Snow Storm Week, pt.1

Last night at Cat's Eye, Idle Americans were at half strength. We were merely 'Idle Ame-', or, in anagram land: 'Lame! Die!' Scott and Kim called out because they did not want to make the drive up (or, more accurately, the drive back) from Nova. But, y'know who did come up from Nova?! Bruce Guttridge did! I met him through Robbie at the Zoo Bar jam. And he was awesome. Srsly. We had a chat back at my place over some Bohs about how I need to write/arrange more originals. Which is a true story.

Hot off his recording session with Mark Stevens/Kim Wilson/Pat O'Shea as White Loafer, Robert Frahm played bass and some guitar. We dedicated a few songs to Nick Curran who, if you don't know him, we refer to as "the only guy that matters". And he has cancer. And is 32. And is the kind of guy that calls his benefit show "Fuck Cancer 2010". And arranged The Stooges' "No Fun" as a blues. Get better Nick. And if you live around Austin (and among this blog's readership that demographic is comprised solely of my mom and maybe her sister), go to "Fuck Cancer 2010" on Thursday night.

Despite being under a foot of snow and attributable to the fact that the Cat's Eye doesn't close, ever (and Todd Miller was out of town), the Cat's Eye was hoppin'. We sold some CDs and made some money.

Also, a shout-out goes to my ex-girlfriend for choosing the only night I play the Cat's Eye this month to be the only time she comes to Cat's Eye this month.

Falling under the heading "You Scratch My Back...", I'll be at Bertha's on bass on Friday with Glenn Moomau & The Blue Flames, who shares with me a propensity for having a letter omitted from his name in the press.

Press Release

Whadya' think?

Also, should I go back to bloggin' gigs? I think I will. Starting tomorrow.

Washington, DC Band Wins International Blues Guitar Award





Matt Kelley, 26, of The Big Boy Little Band, was voted Best Guitarist at the 26th annual International Blues Challenge, held Saturday night, Jan. 23, in Memphis, TN.



The Big Boy Little Band, featuring Bret Littlehales, aka Big Boy Little, on harmonica and vocals, Robbie Leebrick on drums, and Steve Crescenze on bass in addition to Kelley's shimmering guitar playing, hosts DC's only weekly Blues jam at the Zoo Bar in Woodley Park. The band won the chance to compete in Memphis by winning the D.C. Blues Society’s Battle of the Bands in October.



The challenge featured 110 bands and 82 solo/duo acts hailing from 39 states and 14 countries. Bands competed in the semi-finals on Thursday and Friday night on Beale Street, with the top 11 advancing to Saturday’s Finals. In the final round, Kelley clinched the award with a scorching solo on BB King's "How Blue Can You Get". By the end of his solo, the 2000-plus person audience in Memphis' historic Orpheum Theater was on its feet, cheering.



Kelley, who has been playing guitar since he was 13, quit his job as a middle school science teacher 2 years ago to focus exclusively on music. Still, "I was shocked.” Kelley said. “I have never in my life seen so many good bands in one place. That I won the same Albert King Award that guys like Sean Carney won seems unreal.”



Another area band had a strong showing, as well. “That both our band and Baltimore’s representatives [Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers] made the finals shows the quality of blues music in the area,” Kelley said.



For his efforts, Kelley won a customized blue Gibson ES335 guitar, the same kind blues legend BB King plays, with the Blues Foundation logo and a customized Category 5 amplifier.



Big Boy Little Band website: Myspace.com/BigBoyLittleBand , where song samples are available.



The band can be reached via myspace or Matt can be reached individually at smapple@gmail.com or 301-257-6367.

My triumphant return to the coaxial waves - The best $0.99 you can spend

Thanks to prodding from several trusted sources who prefer to remain nameless, I decided to launch myself back into the blogospace. Lots has happened since the last time I was up here, but who cares about yesterday's laundry? On to the pressing concerns of the day.

