Saint Patrick’s Day festivities kicked off in the Jewel City Friday night with John Inghram, opening for Brad Goodall, whose return to The Loud in Huntington brought many out from their homes to celebrate the Irish holiday.
Chef Kenneth Jones of Charleston based pop-up food vendor, Jonsey’s D&D was set up across from the merch booths, selling Irish themed versions of his signature pierogis along with onion rolls and stout brownies. More to come on those later…
As John Inghram brought his set to a close, I made my way across the street to the night club Stonewall, where RuPaul’s Drag Race season fifteen star Malaysia Babydoll Foxx had been advertised to perform for Hard Candy’s St. Paddy’s Day party.
The meet and greet was at ten o’clock in the evening, so I had just enough time to get a quote from Foxx before checking in on other green-tinted merriment.
This is what Foxx had to say to HNN:
HNN’s Trey Cobb: I’ve never been to Malaysia; if I were to travel there, what should I pack?
Malaysia Babydoll Foxx: (Laughs) Listen, I’ve never been to Malaysia… I am Malaysia!
TC: Yes, ma’am!
MBF: So just bring your drag!
Before heading back over to The Loud, I made a quick trip over to the Union Pub and Grille on 4th Avenue to get some perspective from the public on what makes St. Patrick’s day so special.
There was a line outside the Union, which I managed to skip — don’t tell anybody. From wall to wall bar patrons stood together drinking joyously, many of whom are friends of HNN.
“What’s your favorite time of the night?” I asked Braeden Hammar MU alum.
“My favorite time of the night is here at about 9:30, bro! S—t gets wild, I love it!” replied Braeden.
To be clear it was well past 9:30, and yes, things had gotten quite wild.
“Anybody you want to shout out?” I asked Union regular Dakota Bailey.
“Shout out to Jules and Levi for not coming out tonight, yeah!” Bailey said smirking.
Apparently Jules and Levi were missing out on the fun.
Union owner Herb Stanley was everywhere at once, cleaning up beer bottles and empty glasses, never stopping once. As I made my way back out to the car, I decided to come back later for a quote from Herb.
Back at The Loud, Jeremy Short had taken the stage. As Jeremy shredded his hollow body guitar, the band’s other members moved in unison to the beat of their music, a truly impressive spectacle.
Between Jeremy Short and Brad Goodall’s sets, I stepped outside for a quick review of Jonsey’s D&D.
Excitedly I opened the box of food, fighting the urge not to eat my brownie first.
Starting off with the onion roll, smeared with homemade butter; what a treat fresh bread is in general, then Chef Kenneth adds the satisfying aroma of onions, combined with the butter’s creamy richness. I wish Jonsey’s onion rolls complemented every meal.
Unfortunately, somebody caught me geeking out over the Pierogi Haggerty, which was stuffed with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, and bacon. Those ingredients alone (or combined) are tasty already, only heightened by the sour cream. As soon as I was alone once more, I pounced on the pierogis like a vicious lion, couldn’t help it.
Chef Kenneth really outdid himself with the stout brownie, though. I picked it up and immediately felt how soft it was, despite being heavy on the plate. One bite sent me into euphoria, the texture moist and chewy, exploding with the divine flavor of cocoa.
Kenneth, if you’re reading this, be proud of the food. Everybody should go out of their way to eat from Jonsey’s D&D.
Following an excellent meal was Brad Goodall, living up to expectations in every conceivable way. His fingers glide across the keyboard effortlessly, filling in every audible negative space with sound; not only are his songs soulful and fun to listen to, but his lyrics are relatable and clever.
Standing out in the audience, I was thankful to have attended such a special performance. This was my first Brad Goodall show, and was turning out to be a classic.
There was one more performer’s set I needed to see before the end of the night, however.
To close the evening, I went to back to Stonewall for Malaysia Babydoll Foxx’s performance of Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing. As the curtains opened, Foxx donned a stunning bright red dress, captivating the audience as she made rounds collecting dollar bills from hypnotized watchers.
Savoring the final moments of my most fun St. Patrick’s day ever, I resolved to ensure that every March 17th for the rest of my life would live up to this year’s.
Herb Stanley and I stood at the Union bar, 2:00 in the morning shooting Irish car bombs.
“Herb,” I began to ask the owner of the bar in which we stood, “If you could tell the people one think to remember for next year’s St. Patrick’s Day, what would you tell them?”
Herb thought for a moment, then said, “Be here. This is the place.”
Shaking Herb’s hand, I then stepped around somebody who had passed out face down on the floor, exiting back into the night for the journey home.
If anybody ever tells you Huntington is boring, they’re lying.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Huntington News Network!
The Union Pub and Grille, 1125 Fourth Ave, Huntington, WV 25701
Stonewall, 818-820 7th Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701
The Loud, 741 6th Ave, Huntington, WV 25701
Jonsey’s D&D can be found @jonseysdnd on Twitter and Instagram.