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.

Naked Espresso Bar feel the love and are hosting ukulele lessons (care of the Melbourne Ukulele Kollective) at their café every Thursday until they’re shut down by the feds. Bring your old uke or buy one on the night for an easy $40 (plus free carry bag – bargain!) Owners Shanny and Tom will take time out from playing to make you a single origin coffee while you’re tuning up. But hey it’s 5.30 on a Thursday so I think you should stick to the beer, which they’ll give you for a gold coin donation. Classes are capped at 20, so book early or rock up and maybe watch through the window.