In my former life, I was a live music venue promoter in Colorado. I had the super-saucy privilege of booking G. Love and Special Sauce and witnessing their show for the 1st time. Fast forward to December 2009, I ran into G. Love in Miami during Art Basel at his Fountain Miami solo performance. G. Love is now on tour with Special Sauce for their Winter 2010 Tour. A lover of all things funkasonic, I decided to find out what G. Love has been up to since back in the day.

Scene B Seen: G. I first met you... eh-hem, about 12 years ago. In the past decade, you've released 12 albums including a few solo LPs, what's the difference between G. Love solo and G. Love with Special Sauce?

G. Love: Honestly, there's not much of a personnel difference. I changed the name when we signed with Brushfire Records to G.Love because getting a new record was really a solo project. I was making demos with different producers and hustling to get a deal. I said to my manager after a shitty meeting in NYC, "Man, if we get a deal its because we hustled that shit. Let's call the record The Hustle", and that was that. But in fact, the band never changed, although some players were added.

SBS: Your latest release, Long Way Down, was under your new label, Philadelphonic Records, but was only released in Australia and New Zealand. What's up with that?

GL: We wanted to release something unique for Australia as its a very unique market for us. We also wanted to work with some new partners on the business side, so when we were presented with the opportunity to release an independent record- we were all about it.

SBS: You're currently on your Winter 2010 Tour with Special Sauce, what's the vibe and sound of this tour like?

GL: On our winter tour we find ourselves in a creative and expressive place. We aren't really promoting a record, so we can play whatever we like. We tend to dig back in the catalogue and dust off some old shit and we work on a bunch of new tunes as well. We improvise and freestyle and keep the vibe thick like soup.

SBS: Yeah, yeah. What will fans experience on this tour?

GL: We have a huge light show with a lot of burlesque dancing girls onstage, fireworks and the whole nine.

SBS: Sweet... or should I say, "dirty, ice cold lemonade"?! Have a crazy funny fan story?

GL: I have a twitter stalker right now. I believe she was stalking Jack as well- but in real life. Its kind of weird.

SBS: Being a child of the American Home-cooked Southern Blues, have anything to say about the New Orleans Saints stompin' it last night?

GL: Who Dat!!?? Oh Yeah!

SBS: The Winter 2010 Tour rounds out in April, what's on the horizon?

GL: On the horizon, I have my best record ever brewing right now. It's just got to ferment a little bit and when it does- watch-out!!! That's some gooooooood shit! Oh Yeah!

*all photos courtesy of G. Love & Special Sauce

The evening began by meeting my fantavulous and vivacious hostess of the evening, event planner and publicist extraordinaire- Christine Coppinger. Dressed to kill and a megawatt smile that lit up her eyes, Christine chatted me up on our way the ever so exclusive The Box.

Now all I had heard thus far was: a) you could not just show up and expect to get in, you had to have rezzies at a bottle service table or be on the list, b) there is nothing like it in Manhattan, and c) expect the unexpected.

Okay...

Hence, I decided to not try and figure out what this place was. Sure I grew up in the tri-state area and went to the underground galleries and lofts of the East Village and Soho in the 80's (thanks Mom and Dad) and spent many high school evenings partaking in the the "scene" that was NYC back in the day (sorry Mom and Dad). However, it's long since the days of keys, cards or those little tiny ziplocs manufactured for one reason, to grant entry into the latest hot spot.

So, like a transplant from Kansas City, as Christine gave her name to one of three door guys dressed in vests, one with a bowler hat, and general 20's gangster style, I belted,"I feel like we're going into a speakeasy during the prohibition!" Hopefully, they either could have cared less who I was to even care what was coming out of my freshly glossed lips, or ignored me out of courtesy to Christine.

Regardless, the door opened for us and Christine pushed aside the velvet curtain...

Fantastic.

Two gorgeous crystal chandeliers lit the deep oak bar, garnished with two male bartenders in similar garb as the door dudes. Everywhere was an unmistakable decor of another time. I felt like I was in Doris Duke and Mrs. Astor's estate sale, amidst a flea market in an Upstate New York town; minus the must and Guerlain Shalimar perfume scent.

Faded velvet cushions, a mini wooded rocking horse, dodged photographs from the year one, and I swear there were a few lace doilies around. My eyes were in heaven and awe.

Christine led me around, giving me the lay of the land, and informed me there was to be a show. We walked into the main room, adorned with banquettes and and tables- reservations and bottle service only. And at the far end: a closed curtain adorning a stage. I looked up to see sheer curtains hanging above the balcony.

We headed upstairs where I discovered the uber privee booths and immediately envisioned Moulin Rouge- men in silk top hats and women in lace and gabardine dresses with beaucoup cleavage, leaning over the banisters cheering on -La Revue de la Femme.

I absolutely adored this place and nothing had really happened yet, despite the fact that it was just before 2am.

We headed back downstairs, found a spot at the bar and dutifully sipped our champagne.

To read what happens next, please visit The Luxury Spot

*photos courtesy of Raven-O

** Special thank you to Christine Coppinger, and The Box for being an impressive, unique, and stellar venue.