Bash Compactor: Do You Have the Time to Listen to Them Whine?
Theres something exceptionally meta about watching a bunch of Green Day impersonators pretend to play the cover songs they make their livings performing.
Last Wednesday, the cast of Green Days American Idiot, the Broadway musical, made an appearance at the new Midtown location of Village Pourhouse to participate in the venues Green Day Rock Band Challenge.
Fans of the show were invited to face off against cast members at the video game, known for its popularity amongst those too lazy to learn to play actual instruments.
On the first floor of the two-level bar, button-down-shirt after-work types conversed over any of over 100 available beers. Upstairs, a mix of Green Day die-hards, PR people and photographers elbowed their way into a cramped corner to view and partake in the somewhat chaotic Rock Band action.
Though billed as a competition, the evening devolved into more of a free-for-all karaoke night. There were moments of harmonious collaboration between the stars and their overly enthusiastic fans, but the casts excitement about the evening quickly wore down.
I found myself getting tired, and I was like, why am I doing this on my night off? joked Christina Sajous, who plays the Extraordinary Girl. But seriously, its great that we have lots of consistent fans, people who come to see the show every night. I wanted to give the fans a chance to sing.
One fan said she had seen the show about eight times. I got to sing with Chase [Peacock, an ensemble cast member] tonight! she said, Its great that the cast never gets tired of their fans appreciation.
But tired they got: It didnt take long for the majority of the cast to ditch the game and the drooling fans to congregate in a semi-secluded back area of the first floor. Once there, they socialized amongst themselves, maintaining an air of friendly-faced un-approachability.
As she strategically inched her way toward the exit door, Alysha Umphressan ensemble cast member whose powerful, breathy vocals stole the Rock Band showstopped to talk for a moment. The first time I ever played Rock Band, it was Beatles Rock Band. They threw us a little party, and I got to play with the actual Billie Joe Armstrong. It was totally surreal.
The cast, most of the bar patrons and this reporter seemed to agree: The evening was best spent enjoying the Pourhouses ample beer and liquor selection, in the company of an exceptionally friendly staff and a diverse crowd of American idiots.