I had heard about the Annex a few times, 'ark had brought it up once, but it just sort of jumped out of mind as quickly as it vaulted in. But despite some-freezing temperatures and a broken-down L train, Sunday seemed to be the day to go.We knew we were in the right place pretty quickly after the free coat check. You step inside a room to await the next film presentation, and on the walls are large metal tiles with different rock & roll icons' autographs under the year of their induction. The cool part is when their song plays, their respective tile or -- in the case of group -- tiles illuminate. So you chase those around for a while and then the snippets of music get shorter and it builds to a crescendo (see above) as the lights speed up and the music swells and ... a bored guy opens the door to the other room.
We sat on the stools in the last row so we could see the screens all around the perimeter of the floor. I don't think one of the three blondes sitting dead center in the front row in front of us liked it too much when I said "down in front!" when she got up to adjust her ... whatever it was.
The presentation starts with crisp clear footage of the origins of music -- the names are posted via concert poster on the side for those who don't know their Muddy Waters from their Otis Redding. As the technology of the times increases, so does the use of the screens on the side. During the Beatles' Shea Stadium concert, it's really evident how little of the music could be heard through the high-pitched screaming, but the lads smile and sing on. Got as close as we'll ever get to a Hendrix concert, and bored guy used some kind of screen to make the five us in the audience part of the action. I was the first to start rockin' out, 'ark was the only one in the room who didn't. Well, besides bored guy. Apparently it was a female rock zone.
When that ended, the doors opened to the standing exhibits. Most of the choice memorabilia is on hand at the Rock & Roll Museum in Cleveland, but they did have some cool pieces heightened by the headphone musical accompaniment providing background to whatever exhibit you're standing in front of. We both loved Clapton's guitar, one just like the one used for the much-beloved Unplugged. 'Ark's other favorites included the first Fender and one Pete Townshend used while with the Who (pictured in the center here).
There was a sharp Hendrix exhibit that included everything from a necklace he wore during the famed Monterey Pop Festival to a TWA bag used in a famous poster (actually both Ritu and I own that one!) and after you've apparently had enough time looking at it, a high-def video from the show starts to play. Other major focal points were the piano John Lennon liked to use, and had on the last day of his life, and Bruce Springsteen's '57 Chevy (anyone want to sing "I've Got a Rock and Roll Heart?)
My personal favorite was this itty bitty dress of Janis Joplin's, which she wore on her famed Newsweek cover. Really gorgeous. I'd like to take the most expensive can opener/magnet EVER that I bought in the gift shop and go back to the cubicle and pry it on outta there! The girl had style ... and was teenie!
We also saw the familiar super-huge white suit David Byrne wore, a notebook of Billy Joel's songs from "The Stranger" opened to "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," a harmonica setup of Bob Dylan's and the old signage from The Bottom Line (one of my favorite early '90s haunts) and CBGB's.
The current major exhibit is for The Clash, and while I don't go too deep into their catalog, it was cool to see the huge collection -- from the guitars and clothing to lyric sheets and backstage passes. Apparently that rotates every few months, so we'll have to keep our eyes out for future special exhibits.
Four thumbs-up from Parkage!
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