LIVE: Drank the Gold & The Brothers Blue @ The Cock ‘n Bull, 09/23/2022

The Cock n Bull Restaurant in Galway, New York hosted a doubleheader Thursday night with local duo Drank the Gold and western New York trio Brothers Blue.  The Irish duo and bluesy folk bands fit perfectly in the old barn, whose acoustics are unmatched by some of the most professionally designed listening rooms. 

My mother and I went early to enjoy beef, as owner Rick Sleeper suggests on his signage, and we weren’t disappointed. The local beef was prepared perfectly to our requests and presented with smashed potatoes and zucchini that almost stole the plates for me. It was the first fall night of the season, and while the barn was a bit cooler than usual, it felt cozy and like we had come home for a lovingly prepared meal.

Drank the Gold took the rustic stage promptly at 7:30 pm and broke into traditional folk music with Irish and Scottish vibes, clearly smiling cheek to cheek and leaning into one another, listening to match harmonies. Fiddle player Oona Goldman and banjo/guitar player James Gascoyne are a local sensation, but their playing at Cock ‘n Bull highlighted the duo’s ability to create lush, quiet harmonies as easy as breathing. Their poetic lyrics on “Shady Grove” accompanied music that imploded the senses, with listeners tapping toes while resisting the urge to get up and dance around the barn.

The band’s friend and local musician Chris Carey (percussion for Reese Fulmer’s Carriage House Band and keyboards for Super 400) joined the band when invited from the crowd, and provided a serendipitous opportunity to see the three together.

Drank the Gold performed a solid set, including songs they learned at a band camp in New Hampshire this summer and a set of melodies written in Florida. Their ability to juxtapose tempo, rhythms, and timber demonstrated excellent musicianship that made for a thoroughly enjoyable set. Their cover of the song, “Who Will Rock the Cradle When I’m Gone” continued with the plucky rhythms and lyrics that caught my ear, making me lean in for more as I clapped along. The band’s Irish folk lilt finished the night with giant grins, stretching the faces of the performers (and the crowd’s) red with delight.

Oona shared that a band from western New York, Brothers Blue, would also perform, which surprised my mother and I, as we had come strictly to see our local folk duo. The Brother’s Blue is a trio of musicians who created a hybrid of Cajun, bluegrass, and Irish music that was not only original but powerful in its energy as they pushed through their first set ever at Cock and Bull.

From original songs like “Something about Being Alone,” which made my heart ache with the richness of its raw honesty, to Louisiana twang “I Get Burned,” Brother’s Blue caught both my attention and a desire to learn more about them. They shared their histories of growing up on the Finger Lakes, summering in hemlock trees and offering a gentle humility to the vibe of their story. “I’ll Still Love You Tonight,” a song about imperfection, reminded me that human love, while imperfect, often is improved through blemishes.

Drank the Gold joined Brother’s Blue for a fun set that concluded the night with “Buffalo Girls,” a song that returned the twinkle to my mother’s eyes. That made me incredibly thankful.

The night was quite satisfying overall, although atypical in one way. Two tables had guests that seemed not to know the etiquette of the barn, and they talked loudly over both sets of music. Because the barn’s acoustics are so unique, I often found myself hearing more details about their love lives, problems with their adult children, and household matters than the music, which was annoying. When I shared this with Jim, he suggested I warn future fans that if I can’t hear the music, they will force me to write about their anecdotes that seemed loudly shouted over the beauty of the string sounds filling the rafters.

But for now, though, I’ll stick to writing about the music and fantastic hospitality at Cock ‘n Bull. Come early and eat dinner (and talk), then Nippertown fans, I suggest you sit back and savor the richness of the music Rick Sleeper invites to grace the barn’s stage. He promised us as we left he will keep the light on for us, and I for one can’t wait to go home again to see what Rick has planned next.