I liked the shorter duration of the Fest--even shorter than last time. Made it feel more manageable.
Ben Folstein's late-night sing-a-long Sunday was a fun and somehow appropriate way to end the Fest. Those of us who made it to the conclusion of Blackout Night ended up chiming in on songs like John Jacob Jingleheimershmidt, This Land is Your Land, and Margaritaville. There was a core group of folks who were having a ball with this and I was afraid some of them weren't going to let Ben ever leave.
I haven't been to enough Blackout Nights, but they're great. Our lives are filled with so much technology these days that hearing people perform without any electronic interference feels like a relief--a sane few hours to escape the assault of all the media and information coming at us at other times. Breadfoot, Osei Essed, Larkin Grimm, Turner Cody, Master Lee and Mr. Patrick all performed compelling sets. I enjoyed Myron the Magnificent's set although as usual he seemed a little nervous. At one point he accidentally spilled hot wax from a melted candle all over his blue tuxedo jacket. Anders Griffin entertained with percussion interludes between sets and played with some of the acts. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make the early sets of the evening, but I'm sure they were great.
I missed out on Saturday altogether because of another commitment, but it sounded as if it was another packed night. Friday night was crazy, with several crowd-pulling acts on the bill. I particularly enjoyed hearing in succession Gina Mobilio, Kekye, and Emily Einhorn. Each of them had interesting quirky songs and strong performing style. Because Gina is known at Sidewalk mostly for her poetry, it was kind of a surprise to hear her set of strong songs. She wore an amazing black dress--a piece of architecture, really, that expanded out in the shape of a parachute. At one point Gina sank down into it toward the floor while singing about the Wicked Witch of the West, creating a visual reference to the melting Witch scene from the Wizard of Oz. A number of Gina's songs had to do with the draw of celebrity and fame, always an interesting topic.
These few highlights just scratch the surface of all the great stuff that was presented during the Fest (and by the way, J. J. Hayes has documented every one of the Fest's shows on his Antifolk Explicator site--thanks, J. J.). One of the benefits of the Fest is that it puts a frame around what is happening on the Sidewalk scene at a particular moment in time, providing a point of entry to discover acts that stand out. I know that I personally encountered some new performers that I very much enjoyed and otherwise wouldn't have known about. It was also nice to experience some of the surprising and transcendent moments of creative expression that I have always felt are what make Sidewalk so great in the first place.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Obama Sings the Blues
We have a President who can sing. Check out the footage of Obama singing a few lines of Sweet Home Chicago. The dude is so Antifolk. We should get him a gig.
Antifolk Festival Gets Underway
Hey-did I mention the Antifolk Festival is here? It kicked off last night, and while there were any number of bright spots during the evening, I thought Morgan Heringer very much stood out. Morgan's blurry, languid vocals force her listeners to focus intently, and the reward is a set of sophisticated, moving, clever lyrics wrapped around music that lies at the intersection of jazz, folk, and showtunes. In particular the few songs she performed at the piano last night had a kind of exquisite beauty.
I was very happy to hear Ching, Ching after a long while. They played a selection of their hits, which suited me fine. They did a classic rendition, for example, of Old Man, which I loved. Two very committed dancers dressed as The Internet, kept up a steady stream of interpretive movement throughout the set.
I was very happy to hear Ching, Ching after a long while. They played a selection of their hits, which suited me fine. They did a classic rendition, for example, of Old Man, which I loved. Two very committed dancers dressed as The Internet, kept up a steady stream of interpretive movement throughout the set.
Friday, February 17, 2012
The Krieger
Those of you who weren't on hand at Monday night's open mic missed a very special announcement. Sidewalk Cafe's Chef (yes, they have a chef--his name is Erik Rubin) announced the introduction of The Krieger burger, a new menu item available only in the back room. I don't think the fact that it is cheesy and cheap has anything to do with its namesake. The burger features cheese and bacon and goes for five bucks.
More significantly our fearless leader is also the subject of an in-depth Q & A at American Songwriter. Our resident gal reporter Gina Mobilio was the one who grilled Ben on his experiences running the music scene at Sidewalk. Check it out here: Ben Krieger Interview
More significantly our fearless leader is also the subject of an in-depth Q & A at American Songwriter. Our resident gal reporter Gina Mobilio was the one who grilled Ben on his experiences running the music scene at Sidewalk. Check it out here: Ben Krieger Interview
Friday, January 13, 2012
360 Degrees of Sidewalk
Make sure to check this out. It's one of those 360 degree photographs showing Sidewalk's front dining room pre-renovation. How did this even happen? I really wish they'd given the back room this treatment. In any event, I hope this stays around for a long while as a reminder of the old days.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Milk Cup
A group called Milk Cup made a vivid debut at last night's open mic. A description by Ben, which I hope he doesn't mind me swiping from a Facebook post:
"So Ray Brown plays, then Charles Mansfield, Jonathan Berger, Matthew Silver, and then some act called MILK CUP drags drums and a bass amp on stage and goes into some sort of death metal frenzy complete with fishnet body stocking and table dancing, which inspires me to hit the gong repeatedly with my head. They scream long after the lights have been lowered to black and they get the gig, of course."
And my experience:
I was sitting in the front row and in the middle of the song the Milk Cup singer came over to the edge of the stage and repeatedly ordered me to give him my glasses. I'm not sure what he wanted to do with them, but I am thankful I had enough presence of mind to refuse.
Mr. Milk Cup started off fully dressed but stripped to his fish net suit somewhere during the course of their song. At one point, as Ben mentioned, he jumped up on a table, and then, if I remember correctly, he ran out into the audience where I think he took off his first piece of clothing. Mr Milk Cup was not exactly a slender guy, so the image of him in his fish net suit, accessorized nicely by blue boxer-briefs--was quite striking.
The singer was so dramatic that not much attention was paid to the drummer, although bits of drum stick were breaking off during the set and flying into the audience. The tip of one stick fell into my lap.
I wish I knew what they were singing about...there actually were some lyrics--they were just impossible to hear.
Milk Cup was by far the most dramatic of last night's acts, but there were some other good ones. Chink Floyd, for example was very solid as always--nice piano playing by T. Y. and some meaningful thoughts from Master Lee.
