Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

Oh, the apparently huge shot glass isn't; it's a boilermaker type drink, only it's Jagermeister instead of whiskey and Red Bull instead of beer.

These kids today.

Fairly tasty, however, with, of course, the inherent tension of liquor vying with an energy drink.
 

The Coors can blocked the best part of the first photo!

I picture the old "Cork 'N' Bottle" east of my hometown. It was fantastic! It had a balcony with tables and booths, and great bands, and an atmosphere of camaraderie and violence that always made going there an adventure. I once saw someone tossed over the railing of the balcony on to the floor below. The man so tossed, no doubt drunk to the gills and having no idea he probably had broken a couple ribs (according to a newspaper account the next day) got up and ran up the stairs to continue tussling with his opponent, only to be tossed bodily from the bar by a couple bouncers the size of NFL defensive linemen. The whole time, the band didn't miss a note and the dancing didn't even slow down.

A bit of the wild west in the northeast.
 

"an atmosphere of camaraderie and violence" -- that sounds like my kind of place.

And the Cork & Bottle sounds like Olde Town Grain & Feed in Fort Smith, Ark., complete with balcony. Haven't been there -- if it is still there -- in, Lordy, at least a dozen year. I my own self dang near got tossed over the railing one time. ... Well, not quite. But some fool was fool enough to get in the middle of a mutual beer-throwin' argument I was havin' with my girlfriend, and my good friend who was with us was friend enough to calm me down and get me out of there before somebody did get tossed over the rail. Same friend who met me in Tulsa.
 

Oh, yeah. This son could have been written about the place.

"I Love This Bar," by Toby Keith.

We got winners, we got losers
Chain smokers and boozers
And we got yuppies, we got bikers
We got thristy hitchhikers
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

We got cowboys, we got truckers
Broken-hearted fools and suckers
And we got hustlers, we got fighters
Early birds and all-nighters
And the veterans talk about their battle scars

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

[Chorus:]
I love this bar
It's my kind of place
Just walkin' through the front door
Puts a big smile on my face
It ain't too far, come as you are
Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

I've seen short skirts, we got high-techs
Blue-collar boys and rednecks
And we got lovers, lots of lookers
And I've even seen dancing girls and hookers
And we like to drink our beer from a mason jar

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
Yes I do

I like my truck (I like my truck)
I like my girlfriend (I like my girlfriend)
I like to take her out to dinner
I like a movie now and then

But I love this bar
It's my kind of place
Just trollin' around the dance floor
Puts a big smile on my face
No cover charge, come as you are
Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar

We got divorcees and a big bouncer man
An old jukebox and a real bad band
We got waitresses and we got barflies
A dumb-ass and a wise-guy
If you get too drunk just sleep out in your car

Reason number 672 why

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
Play it on out boys
Beer-thirty's over
Got to take it on home

Hmm, hmm, hmm I love this bar
I just love it
 

Hmm, either some of those lyrics I copy and pasted are made up, or there's an alternative version not played on the radio and on YouTube.

Oh: no Mason jars at the Mercury. Did my heart good, though, to find out that they sell Coors period. No Coors Light.