Jam Like a Mother found a riff they liked at Hamilton’s the other night, and rode it. For four hours.

We’re sure that’s not any kind of world record. But it felt like one. We were back in what the club still refers to as its pool room (the pool table broke apart and was removed years ago; they might as well call it the cool vibe room since it doesn’t have one of those either), chatting and guzzling with members of Old Shorts, who were under the impression that they were also playing that night. We’d spent over an hour collectively cataloging the best vegetable-themed horror movies of all time, among other austere archival pursuits, when somebody cocked an ear and said, “Are they doing that song again?” We ambled stageward, quizzed some JAMLAM fans, and concluded that in fact they hadn’t stopped playing the song the first time. And weren’t about to.

A couple of the Shorts planted themselves in view of the blissed-out Jam Likes, gave the universal mimed-wristwatch symbol for “planning to finish up sometime this year?” and were met only with shrugs. Afterwards, the

JAMLAM bums swore with straight (if goofy) faces that they had no idea there was any another band on the bill. That’s the perfect excuse, even though both acts were listed in local listings and on Hamilton’s flyers; this is not a band anyone expects to know how to read. In any case, they made a lot of noise about being “in the zone.” Which, if we were Jam Like a Mother’s mother, we’d be inclined to refer to as the “impolite zone.”

The song that took so long, you ask? You know that two- chord-plus-retro-Casio-beat current radio hit? That one. We didn’t say these guys could play, just that they could ride a riff. Like water torture, it was. Bongwater torture.

The proper amount of bands, right here: Heresy Hunters, Peeping Toms of the Camera and The All Fun Show at the Bullfinch; College Band Nite at Hamilton’s with The Red Rig-a-Jigs, His Name is Ebenezer/His Name is Smith, The Doings and Also the monk! Coillege Band Nite is not ever to be confused with the party-happy cover horrors of College Nite at the same location, the next swarm of bands at which will (ugh) include Nay! Nay!, But They Didn’t, the Duke of Spaghetti and Peach Basket Hat… D’ollaire’s is dark. No money to be made…