Oh yeah....the Canadian comic...what was her name...she was funnny--mostly because of her over the top energy--sort of the same type of intensity as Milk Cup but directed toward comedy. That's not usually the style of comic that turns up at Sidewalk, but it worked.
"So Ray Brown plays, then Charles Mansfield, Jonathan Berger, Matthew Silver, and then some act called MILK CUP drags drums and a bass amp on stage and goes into some sort of death metal frenzy complete with fishnet body stocking and table dancing, which inspires me to hit the gong repeatedly with my head. They scream long after the lights have been lowered to black and they get the gig, of course."
And my experience:
I was sitting in the front row and in the middle of the song the Milk Cup singer came over to the edge of the stage and repeatedly ordered me to give him my glasses. I'm not sure what he wanted to do with them, but I am thankful I had enough presence of mind to refuse.
Mr. Milk Cup started off fully dressed but stripped to his fish net suit somewhere during the course of their song. At one point, as Ben mentioned, he jumped up on a table, and then, if I remember correctly, he ran out into the audience where I think he took off his first piece of clothing. Mr Milk Cup was not exactly a slender guy, so the image of him in his fish net suit, accessorized nicely by blue boxer-briefs--was quite striking.
The singer was so dramatic that not much attention was paid to the drummer, although bits of drum stick were breaking off during the set and flying into the audience. The tip of one stick fell into my lap.
I wish I knew what they were singing about...there actually were some lyrics--they were just impossible to hear.
Milk Cup was by far the most dramatic of last night's acts, but there were some other good ones. Chink Floyd, for example was very solid as always--nice piano playing by T. Y. and some meaningful thoughts from Master Lee.
Oh yeah....the Canadian comic...what was her name...she was funnny--mostly because of her over the top energy--sort of the same type of intensity as Milk Cup but directed toward comedy. That's not usually the style of comic that turns up at Sidewalk, but it worked.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Chameleon Reunion - 12/10-2011
Ray Brown organized a reunion show, held Saturday the 10th, of performers from the Chameleon days, the period from 1989 to 1991 when Lach oversaw an open mic that was a precursor to what emerged at Sidewalk a few years later. The Chameleon was located practically next door to Sidewalk, on Sixth Street, just East of Sidewalk.
It's clear from talking to Ray and also from listening to the performers the other night, that they all felt the time at Chameleon was vital and special, much the way many of us felt whenever we entered Sidewalk for the first time and thought we'd discovered a secret universe of musical joy.
It was nice to have a chance to connect with the specific vibe of the Chameleon through the folks who played the reunion. Remarkably they all seemed fit and good looking. I don't know if Ray decided to book based on who still looked good, but the Chameleon folks have held up well. As for the music, well..my notes of Saturday's show are kind of a mish-mash, but one thing that stood out is the quirky humor that was threaded through each set. Dave Keener's song Moist, Tender, and Flaky for example, is a very funny comic anthem about what a guy expects from a relationship.
I don't know why this humorous strain in the songs would surprise me. In fact it kind of reminded me of the humor that I found at Sidewalk and identified with from the very beginning. It was interesting, though, in any event, to see this as an antecedent to what I found when I arrived years later.
Dave Keener reminded us that the Chameleon was not all about music but also showcased numerous standup comics. He read a series of jokes by Danny DeVito (not the actor, but the comic now known as Danny Vermont). Dave also brought on Tom Keener-who I assume is his brother-to perform Christmas in Brooklyn. And Dave also did a song with Dave Foster, who lots of folks know through Bubble, which I saw when they played the Beatles album Revolver live in its entirety.
Mark Humble read a note from Lach--or at least something he said came from Lach--it seemed very Lachesque anyway--a story about the legend of Kwanicamas--the all purpose holiday celebration. Mark played a long set with a mixture of touching and funny songs.
Something I noticed about both these guys and about James Graham whose set I only caught a bit of--is that they both are excellent guitarists. It's not that they were playing flashy solos or anything, but they used what seemed to me more interesting chord voicings than most of the Sidewalk regulars and played with taste and a nice touch.
Thank You Mary was Ray Brown's band with James Graham and Cybele Merrick. They played a very short set that included "I Want You to Drink Wine with Me"--actually that's not the title, but according to Ray it was a song he wrote in High School "You Can Rock Me' and a rendition of "Those Were the Days" (yes, the Those Were the Days we all know). There was a song in there that was kind of a punky patter song that I liked a lot--"Beg Me." And one about he wind blowing...."that's what it usually does." I wish Thank You Mary had played a little longer so I could have gotten more of the sense of where they were coming from, but I was still glad I got the chance to hear them.
Unfortunately I missed the early part of the show, which included sets by Ray and by James Graham. I'm sure that Ray was as brilliant as always. And I was intrigued by what I did hear of James at the tail end of his set and when he played with Thank You Mary.
When Ray first came back to "the scene" we talked a lot about the Chameleon Days. One of my questions was "whatever happened to these folks." At this point I wonder that too about some of the performers I've met who came through Sidewalk with burning energy but then eventually moved on. It seems as if many of the Chameleon folks have continued with their creative endeavors but in different contexts--I know some of these guys live out of town now. And I assume it's the same with others who have moved on from Sidewalk. In any event it was nice to connect with this encapsulated part of the scene's heritage.
It's clear from talking to Ray and also from listening to the performers the other night, that they all felt the time at Chameleon was vital and special, much the way many of us felt whenever we entered Sidewalk for the first time and thought we'd discovered a secret universe of musical joy.
It was nice to have a chance to connect with the specific vibe of the Chameleon through the folks who played the reunion. Remarkably they all seemed fit and good looking. I don't know if Ray decided to book based on who still looked good, but the Chameleon folks have held up well. As for the music, well..my notes of Saturday's show are kind of a mish-mash, but one thing that stood out is the quirky humor that was threaded through each set. Dave Keener's song Moist, Tender, and Flaky for example, is a very funny comic anthem about what a guy expects from a relationship.
I don't know why this humorous strain in the songs would surprise me. In fact it kind of reminded me of the humor that I found at Sidewalk and identified with from the very beginning. It was interesting, though, in any event, to see this as an antecedent to what I found when I arrived years later.
