Songwriters of the Gay Nineties: A dusty, weird time capsule

If you're looking for a plot, you're looking in the wrong place. This isn't a movie so much as it is a recording of a dinner party that probably should have stayed in the archives. You'll like this if you're a freak for music history or just really, really miss the 1890s.

Most people will probably find it about as exciting as watching paint dry on a piano. The whole thing feels like a stiff, formal testimonial that goes on way longer than it needs to.

The Vibe

Pat Rooney, Jr. is the host here, and he carries himself with that specific, slightly exhausting energy of a guy who thinks everything is a grand occasion. He’s toastmastering his way through the room, introducing folks who take their turns at the microphone.

There's a moment when William McCann sings "Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly" and he looks like he’s having a great time, even if the audio sounds like it’s being played through a tin can buried in a sandbox. It’s charming in a super low-budget, prehistoric sort of way. 📻

Maude Lambert showing up to represent her late husband is a bit heavy, but the film keeps it moving pretty fast. She sings "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" and honestly? It’s a bit of a relief when the song ends, not because it's bad, but because the static nature of the camerawork starts to get to you.

Stray Thoughts

• The lighting is basically just "bright and flatter than a pancake."
• I kept waiting for someone to trip over a cable, but nobody ever did.
• Watching this made me think of the general vibe in A Black Sheep, which at least had more going on visually.
• The suits these guys are wearing are incredibly stiff. How did they breathe?

It’s a strange little artifact. It lacks the punch or the weird, wild energy you find in something like Twisted Triggers. This is just people singing old songs in a room. Sometimes that’s enough, but mostly, it’s just very, very old.

I don't think I'll ever watch it again, but I'm glad it exists if only to prove that people have been making "event" movies that are actually just glorified variety shows for a long, long time. 🎩