Lowlight, The RockNRoll HiFives, and Coach N' Commando Played Old Franklin Schoolhouse and It Was Beautiful, 1/27/18

The RockNRoll HiFives

Back to School

On Saturday night, CoolMom and I drove to Metuchen to see Lowlight, The RockNRoll HiFives, and Coach N' Commando play a show at the borough's historic Old Franklin Schoolhouse. The building is a one-room schoolhouse constructed around 1807 as Metuchen's first school. It's maintained by the Metuchen Borough Improvement League and hosts events throughout the year.

This was my second time attending a show at the spot; and, once again, the vibe was family-friendly, neighborly, and really just all-around beautiful. There were tables set up around the room, and a stew was cooking in the kitchen.

CoolMom and I walked in as Coach N' Commando were beginning their set; and we, along with the rest of the room, were absolutely floored. The duo of M. Witte (guitar / vocals) and Swayne (drums) delivered a mind-blowing set of finger-picked, rootsy, bluesy rock that had people hooting after every song. After their set, the guys packed up and headed down to Asbury for another show that evening at Asbury Park Yacht Club.

Coach N' Commando

 [Note: Guitarist M. Witte released a solo album, Ol' Boy, earlier this year that is a must-listen. It's dark and real and worth every minute of your time. I've had Ol' Boy for a while, and it was our primary reason for arriving at the schoolhouse so early.]

Our friends Lowlight and The RockNRoll HiFives both have big things happening. Lowlight are gearing up to head out on the road with Pretenders, and The RockNRoll HiFives are packing up to tour Japan. On Saturday, though, we had them to ourselves. Lowlight's set felt extra-special in front of the hometown crowd, and The RockNRoll HiFives sent everyone home sweat- and confetti-covered.

Lowlight

Lowlight

Kids danced.

Grown-ups sang along.

The RockNRoll HiFives

The whole evening had a community feel that's missing from a lot of shows.

We would've stayed all night, but we had to get home to the cooldaughters. We'll be back to the schoolhouse again, though. I hope we see you next time.

Make sure you check out M. Witte's Ol' Boy. Grab your tickets for Pretenders and Lowlight at Count Basie Theatre on March 30th. Look for updates from The RockNRoll HiFives as they get closer to their April tour of Japan.

Pics from Saturday are all in the Flickr galleries and on the Facebook page.