Dave Keener reminded us that the Chameleon was not all about music but also showcased numerous standup comics. He read a series of jokes by Danny DeVito (not the actor, but the comic now known as Danny Vermont). Dave also brought on Tom Keener-who I assume is his brother-to perform Christmas in Brooklyn. And Dave also did a song with Dave Foster, who lots of folks know through Bubble, which I saw when they played the Beatles album Revolver live in its entirety.
Mark Humble read a note from Lach--or at least something he said came from Lach--it seemed very Lachesque anyway--a story about the legend of Kwanicamas--the all purpose holiday celebration. Mark played a long set with a mixture of touching and funny songs.
Something I noticed about both these guys and about James Graham whose set I only caught a bit of--is that they both are excellent guitarists. It's not that they were playing flashy solos or anything, but they used what seemed to me more interesting chord voicings than most of the Sidewalk regulars and played with taste and a nice touch.
Thank You Mary was Ray Brown's band with James Graham and Cybele Merrick. They played a very short set that included "I Want You to Drink Wine with Me"--actually that's not the title, but according to Ray it was a song he wrote in High School "You Can Rock Me' and a rendition of "Those Were the Days" (yes, the Those Were the Days we all know). There was a song in there that was kind of a punky patter song that I liked a lot--"Beg Me." And one about he wind blowing...."that's what it usually does." I wish Thank You Mary had played a little longer so I could have gotten more of the sense of where they were coming from, but I was still glad I got the chance to hear them.
Unfortunately I missed the early part of the show, which included sets by Ray and by James Graham. I'm sure that Ray was as brilliant as always. And I was intrigued by what I did hear of James at the tail end of his set and when he played with Thank You Mary.
When Ray first came back to "the scene" we talked a lot about the Chameleon Days. One of my questions was "whatever happened to these folks." At this point I wonder that too about some of the performers I've met who came through Sidewalk with burning energy but then eventually moved on. It seems as if many of the Chameleon folks have continued with their creative endeavors but in different contexts--I know some of these guys live out of town now. And I assume it's the same with others who have moved on from Sidewalk. In any event it was nice to connect with this encapsulated part of the scene's heritage.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Times Article on Jeffrey Lewis
I figured a major New York Times article on an artist with a deep Sidewalk connection was reason enough to bring this blog out of its slumber, at least temporarily. The Times has a big article on Jeffrey Lewis, who even years after having expanded his artistic horizons in many directions beyond 6th and A maintains his connections to the community there. The article touches on Jeff's history with Sidewalk, but also talks about how even though his career proceeds on a modest scale, through a disciplined and smart approach he manages to make a decent living.
Congrats Jeff. It's nice to see someone who is genuinely talented and who also seems basically grounded get some strong recognition. However, I'll be interested to hear if Jeff thinks the article is accurate. It seems to hit the main points that I know about, but I wonder how Jeff feels about being described as a "professional-grade neurotic." How are those grades determined exactly? Are there City inspectors for that sort of thing--the same guys who do the restaurants, maybe?
Enjoy the article.
Congrats Jeff. It's nice to see someone who is genuinely talented and who also seems basically grounded get some strong recognition. However, I'll be interested to hear if Jeff thinks the article is accurate. It seems to hit the main points that I know about, but I wonder how Jeff feels about being described as a "professional-grade neurotic." How are those grades determined exactly? Are there City inspectors for that sort of thing--the same guys who do the restaurants, maybe?
Enjoy the article.
Monday, October 10, 2011
New York Folk Festival Strikes Back
The article on the Antifolk Fest that ran in the New York Times's Arts Beat blog generated the following comment from Ted Geier:
I wanted to air Ted Geier's comments further, especially since I was involved in getting the Times some of the background information for their story. The New York Folk Festival very well may have been as open, progressive, and varied as Mr. Geier reports. And he's right that no villain is needed in this story. I think his comments provide valuable perspective and I'm sure as the producer of the Festival, he is justifiably proud of what he accomplished with it.
However, for better or worse, it does seem from everything I've read, and heard from folks directly involved--that The New York Folk Festival, which was happening at the same time they etablished the first Antifolk Festival, represented to Lach, Kirk Kelly, etc. the more mainstream Folk establishment, which they were reacting against. It's not that they applied to The New York Festival and weren't accepted, but that they felt rejected from the folk scene as a whole [and the Times story is accurate in saying that none of the AF crew were invited to play the NY Fest]. In the end it seems as if the Antifolker preferred doing their own thing anyway.
So, as a matter of history, mentioning The New York Folk Festival is relevant. However, I think it is interesting to see this issue looked at from two sides. Ted Geier feels that he was presenting a diverse and inclusive Fest. The Antifolkers felt it was mainstream and closed. Probably both sides have some validity. And it definitely is worth being reminded that more often than not shades of grey are more prevalent than black and white in any two (or more) - sided issue.
Ted Geier
Queens, NY
September 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
I have seen the story about the New York Folk Festival rejecting these gentlemen repeated in various media by the founders of the Antifolk Festival. To set the record straight, I am confident they never approached our Festival, which I produced from its founding in 1981 to final season in 1987. The Festival was in part dedicated to expanding the definition of folk, and was similar in its programming to what these guys are doing, featuring street performer shows, blues, soul, punk, jazz, funk, singer-songwriters, and rock, as well as traditional and modern "folk musicians," in venues as diverse as Times Square, Prospect Park. I think we were gone before they started, and I don't think we were "folk music snobs." Finally, I don't believe there was ever a "New York CITY Folk Festival," but I could be wrong on that one. In sum and in my humble opinion, they are doing good stuff and have a good story that doesn't need a villain.
I wanted to air Ted Geier's comments further, especially since I was involved in getting the Times some of the background information for their story. The New York Folk Festival very well may have been as open, progressive, and varied as Mr. Geier reports. And he's right that no villain is needed in this story. I think his comments provide valuable perspective and I'm sure as the producer of the Festival, he is justifiably proud of what he accomplished with it.
