big Worm” twice. Overall it was a punchy, entertaining celebration, and hopefully an indication of High Dive’s ability to breathe new life into an all-too-familiar space.
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