The Thousands

For the longest time the ukulele has more or less been the unicycle of the instrument family: showy, impractical and used only by desperately whimsical people you just wouldn’t trust around clock towers and firearms. I always suspected its pigeonholing had more to do with those playing it than anything about the uke itself (Tiny Tim, Uncle Moe Keale, Adam Sandler: fuck you guys) but when that giant Hawaiian chap released this song, precisely how much those turquoise suit wearing jerks had been keeping from us was made clear.

While it still lacks the indie profile Joanna Newsom gave to the harp (this endorsement either comes close or undoes about a decade’s hard work in the anti-twee department, depending on where you stand Deschanel-wise), we have at least entered an era where the uke is no longer just the punch line to a prop comedian’s slow death.

Black Star and The Joynt feel the love and are hosting ukulele jams (care of the Brisbane Ukulele Musicians School) at their café every second and third Friday of the month until they’re shut down by the feds. Bring your old uke or buy one from the Kelvin Grove / West End Twilight Markets (alternatively, ‘temporarily thieve’ one from your friends’ sharehouse). Email them if you’re scared there won’t be enough room, or just rock up and watch every other musical genius.