 "Photo: By Isabel Álvarez, The Daily Cardinal")
“If it’s too loud, you’re too old”. Nonsense. Sometimes it is too damn loud.
The classic rock n’ roll bumper sticker slogan has its place, but sometimes the tunes are better without the shattering snare hits to your eardrum.
Every Thursday night, Genna’s Lounge, 105 W. Main St., hosts decibel-safe music and comedy from local artists. The upstairs room’s snuggly, retro-slack vibe is cradled in the arms of Jay Moran & Biff Blumfumgagne’s folk power duo, who pluck, strum and pop the strings of assorted instruments every other Thursday from 8-10 p.m.
Genna’s second floor is a cozy gem on the Capitol Square, rigged with an ideal layout for small bands and comics.
“Genna’s has a great stage for our duo,” singer/guitarist Jay Moran said. “Biff can play anything. He really gears our sound to the venue.”
The Madison music veterans play feel-good folk music that cuddles in your ears and stays out of your face. No smoking hot guitars at Spinal Tap volumes in here.
“No one likes to get blown out the door,” Moran said. “I don’t want to be that way too loud person.”
Laughter complements the melody every other Thursday, as comedy team Full Nelson Reilly ram-jams funny bones with their improv-sketch comedy, modeled after old-time radio.
“It’s like the old Abbot and Costello shows,” FNR co-writer Sean McKenna said. “The three of us have all worked in radio and we love the format.”
The comedy trio’s live variety show also features local musical guests, authors and comedians. McKenna praises Genna’s as an ideal venue for FNR’s biweekly show.
“It’s an intimate setting. It’s not a dive bar and there’s no shit from the ceiling falling on us,” said McKenna, who has admittedly gigged in many hellhole venues throughout his career.
Full Nelson Reilly keeps the audience in its comfort zone. Through a blend of improvisation, sketch comedy and musical guests, FNR avoids a pure standup comedy show, which requires mandatory attentiveness from the audience.
“People appreciate live performances that aren’t forced upon them,” McKenna said. We want a loose audience. They are having a beer, and we happen to be putting on a show. We hope they pay attention for at least one or two sketches.”
The spot has also become a weekly hangout for staples in the Madison music scene, including members of the Gomers and tech-rock breakouts Garbage. The room is jam-packed with creativity and remains a hot-spot on Thursday nights.
Genna’s music and comedy Thursdays are picking up steam as Moran’s duo and Full Nelson Reilly ease residents into the weekend.
“There’s only, like, four things to do in Madison on a Thursday, so you might as well come to Genna’s,” McKenna said.
For more information, visit www.gennaslounge.com.
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