I did nothing all Labor Day weekend now I go out every night; my life is a drunkard’s walk of randomness. Last night’s adventure was seeing Red Molly. I’ll get to that after PT
Physical therapy seems to be helping but there is confusion around it. When I left on Tuesday I asked when I should come next. He said, “you should come three times a week so Thursday. They aren’t open on weekends so that means not coming after that till Monday, a wait of four days. Wouldn’t it make more sense going Friday then Monday and keep it more even? I went Thursday because it was more convenient.
I don’t like complaining about people not speaking English as that’s a xenophobe talking point. I usually have no objection, I usually enjoy hearing other languages spoken; I love living in a polyglot city. That is till it affects my treatment. Yesterday I told you that I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond when the therapist asks me about the level of the electrical stimulation. I don’t know what’s right. I tried to ask him this time and couldn’t get him to understand my question. I finally decided that it should be about getting as much as I can without it hurting. He turned it on then up. He said how’s that? I said too high. He turned it up again. I said “wrong way! Turn it down.” I settled for it being one click higher than I wanted as that was less painful than making myself understood. Still, I enjoy PT and more importantly it’s helping. I have a greatly increased range of motion in my frozen arm. It’s still a tiny bit sore. I just tested it out. The sharp pain is gone but that is probably from the cortisone shot.
I love that PT is just a couple of blocks from me. I didn’t even bother getting dressed, I went in my sleeping clothes. I figured it was like going to the gym so I’d want to shower and change afterward It’s so close going is not a production. I’m not used to that.
Red Molly played at their usual venue, City Winery. I think they book that just so they can get the special Red Molly wine. I was smart for once and did not get their super early. The seats are reserved so there’s no point. I went to eat across the street at a place that Jim recommended. It’s far cheaper and far less foo-foo. Should that be fu-fu?
In the early days I’d know many often most of the people at a Red Molly show. That ceased to be true. I rarely see the old regulars at shows. That’s disappointing. That led me to being pleasantly surprised by how many people I knew at the show, they were friends that discovered Red Molly later. I went with Katherine but she couldn’t get there till showtime so I went in search of people to hang with till then. I immediately found Coco and Ellen. We were then joined by Jeff and Carol. Yes, the same Jeff and Carol that were at Richard Thompson, No Fuss and Feathers. And will be at the Hudson West festival. They are stalking me. I was not surprised to see Marty, was only moderately surprised to see Anna, but was very surprised to see Eric. I didn’t even know he was in New York. Who else am I missing? I saw Tony after the show. The rest of you know that it’s not that I don’t love you but that I’m an idiot.
I should call the current lineup, enhanced Red Molly; the trio, Abbie, Laurie, and Molly, were joined by Craig and Eben. Who do you have to sleep with to get in Red Molly? Abbie and Molly. Craig is Abbie’s husband and Eben is married to Molly. Craig started playing a few gigs with them first and I immediately told them they should make him full time. Having a full-time stand-up bass adds so much. It’s not just that Craig is the best bassist I know, it’s that he frees up the woman from bass duty. Eben originally played guitar, now he’d also the drummer. Often, I prefer the stripped-down version of bands, but not with Red Molly.
They did a mixture of very new songs and old. Laurie lied. She said that Beaumont Rest Stop is from 2008. That can’t be true. She just wrote it. I remember it so well. If it’s really ten years old it would mean I’m an old man of 61 not a vibrant person just out of youth.
They played two songs I’ve called the greatest song ever written. The night after I heard Richard Thompson perform it at City Winery Red Molly did their cover. Once again, I got lost in the song. Once again, I cried. It also reminded me of something I wanted to write yesterday, something integral to my discussion of the song being a myth. When Richard performed it the tears came to my eyes during the guitar intro. That is the way of myths. They don’t take place in the past and don’t unfold in the future. They are eternal. The introduction inevitably leads to James getting a shotgun blast to his chest and giving Molly one last kiss.
The other greatest song is this:
Have you ever heard more moving lyrics? It’s as if that song calls my name. After the show Laurie apologized, she wasn’t happy with their harmony on it. She was wrong, this was the dissonant version, a reflection on the turmoil in the world. “There are no mistakes, just call it art” – Bri Dougherty.
After the show I said my hellos to Red Molly and sent them John Platt’s love. I’ll be speaking with him on the phone Monday. I’ll let you know how he sounds. It would be great if he could come back in time for the October On Your Radar.
I thought I did a good job of introducing people to each other but somehow missed Tony and Katherine. Tony accused me of trying to keep all the beautiful women to myself. Thus is life. Then for the second day in a row I left City Winery and walked a friend who is volunteering at the Hudson West Folk Fest to the 1 train, after which I walked up to West 4th street to catch the A train to the D. the D is running local this week so I take the A as far as I can. The City Winery is in Soho and West 4th in the heart of Greenwich Village, they are in totally different neighborhoods. That creates the illusion that they are further apart than they are. Once I left Katherine it was a five-minute walk. If the weather is nice I like taking a walk after a concert and before the subway.
The ride home should have been easy but something went wrong I had to wait a half an hour for the D train at 145th street. There were two more right behind it. They should be coming once every 10 minutes. The D left West 4th the same time as the A I was on. Assuming it was the same trail it took a half an hour longer to get there. Even running local it shouldn’t be that long. I know this wasn’t because the people at the MTA are idiots This wasn’t planned My compliant is not so much that it happened but the total lack of communication. There were no announcements. To add to the confusion there are three mechanisms for telling passengers when the next train is coming. There are kiosks that have large screens that give arrival times and directions if you ask. There are overhead signs that just say when the next trains are arriving, and there is a phone app. No two of the systems agreed with each other. They should be using the same raw data so something is seriously amiss. I ended up getting home a half hour later than I should have
OK, now I have to get make brunch and get ready for therapy. After that I’m meeting the Carolann/Mark clan downtown for the opening of
I have never been to an art opening before. My Gentle Readers should know Bev as she’s a regular on these pages, a musician, photographer, social activist, and one of my favorite people.
Let me give links for the other events I talked about.
On Your Radar feat. Ryanhood, The LYNNes, and Belle of the Fall
Wise Madness 