However, for better or worse, it does seem from everything I've read, and heard from folks directly involved--that The New York Folk Festival, which was happening at the same time they etablished the first Antifolk Festival, represented to Lach, Kirk Kelly, etc. the more mainstream Folk establishment, which they were reacting against. It's not that they applied to The New York Festival and weren't accepted, but that they felt rejected from the folk scene as a whole [and the Times story is accurate in saying that none of the AF crew were invited to play the NY Fest]. In the end it seems as if the Antifolker preferred doing their own thing anyway.
So, as a matter of history, mentioning The New York Folk Festival is relevant. However, I think it is interesting to see this issue looked at from two sides. Ted Geier feels that he was presenting a diverse and inclusive Fest. The Antifolkers felt it was mainstream and closed. Probably both sides have some validity. And it definitely is worth being reminded that more often than not shades of grey are more prevalent than black and white in any two (or more) - sided issue.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Antifolk Festival Ends with Blackout Night, 9-25-2011
There are times when I can't explain even to myself what it is that draws me to focus so intently on Sidewalk Cafe. But there are other times when moments of such beauty, grace, and plain fun occur that I can't understand how the rest of the world lives without it.
The last night of the Antifolk Festival provided some of those more awe-inspiring moments. The atmosphere had something to do with it. Sunday was blackout night, which meant that everyone performed without amplification and the room was lit only with candles. Because the performances were unamplified, most of the audience was clustered up front, and it felt a bit like everyone was gathered around a campfire. I missed some of the early sets, but Ray Brown's show in particular provided numerous moments of soulful charm. Ray's songs are deeply emotional, often on unexpected--sometimes harsh-subject matter. His melodies and voice are rich and interesting. In particular I've grown fond recently of his song about an infatuation at Catweazle. On Sunday, Morgan Heringer, sang with Ray from her seat in the audience near the stage on a couple of songs, and something about the sound and vibe, especially the laid back, spontaneous feel of the whole experience was really transcendent. As a little zinger, Ray ended his set with a kind of medley of "I Don't Know How to Love Him," and "Oh Happy Day." 'That's it Ray--throw us off base.' After the frankness of some of his other songs, testaments to Jesus weren't exactly what I was expecting--but we all loved it anyway--and sang along.
There were many other nice moments last night. In particular Rachel Devlin brought us to some ecstatic high points on a couple songs with Dan, and they did a nice cover of Crazy and the Brains's 'Sexy Magazine.'Debe Dalton closed things off. Debe was back on banjo-- Never can get enough of her and it was a nice way to close out the Antifolk Festival. As Debe sang her last song Ben blew out all the candles on stage.
I felt a lot of community spirit throughout the week. For one, three or four of the nights were organized by individual folks from the scene. And then I saw lots of people who came out to shows on many or most of the nights. Congrats and thanks to Ben Krieger for organizing a great week--and for keeping our little world of creativity and fun on track.
By the way, it looks as if I never posted here the link to Myron the Magnificent's video guide to the Antifolk Festival:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpTZr8iLdMU
The last night of the Antifolk Festival provided some of those more awe-inspiring moments. The atmosphere had something to do with it. Sunday was blackout night, which meant that everyone performed without amplification and the room was lit only with candles. Because the performances were unamplified, most of the audience was clustered up front, and it felt a bit like everyone was gathered around a campfire. I missed some of the early sets, but Ray Brown's show in particular provided numerous moments of soulful charm. Ray's songs are deeply emotional, often on unexpected--sometimes harsh-subject matter. His melodies and voice are rich and interesting. In particular I've grown fond recently of his song about an infatuation at Catweazle. On Sunday, Morgan Heringer, sang with Ray from her seat in the audience near the stage on a couple of songs, and something about the sound and vibe, especially the laid back, spontaneous feel of the whole experience was really transcendent. As a little zinger, Ray ended his set with a kind of medley of "I Don't Know How to Love Him," and "Oh Happy Day." 'That's it Ray--throw us off base.' After the frankness of some of his other songs, testaments to Jesus weren't exactly what I was expecting--but we all loved it anyway--and sang along.
There were many other nice moments last night. In particular Rachel Devlin brought us to some ecstatic high points on a couple songs with Dan, and they did a nice cover of Crazy and the Brains's 'Sexy Magazine.'Debe Dalton closed things off. Debe was back on banjo-- Never can get enough of her and it was a nice way to close out the Antifolk Festival. As Debe sang her last song Ben blew out all the candles on stage.
I felt a lot of community spirit throughout the week. For one, three or four of the nights were organized by individual folks from the scene. And then I saw lots of people who came out to shows on many or most of the nights. Congrats and thanks to Ben Krieger for organizing a great week--and for keeping our little world of creativity and fun on track.
By the way, it looks as if I never posted here the link to Myron the Magnificent's video guide to the Antifolk Festival:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpTZr8iLdMU
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Antifolk Festival
Yeah, I guess I've been ignoring this blog a bit.- But I've had lots of fun at the last few Monday nights, even stayed all the way through tea the other night, which may be only the third or possibly fourth time I've done that. Seen some fun and nutty things lately....like Chris Faroe's impromptu concerto with cell phones and voice mail messages. Anyway, there is lots going on, what with the upcoming Antifolk Festival and all. I think it's one of the better schedules in a long time, with a diverse range of artists from all eras of the Antifolk scene. Kirk Kelly, who was there at the beginning with Lach will play, then people from every period in between. There are many acts I'm looking forward to...Anyway, I helped write up a press release for the event, and also Gina Mobilio wrote a nice advance piece about the Fest for American Songwriter. Recognizing this is a bit of a cop out to defer to those pieces, but they do have all the info. If you go to the actual link for the American Songwriter article, you can see the conversation it has generated about Antifolk.
(I tried posting the text of the release and article in this blog post, but something went haywire with the formatting--I'll have to straighten it out later, but the links will take you to the referenced information.
http://sidewalkmusic.net/Antifolk%20Festival%20Fall%202011%20Release.pdf
http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/09/jeffrey-lewis-discusses-the-fall-2011-antifolk-fest/
(I tried posting the text of the release and article in this blog post, but something went haywire with the formatting--I'll have to straighten it out later, but the links will take you to the referenced information.
http://sidewalkmusic.net/Antifolk%20Festival%20Fall%202011%20Release.pdf
http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/09/jeffrey-lewis-discusses-the-fall-2011-antifolk-fest/
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday Night Open Mic, August 29, 2011
It was a good one. Hamster Rap (by Neesa Sunar) ruled.
