The distinctive neon signage at Half Moon Bar & Restaurant
I guess I am somewhat of a jukebox purist. As such, I have a healthy disdain for those newfangled touch screen terminals that allow anyone willing to shell out a few extra bucks the ability to not only connect to the Internet and choose from every song ever recorded, but also to jump to the head of the queue regardless of how many choices are waiting on the playlist. I’ve always been of the opinion that jukebox patrons should respect the social order that was established back in the days of coin-operated player pianos and select from the standard menu and then wait his or her turn.
Regardless of how many crumpled dollar bills you jam in the tip jar at Domilise’s, for example, I doubt they would honor your request for a slice of pizza or a bowl of pho, let alone cede to a demand that your food order get skipped to the front of the line. Why should jukeboxes be any different? The art of curating a jukebox with music that complements a bar’s particular aesthetic is no less important than the time and energy the chef of a fine restaurant devotes to putting together a proper menu.
Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer the big, unwieldy, poorly lit, occasionally out-of-order machines stocked with a finite, hand-selected collection of sometimes mislabeled compact discs – just like the one you will find at Half Moon Bar & Restaurant. When you walk into this trusty Lower Garden District stand-by you may be distracted by the sounds of air hockey and Skee-Ball being played in the back room or the intoxicating aromas emanating from a kitchen that puts out some surprisingly brilliant takes on bar-food classics, but I would recommend taking a quick left and checking out the masterful collection of music stored on the mint condition Rowe Encore jukebox near the front door.
The sight of some of the best albums and greatest hits compilations from a diverse set of artists including Prince, NWA, The Police, LL Cool J, The Cure, Jimi Hendrix, The Clash, Sly and the Family Stone, Fugazi, Toots and the Maytals, The Clash, Black Flag and Stone Temple Pilots is made sweeter by the knowledge that each disc was selected by the proprietors of Half Moon. And if, after throwing a few bucks in the machine, your choices do not immediately start playing, grab another drink, sink into one of the broken-in leather couches scattered around the bar’s front room and appreciate what may be the last truly democratic institution human culture has to offer.
You patience will be rewarded. If you have ever experienced the simple joy of watching a group of strangers nod their heads in subtle approval as the first bars of one of your jukebox choices rings out, you know that it is worth the wait.
Half Moon Bar & Restaurant
1125 Saint Mary Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Matt Rosenthal // Groovescapes.com
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