I’m still behind on my blogging. I’m going to try to write about two days in one entry. There is a common thread between them.
Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday, so I went to a concert. It’s not cause and effect but it happens often. The concert was in the afternoon so people can do both. I saw JKLOL at the House of Love. JKLOL is the quartet of Jefferson Hamer, Kristin Andreassen, Lauren Balthrop and Lawson White. I’m know all of them but Lawson. There was no way they were not going to be great. They were not playing a brothel, the House of Love is Amy’s house concert series, one of the special ones. It’s so special that I’m willing to travel to Red Hook from the Bronx.
I got there later than I wanted but was still the first one there. That’s good as I got to claim my seat. This is a home game and that means there’s a seat I prefer to sit in. It’s a comfy chair, the view is not as good as the folding chairs but it’s comfy. As a bonus I usually get some quality Django time; Django is the dog. There are always musicians I know in the audience but rarely friends I know from other places. This time was an exception, I was joined by Kevin. I made some new friends, Rob and Dave. Was Libby the only other one that knows me there? That can’t be right. I know Tony Trischka, but he doesn’t know me.
The band was as great as I expected. It’s one of those friends having fun playing with each and then deciding, “Hey kids lets put on a show!” And so, a supergroup is formed. They are all so good and their styles distinctive from each other that it makes a great combo. You get Jefferson’s raw roots, Kristin’s weirdness, and Lauren’s lyrical beauty. They are comfortable in each other’s milieu. I’ve seen Kristin play with Jefferson and Lauren before, one show with Jefferson was also on Super Bowl Sunday at the House of Love.
In addition to great company I got an added benefit from Kevin being there. He was off to a Super Bowl Party in the City and I shared his cab to the Fulton Street Station. No subways go to Red Hook; I would have been at the mercy of the bus schedule when the show was over. As it is I got home just as the first quarter was ending. I had my Super Bowl planned. There was beer provided for the musicians and volunteers at the Irvington Folk Festival. I noticed a six-pack of double chocolate stout and made a plan. If there were any left over I’d take it home and drink it during the Super Bowl. There was one can left as we were packing up and I grabbed it. I’m not much of a beer drinker but I thought it would be amusing to be a real American male and drink beer while watching the Super Bowl. To make the picture complete I made Buffalo wings for dinner. That is the only part that is not out of character for me. I don’t usually watch football or drink beer. I didn’t watch the halftime show. That’s when I made dinner. My team, the Chiefs won, in a fourth quarter comeback; a great game! I won Sunday, great music, friends, chocolate beer, hot wings, fries, and a great Super Bowl.
On Monday I was back in Red Hook seeing Jefferson Hamer. This time it was as part of the Murphy Beds, his duo with Eamon O’Leary, at Jalopy. It’s funny, I always think it’s hard to get to Jalopy but it’s many bus stops closer than Amy’s house so the trip felt short. I went to the show with Dan; It had been too long since I’ve seen him. I had seen Jefferson the day before and Dan had seen the other band on the bill, The Ye Vagabonds on Friday. No such thing as too much of a good thing. Jefferson was the only performer not from Ireland. The show was three quarters Irish, the Murphy Beds combine Irish with Trad American music. The Vagabonds played some Scots music so it’s a bit less than three quarters Irish. I always love the Beds, but the Vagabonds were new to me. They started with a dirge like version of Barbara Allen and I thought I might not like them. But I did, I loved them. Unsurprisingly they played some songs together with the Murphy Beds. I wasn’t the only one at both of Jefferson’s shows; Amy sat next to me. I really should have just stayed in Red Hook. I could have slept in a display bed in Ikea.
Yesterday I didn’t do anything so there’s not much to write about. Sadly, I didn’t go to Social Security to get my new card or to do some necessary shopping. I have to get those things done today. That means I might not get to go to the concert I wanted to see tonight. I knew I’d pay for staying home yesterday but could not get up the energy. I had trouble getting out of bed today too. But I did and now it’s time to eat my breakfast, it’s 12:07. Before I go I have a cooking tip. I ate bratwurst last night and didn’t have any hot dog rolls. I improvised by wrapping it in a pita. You can do that with any flatbread and make a giant pig in a blanket.
Wise Madness 