Now available: chess boards in the back room.
Good to see all the folks, old-timers and new.
Now available: chess boards in the back room.
Good to see all the folks, old-timers and new.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Opening Night, August 10. 2011
Dad's Rec Room.
Colorado Ski Lodge
Howard Johnson's Hotel Lobby, 1974
College Rathskellar, also 1974
These are a few of the ways the new interior of Sidewalk's backroom was described at its opening Wednesday. Yes, the music room does have quite a rustic feel to it now. The walls are lined with wide boards that evidently come from an old barn. And the rest of the decor has a rough hewn feel, almost like a self-conscious imitation of a country breakfast restaurant.
After all the anticipation the truth is, it really doesn't matter. The basic layout of the room is the same as it was. There are plenty of benches built in all around the walls, and tables in the center--just like the old days---plus a new stage that is bigger than the old one. As soon as the lights went down and Ben got up and started doing his schtick, it was just like Sidewalk as usual.
Although it felt like a regular open mic, it wasn't really because most of the acts in the early part of the evening had been selected by Ben to represent different eras of Sidewalk Cafe-dom. I don't know how I ended up first on the bill for the night except that I had a show scheduled for the next day--but I kicked things off with nervous renditions of a couple of my songs. There were too many others to go into lots of detail on them all, but the bill included folks like: Erin Regan, Howard Hughes, Phoebe Kreutz, Adam Green, Bible Gun, Debe Dalton, Steve Stavola, Brooke Pridmore, Sam Grossman, Prewar Yardsale, Bendix, Morgan Heringer, Dan Penta, Jon Berger, Dan and Rachel, Bernard King Presents, Elizabeth Devlin, Rav Shmuel, Charles Mansfield, Emily Hope Price, Albert Goold, Emily Einhorn, Rick Patrick, M. Lamar, Jim Flyn, JJ Hayes, Jen Kaplan. I left at 1 a.m., and I'm still trying to find out what Jason Trachtenberg did that got everyone so worked up at the end of the night (he arrived after I left).
I played a show on Thursday night and the best thing I can say about the sound system is that I didn't notice it. In other words of all the things I had to think about, whether I could hear myself on stage wasn't one of them. I think it will take some time to assess that new system but from what I can see so far, it's a big improvement over what was there previously. There's also a new lighting rig and all new lighting instruments. The thicket of random wires that used to snake around the ceiling is gone--as is the old disco light. The mirror ball remains. All the keys on the piano work and the music stand there is back.
The rest of the place has, of course, also been upgraded and although the main dining area wasn't yet open, the bar was going full tilt. I don't know how all the young, attractive folks hanging out there got the idea to come by on the first night, but the place was already busy.
I guess I'm kind of glad that the restaurant's decor--although definitely clean, modern and brushed up, features some odd and incongrous choices. It will carry on the tradition. After all, what the heck were those two large playing cards painted on the wall near the old entrance all about? And the random skeletons all over the place. Some day the new sliding barn door into the ladies room and the wine label wall paper in the bathrooms will stand out the same way.
All that said, Sidewalk's owners deserve credit for investing in their restaurant, including the back room. In general the spiffed up new joint is an improvement all around.
Congrats to Ben for keeping us all together over the last 5 months and for working on getting the back room up to speed. And to Brian for planning and installing the great new sound system. It was good to be back. It was good to see Ben behind the board and Debe in her rightful place. It was good to see Berger storming all over the stage and into the audience, and it was even good to face the wall while playing the piano. Our little clubhouse is up to speed again. See you there soon.
See you all at the Sidewalk.
Pictures to come....soon....
Colorado Ski Lodge
Howard Johnson's Hotel Lobby, 1974
College Rathskellar, also 1974
These are a few of the ways the new interior of Sidewalk's backroom was described at its opening Wednesday. Yes, the music room does have quite a rustic feel to it now. The walls are lined with wide boards that evidently come from an old barn. And the rest of the decor has a rough hewn feel, almost like a self-conscious imitation of a country breakfast restaurant.
After all the anticipation the truth is, it really doesn't matter. The basic layout of the room is the same as it was. There are plenty of benches built in all around the walls, and tables in the center--just like the old days---plus a new stage that is bigger than the old one. As soon as the lights went down and Ben got up and started doing his schtick, it was just like Sidewalk as usual.
Although it felt like a regular open mic, it wasn't really because most of the acts in the early part of the evening had been selected by Ben to represent different eras of Sidewalk Cafe-dom. I don't know how I ended up first on the bill for the night except that I had a show scheduled for the next day--but I kicked things off with nervous renditions of a couple of my songs. There were too many others to go into lots of detail on them all, but the bill included folks like: Erin Regan, Howard Hughes, Phoebe Kreutz, Adam Green, Bible Gun, Debe Dalton, Steve Stavola, Brooke Pridmore, Sam Grossman, Prewar Yardsale, Bendix, Morgan Heringer, Dan Penta, Jon Berger, Dan and Rachel, Bernard King Presents, Elizabeth Devlin, Rav Shmuel, Charles Mansfield, Emily Hope Price, Albert Goold, Emily Einhorn, Rick Patrick, M. Lamar, Jim Flyn, JJ Hayes, Jen Kaplan. I left at 1 a.m., and I'm still trying to find out what Jason Trachtenberg did that got everyone so worked up at the end of the night (he arrived after I left).
I played a show on Thursday night and the best thing I can say about the sound system is that I didn't notice it. In other words of all the things I had to think about, whether I could hear myself on stage wasn't one of them. I think it will take some time to assess that new system but from what I can see so far, it's a big improvement over what was there previously. There's also a new lighting rig and all new lighting instruments. The thicket of random wires that used to snake around the ceiling is gone--as is the old disco light. The mirror ball remains. All the keys on the piano work and the music stand there is back.
The rest of the place has, of course, also been upgraded and although the main dining area wasn't yet open, the bar was going full tilt. I don't know how all the young, attractive folks hanging out there got the idea to come by on the first night, but the place was already busy.
