Fan review: Skinny Lister and Will Varley in the USA

Downstairs @ The Middle East, Cambridge, MA (3/10/2018)

Words by Kimberley Bancroft-Graves / Photos by Adam Graves

Image: Adam Graves

Before the doors open for the show, the Middle East restaurant is buzzing. It seems like a bit of a reunion with concert goers and band members alike sitting in the small narrow restaurant eating dinner. Occasionally someone walks in and is greeted by a group of friends that they likely haven’t seen since the last show. Xtra Mile Recordings has created a bit of an American home-base in Boston with many familiar faces showing up time after time at shows for their artists such as Skinny Lister, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Will Varley and Beans on Toast. The fans will occasionally get up to say hello to the members of Skinny Lister but for the most part, people let them enjoy their dinner without too much disruption. One man stands up, asks for the restaurant's attention, gets down on one knee and proposes to his girlfriend as lead singer for Skinny Lister, Dan, records the moment on his phone as he sits a table away. A massive celebratory ruckus breaks out and everyone goes back to enjoying this pre-show, unplanned reunion of friends and fans who have come from near and far for tonight's show.

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