Yesterday was a long and fun day. First there was therapy. My therapist always gives me extra time. She asked me, “how do you do that?” I’m a fun patient to treat. Then it was off to Tarrytown to see Joe Crookston and Anthony da Costa. Therapy is in Harrison, due east in Westchester so the MetroNorth which runs north-south lines was not of use. I took two buses It took about an hour and 20 minutes. Not too bad. I was excited about my dinner plans, eating at the Oath, the tavern on the same block as the Tarrytown Music Hall. It was closed and there was no explanation. When I called I got a message saying they would be closed for vacation … in August. It looks like they never reopened. As a resourceful young lad I had a back up plan, Pik Nik barbecue. It is just a block in the opposite direction from the venue. I had been there once before and what I remembered most was the person that took my order. I described her as “contagiously vivacious: in my blog. That was on the old site, You’ll Rue that You Didn’t Pay to See Madeleine . I had no idea what she looked like, just that I liked her enough to give me reason to eat there again. Some people just sparkle. I went in and a likely looking young woman took my order. She was contagiously vivacious so I knew it was her. I confirmed that she has been working there my first time there. Now I know her name. It’s Lindsey. This time I liked the food better, I ordered the Big Pik, “Andouille Sausage & Coleslaw topped with Fries and Harissa Sauce.” I of course said, “hold the coleslaw. When it came it was on a bed of chopped lets and pickles. I did my best to remove it. Then Marbelin, who also worked there asked me how it was. I told her that it was great but that they should say on the menu about the lettuce and pickles. She asked if I wanted another one, and I said yes. Unfortunately I said, just the sausage and the fries on it. I forgot that I also wanted the Harissa Sauce. I have no idea what it is but it tasted good. I just realized that now. No big loss, I just put on barbecue sauce which I would have done anyway. So this time I had the contagiously vivacious Lindsey, the extremely helpful Marbelin, and a great sausage and fries. It’s my go to place when going to the Music Hall.
Then it was on the show. The show was unusual and I didn’t understand how unusual till it was about to start. I knew they were selling premium seats on the stage. What I didn’t know was that was all the seats they offered. Nobody sat in the theater seats. It was essentially a house concert held on the stage of the beautiful Tarrytown Music Hall. There was also a catered dinner that I didn’t know I was welcome to. I was the help, selling merch for Anthony. That ended up being a good thing as it was all seafood. During the intermission there were burgers, but I was full from the barbecue. I did have chocolate mousse for dessert.
I’m 567 words into this and haven’t touched on the music. As I was explaining to someone, I love music as much as anyone and few people go to more live shows than me, but food is always priority number 1. One of my profs said, “Being educated is knowing what’s important.” I’m educated.
This was billed as the 10th Anniversary Concert. In 2008, Anthony and Joe, were both in the Falcon Ridge Most Wanted Song Swap. They had been voted in as two of the four favorite performers at the 2007 Emerging Artist Showcases. The other two were Ellis and Randall Williams. I have stayed close to all but Randall. Before the festival they went on the Falcon Ridge Preview Tour, playing a series of concerts together. That’s what Peter, who put on the show said it was honoring. He’s wrong. Just because he is the impresario doesn’t make him right. The cognoscenti know that it’s really the anniversary of them both playing the Budgiedome. They had played the previous year too because the Budgiedome knows how to find the talent.
The merch was set up in the lobby so I saw everyone as they came in. Well, except for Beth who must have snuck in when I went to the bathroom. I knew a great many of the people in the audience. Too many for me to name them all. I will mention Jim, the harmonica player from Spuyten Duyvil, I have not seen him since the band disbanded. He was the one that told me that Beth was coming. More dirt on that later.
Joe always has something new up his sleeve. In addition to making music he paints and sells the paintings at shows. That’s not what was new. The new wrinkle is he made woodcut and linocut prints. I discovered I’d been pronouncing the second wrong, it’s with a short i. Makes sense as it comes from linoleum. The idea is that he can make more affordable art for those who can’t afford a painting. Though they are prints no two are alike. They are each based on a song and feature a number mentioned in the song and a line from the lyrics. Because Joe is Joe he gave me a print and let me choose the one I wanted. That was so tough. There were five dimensions to think about, the design, the song, the number, the line, and the coloring. This is the one I chose. I’ll be right back. I have to take the picture.
Did you guess that would be the number I’d choose? You had to know it was a number that appears in one of his songs, it’s one of my favorite songs, Tuesday Morning. The song is about the fall of he World Trade Center from the point of view of a window washer on the tower. This is as the tower is falling. Joe explained that to me. As much as I love his music and his art, I love his enthusiasm. He’s fills with ideas that burst out of him. I love his passion
Anthony and Joe traded songs and accompanied each other; Anthony on electric guitar and Joe on guitar, slide guitar, and fiddle. Neither used his harmonica though both play. They are quite different from each other but both brilliant. They have it all, musicianship, songwriting, singing, and stagecraft. There should be word for musicianship with an “s”. How about skills?
After the show I thought I’d have to get a ride to the MetroNorth and figure out my way home from there. I didn’t. Beth gave me a ride into the City where I could catch the D train and have the additional benefit of quality time with her. That reminds me, the dirt I promised. Beth went with former bandmate Jim, and not her husband Mark. Somebody asked and she said that Mark had to work. I prefer my theory. I told Mark to watch out for Jim; harmonica players always steal the women I’m not in trouble with Mark, Beth, Jim, and Jim’s wife. Good thing I’m cute.
Now I have to get ready to go out again. I’m seeing The Kennedys tonight at Common Ground in Hastings. I better get this posted then run.
Wise Madness 