I guess I'm kind of glad that the restaurant's decor--although definitely clean, modern and brushed up, features some odd and incongrous choices. It will carry on the tradition. After all, what the heck were those two large playing cards painted on the wall near the old entrance all about? And the random skeletons all over the place. Some day the new sliding barn door into the ladies room and the wine label wall paper in the bathrooms will stand out the same way.
All that said, Sidewalk's owners deserve credit for investing in their restaurant, including the back room. In general the spiffed up new joint is an improvement all around.
Congrats to Ben for keeping us all together over the last 5 months and for working on getting the back room up to speed. And to Brian for planning and installing the great new sound system. It was good to be back. It was good to see Ben behind the board and Debe in her rightful place. It was good to see Berger storming all over the stage and into the audience, and it was even good to face the wall while playing the piano. Our little clubhouse is up to speed again. See you there soon.
See you all at the Sidewalk.
Pictures to come....soon....
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Last Night and Tonight
Hey There-Yeah, Sidewalk reopened last night. The most remarkable thing was how normal it seemed to be there. Everyone just fell into their groove. Anyway, I was there and I took a lot of pictures and have more to say and I will have lots of stuff up as soon as possible. The delay, however, is partially due to this little show I'm playing tonight.
I'm so excited to be playing with the guys in the band again. We've worked out some really fun stuff and I hope you can be there.
The Key Lime Pie Revue Reunion
Sidewalk Cafe
Tonight, August 11, 2011
9 p.m.
Also on the evening's bill: Elastic No-No Band, Steve Stavola, comedy from Jack Dishel, Debe Dalton
I'm so excited to be playing with the guys in the band again. We've worked out some really fun stuff and I hope you can be there.
The Key Lime Pie Revue Reunion
Sidewalk Cafe
Tonight, August 11, 2011
9 p.m.
Also on the evening's bill: Elastic No-No Band, Steve Stavola, comedy from Jack Dishel, Debe Dalton
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Web Sites-A-Poppin
The sidewalk music calendar went up today on Ben Krieger's sidewalkmusic.net site, and Sidewalk the restaurant launched its own site at sidewalkny.com. It's good to have these sites up, finally, like 'whew, things are back to normal.' There's a full list of performers up for the Sidewalk stage, showing in a new easy-to-read calendar format, and, although the restaurant's site doesn't have too much info, it does have the complete menu. While the food choices are almost entirely new (so long to my veggie penne) it has the same kind of feel as what was available at the old Sidewalk with a variety of moderately priced sandwich, salad, and breakfast choices as well as a selection of entrees. I was a little worried for a second that Sidewalk was trying to go upscale on us, but honestly the menu seems to offer a good range of selections, and while the prices of things have gone up a little bit, for the most part they seem pretty fair. There are many fewer choices altogether--for example no more omelettes, no more nachos, no falafel, no black bean burger (but Jon Berger gets to keep his Chicken Schnitzel).
There's a clear link from the restaurant site to the music site, but I wonder if having two separate sites isn't a little confusing for the end user than if it all had been integrated into one overall Sidewalk site--or at least if the sites looked as if they were related.
Well, I hope word is getting around about tomorrow night's opening celebration. I'll bet it will be a fun one. See you there.
There's a clear link from the restaurant site to the music site, but I wonder if having two separate sites isn't a little confusing for the end user than if it all had been integrated into one overall Sidewalk site--or at least if the sites looked as if they were related.
Well, I hope word is getting around about tomorrow night's opening celebration. I'll bet it will be a fun one. See you there.
Sidewalk All-Star Extravaganza - Wednesday
Here are the details regarding Sidewalk's Opening Celebration tomorrow night. It's a nice bill of folks, and I'M looking forward to the show, but I assume people will also be coming by to check out the new joint and try some of the paper-baked tilapia. I wonder if they got the Debe Dalton plaque back in place. And, ahem, a reminder that some of us are playing later in the week, like even the following night (scroll down the page for details). See you Wednesday.
Sidewalk Opening Celebration
Wednesday, August 10 at 7:00pm - Thursday at 12:00am
Sidewalk Cafe, 94 Avenue A at 6th Street
An army of artists from the NYC antifolk scene celebrate the second coming of Sidewalk. Each perform will play 2 songs, open mike-style, and then we'll open up the stage for a one song wonder round that will go until it ends or they kick us out. To sign up for the one song wonder round, just show up and see Ben at the sound booth.
Performances in the first part by (in no particular order):
Emily Hope Price
Bible Gun
Prewar Yardsale
Phoebe Kreutz
Steve Espinola
Rav Shmuel
Dan Costello
Emily Einhorn
Brook Pridemore
Sam Grossman
Jack Dishel
Charles M
Erin Regan
Dan Penta
Morgan Heringer
Mr. Patrick
MMM
Joe Bendik
M Lamar
Bernard King
Debe Dalton
Give to Light (Andrew H)
Elizabeth Devlin
Jon Berger
Each artist will perform two songs. An open 1-SONG WONDER ROUND will follow at 11pm til late.
Sidewalk Opening Celebration
Wednesday, August 10 at 7:00pm - Thursday at 12:00am
Sidewalk Cafe, 94 Avenue A at 6th Street
An army of artists from the NYC antifolk scene celebrate the second coming of Sidewalk. Each perform will play 2 songs, open mike-style, and then we'll open up the stage for a one song wonder round that will go until it ends or they kick us out. To sign up for the one song wonder round, just show up and see Ben at the sound booth.
