I woke up this morning with a very sore shoulder and I’m typing this through the pain. That is how much I love My Gentle Readers. But I’m not crazy, I’m taking acetaminophen; I’ll be right back after a word from our sponsor. It doesn’t work that fast but I feel better, placebo effect. I’m not even sure if I feel better. Maybe I’m just moving less or reporting it as feeling better while it feels just as much. I write that and it hurts more. So much is in my head. I bet meditation would help, but I can’t. I have to write.
Yesterday I trekked up to Irvington Town Hall to see Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams. The show was produced by Common Ground Coffeehouse, Carter’s domain. I went to help out Carter and check out a band I have never seen but heard good things about. One other thing pulled in favor of this show, Revenge Barbecueis down the street. Revenge is special. I need added incentives as this is a two bus, or bus and subway to the MetroNorth trip.
When I got to Revenge at 5:40 there was a sign that said, “Sold Out.” That’s how Revenge works, they stay open until they sell out. I was heartbroken. The door was open so I went in to see if there was perhaps enough left for one sandwich. There was! Pastrami. That’s not what I’d usually get a barbecue place but I have to eat and as I said, Revenge is special. As this wasn’t a Jewish deli, I decided to be a bad Jew, when in Rome. Sure I had brown mustard on it but I also had provolone and barbecue sauce. It works! The best of both worlds! Maybe I’ll have it again when I see Miley Cyrus/Hanna Montana there. That’s a joke son, just a joke.
As expected I assigned merch duties at the show. I’d have done more as they were short-handed. As merch guy I sit at the very back so I can’t see. Tomorrow I’m having one cataract fixed so this will be my last day as a blind man. Too bad David Bromberg is my last show there. I love David but he’s not much to look at.
The opening act was Mark Erelli. I’ve seen him many times but not much of late. I’ve had a strange relationship with him. I’m pretty sure I merched for him, maybe 20 years ago or perhaps when he played with Red Molly. I’ve been a fan forever, but I haven’t seen him in years. Why? I’ll tell you, I don’t know. He’s such one of my people, not just one of my musicians. He stayed at Darwin’s home and wrote about evolution. He majored in evolutionary biology. I will forever think of him as “Young Mark Erelli” as that’s how “Old John Gorka” referred to him at Falcon Ridge 2000 or 2001. I know I was sitting with Carey.
I was delighted that he won over an audience there to see Larry and Teresa; their music is so different. He’s a folky/singer-songwriter. They play country rock. I always kvell when my people do well. On the other hand I feel alienated when musicians I don’t like, make a hit with the audience.
Mark is a solo guy with a guitar or mandolin. He doesn’t use musical or lyrical pyrotechnics. That’s far from my sweet spot. He succeeds by writing intelligent songs with meaningful lyrics, and being witty, natural, and charming. It sounds simple but it’s not. Most people trying to be like Mark would bore me, like the people that try to write like Dar, what they are missing is the genius.
I’m not sure how many of my musical crowd are familiar with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams. It takes an effort for me to not write “Doug and Telisha Williams;” They are not as well known but they are my friends and I’ve seen and written about them many times. Now they are called The Wild Ponies. Because everything reminds me of everything else, when I first met Doug his appearance reminded me of Mark Erelli.
Larry is a guitar god and Teresa a brilliant singer. Is it just her name and appearance that makes me compare her to Lucinda Williams? Of course I didn’t really know what she looked like until after the show and we shared an elevator. All I could see from the back was that she was blond. It wasn’t my favorite song the did but the one I can write about was there cover of a Duke Ellington tune that they played as a tribute to a bluegrass banjo player. That’s how you do a cover. Larry is the instrumental star but I loved what Teresa did with the rhythm guitar, she played it like a clawhammer banjo and even strummed on the fretboard, not the body. I don’t know his name but their bass player was awesome. He was able to keep up with Larry in a dueling guitar vs bass duet. The only time I’ve seen something like it was from Richard Thompson and his band.
The show was long, a hair too long for me. The train left the station at 11:17, just as I finished my merch duties. The next train was an hour later. I lucked out as Rosa was driving to Brooklyn and offered to drive me home. We didn’t get to leave until 12:17 but driving straight home is a lot faster than the MetroNorth to a bus to the subway.
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. I have no plans. I would watch if I could but I don’t have a broadcast TV. Is there any way for me to watch online? If not, no big deal. I’ve missed many a Super Bowl. I’d be watching to root against the Pats and Trump’s golf buddy, Tom Brady.
Wise Madness 