It was an evening of milestones and memories on a Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Brooklyn Bowl. Before Hayley Jane and the Primates took to the stage to celebrate the release of their new studio album We’re Here Now, Primates bassist Josh Carter married his fiancé Kristen Detroia under a Stealie-style chuppah in front of family, friends, fans and Brooklyn bowlers alike. “She’s a summer love in the spring, fall and winter. She can make happy any man alive…” venue owner Pete Shapiro echoed the words of Robert Hunter and Bob Weir before inviting Dopapod front man and longtime friend of the couple Rob Compa to share the story of how the two met some ten years ago.
Following the off the cuff and personal tails of Compa, Shapiro oversaw the vows and pronounced the couple husband and wife. Josh and Kristen Carter kissed, broke glass, and then remembered to exchange rings at the end. The crowed cheered at the completion of the nontraditional, public, and yet adequately personal, Brooklyn Bowl wedding ceremony. Shapiro encouraged the crowd as he and the wedding party walked off the stage, “Now lets rock!” And just like that, the world was introduced to the opening act for the evening, The Brooklyn Bowl Wedding All-stars. Keeping up with the friends and family feeling of the evening Dopapod’s Eli Winderman and Rob Compa, Pink Talking Fish’s Richard James, and Kung Fu’s Adrian Tramontano and Chris DeAngelis madeup the wedding band to end all wedding bands. They formed a funk fueled five-some covering everything from Stevie Wonder to The Rolling Stones, and even invited Primates guitarist Justin Hancock to join them for The Allman Brothers Band’s “Blue Sky.”
With the night already full of high points the stage had yet to be graced with its evening’s headliner. Hayley Jane and the Primates were welcomed by the Brooklyn City crowd with great excitement and anticipation. The set highlighted the bands new album and spanned their versatility. Along with soaring guitar solos, intricate bass lines, and steady drumbeats Hayley Jane’s soulful voice and colorful lyrics filled the room. The Interstellar Dancers added an interpretative dance flare backing up the front woman’s signature choreography.
Of course the evening would not be complete without a series of on stage collaborations. Rob Compa was first to join adding his stylings to the sixth track off of the album”We’re here Now” titled “You Gotta Move.” Up next were two of Hayley’s friends from the band’s hometown of Boston on steel drums and percussion. They added to the reggae sounds of “Man Acrylic.” Eli Winderman jumped back on the organ and surprise guest Elise Testone stood along side Hayley Jane for a vocal jam on the track “Make It Alright.” A few songs later another appearance by Richard James on the last two songs “Hey Mister” and “Hurricane Jane” would close out the set.
As Hayley Jane and the Primates walked off, the city that never sleeps met the empty stage with chants for one more song. They would acquiesce and then some. The first of the two song encore “To the Moon” was a slower ballad brought to life by Jane’s glowing personality and glowing moon prop she held in hand throughout the song. The second song of the encore, and final song of the night, featured every guest the stage had featured for the event. It amounted to a sixteen person (including dancers) “I Can Do It (Poo Jam).” The audience chanted along “I know that I can do it…” as the wedding/friends and family reunion/album release show came to its end. It was truly a special and unique night at Brooklyn Bowl summed up best by the words of Hayley Jane herself, “What a lucky bunch of creatures who can run around and dance if we want.”
Photos by Chris Capaci/Capacity Images
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