The Black & Gold

The awful truth is... I like a good honky-tonk better than a football game. I finally experienced (there is no other word) The Black & Gold this past weekend. I've spent my share of time in nasty little watering holes but The Black & Gold is right up there with the best (worst?). A little cinder-block building out on Business 70 in Columbia, Missouri, this (bar? club? juke joint?) place is a study in White Trash Chic. The place is obviously popular with the college crowd but --I'm told-- equally so with the blue collar crowd for whom happy hour is seven a.m. Beer is served in cans because they do less harm when thrown. When the owner had a problem with broken windows, he just bricked them up. Problem solved. The night I was there, Big Head Ed was deep-frying chicken in a skillet and the air was heavy with grease and cigarette smoke and two Rams cheeleaders (Lacy and Amy) were in attendance. In the proud tradition of Tommy's North-End Cafe and The (original) Shilo, I give The Black & Gold five tab-tops.