A Second Night out at Four Green Fields, Bingo Style

I have posted on the Four Green Fields Pub located in Royal Oak on 13 mile and Woodward before and my previous review slanted towards the negative side.  But I recently joined a few friends there for a Wednesday night bingo session that was phenomenal.  It included $3 burgers and fries, $2 bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon (when can you get Pabst in a bottle?) and some awesome rockabilly live music courtesy of the lead singer of the hot 90's alternative band from Detroit, Sponge.  Here is how the night went down.

I called up my brother on Tuesday night to see if he wanted to get some dinner.  He was busy but we decided to get dinner the following night, probably somewhere in Royal Oak like the brewery or in Ferndale at the BW3's.  

The next night my friend Jeff (from lesson-share.com) calls me up and says there is bingo at Four Green Fields plus live music and prizes.  He tells me to be there at 8pm.  So I call up the broheim and we decide to go.  We get there at 8 and there are like 3 other groups there all eating dinner, I think there were even some kids.  I'm thinking this is another bust, like the last time... but we sit down anyway and order a very well priced burger and fries and a couple beers.  We get Pabst... in a bottle because we're classy.

Around 9 Jeff shows up with his posse and we all sit at a different table while the band sets up.  By this time the bar has filled up noticeably.  There is a huge group of folks at a table right in front of the stage, looking a lot like band fans.  There are also a few other tables that have now completely filled up and I am pleased that this could turn out to be a good night. 

Then it starts.

Bingo cards get passed out, free bingo cards!  The markers that we are to use to mark our cards with... smartees.  You know the sugar disc candies that you loved as a kid.  Totally Rad!  

Then the bingo caller starts drawing numbers, but announces that four corners does not count as a bingo.  The prizes that are laid out at a table are all swag from the recent SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas.  Apparently the band we are to hear tonight has just returned from the festival... a good sign.

The first person to reach bingo at our table is my brother.  He chooses two tickets to the Anvil show in Pontiac the day of my fiance's birthday.  Oh well I can't go, but I tell him I will anyway.  Anvil is a whole other story but let's safe it to say that they are the real life Spinal Tap and have just released their own film.

Next up for bingo is Jeff.  Who also picks up two tickets to the Anvil show, which I don't think either of them used anyway.  Then it's my turn finally!  When I get up to the table I ponder taking a poster but then decide on a rubber beer coaster advertising premium quality Chang Beer.

Bingo is over... the band starts.

The band is called The Orbitsuns, led by ex frontman for Sponge, Vinnie Dombrowski, and they are a loud, brash, alternative rockabilly country folk band.  Suffice it to say that I enjoyed it and stayed for both of their sets.  They played a good mix of original material and covers and ended with a blistering rockabilly sludge of a song called "Haul Ass."  Everybody was dancing and enjoying themselves.  They even invited Brandon Calhoon from "Rockstar INXS" fame to sing a tune.  

All in all it was a beer soaked, down home, trashy yet folky adventure that I would recommend to anyone who likes bingo, beer and great music.