Sounds

Reggie Watts at Joe's last night.

It was sort of like this, but even better and live. Also, you have to imagine Regina Spektor sitting next to you which is how cousin Joey experienced the whole thing.

Rest

Turns out that guitar sounds right nice up there in the Canadian wilderness. When we weren't listening to the guitar, banjo and mandolin, we were looking at birds and trees and water and stars and stuff. Jemison even made the moon rise. He's got talent and he ain't afraid to show it, that Jemison Thorsby.

Now, we're all gearing up for the release of Balthrop, Alabama's e.p., Caithlin De Marrais's e.p. and the tour.

Oh, and tickets to the next show at Joe's Pub are on sale now.

Road

We turned right when we were supposed to be going left and Lauren bought herself a new Baby Taylor, which just goes to show that a good sense of direction ought to take you somewhere you didn't mean to go. The guitar used to belong to Fionn O'Lachlan and he's playing Joe's Pub a week after we are in July. What are the chances?

Anyway, a bunch of us are going up to Canada this weekend to hear what that guitar sounds like surrounded by a whole bunch of pretty nothing. Remember when M*A*S*H used to have all those books and it would be like "M*A*S*H Goes To Florida" or "M*A*S*H Goes to Hawaii?" This summer is gonna be like that with a band on the run and a town on the road. I hope that sense of direction thing works for us as we drive through Ohio.

Have a nice Memorial Day Weekend and I'll talk to y'all again on Tuesday.

I Don't Plan It On This Planet

"Who Says Words" by Jamie Leonhart.

Video directed and shot by Jeremy Chernick and drawn by me . . . .

Jamie is appearing at Joe's Pub May 31 . . .

A higher definition version of the video is available for viewing here.

Pub Rock

Graham Parker played Joe's Pub for only the second time ever last night. The first time was as part of a private party, so you probably weren't there; I know I wasn't. He said these were the only times he's ever played in a place that actually has "Pub" in its name, so it was sort of a historical night.

It Takes A Village

On Monday, my brother Ben Arthur went into outer space and back and he took me along for the ride. He was interviewed on the Derek and Romaine show on Sirius Satellite Radio and spent an hour talking about his music and work but mostly lesbian foursomes because in outer space you can discuss anything.

On Tuesday, the fine folks at 13P had their benefit over at Joe's Pub. It was one of those sold-out, star-studded affairs which is what happens when you present previously unheard works by theatre luminaries like Stephen Sondheim, Christopher Durang and John Guare. Lisa Kron hosted and ran the benefit auction. You'd be surprised to find out how much someone will pay to have Stew write them a song on the same day he gets nominated for a bunch of Tony awards. One woman even bid against herself which might sound good if it gets mentioned in the song. Not that I'm telling Stew how to write a song or anything.

Then, last night we all wandered back over to Union Hall to hear El May. The night before, most everyone came over to the Fall Cafe to celebrate my new show of prints and drawings and two nights before THAT most everyone got together to play trivia and a few nights before THAT we all got together to help Gabby celebrate the end of school. We look more like a village every day; soon we're gonna need a license to gather, there's so many of us.

Actually, we're taking the show on the road right soon, but I'll tell you more about that later . . . In the meantime, save July 19th at 7:30, because that's when the next show at Joe's Pub is . . .

Blame it on the Bossa Nova

Luciana Souza with band and child playing songs from her new album.

Herb Alpert and Lani Hall.

Mr. Alpert noted that they had no cds to sell, no t-shirts, no product of any kind; they had just heard that Joe's Pub was a place they had to play. Chris had asked me to bring him back some memento of the show because he's a big fan--plus it was Sid Vicious's birthday--so I gave him my ticket-stub. I was going to ask Mr. Alpert to sign it but, when he looked at the drawing he requested a dimple, so the moment didn't feel right.

Later that night, I got my hair cut on the sidewalk outside the Bar Great Harry. It's a little lop-sided; go figure. But I don't blame Alex . . .

Black Milk

Kyle Fischer's solo album--Black Milk--is out, available and free for download over at EndUp Records, or "home" as we like to call it.

Kyle is late of Rainer Maria, presently playing lap-steel with Balthrop, Alabama, recording Caithlin's new album, getting ready for the seminary, pondering thoughts deep and sweet and wondering if anyone's eaten at that refurbished diner over at Atlantic and Smith.

And his album is so freaking good you're gonna want to send him money, even though he's just giving it away . . .

Show

Hey, when do we rest around these parts?

I'm having a show of prints at The Fall Cafe coming up at the end of this week and going until June 20th. Come on by and take a look--they go up Friday. Next Wednesday we're gonna gather over at the Fall round about 7 in the evening and drink wine and eat cheese to celebrate the whole thing until John or Isaac throws us out. At that point we shall retreat to the BGH until it's time to make a new drunk-journal.

Your attendance is requested . . .

The Fall Cafe
Smith Street between President and Union (take F train to Carroll street, exit back of train, go up stairs, cross street and turn left.)

Solo

Chris Collingwood during sound-check Tuesday afternoon. The whole show brought me back to the residency with Mike Viola in February and reminded me of something I started then and let slip for a couple of months . . . Maybe I'll finish it if Mike ever returns. Say, in early Fall sometime.

In the meantime here's a grainy YouTube clip from when Chris and Mike performed Always Something There To Remind Me . . . And here he is doing John and Shana's favorite Fountains of Wayne song.