Judy’s Café is an outreach center operated by St. Anthony’s Parish, located at Odell Avenue and Jenkins Street in Endicott. The parish youth group, headed by Michael Romeo and Kevin McKeon, operate this coffee shop on Tuesday nights throughout the year. They specialize in espresso and Italian pastries and do a brisk business with smoothies, which are popular among the young adults who make up the majority of the patrons. I went there Tuesday night (July 20) to hear a band and was overall impressed with the operation and knocked over by the band and its choice and style of music. No rap here, just good ole’ guitar-playing music — easy to listen to for someone who enjoys the classic rock (not that it was entirely classic rock) that currently is played on some of the local FM radio stations. 
Atonement Among Thieves is made up of Jason Dirig, Josh Gathany and drummer Jason Staniulis (who couldn’ t make it to Judy’s Tuesday. Their influences include the Beatles, Goo Goo Dolls, John Mayer, Minus the Bear and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and they have some original sounds. The set, very easy to listen to, reminded me of days (late nights gone by) at local establishments such as the Flying Machine, Bobby Dee’s, The Reel to Reel, Popeye’s and Thirsty’s and such local bands as ACTX and Ice Water Mansion.
“Everybody can listen to it,” Gathany said, and he was so right. His guitar and Dirig’s vocals were, well, music to my ears. I enjoyed myself out Tuesday night, although my age didn’t quite fit in.
They will return for an encore at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3. You don’t want to miss this up-and coming group and the ambience that makes you feel as if you were home in your living room.
Check out Atonement Among Thieves on Myspace. You can listen to some of their original work, including Warning Signs in Manhattan: http://www.myspace.com/thejasonproject.  Their website is: http://www.reverbnation.com/atonementamongthieves
And if you want to go to Mass this weekend at St. Anthony’s but don’t know the summer Mass schedule, find it on: www.stanthonyendicott.parishesonline.com