66 Butterfield Road: Too old to rock and roll, too young to die

The Jester: With The Scribe and the Hangman being unavailable due to pressures of work or having to catch up on macramé or crocheting lessons, this review is only a half review with the Baroness, The Sword master and the Jester having showed up on the night in question.

Normally we would each concentrate on a specific area and put our thoughts down on paper, but I took an executive decision and thought that it would be more fun  to write one review with each of us giving some input and me doing the writing.

I had absolutely no pre conceived ideas as to what 66 Butterfield (Butterfield road Kragga Kamma) would offer when the Baroness and I were told about the evening while on a “scouting mission” for the Blog a couple of weeks ago. Two 2 gents “One looking a lot like “Ozzy Osborne” holding up the bar at the Chelsea pub at what I presume used to be the Greenbushes’ hotel,  told us  that  there was to be  a killer rock show with a number of bands onstage at 66 Butterfield session on Friday 27 February. The Baroness and I looked at each other and almost in the same breath said, “Should we go”

I have to be honest I started to get a small smile on my lips when we pulled in the driveway of the venue, the long grass and overgrown flower beds had me thinking that I may have found a dive, but it was only when we walked through the front door to pay the R50 cover charge to the lady sitting at an old school desk that my eyes lit up like Jacob Zuma winning another 5 years in power. “It’s a dive” and I am the one person amongst the 5 contributors to the Blog who absolutely and unequivocally loves dives. 66 Butterfield is not just any old dive this establishment is at present on the top 5 of my PE dive list.       

66 Butterfield may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it fits a good number of  the following criteria that I have for a watering hole.

1)    Looks a little or a lot run down

2)    Bar décor or lack thereof

3)    There is a certain smell about the place

4)    Do you need a tetanus shot after visiting the toilets?

5)    Drinks are reasonably priced

6)    Total disregard for smoking laws

7)    A barman that remembers your drink and is attentive if you have been before.  Or makes you feel like you have been there before, even though it’s your first visit

8)    Probably would not like to see the place during the day

9)    Has a history.

10) Has an eccentric owner/s

11) Have even weirder customers. 

12) You feel at home.

13) Should you have police on speed dial?

So as we walked in the door to pay the entrance fee I got that whiff that told me that I may have found a place that I like. The décor is basic and with a permanent stage set up its evident that there has been many a good night of music at 66 Butterfield road, this probably explained why the walls were adorned with the rock posters on , LP covers stuck on the ceiling as well as old vinyl adoring doors and walls. Seating is basic with wooden benches set up in a cavern like space with some seating on mezzanine area where the bar is situated just to the side that is raided up from the stage area/dance floor. I see that there is also a big indoor braai facility that I can imagine is lit during winters to give the venue a cave like atmosphere. I don’t think many of the patrons can read because even though there are numerous signs on the walls saying “Absolutely no smoking in this building” it looked like a steam train had just pulled into the station. So if you don’t like cigarette smoke or people smoking indoors then don’t go. You have been warned.   

Toilet facilities are primitive to say the least as well as not being well signed, the Baroness thought she was in the gents at one stage and if the Scribe had of been in attendance that night I doubt if she would have been impressed, so be warned, take a tetanus shot with you. 

You always know a place is “homely” when there is a menagerie milling around and  66 Butterfield is no exception with a German shepherd, a Jack Russell, a pavement special and a cat roaming the premises. All of them making sure they come and say hi, just to let you know who in fact runs the place.

The night of the review the crowd was diverse with a good number band members  of the various bands in attendance who would take the stage that night. The Baroness and I managed to see 3 bands perform before we had to go a search and rescue mission at a “Chunder Monkey” party at a venue on Cape road, but that’s another story for another time.

While I for the life of me can’t remember the name of the first band whose average age was probably 65 the other two bands where called the Tomboys with the one dude who was rocking the Bass guitar being at least 70 and Project 66 respectively. The sound of the first band was not great but have to say the Tomboys had me tapping my feet and singing along to Status Quo, ACDC and other 70s and 80s classic hits, In fact the Baroness and I joined a few of the locals, some who could have been at Woodstock on the dance floor to bust some moves. Project 66 also played well with a highlight for me being a rendition of Guns and Roses, “Sweet child of mine”    

We did not eat so I cannot say what the food is or is not like but I can tell you that to pay R56 for a Castle Lite quart, a Windhoek draught and a single bells and water makes my wallet smile. So I am going to assume that the food is equally well priced as regards the bar, they stock most of the popular brands of beer and spirits but for those Miller drinkers among us you will have to choose something else.

I can’t wait to go back and experience a “uninterrupted evening” of classic rock, with new shows being scheduled for March and this time we may even get adventurous and order some food. Oh take cash as they don’t have card facilities and it’s a long way from a ATM. On the Tequila Spiderman scale of Lekkerness we give 66 Butterfield a 6.6