Performances in the first part by (in no particular order):
Emily Hope Price
Bible Gun
Prewar Yardsale
Phoebe Kreutz
Steve Espinola
Rav Shmuel
Dan Costello
Emily Einhorn
Brook Pridemore
Sam Grossman
Jack Dishel
Charles M
Erin Regan
Dan Penta
Morgan Heringer
Mr. Patrick
MMM
Joe Bendik
M Lamar
Bernard King
Debe Dalton
Give to Light (Andrew H)
Elizabeth Devlin
Jon Berger
Each artist will perform two songs. An open 1-SONG WONDER ROUND will follow at 11pm til late.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Wrapping Up at Tribes - Back to Avenue A
Although I wasn't entirely crazy about the vibe (and certainly not the smoke) at Gallery of Tribes, I do think it's impressive that Ben managed to keep the Sidewalk culture alive and thriving there during the months that Sidewalk itself was closed for renovations. Unfortunately I had to be out of town for the final night at Tribes, but I gather it was a fun evening. I WAS there for the second to the last Monday and finally found myself connecting to that old 'you just don't know what's going to happen" feeling that has been a defining part of the Sidewalk experience at its best. It was a fun and slightly wacky night. Morgan Heringer and Ray Brown filled in for Ben who, one imagines, was home with his newborn. Morgan seemed to take most of the MCing responsibility and although she was hesitant at first, things started to flow after a while. Jen Kaplan cracked me up with her explicit tales of dating life which also inspired a brief audience colloquy about certain expressive practices of interrelating.
Anyway, I'm getting off the topic. We're getting close to Sidewalk's reopening and information about the new place is coming out in dribs and drabs. The most specific details so far have come out in the following article in the Village Voice online.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/08/sidewalk_cafe_r.php#more
There are several interesting points here, including that Sidewalk has hired a publicist. It really cannot hurt to have people who know what they're doing help with promotion. But I hope that the publicists are tying into the most notable and newsworthy factors of the Sidewalk story. I would be thrilled if the "housemade potato chips," "paper-baked mustard tilapia" and "rustic hanging lanterns" help Sidewalk achieve great press. But to my mind what Sidewalk has going for it that other places don't is a deep subculture of artistic expression that despite its small size physically has had a large impact in the City's arts world. While I gather the music activity at Sidewalk pays off for the restaurant, its owners and managers still deserve credit for nurturing this shaggy scene for so many years. I have always gotten the sense that their heart is in it.
When Sidewalk opened in the 1980s, the East Village was filled with similar places--informal, cheap restaurants, patronized by the young artists and striving New York newcomers who moved to the area when it still was on the edge. In recent years Sidewalk has been one of the few remaining throwbacks to that time. I gather until the current renovations relatively little had changed at all since it opened, so in recent years it was easy to get the feel of the old East Village, just by entering. It's great that Sidewalk is being updated--it was about time really. No matter what though, I'm sure that I will always value Sidewalk for fostering artists and for its connection to the old East Village. I hope that Sidewalk's publicists see the value in telling the story of how the power of the Sidewalk community is so strong that it stayed entact over 5 months, waiting to return in full force to Avenue A. In the meantime, I'll look forward to trying some crème brulée French toast.
By the way, it would be great if we could see the schedule of upcoming shows. Some of them--mine included--are coming up soon.
Anyway, I'm getting off the topic. We're getting close to Sidewalk's reopening and information about the new place is coming out in dribs and drabs. The most specific details so far have come out in the following article in the Village Voice online.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/08/sidewalk_cafe_r.php#more
There are several interesting points here, including that Sidewalk has hired a publicist. It really cannot hurt to have people who know what they're doing help with promotion. But I hope that the publicists are tying into the most notable and newsworthy factors of the Sidewalk story. I would be thrilled if the "housemade potato chips," "paper-baked mustard tilapia" and "rustic hanging lanterns" help Sidewalk achieve great press. But to my mind what Sidewalk has going for it that other places don't is a deep subculture of artistic expression that despite its small size physically has had a large impact in the City's arts world. While I gather the music activity at Sidewalk pays off for the restaurant, its owners and managers still deserve credit for nurturing this shaggy scene for so many years. I have always gotten the sense that their heart is in it.
When Sidewalk opened in the 1980s, the East Village was filled with similar places--informal, cheap restaurants, patronized by the young artists and striving New York newcomers who moved to the area when it still was on the edge. In recent years Sidewalk has been one of the few remaining throwbacks to that time. I gather until the current renovations relatively little had changed at all since it opened, so in recent years it was easy to get the feel of the old East Village, just by entering. It's great that Sidewalk is being updated--it was about time really. No matter what though, I'm sure that I will always value Sidewalk for fostering artists and for its connection to the old East Village. I hope that Sidewalk's publicists see the value in telling the story of how the power of the Sidewalk community is so strong that it stayed entact over 5 months, waiting to return in full force to Avenue A. In the meantime, I'll look forward to trying some crème brulée French toast.
By the way, it would be great if we could see the schedule of upcoming shows. Some of them--mine included--are coming up soon.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Key Lime Pie Reunion and Birthday Blowout, Sidewalk Cafe, August 11
Hey Folks-We've heard your demands. The Key Lime Pie Revue will be back on stage performing all its chart-toppers and funky favorites on August 11 at Sidewalk Cafe. Come check out the new and improved Sidewalk and help with a birthday blowout too! The Key Lime Pie Revue is Ariel Bitran, Trudy Williams, George Boziwick, Marc Steve, and Herb Scher. Dance captain is Jon Berger.
Key Lime Pie Revue
Reunion
Thursday, August 11, 9 p.m.
94 Avenue A at 6th Street
No cover, drink minimum
Key Lime Pie Revue
Reunion
Thursday, August 11, 9 p.m.
94 Avenue A at 6th Street
No cover, drink minimum
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Sidewalk/Darwin/Caged Animals
Despite the international news blackout on the subject, I think I am safe in letting you know that the Sidewalk is reopening in August after its five-month renovation. I'm looking forward to seeing what they've done with the old place.
In the meantime Darwin Deez's song Radar Detector is still playing in my head after seeing Darwin and the band play a headlining show to a full house at the Bowery Ballroom last (Friday) night. Darwin also brought along friends like Vin Caccione whose new group Caged Animals opened.
