It is so much easier to blog when I have actual adventures. Yesterday I ventured up to the frozen tundra of Dobbs Ferry to see the Mark Erelli and Abbie Gardner at the Common Ground Coffeehouse’s temporary home at the South Presbyterian Church. I’m the official “cute merch guy”. We have it down to a routine now. I walk to the Botanical Gardens Metro North station to catch the train. I always say that it’s five minutes from me but it’s actually an 11 minute walk. I will start to be more accurate. I take the train up to Scarsdale not Dobbs Ferry because that’s on the Hudson Line which takes me 40 minutes to get to. I get picked up by Elana who drives me to the Church. It’s near where she lives and she’s kind enough to drive me. The drive is part of the adventure, I get quality time with Elena. My psychiatrist said that the emphasis and analysis I put into relationships is endearing. Of course, he’s paid to say nice things about me.
We got there just too late to help set up the chairs, Damn! That sounds legit, right? I had work to do, Mark had lots of merch to set up. I worry about both the esthetics and practicality of the arrangement. There are only so many people that will buy merch as an excuse to talk to a cute guy. I don’t suffer from delusions, I enjoy them.
The show was the first sell-out since the pandemic began. It was great to see that. It was also a gathering of the tribe; Perry & Beth came from New Jersey and John and Sheila made the longer schlep from Long Island. Both had to cross toll bridges which makes them not local shows. It’s been ten years since I had a car but that’s still my point of reference. A 90-minute drive to Eastern Long Island was a local show, half hour drive to Westchester was not. Beth came up from Manhattan by train. Barbara is local and Jim and John are the Common Ground photographers. I have to take a train and get a ride, but all shows at the Common Ground are home games. Carter lures me to the arctic by booking acts that I love.
Abbie was the opener because she’s working her way into playing shape. She said she liked opening; it was like being a bridesmaid as she doesn’t have to make all the arrangements like the bride. I think it’s more like playing with other people’s dogs and children. I have seen Abbie countless times. There was at least one year that she was the person, not musician, that I saw the most often. It’s not totally accurate but by Google Photos’ face recognition she’s the person I have taken the third most pictures of. Jim said it was impossible to take a bad picture of Abbie. I proved him wrong. No, I will not show you the picture. She has a new album coming out Dobrosinger. I’m a wise guy or is that idiot? so I say doh-broz-in-jer. I have no idea why I have any friends. The album as the name implies is simply Abbie’s voice and dobro. It works. I haven’t listened to the album yet but from what I heard at the show it succeeds on all levels, songwriter, singing, and musicianship. All it’s missing is Abbie’s onstage charm. You’ll have to go to a show and experience that for yourself.
I have known Mark Erelli far longer than I’ve known Abbie but not nearly as well. He’s perpetually on my “I need to see more often” list. Me not seeing someone often means seeing him something like 10 times over the last 20 years. We all grade these things on our personal curve. At Falcon Ridge circa 2002 John Gorka referred to him as “Young Mark Erelli” so that’s how think about him. Young Mark is about the age Old John was then. It doesn’t make a difference, I somehow aged 20 years too. I don’t know how this time thing works. Nobody ever asked for my input.
Mark is now travelling with a piano player and that transforms his folk music into folk-rock. Some of it is positively Springsteen like. I wanted to shout MAAARRRK the way fans shout BRUUUUUCE. I was moving to the music; I love moving to the music. Even better I was moving to music that had thoughtful lyrics, That’s a tough combo to beat.
Either the MTA was playing games with me or I’m an idiot. Those two are not mutually exclusive. When I checked on the MTA app it said the trains back to the Bronx left at 10:05 and 10:47. Elana got me to put my motor on in time to catch the 10:47. We made great time and I got there at 10:47. Unfortunately according to the schedule board the next train didn’t leave until 11:17. That’s what the app now said too though I didn’t check until 10:47 came. A train did go through the station then that didn’t stop. A glitch might have had shown it stopping then. It was a pleasant evening, and I was dressed for the weather, so it was no big deal. I sat there, listened to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, and read things on my phone. I got home right around midnight.
The show must have stimulated my mind as I did extra well in Nerdle, Quordle, and Wordle including a record 99% skill score on the last. I give full credit to the artists, Carter, the volunteers, and my friends. Its’s a beautiful day today and I should go out but part of me wants to stay home, rest my back, and finish Gord’s Gold. I have the show sequenced but need to write and read my parts. I already ate, bacon & eggs. I finished off the half-baked bread I bought at Trader Joe’s earlier in the week. That made for an amazing breakfast. I’m thinking poutine for dinner; I have leftover gravy I need to use.
Wise Madness 