Spence and I headed to the waterfront last evening with the theoretical purpose of eating vast quantities of marine life while sunning ourselves on the deck of the pier which hosts The Fisherman’s restaurant. Our plans were thwarted by the unwelcome appearance of a very loud band playing very undistinguished top 40 covers on the stage of the public facility just on the other side of the outdoor dining area.

Undaunted, we surveyed the possibility of fish at one of the other waterfront eateries, only to be daunted by hourlong waits for walk-ins at each. In the end we settled for pasta at the Trattoria Mitchelli in Pioneer Square.

On our way back up the waterfront we ducked into the Owl and Thistle to find the alter-ego of local roots-rockers The Dusty 45s playing, The Vinyl Avengers. These guys do stripped down, cheesed-up covers of 50s and 60s top 40. They opened with “Taste of Honey” and worked through a range of material that included “Ring of Fire,” “Girl from Ipanema,” and an abbreviated “St. James Infirmary.” Billy, the lead singer, guitarist, and trumpeter, was his usual enthusiastic self.

I was able to get audio of the whole thing on the Treo, but haven’t listened to it or evaluated it yet.