I’m not dead! I know you figured that was the only thing that could keep me from blogging for so long. I’ve just been busy. Now do I write one long entry or do I split it up. I’ll let you know when I figure that out.
Let’s go back into the distant pass, Sunday. I was torn between going to the Brooklyn Americana Fest in Brooklyn Bridge Park or Artmegeddon in Ditmas Park. In the end I went for Artmegeddon as that had two full sets, one by Bev Grant joined by Carolann Solebello and Katherine Etzel. Then an even longer set by Our Band; while the highlight of BAF was a half hour set by Neha. Then in my brilliance I got the time wrong for Bev and friends and missed them. I hate being an idiot. I noticed before I left so I didn’t have to find things to do until Our Band started.
I was almost late to Our Band because when I got to the D train station it was closed! I had to walk over to the 4 train. I went to switch to the Q at 14th Street and only after getting to the Q platform did, I find out that it was not running in Manhattan. I had to get back on the 4 train and switch to the Q at Atlantic Ave. The up shot is I got the porch where Our Band was playing just as the show was scheduled. You read right, I said porch. Artmegeddon is a neighborhood arts event right on the not so mean streets of Ditmas Park. They are the opposite of mean; the neighborhood is particularly friendly. The host of the show was Aaron who runs Operation Gig, a porch concert series in Ditmas Park. This show had double representation; it was also part of Operation Gig. It was scheduled for weeks ago but it kept raining when on days they were supposed to play.
It was great seeing Justin and Sasha, AKA Our Band was at another Operation Gig concert. It simplifies things that my social life and musical life is interconnected, hearing music I love so often includes hanging with people I love. When I started going to concerts by myself one benefit, I foresaw was making friends. It took years for that to happen but then it exploded. I have a lot of friends now.
Where does Our Band live musically? In a part they staked out themselves. Both are conservatory trained and adaptable. They have broad tastes. There is trad folk, The Great American Songbook, classical music, and what Justin called Slavic music, which Sasha said really means Jewish Music, to what I called sad music, and then Justin put all together into the new genre of Amorous Sad. What song led to that? Not some traditional Jewish or Russian music but a song by Leonard Cohen. Shoot me now, I can’t remember which one. That’s the problem when one person wrote so many classic songs that would be the pinnacle of almost anyone else’s career.
Sasha was a pianist who went over to the dark side, she now plays accordion. She was not corrupted by Emperor Palpatine, and not even so much by Justin’s old Amigos Bandmate Sam Reider, but by the fact that it’s a lot easier to bring an accordion places. She has an ultra-elegant one with black naturals and white sharps and flats. Think of a piano, it’s the reverse of the usual. The rest of the accordion is black. Then she ended up playing the piano also because Aaron had one on wheels. The show as not on his porch but he wheeled it over there.
This is Katherine’s neighborhood and I texted her to tell where I was, and she joined me at the end. She is the reason I know about Operation Gig. She hosted one the summer before last. So, she of course knew Aaron. As the world is microscopic, I met Katherine at the same NERFA what I met Justin. Bobtown and the Amigos were my two top discoveries.
In addition to Artmegeddon, Operation Gig, Coco used to living there, and Katherine still living there the best part of Ditmas park is Where’s the Scoop Ice Cream. I planned on going there after the show. Before it started Sasha and Justin asked where the best ice cream was in the neighborhood, and I jumped right in with the suggestion. Katherine and I walked down there and made a stop at a clothing store in a van. It was like a TARDIS, bigger on the inside than the outside. The proprietor was a charming woman and then she and I bonded over being Jewish and Yiddish words. It all started with a sneeze followed by a God Bless You from Katherine and a Gesundheit from me. Growing up I said “ga-bless-you” and never thought of it as three words invoking god. At some point the real words made atheist me uncomfortable and I switched the German/Yiddish. Katherine is no more a believer than I am but still gives ga-bless-you without letting the religion bother her.
After our ice cream we walked up to watch another porch show and ran into Justin and Sasha walking for their ice cream. I hope they loved it as much as I did. I had one scoop of chocolate and one of peanut butter cup. You did didn’t think I’d not tell you what I had did you? If I hadn’t, you’d think this was written by an imposter.
Unfortunately, the other show was over, so we walked over to Katherine’s apartment. That worked out well for me as I used her bathroom, and she gave me a mask. I forgot, to tell you, my second idiot story of the day was walking out without a mask. With the mask I could safely make my way home.
I see I’m not going to get caught up with my writing now I have two more full days to write about yet to come there are my adventures working the polls on election day, a Met game, seeing Meg Braun’s triumphant post lockdown show at Rockwood Music Hall followed by the tribe going out for dinner. We’ll see when I can get around to that. Maybe later tonight.
OH no! I’m a total idiot. The show I thought was tomorrow, is today! I’m missing The Sea the Sea! Do you want to shoot me now or wait till you get home? I’m going to cry. I told Alan I couldn’t go to the Met game tomorrow because I was going to the concert. Now I’m going to miss both concert and game. It isn’t easy not having a brain. At least my two time mistakes gave me a punny title for the entry.
Wise Madness 