The Return of the Radar

Dateline: Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3

Last night marked the return of John Platt’s On Your Radar to Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3. The last in concert I went to before the lockdown was On Your Radar in March 2020. It took 18 months to return. The artists were Jefferson Berry and the UAC, Heather Aubrey Lloyd, and Bob Bradshaw. I always get there early to make sure things are running smoothly but I especially wanted to last night, so I’d have more time to hang out with Heather and her ilyAIMY bandmate Rob, who joined her for the jaunt from Baltimore. Rob was out technical wizard that allowed On Your Radar to become virtual. Our audience knows him from that. I know them because they are good friends for over ten years, in fact last night was exactly ten years and one day after ilyAIMY played On Your Radar. We went through the now de rigueur “Are you hugging” exchange before hugging. No way I’m not hugging Heather and Rob. This year is a stream of long delayed meetings with loved ones.

I took my usual seat at the table next to John’s. Fred had a meeting so had to come late but he took his usual seat next to me. The table behind us was Coco, Jeff & Carol. Coco came down from Kingston for the show! This was an event. Dan and Phyllis were next to them. I ran into them walking from the subway. I get there early but so did they. Richard and Viki took their usual seats, but I never saw them. Maybe they were trying to avoid my hugs! Just kidding though my guess the reason was COVID-19 precaution. You couldn’t get in without showing your proof of vaccination and masks were encouraged but not mandatory. I wore my KN95 as did Fred. I don’t think it’s necessary in New York with a vaxxed audience but better safe that sorry.

I didn’t realize it but Jefferson knows me from Falcon Ridge, he’s been to The Budgiedome. He even gave us a shout-out from the stage. I wasn’t sure if Fred could make it or if Jamie Kalikow, the photographer would be there, so I brought my real camera. Ended up that Jamie did show, more hugs, so I can post her photos on Instagram. Fred came but just brought his phone. Here’s an amazing discovery, when you don’t use your camera for 18 months the battery goes dead. Good thing I had a spare set with me. Then I had to remember how to use the camera. I should have tested it before the show started. I spent way too much time fiddling with it during Bob’s set. I finally did get things figured out. The problem was that because of the dead battery all the info was reset, and the camera gave me a warning about that, that I couldn’t figure out how to clear. I hope that Bob didn’t think I was paying attention to his music, I was. If I weren’t working the show, I’d have just let it go and settled for using my camera.

The music was great and each act a contrast to the others. Maybe it’s just because I hadn’t seen her in so long or maybe it was because she worked on both her music and stagecraft during the lockdown, but this might have been the best set I’ve seen by Heather. After the show I said, “I know you know that I love you, but I have to say what a great performance that was.” Rob even joined her as a human beat box on one song. She introduced him to the crowd as the man behind the curtain during the virtual series.

After the show some had to make a getaway, but I stayed and hung out with those remaining and with Rob as Heather attended to her adoring fans buying merch. I then put on my roadie hat and helped them get their gear to the car. I carried Heather’s cajon, I feel honored. That gave me more time with them. They had to drive back to Baltimore, but we still gave a Jewish goodbye even though only Heather and I are Jewish. That means we kept talking after saying, “We really have to go now,” Repeatedly. I used to think that was my parents’ thing but discovered it’s not just the tradition of my people but ingrained in me.

I decided that it was too late for me to take a walk then and hopped on the F train at Delancy, a few blocks from where they parked. Even with that I got home at 11:20. If I had left promptly at 9, I would have walked across the Village to West 4^th street. I’ll get plenty of exercise today as I have my reschedule Board of Elections training today, I’ll walk to and from there along with a stop for my Donut at Krispy Kreme.

Dateline my bedroom; Remember how I set off flea bombs on Monday? Little did I know that these are superfleas and like the monsters that absorb the energy from the atomic bomb dropped on them and grow, the fleas multiplied. I sat down on the chair in the living room where I usually blog from, and my legs were instantly covered with fleas. It was ringing the dinner bell. I sprayed the chair, we’ll see if that works better, and retreated to my bedroom where Lefty was not allowed so is hopefully flea free. We are going to try and bomb again. Perhaps that was a bad batch of flea bomb. I wrote this as the lede, but it shouldn’t be, so I’ll move it to the end. There’s too much good news to tell.