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Online and scanned articles about Baby J's.
Let's do the time warp again, 1987
Text:
Heavy metal bands blast the past at Fairfield's Baby J's
By Mary Ellen Elias
Nightlife columnist
For the many high school seniors who attended proms there, the sight of the former Frederick's turned into a low-rent heavy metal club called Baby J's is a cruel reminder of the passage of time.
Located at 1201 Kings Highway in Fairfield, Baby J's has transformed the one-time catering hall and restaurant into a refuge for rock 'n' roll animals.
Inside, where many a wedding and anniversary were celebrated, the motif is now early basement -- beatnik black, with a touch of redneck pool hall - where once pastel linens and carpet reigned. Remnants of the old Frederick's manage to peek through, however. The canopied entrance still exists, but don't try to enter Baby J's this way. Now it's the unloading dock for band gear at the back of the stage. The new entrance is at a side door between Baby J's and its neighbor, Gumbees.
(IMG: Fairpress/Michael Bisceglie)
CAPTION: The former Frederick's in Fairfield, site of many a senior prom, is now Baby J's, a haven for heavy metal.)
Inside, turquoise chairs arbitrarily scattered throughout the large room may look familiar. Perhaps you sat on one years ago at a cousin's wedding. Yes, the round, plywood table tops are the same ones where friends laid down their corsages in what seems like another lifetime. The chandeliers are sooty, but they just might be the ones you danced under.
Once upon a time in this room, high school seniors slow-danced to "Stairway to Heaven," instead of slam dancing to screams. Girls wore long gowns rather than denim miniskirts and tight leather pants. Tails hung from tuxedos, not boys' heads. Once, only the girls had perms. And jewelry was worn for its beauty, not its usefulness as weaponry.
These days, though, it's hard to fondly reminisce surrounded by kegs of beer, pool tables and video games, while heavy metal bands scream and cavort in the background.
And that's really what Baby J's is all about. Noise. Screeching guitars and angry lyrics. The louder, the better. Obviously, the main motivation for people to come here is the music, but socializing is futile during a band's set. Regulars have probably lost a good percentage of their hearing, not to mention their vocal chords.
But the crowd and musicians seem to love the atmosphere and the music. Recently, a singer with long, wavy hair was overheard asking for a pen and paper. Asked if it was for a girl's telephone number, he laughed. "No, more important than that. I found a guitarist!"
One such guitarist, 27-year-old Matt Karagus of Bridgeport, is the bass player and lyricist for the popular group Obsession. When this band plays Baby J's, the $7 cover charge, as well as the crowd, increases. Obsession has three albums and a video on MTV.
"Most guys are in it (heavy metal) for the girls," he said. "But I'm in it for the money." He described Obsession's music as melodic metal, akin to Bon Jovi, but not as mainstream.
Julie, a 29-year-old Bridgeport seamstress and violinist, comes to Baby J's because it's local and she doesn't have a car. "Baby J's is a great showcase for Connecticut bands," she said, adding that many friends who are musicians hang out here. And reportedly, on several occasions the crowd at Baby J's has included such heavy metal masters as Gene Simmons of Kiss and Twisted Sister's Mark Mendosa. A V.I.P. section under the posters accommodates these rock stars.
So the beat goes on amid the ghosts of proms past. If you're young and into heavy metal, Baby J's is the place for you.
OBSESSION / CONNECTICUT HAS A NIGHT OF HEAVY METAL NOSTALGIA
August 28th, 2023, by Jody Wilk.