Just Some Gay Sh*t & Plenty of Coincidences
art by @kurtbrec on instagram
I love when things align randomly, but is somehow, perfect. Before the pandemic i was coming up to New Brunswick to listen to bands play in somebody’s basement of a house they were leasing and had been sad that they werent happening anymore. For confidentiality reasons they wouldn’t ever put the address out on fliers for the upcoming shows, either you knew where it always was, knew someone who knew, or they decided you werent a narc after vetting your instagram so cops couldnt bust it. They called it “The Preserve” and im pretty sure it isnt around anymore but i used to hang around and chill with the bands between and after sets and i guess i was memorable enough that he remembered me two years later and randomly hit me up saying that his new band was playing at a cafe and to come through. I thought this was cool but wasnt in the mood for it initially since I like to chill on the weekends. I park far off campus to avoid tickets and after my Words About Music Class I was making the long hike back to my car where suddenly some guy on a porch looked at me and said he liked my flowing long hair with beautiful curls and beard to which it was obvious that he was saying this because he as well had the same features. He looked familiar though. Somehow I came up with his name out of thin air after remembering he was the guy who hit me up for the show a few days before, which surprised him that I knew his name.
Anyway he told me about the show again and I told him i’d try and make it. So i hit up a friend and made plans for the weekend and to add on to a long list of coincidences this same friend said he had actually been eyeing that cafe and wanted to go but never went. The day of the set i picked him up from Busch so i could be the designated driver and drove back to college ave to find a place to park nearby. As i pulled up to the curb at the only space that was available on the street and stepped out to feel the cold air i recognized the telltale signs of a house show, a long line out front, a mixture of cigarette, weed smoke, and the permeable smell of alcohol and some band playing in the backyard. I’d probably have never found out about this place if i didnt park there. They didnt really try and hide it since we’re not doing basement shows anymore. This would end up being the “Milky Mansion” but ill find out about that later since i had a different show to go to.
After sliding through the liquor store nearby and buying a four loko for my friend we were chilling at what seemed like the end of set at the cafe and still wanted to do more. We doubled back to the place i had heard the music from but they told us it was “at capacity” so after walking away and failing to convince him to jump the fence in the backyard with me we went back to the cafe where the band had rallied and played some more. I was feeling a bit sad for him because while we were listening to the set he confided in that me sometimes hes uncomfortable hitting on men at parties because he isnt sure if theyd react well to it or violently, and i confided in him id fuck someone up if they tried something like that. Initially he didnt want to crash the concert but after playing a game of chess in the cafe and bumping into his fellow RA and her friend who was also at the same cafe as us waiting for the bathroom and coincidentally was also thinking about swinging through that same concert we got turned away from earlier, he was down. Coincidences are crazy. And this time we got in without a problem, i think the door guy fucked off for the night.
The Milky Mansion brands itself on instagram and the fliers as a “🧚🏻queer show house in nb🧚🏻“ with a hard emphasis on “🖤no phobes or jerks 🖤“ and after i enjoyed the music scene that first time I had to go to whatever the next show they were throwing. But this time i had to have a little fun myself too. After picking up the same friend and ditching my car for the night i bought four lokos for the both of us which i promptly slammed and after it started hitting i joined in on the mosh pit going on in front of the stage. I bummed a cig of some guy, promptly threw up, found some coors stashed in a bush, drank some more, and stabbed my hand on some flipped up rusty screws while triyng to brace myself after breaking a cellar door by laying on it. My tetanus shot was working overtime. The mansion even had a haloween costume party where they ranked who came dressed the best. I think Grindr masc for masc ended up winning. Also as im typing this im realizing that one of the people that i talked to that night was a college friend of a someone I knew in highschool. We ended up taking the buses back to his place and crashing on his couch.
Also that friend that i brought again got hit on while we were there! A guy came up and shared a joint with him and they added each other on instagram. Very cute! Im really happy i found a place like this and i hope he’ll continue to feel comfortable enough around the scene there to be himself.
Heres the flyer for the next show, its on you to find out what the address it. Dont come thru if your not cool w/ that gay sh*t.
@milkymansion on instagram