Freelance Whales Bring Tunes To The Platform

Music in subway stations is a blessing and a curse. At its best moments, it’s a pleasant and sometimes even engaging way to pass time waiting for a morning train or a ride home. At its worst moments, it’s the guy who looks like Bernie Mac, standing in the tunnel between two lines, singing off key Beatles covers and playing out of tune guitar chords. You know who I’m talking about.

Yesterday was a great day for subway music. On my way home, I take two trains. While waiting for my first train, I was treated to an innovative drum and dual trumpet combination that was peppy, original, and not overly invasive of my book. While waiting for my second train, a guy with a gravelly voice reminiscent of Howlin’ Wolf shredded all over the platform.

My destination yesterday wasn’t my home. Instead, I was headed to the Bedford Ave. subway stop to see a quasi-impromptu platform performance by Freelance Whales, that young band whose virtues I have extolled on numerous occasions before.

As I arrived at Bedford, the buskers were launching into “Starring,” one the most balladic songs on their debut album Weathervanes. The rendition was abruptly cut short about 30 seconds in by two police officers. Mischief Managed! Performance thwarted.

But our heroes were not to be dissuaded, and to the credit of the NYPD they were simply asked to relocate to a less central area of the platform. The band, along with 50 or so fans, shuffled down the platform and set up shop again.

The tunes were great, if occasionally dwarfed by the rumble of the L train. Freelance Whales played their standards – “Starring,” “Kilojoules,” “Ghosting,” “Location” – as well as a rare treat, “The Great Estates,” which they hadn’t played since November. It was a really cool setting for live music, a fun crowd, and a good performance. The perfect ending to a slow day at work and a reminder that sometimes music on the platform is exactly what you need.

Freelance Whales - The Great Estates (YSI)

Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightning (YSI)