Last night I did something that is very me, I saw Carolann Solebello and Karyn Oliver at Rockwood Music Hall. The only thing that would make that more home game would be sitting with my friends. I did, Sharon, Katherine, and Allison. This is a coherent group, the last time I saw any of them, I saw all of them, it was at Allison’s Husband’s Joe’s birthday party and Carolann was there too. Other friends in the room were, Terrie & David, Carol & Jeff, and Michael. I was surprised I didn’t know more. I did, Jamie. The reason I thought of her later was that she was off to the side and the way I remember these things is visualizing the geography. I had to turn my head to see Jamie.
One thing that was not me was my timing. I’m always the first one at a show. Yesterday my brain glitched. The show was at 5 and I told myself I had to leave at 4. The problem with that is if the train has any problems, I won’t be early, I’ll be there just as the show starts. The train had problem. When I got off at Second Avenue the people waiting to get on didn’t leave room for people to exit. I felt like a running back facing a defensive line. I saw a hole and barreled my way through it, hitting people on both sides of me. Usually people are much better than that. I ran to Rockwood, ran downstairs, and heard Carolann singing. The show had started! Horror of horrors. I saw Sharon and sat down with her. I asked, “Is this the first song?” It was, Whew. Seconds later Katherine came in, joined us, and asked Sharon, “Is this the first song?” Sharon laughed.
Carolann and Karyn are half of the band No Fuss and Feathers, and members of the Chicks with Dip along with Sharon, Katherine, and Allison. The folk world is incestuous. Karyn moved to South Carolina so I don’t see her as often as I used to but that’s still means seeing her more often than I do many of my friends in the City.
They both had new songs, including one each for the Just This Guy Paul Loyd song contest. I’ve been hearing about this for years, mainly from Heather Lloyd. Every year he sends an email to those that want it with a song prompt. The contestants have a month to write a song based on it with a bonus if it includes the word “monkey.” One of my favorite Heather songs, The Animal Crackers Song was written for it. Karyn and Carolann explained more before they did their songs and Paul Loyd is now my hero.
Because I’m me and I have no brain, or at least one that works oddly, the song from the evening that stuck with me is Carolann’s contest song, Smith Corona. Did I get the title right? The prompt for the songwriting contest was, now get this … it’s coming, … wait for it … “Songwriting contests.” I was trying to replicate the way Karyn described it. She did it better. I’d have run out of ellipses to do better. Carolann took the self-reference and ran with it, … and the monkey. She wrote a totally bizarre and wonderful song about writing the song. I was thinking it was closer to something her husband Mark Berube would write than her usual fare. When I talked to her after the show, she told me that she told her son, “I’m going to have to channel your father on this one.” I like correctly getting into the songwriter’s head. A general point for all songwriters, the song was totally different than anything that Carolann has written, and that’s a good thing. Not that everything else Carolann wrote was bad, but every artist should strive to try new things. As Carolann said, “It’s only a short way from a being in a groove to being in a rut.” I put that in quotes, but I have no brain so it’s a paraphrase, and Carolann was quoting someone else. Maybe it was a monkey. A monkey typing on a Smith Corona. Do all My Gentle Readers know what a Smith Corona is? For you young’uns, it was the leading maker of typewriters. If you don’t know what a typewriter is, look it up on Wikipedia.
After the show I sold merch. What a shock. And hung out with the crowd. Then the Chicks, now joined by Sharon’s husband Shannon, went out for dinner. I so wanted to join them, but I have to watch my money, so I just walked them to the restaurant. My Gentle Readers know that I love the post-concert dinner as much as I love concerts. I should write about that one day.
Instead of having fun with my friends I did the practical thing and went food shopping as I haven’t gone in weeks. For dinner I had dollar pizza. The new dollar pizza place on Houston by Rockwood has made my life easier.
When I got home, I watched baseball. There was a great pitcher’s duel in the Astros – Rays game, Gerrit Cole vs Blake Snell. Snell and the Rays’ relievers were great, just not as great as Cole who was unhittable. He struck out 15 batters before walking a batter. I love watching a game like that. The Astros won 3 – 1. Cole didn’t give up the run, it was the closer Osuna.
I’ll spend today watching baseball, listening to WFUV, It’s Irish music, then Bob Sherman’s Woody’s Children, John Platt’s Sunday Supper, and Live From Here. Don’t miss John as his in-studio guest is Bobtown. Katherine is in Bobtown, I love when it all comes together like that.
Even though I missed doing one of my favorite things, after concert dinner, it was a great day, with great friends, great music, and great baseball. Was there any great food? Yes, bacon and eggs for breakfast. That’s a well-rounded day.
Wise Madness 