New Haven Independent

Those who stuck around for Saturday night’s show witnessed a bizarre and strangely enjoyable match-up between the Zambonis, four guys from Bridgeport who sing about their passion for hockey; and the Ivory Bills, a New Haven act led by singer-songwriter James Velvet. The groups shared drinks and traded sets for over two hours, swinging from the Zambonis’ hockey-obsessed repertoire to the Bills’ bluesy rock sound with plenty of good humor.

The Zambonis took to the stage first. Decked out in helmets and jerseys, they performed a half-hour set featuring niche hits such as the punk-inspired “Hockey Monkey” and “Nows my time to shine.” Hockey proved a surprisingly adaptable theme: There were songs about unrequited desire (“she’s the referee’s daughter…”) as well as an emotional fan ode called “Bob Marley and the Hartford Whalers.”

Between sets, lead singer Dave Schneider explained the logic behind trading sets with the Ivory Bills every half hour.

“It’s for today’s short attention spans,” he said. “Nobody wants to listen to an hour and a half of hockey rock.”

James Velvet, a local rock veteran who hosts a show on WPLR, heard of the Zambonis through his job and invited them to perform with the Ivory Bills, he said. Every other month, he organizes match-ups with local bands at Cafe Nine, a State Street venue known by as “The Musician’s Living Room.” For Velvet, the shows are a way of staying in touch with trends while promoting local music.

“Last time we had bluegrass. Next time maybe it’ll be punk,” he said. “It’s always fun.”

Born in 1950, Velvet has been involved with local music for the last 30 years, both as an artist and promoter. The years didn’t show when picked up a guitar. Growling his gritty lyrics into the microphone, Velvet gave the younger Zambonis a run for their money.

After his set, Velvet said that he used to come to Cafe Nine regularly with his former band, the Mocking Birds. Starting in the 1980s, the popular blues and rock & roll group “packed the bar” every week for 12 years. Even though he no longer plays with “the Mox”, he still enjoys the venue’s downbeat vibe and diverse clientele.

“Cafe Nine has always been a corner bar with good music and more of a diverse crowd,” he said. “A lot of musicians hang out here when they’re not out on gigs.”