It took an adventure to get me to write again. Last night I went to see the fabulous House of Hamill in Woodbridge New Jersey. Woodbridge is not close. I live in the Northern Bronx, Woodbridge is in New Jersey, on the other side of the Hudson, due west of the southern tip of Staten Island the southernmost borough. On the bright side, the concert was adjacent to the train station, and I was going during rush hour there was an express train from Penn Station. Still, it meant taking the subway to Penn and the dreaded New Jersey Transit the rest of the day. I left early enough that there was no time pressure and was one of the first people on the train so I had my choice of seats with space in the overhead for my camp chair. The concert is part of a great series curated by Bill Brandenberg in Parker Press Park. The Town of Woodbridge is a great supporter of the arts. They host something like 100 concerts a year. Woodbridge Wednesdays is my niche. When I had a car, I went there a few times every season. I had not been there since Covid, I believe that the summer of 2017 was my last visit. At least that’s the last time I have pictures on Google photos.
I deliberately arrived early so I’d have time to schmooze and eat, two central elements of my life. I set up my chair, right down front, and talked to Bill for a while. It’s been ages since I saw him. I then headed over to the green room to talk to Rose and Brian. Parker Press Park has the best greenroom. It’s in the small building, a little more than a shed, which houses the historic printing press the park is named for. As an added benefit it’s green making it a literal green room. I went in and found Rose, Brian, and Caroline sitting there. Caroline is a mandolinist/singer that turned the duo into a trio. I’ve seen her perform but this was the first time I met her, blame COVID-19. My plan was to drop in and say “Hi” then get something to eat, remember the central elements of my life. It didn’t turn out that way. I had so much fun talking to them that I was still there when Bill came in and said, “You go on in 10 minutes.” The miracle is that they did not kick me out. I don’t understand people, at least when it comes to me. I felt comfortable enough with them to bring up something about a musician we were talking about. I won’t mention his name but if you think you know who I mean please let me know privately. I said that he looked like Tin Tin, the hero of Belgian Graphic Novels. They are too young to know Tin Tin but when Brian looked him up and saw a picture, they both agreed with me. We also talked about food and Laslo from the Moxy Fruvous song Lazlo’s Career who almost led to me meeting Brian and everyone else in Enter the Haggis in 2006.
I was disappointed to learn that Roses’s mother Cheryl couldn’t make it. She said she might. I can’t remember the last time we saw each other. After Bill gave them the 10-minute warning I went to the port-a-potty. When I came out who did I see enter the park 10 feet from me? Cheryl! At the last minute she decided to come. This was an even longer trip for her though perhaps not by time. She went to talk to the band, I told her to meet me down front.
On my way to my seat, I ran the gauntlet of friends, Michael & Star, Perry & Beth, and Gail. By the time I got to my seat I discovered there was no room for Cheryl next to me, so I moved my chair a bit to the side just as she made her way to the front. Sitting with a friend that I have not seen in ages was an added bonus. Not that I needed a bonus. The reason I made the long trip was that House of Hamill is special. Their new album Wildfire will make my top albums of the year. My favorite song on the album, Banks of the Brandywine just won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the Folk Category. I’m playing it on tonight’s Gord’s Gold. It’s on Folk Music Notebook at 9 PM EDT. I’ve played most of the songs they played on my show, and they reminded me that I want to play the others. I’m planning a set of murder ballads, they have many of those. Hey, I got some pictures. Take a look.
HoH started as a Celtic band, but they are moving more into mainstream folk, not that they have totally abandoned their Celtic roots. It’s more of blend, The songs are lyrically ballads, but they have the musical style and chops of a Celtic band. Rose plays fiddle, Brian fiddle and guitar, and Caroline mandolin. Now that I think of it Caroline is a major reason they sound less Celtic. Of course last year they played a Scandinavian festival. When they told the organizers that they were Celtic, largely Irish, he said, “The Vikings went everywhere, that will do.” It’s true, Dublin was founded by Vikings. How do I know that? Gene Wilder says it in the magical film Quackser Fortune Has a Brother in the Bronx. If you are a Hibernophile or a Gene Wilder fan you must see that movie. It’s not optional,
This was a co-bill, and I was sure that House of Hamill would go on second, but no, they went on first! They had to travel after the show. That worked out great for me. I am not fond of the other act, and I got to leave early. After their set was done, I talked to Cheryl and Brian, and headed to the train. Notice how I diplomatically didn’t mention the other act. I take no prisoner when dealing with major acts that deserve hanging, like Dawes and Jackson Brown, but I’ll let the people I have friends in common with alone. They don’t need the tsuris in their life. But back to my point. Because I left early, I got to watch much of the Met game on the ride home! I love having Hulu. If I watched on cable I couldn’t’ watch when I wasn’t home. The Mets did what they always do now, they won! I reached Penn Station in the bottom of the 8th but didn’t hop right on the A train where I’d lost my cell service. Instead, I finally at a later dinner. This was my first meal in Penn Station other than pizza in years. I didn’t know what was available. I wanted chicken and the first place I saw was a chicken restaurant. Unfortunately, it was Chick-fil-a or as one person put it, Popeye’s with homophobia. Needless to say, I didn’t eat there. Needed to say I wouldn’t eat there if they weren’t homophobes. I haven’t eaten there since 2000, the one time I tried it I thought they were terrible. Luckily a chicken fingers place opened. I’m not crazy about chicken fingers but it would do.
I have not been in the best mental health state I don’t have the crushing depression but I have other symptoms. I’m anxious about going to sleep at night and spend most of the night awake in bed. The I sleep all morning. I didn’t get out of be till noon yesterday. My first thought was to skip the concert. Then I let my reason reign. I know that going would make me feel better. It did. It made me feel much better, but it did not snap me out of it. Today I slept until 1:17. I know the exact time as the first thing I do when I get up is check the time. That’s why I’m writing so late. It’s also why I’m not now making phone calls for Harris and Walz. I feel terrible about that. After dinner I have to prepare next week’s Gord’s Gold. I have 37 minutes programmed. That means I need another 17-19. Hopefully I’ll get myself to go to sleep shortly after midnight, whenever I finish Wordle, Connections, and Strands. That should be by 12:15. Tomorrow’s adventure is the Met game; they are playing the Reds.
Now go listen to Folk Music Notebook, remember Gord’s Gold goes on at 9:00.
Wise Madness 