Like the Freeport Cabaret patrons they entertained last Friday night, the Adam and the Waxmen band members wore clothes that ranged from fancy to casual. One gentleman had donned a button-down shirt and vest, another made do with a simple jeans-and-T-shirt combo — and the eclectic style served them, and the setting, perfectly.
The band, who play a rousing combination of bluesy, folksy, soulful rock (they’ll release a full-length album later this summer), graced the stage of a brand-new Freeport establishment, which opened last month. Their lively sound — which includes the impressive pipes of lead man (and songwriter) Adam Waxman, the storied experience of keyboardist/guitar player Frank Hopkins, the flowing precision of guitarist Mike Chasse, and the musical talents of drummer Chuck Prinn, saxophonist Daemien Allen, and bassist Bobby Queen — got people old and young on the Cabaret’s large hardwood dance floor (yes, even me). It was ideal background music as the mixed crowd ate (light, local appetizers and desserts) and drank (from the full bar and sizeable wine list) — not in the sense that people were able to tune it out, but because it got toes tapping and helped the swanky bar feel comfortable and laid-back.
As it gains its footing, the Freeport Cabaret hopes to host all types of artistic acts (right now, the calendar is booked with a blend of local folk, jazz, and blues acts, as well as a few open-mic and karaoke nights). But music like Friday night’s — smooth, tight and energetic — should always be on the menu.