I'm sure the last time I saw Darwin was at Sidewalk, maybe even at a Monday open night. His songs have the same feel as they did back then when he played solo with his homemade backing tracks. Several of the songs are based around guitar riffs that have a light funk feel. But what I hadn't seen was the shape of Darwin's full-length show. Threaded through the performance are some goofy moments, including four or five breaks in which the band performs choreographed dances to recorded tracks. There was also a side trip into rap, and a tune that evolves into a cover of You Can Call Me Al. It's not exactly that Darwin and his band don't take themselves seriously, because I think they really do, but there's a spirit of humor running through the show that adds to its enjoyment. Some of Darwin's songs--particularly Radar Detector and Constellations are infectiously catchy. I really have to congratulate Darwin for where he's gotten with his music. He's getting to perform his stuff for large audiences around the world and it's great to see. It was good to have a chance to say hello to him last night and to see the other Sidewalk folks who were on hand. One of Darwin's partners in playing is our friend Andrew Hoepfner who has been touring with Darwin, most recently on guitar. Andrew seemed to be having a great time on stage last night as did the rest of the group.
It was also exciting to see Vin Caccione along with Magali Charron and his sister Tayla (and a drummer I didn't know) open for Darwin in their group Caged Animals. Vin and his folks were playing rock infused with the sound of electronically processed instruments, a much different sound than Vin's group Soft Black. They reached a high point in the last song of the night when Vin brought things up to a boiling guitar crescendo and the two women sang in a kind of gloriously climactic moment. Vin has a 7 inch disk out on white vinyl that he was selling at the show.
Glad to say it: See you at the Sidewalk.
In the meantime Darwin Deez's song Radar Detector is still playing in my head after seeing Darwin and the band play a headlining show to a full house at the Bowery Ballroom last (Friday) night. Darwin also brought along friends like Vin Caccione whose new group Caged Animals opened.
I'm sure the last time I saw Darwin was at Sidewalk, maybe even at a Monday open night. His songs have the same feel as they did back then when he played solo with his homemade backing tracks. Several of the songs are based around guitar riffs that have a light funk feel. But what I hadn't seen was the shape of Darwin's full-length show. Threaded through the performance are some goofy moments, including four or five breaks in which the band performs choreographed dances to recorded tracks. There was also a side trip into rap, and a tune that evolves into a cover of You Can Call Me Al. It's not exactly that Darwin and his band don't take themselves seriously, because I think they really do, but there's a spirit of humor running through the show that adds to its enjoyment. Some of Darwin's songs--particularly Radar Detector and Constellations are infectiously catchy. I really have to congratulate Darwin for where he's gotten with his music. He's getting to perform his stuff for large audiences around the world and it's great to see. It was good to have a chance to say hello to him last night and to see the other Sidewalk folks who were on hand. One of Darwin's partners in playing is our friend Andrew Hoepfner who has been touring with Darwin, most recently on guitar. Andrew seemed to be having a great time on stage last night as did the rest of the group.
It was also exciting to see Vin Caccione along with Magali Charron and his sister Tayla (and a drummer I didn't know) open for Darwin in their group Caged Animals. Vin and his folks were playing rock infused with the sound of electronically processed instruments, a much different sound than Vin's group Soft Black. They reached a high point in the last song of the night when Vin brought things up to a boiling guitar crescendo and the two women sang in a kind of gloriously climactic moment. Vin has a 7 inch disk out on white vinyl that he was selling at the show.
Glad to say it: See you at the Sidewalk.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
It was so nice to see everyone yesterday at the Fourth of July spectacular at Goodbye Blue Monday. It feels like it's been forever since there's been a big event that has drawn a large cross section of the community, but I had that great feeling when I arrived yesterday of walking into a place where the vibe of groovy friendship was strong. It was fabulous to see people like Matt, Nan, Dan, Rachel, Brian, Elizabeth, Annabel Lee, Debe, Doug, Isaac, Uchenna, Jen, JJ, Joe Crow, Jon, Brook, Erin, Dan, Erin, Brer, Brent, Mark, Gina, Ray, Adam, Madison, Josh, Ben, Justin, Barry, Amos, Michael, Jason, TPM, Charles, Reginald, Scott, Vin, Luke, Mike, Morgan, Betsy, Mary, and....(yeah, I know I'm probably forgetting someone important...sorry if it's you).
Goodbye Blue Monday has really spruced itself up recently and the backyard area now is a very comfortable place to sit and schmooze with people. So comfortable in fact that I think I did more schmoozing then concentrated music listening. The barbecue that was going on out there was a nice touch too. But there definitely was lots of energy in the performances that were swirling around in the front stage and in the backyard space. Among the performances, most notable for me was seeing Debe Dalton play a set for the first time after her recuperation from her finger injury. Debe played the dojo instead of the banjo, and her show also included the reading of some poetry by Walt Whitman.
So, congrats to Brian and Dan for organizing a great show!
I also managed to stop in briefly at Scapegrace for Sexual Independence Day. It's the first Fourth of July event I've attended that featured dildo-making and naked body painting (along with a backyard kiddie pool and a barbecue). I was glad to get to hear Susan Hwang and Julie Delano, both among my favorite performers, alternate songs in a short set. I believe that Jacinta Mack and Yoko Kikuchi were the main organizers of the event. It was kind of cool that there were two interesting functions going on that involved people connected to the same community. I hope they both continue next year, but if so, maybe the organizers can communicate and find a way to stagger things so more people can go to both...especially since the locations are so close.
Goodbye Blue Monday has really spruced itself up recently and the backyard area now is a very comfortable place to sit and schmooze with people. So comfortable in fact that I think I did more schmoozing then concentrated music listening. The barbecue that was going on out there was a nice touch too. But there definitely was lots of energy in the performances that were swirling around in the front stage and in the backyard space. Among the performances, most notable for me was seeing Debe Dalton play a set for the first time after her recuperation from her finger injury. Debe played the dojo instead of the banjo, and her show also included the reading of some poetry by Walt Whitman.
So, congrats to Brian and Dan for organizing a great show!
I also managed to stop in briefly at Scapegrace for Sexual Independence Day. It's the first Fourth of July event I've attended that featured dildo-making and naked body painting (along with a backyard kiddie pool and a barbecue). I was glad to get to hear Susan Hwang and Julie Delano, both among my favorite performers, alternate songs in a short set. I believe that Jacinta Mack and Yoko Kikuchi were the main organizers of the event. It was kind of cool that there were two interesting functions going on that involved people connected to the same community. I hope they both continue next year, but if so, maybe the organizers can communicate and find a way to stagger things so more people can go to both...especially since the locations are so close.
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