photos by ASH FOX edited by KELLE CALCO
RUBY Tuesday is the newest night of sound and style brought to us by “Club Calco”, a club of which I’m proud to be a card carrying member. In NY nightlife, where parties are a dime-a-dozen Kelle Calco is the party maestro, throwing the ones with the best music and coolest people.
The opening night of Ruby Tuesday was doubly special being the debut performance of the “The Colored Boys” (Kelle Calco, Ronnie Magri, Zephaniah O’Hara, Dante Dalli, Matthew Demiccio). Leading up to the show everyone was abuzz… we all knew Kelle Calco as the DJ/host of our favorite parties and ringleader of Club Calco. He has the magnetism, swagger and look of a rock star but few had heard him perform. The launch of Ruby Tuesday, confirmed all that Kelle exudes. On this Indian summer night in November, the whole scene gathered in the new Don Hills. Floppy hats, paisley dresses, and furry coats were in abundance, mingling with the usual spikes, sparkles, cowboy boots, leather and lace. The walls of the renovated club are reminiscent of the 80s downtown art scene, punk perverted images layered together, clearly inspired by the likes of Basquait, and Richard Prince.
When the lights dimmed, we were all on our toes crowding around as The Stones ode to friendship, “Waiting on a Friend”, echoed through the speakers. It was apropos considering wherever you looked your eyes locked with a familiar face. The Boys walked through the crowd and onto the stage opening with “When the Velvet Comes” a song that mixes funk, soul and country with Kelle’s glammy vocal stylings. The Colored Boys are all you could ask for in a band, talented musicians, with style and charisma. It was refreshing to see musicians who knew how to put on a show. The Colored Boys brought back the energy of a time most of our parents have hidden away in dusty attics…classic goodness as an antidote for our plastic era.
It’s pretty much unfathomable how in one years time Kelle Calco transformed the NY rock scene. Spinning it around, shaking it on its head and stewing together all the local bohemians with blood type “R’NR”. For those of you who don’t live in NY, there really hasn’t been a scene since the late 80s. To give you a sense of my own experience... in 2005 NY was a dead zone for rock n’ roll. My high school boyfriend would play acoustic sets in leather pants to a crowd of 10 in places with depressing names like, The Bitter End. In 2007, I dreamt of living in LA, with all the aging rockers gripping onto thin threads of the 1980s Sunset Strip. The relic "Rainbow" with all the big hair, and the rock crowd aged about 20 yrs is cool and all but in 2010 with Club Calco there’s no reason to leave this city. Instead of a being part of someone else’s nostalgic memory we have our own Rock N’ Roll reality.
RUBY TUESDAY is a weekly ROCK N ROLL BOUTIQUE at the new DON HILLS showcasing cream of the crop classic rock inspired bands, DJs & personalities in SOUND & STYLE curated by Club Calco every Tuesday at 11pm.
