Bodega Cat - Jazz in Flip Flops.
- Moose Nicholson
- Apr 22
- 6 min read
Say It With Me Now: Bo-De-Ga
There were a few moments Thursday night where things shifted.
Not in a way that felt off… just unexpected enough to make you look up.
Rob called a change midstream at one point and you could see it ripple across the stage. A glance, a half-step, then everyone leaned into it like that turn had been sitting there waiting the whole time.
That’s the trick.
It’s not that everything goes exactly how you think it will.
It’s that everyone’s ready when it doesn’t.
That’s Bodega Cat.
No setlist. No rails. Just a loose agreement to listen hard and play harder.
Kenny, sitting back in his chair with a tablet, chuckled and said:
“I wonder if they wrote down the five songs that took up that 45 minute first set.”
Less critique. More appreciation.
Songs didn’t really start and stop. They expanded. Took a turn, circled back, stretched a little further the next time around. If jazz is the concert recital…
this is a flip flop revival.
That’s Bodega Cat.
No setlist. No rails. Just a loose agreement to listen hard and play harder.
Kenny, sitting back in his chair with a tablet, chuckled and said:
“I wonder if they wrote down the five songs that took up that 45 minute first set.”
Less critique. More appreciation.
Songs didn’t really start and stop. They expanded. Took a turn, circled back, stretched a little further the next time around.If jazz is the concert recital…
this is a flip flop revival.
And it doesn’t stay on stage.
Two women dancing like no one’s watching… even though everyone is.
A couple slow dancing a few feet over, each one just a little too proud of the other to let go.
Kids posted up wherever they can claim space… on shoulders, stretched out on blankets, taking it all in from a different altitude.
Dogs whines and yelps ring down The Alley in anticipation of meeting every wook and canid in attendance.
Up on the mural steps, something that starts as a few people sitting turns into a full-blown dance party without anyone calling for it.
And underneath all of it… conversations. Old ones picking back up. New ones starting like they’ve been waiting on the right song.
And it doesn’t stay on stage.
Two women dancing like no one’s watching… even though everyone is.
A couple slow dancing a few feet over, each one just a little too proud of the other to let go.
Kids posted up wherever they can claim space… on shoulders, stretched out on blankets, taking it all in from a different altitude.
Dogs whines and yelps ring down The Alley in anticipation of meeting every wook and canid in attendance.
Up on the mural steps, something that starts as a few people sitting turns into a full-blown dance party without anyone calling for it.
And underneath all of it… conversations. Old ones picking back up. New ones starting like they’ve been waiting on the right song.
Downtown works the same way.
You can come in with a plan.
You can abandon it just as fast.
Wait too long at Whiskey Alley?
Help yourself to a craft beer at The Alley Downtown Taproom and let things open up from there.
Still not ready to call it?
Karaoke at Southbound Smokehouse—go be the main act for a minute.
Can’t land on what you’re in the mood for?
Tako Sushi will take you southwest or far east.
You can try to map the night out.
Or you can let it move a little… and see where it puts you.
Listen first. Adjust fast. Trust the people around you.
Let it breathe. Let it change.
And somewhere along the way, you stop trying to steer it and just give yourself over to it a little.
That’s when it usually turns into something better than whatever you thought it was going to be.
The Alley
9 Years in The Alley
There was a scheduling conflict with the Taprooms original music plans for their Anniversary party so we are going to double up on the evenings events. The official 9 year party will be this Thursday with the Magnificent Jam Revival providing the soundtrack. And the best part - Get 50% off of your tab if you are wearing an official The Alley Downtown Taproom Tee Shirt! That even includes if you buy one THAT NIGHT. You just gotta put it on. Show your support. Wish em Happy Birthday. Only fitting, since The Taproom was one of the original founders of Amp the Alley.
Aiken's Best Bartender is at Whiskey Alley
Quick tip from a friend—if you’re at Whiskey Alley, find Daniel.
He’s got a way of making a proper drink feel effortless… creative when it needs to be, classic when it should be. Multi award-winning, but still very much a student of the craft.
If you ever get the chance to catch one of the Flights & Bites dinners, do it. That’s where it really shows. The knowledge, the pacing, the way he walks you through it without making it feel like a lesson.
Good drinks are easy to find.
That kind of experience isn’t. Reserve your experience at whiskeyalley.com
The Bud Light Stage
When the Night is Too Good
Another reason to have Braithwaite McMillian Grimes on your side?
Because most nights end with good stories.
Some nights turn into long ones.
The kind that get a little blurry around the edges.
And every now and then, a story needs more than a good laugh the next day… it needs to be sorted out the right way.
That’s where having the right people matters.
Not just someone who knows the law, but someone who knows how to step in early, get ahead of it, and keep a small situation from turning into an expensive one.
The right defense doesn’t just protect you… it saves time, money, and a whole lot of unnecessary stress.
That’s the difference.
The Backyard
It feels weird here dropping some promo, as if it's not just me talking to you. So I guess it makes more sense just to talk to you. First, thank you everyone who has come by and said such nice things about our project. Thank you to everyone who has shared this blog or posts about it. The past two weeks I've heard so many times that people had to try it out because they kept seeing it on social media. For all of the obvious selfish reasons - that's so f-in awesome. It's also great to know our community is good at spreading the word. That's the whole point of this Amped thing we do every week. We amplify the signal for all the folks who help make this community so amazing to be a part of. I can't stress enough how important it is for all of our local, independent businesses. Don't tell Katie, but she's lucky to have me. She'll deny it if you do. And trust me, I never miss a chance to tell her how awesome I am. But not all of our local businesses have a writer/photographer/marketer on staff and nor do they have the time to figure out when they've been working so hard to get so good at their craft. This is where you come in. Patronize our locals who are out there risking it all to keep our community unique and remarkable. Keep on remarking about it. Share the posts you see. Leave a positive review. Most importantly, enjoy yourself. Stop by The Backyard and see what Katie and I have been working on. Evidently we've got a pretty good burger. We'd love to grow with you as our menu and experience grows! Seriously... it's different looking everytime I show up. Katie is a machine. She is also grounded from buying any more plants.
https://thebackyardaiken.com/
Kenny played for us last week, so I reckon I'll drop some of the photos here.
Thursday: Magnificent Jam Revival
This trio has been quietly gaining attention the past couple of years. Mark from Bodega Cat returns this week on drums and will be accompanied by Jesse Nye on Bass and Justin Anderson shredding on guitar and providing lead vocals. This is a crunchier and more compact improvisational band than Bodega Cat with a bit more punch in the amps. Check out the video below for a teaser.
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