Happy Birthday, Old Milk Mooney

I am officially declaring 2025 the year of the Cozy Musical Get Together after Sunday night’s Old Milk Mooney Birthday Show at Never Ending Books. 

Three acts — Figurine, Lily Desmond, and Old Milk Mooney — celebrated Dan Onorato’s day of birth with song, soup, screaming violins, and several pillows on the floor, instead of the usual rows and rows of seats.

Yes, there were a few chairs to be used, but most gathered in front of the stage on the pillows and blankets provided with bowls of broccoli cheddar soup or turkey chili provided for free by The Soup Pauper along with generous slices of crusty sourdough bread. Based in New Britain, John the Soup Pauper has been a frequent pop up at several Never Ending Books shows in the past year. 

Musician Julie Sawtelle said that the broccoli cheddar soup was ​“wicked good,” as was the bread, and recommended I try some. She was not wrong. The chunks of roasted broccoli were a hearty companion to the savory, buttery broth, a welcomed warming gift on a cold winter’s night. I was able to try the bread when small buttered bites of it were passed around during the first set, and after one bite, I wished I had my own crusty loaf to take home. 

Sharing was the theme of the night. There was even a drawing of the Old Milk Mooney logo on a table with a sign that asked attendees to ​“draw their dreams” with the colored markers and pencils provided. By the end of the evening there were flowers, people dancing, and a globe with a peace sign and hearts over it. 

Onorato began by thanking everyone and expressing gratitude for the evening’s proceedings.

“This is a dream come true and you made it all happen,” he said with a smile as he introduced the first act, Connecticut’s own Figurine, made up of Ashley on guitar and vocals, Rachel on vocals, and Katie on bass. Their piercing seven-song set included originals like ​“Rat Trap” and ​“Voyeur” as well as a cover of Marika Hackman’s ​“I’d Rather Be With Them.”

“I try not to do covers that are just as sad as my songs but I love this one,” Ashly said. While her songs did have a touch of sadness in all of them, they also had a hopefulness and strength that shone through, and the harmonies added another touch of sweetness. The crowd was enraptured by it all.

New York-based Lily Desmond offered a six-song set, beginning and ending on violin and playing guitar in between, with vocals that went from whisper to scream and captivating everyone throughout. James on bass and Mike on drums added to the luscious layers of songs like ​“Song For The Road” and ​“Omen” from their latest EP of the same name. That song was based off when Desmond had a bunch of birds living in her walls that kept her from sleeping.

“I hope you all can relate,” they added, and many nodded, as troubled sleep seems to be haunting many of us these days. 

Onorato, who also joined Desmond on harmonies for one song, would later on with Old Milk Mooney offer his own song about birds called ​“Act as Arrows,” but these birds would be ones that disrupt the ​“foolish thoughts in his head.” 

There was nothing foolish about that final set that offered a joyous ten songs that had many singing along and everyone smiling. Made up of Onorato on vocals and guitar and Clancy Emanuel on vocals and clarinet, Old Milk Mooney delivered profound poetic lyrics via heavenly harmonies and songs like Wild Blue Thread, Snake Bite Wrist, and Dreams, their newest single that was released on Sunday. You can also hear the influences of The Band, who Onorato pointed out were on the shirt he was wearing in honor of Garth Hudson’s death this past week and because they were his favorite. 

The sharing and community aspect of the show continued to be present throughout the set as Ashley added her harmonies to two songs, and Emanual took a turn at the mic solo for a song from his new musical project Sea Otter. He called Onorato ​“the most supportive and gracious friend” as he praised the spirit behind his music. 

“We’ve played to empty rooms before and it’s been a blast,” he added. Onorato sat back on the stage and smiled throughout Emanuel’s delightful song. 

Before ending the set with newer single ​“Take Heart,” Onorato mentioned that he would be looking to add to the band for another song. That ended up meaning a sing and play along with the audience. Above the stage hung two posters that had lyrics on them, which he asked everyone to sing along to with him after handing out instruments like a melodica, harmonica, and rain sticks for some to play. The piano and even the organ (played by his friend Mike, who also provided visuals for the evening) were used as well. It was a fitting and rousing ending to an enchanting evening as everyone sang and played along, making it much less daunting to go back out into the cold and complicated world.