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Long-shot Washington, DC question

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by sirvaliantbrown, Jan 26, 2009.

  1. sirvaliantbrown

    sirvaliantbrown Member

    I was at a Washington Wizards game about five years back. Afterwards, I waited for a subway train at the crowded Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. Suddenly, four black men, 50 to 65 years old, appear on the platform, drop a hat, and start singing Motown songs - Four Tops, Temps, Miracles...

    They were indescribably fantastic. One of them did the best Smokey I've ever heard from anybody who isn't Smokey. Dozens of people skipped trains to listen to them; one guy appeared to give them a $20 bill; after about 20 minutes, they must've made $200 or something. I've never seen anything like it.

    Anyway, was thinking of that wonderful moment upon reading the new Weingarten-violinist thread, and I wondered if any of you all, filled with infinite wisdom as you are, have any idea who these guys were. (No, they weren't actual Motown singers.) Long shot, but it's bothered me for half of this decade. Thanks!
     
    sirvaliantbrown, Jan 26, 2009
    #1
  2. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    I have no idea who these guys are/were, but now you have me yearning for the group called Mixed Nuts that used to "jam" at Boston University.
     
    Freelance Hack, Jan 26, 2009
    #2
  3. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    No answer to your question... but it reminded me... There used to this kid on the NYC subways. I haven't seen him in a few years, but I used to see him all the time. He was maybe 14 or 15. Black kid. Total hip hop look, braided hair, baggy pants, oversized jersey, tattoos, etc. He even was slightly menacing in his demeanor. But this kid used to blow me away. He'd walk into a subway car and pull out a violin and play the hell out of it. In between two stations, he might cover a modified version of one of Paganini's caprices and his playing was flawless (well, to my untrained ear, at least) and full of passion.

    But it was so incongruous, because until he started playing, it was a talent you'd never have guessed by the way he looked and his demeanor. That kid made some good money on me. No matter how many times I saw him, when I saw him again I'd be excited. It would make my day. I wonder what happened to him.
     
    The Big Ragu, Jan 26, 2009
    #3
  4. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member



    just kidding.

    Maybe these guys?



     
    DanOregon, Jan 26, 2009
    #4
  5. Walter_Sobchak

    Walter_Sobchak Active Member

    Or these guys?

     
    Walter_Sobchak, Jan 26, 2009
    #5
  6. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    And he was not standing by a door!!! He had a captive audience!!!
     
    93Devil, Jan 26, 2009
    #6
  7. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Not really, though. Not sure how much you have ridden subway... A zillion people come through the cars, performing (every kind of performance you can imagine), begging for money, preaching Jesus, selling stuff, etc. You really learn how to tune out 99.9 percent of the people around you on the subway. Two guys can set up with bongo drums right in front of me and make a racket and I might not even look at them or lower the volume on my iPod. This kid was different.He made it so he was impossible to ignore. I really wonder what happened to him.
     
    The Big Ragu, Jan 26, 2009
    #7
  8. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    This is the oddest thread ever.
     
    BYH, Jan 26, 2009
    #8
  9. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    I'd be 100 times more likely to throw some coins into a busker's hat than give to some greasy panhandler on a street corner. Seems like a more honest way to scratch out an existence.
     
    Football_Bat, Jan 26, 2009
    #9
  10. RossLT

    RossLT Guest

    There was a guy who used to sit outside of KeyArena on Sonics game nights playing the tuba who was money on that thing.
     
    RossLT, Jan 26, 2009
    #10
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