What can you buy for under a dollar anymore? Due to the entropy of inflation, a dollar doesn't go as far as it used to (go). Instead of bemoaning this fact, I'd like to put forth a nominee for the best dollar you can spend:



Quick quiz.
Arizona Juices and Teas are awesome because:
a) They only cost $0.99
b) They're a whopping 23.5 fl oz
c) You can get them at the Citgo across the street from my house
d) All of the above

If you picked (d), I'm sorry, try again next time. Because, while the others are true, you can find many things that are both whopping and on my block (for example, the number of religious zealots whose knock on my door serve as my 9 am alarm clock), but they are hardly awesome. Arizona Watermelon juice is awesome because it only costs $0.99. (In unrelated news, I started working for Kaplan Test Prep last week.) Always the one for over-effusion, Arizona made a brilliant decision by making a drink that's cheap because it's just juice concentrate and sugar.

A close runner up is the McDouble.

On a more musical note (!), if you're doing anything tomorrow that is not going to the Fish Head Cantina in Arbutus for the Ed Clopein benefit, then cancel your plans. Forkman is the biggest fan of the blues. Ever. And he needs your help.

A story I might be relating tomorrow:
When I was 19 or 20, I went to Kclinger's in Hanover, PA (a 90 minute haul) to see Junior Watson who, as you know, is a minor blues deity. At 8:45, someone came around collecting covers (fine) and checking IDs (wtf!). Convincing them that my parents were on the way, I managed to narrowly escape eviction, confident in the hope that Ed and Tobi would be able to vouch for me as their offspring. Upon their certain arrival, I professed to the doorman that these old hippies were, in fact, my folks, and I should be allowed to revel in the sol-like lucency that is the relfection of the stage lights off Jr.'s bald dome. Said doorman greeted Ed & Tobi as the old friends they were and proceeded to inquire as to which of Ed & Tobi's 6 daughters I was. With my tirade about transgender equality falling on deaf ears, I was relegated to standing outside in the drizzle listening to Jr. quote "Jingle Bell Rock" through an open window. Did I mention I had drudged my girlfriend at the time through this charade? In retrospect, it's a surprise she stayed married to my ass as long as she did.

Verbose diatribes aside, here's what you need to know:

You.

At Fish Head Cantina.

Tomorrow. All day.

If you're one of those sticklers for details, here ya go.

See you tomorrow. I'm off to Cheeseburger in Paradise in Pasadena.

Olde Bowie Towne Grilleee

Played tonight for a packed house at Old Bowie Town Grill. Bob runs a great joint and having a club owner that's a musician is always a plus. Saw many old friends and made a couple new ones. Notables include Norma Jean and her friend Reeeeneeee (smile to say it!), Zach's grandfolks, Curt with some GREAT blown up pictures from The Country Store, Tom from Zach Sweeney and the Old Weenies (2nd best band name ever!), and the punk rock grrrl at the bar that left before I could say hi. The always effervescent Poxons were also present to bring Andy out to open up for us. Great people, great show, great response, great, great, great. And I didn't even have to play that much. In other news, thanks to Allison for letting me borrow her "NORML" shirt. We decided it's the sorta' thing that you don't kinda' get.

Also, I'd like to have a cheap wireless laptop that lets me have a browser on the road. It should also have a Kerouac. "Why?" you ask. Well, so I can update this hunk of the interstate every day (...I wake up before 4). So, if these troubling times have you down and you have an extra potable interweb box lying (laying, lieing..?) around, give me a holler.

Kelley, out!

Blog Bankruptcy

I, Matt Kelley, do hereby declare blog bankruptcy. All unpaid debts I have to the blogging community shall hereby be annulled. As partial remunerations, I offer the following tidbits.

Gigging: Things couldn't be going better. I have a new gig doing happy hours at Cat's Eye. This makes for incredibly long Fridays, however well worth it, as most of these days, I have 2-fers. If you haven't seen me lately, I've been told that my stage presence has changed dramatically (thanks Mr. E) and I'm making more eye contact, performing more dynamically, and, consequently, attracting more female attention, which is always appreciated. Also, PP has now added Zach Sweeney on upright bass.

Recording: Idle Americans has been in the studio the last few weeks, and you're not going to believe how good some of these songs sound. The Kid's playing is unbelievable. We're looking at a release date of June/July. PP is also looking to go in the studio; we're just trying to figure out which one. The Big Boy Little Band has been making some great live recordings at Zoo Bar.

Other news:

'Nuff said.

Zoo Bar tonight!

Zoo Bar 2-12-09 Big Boy Little Band

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave
Washington, DC

A couple weeks ago, I had the (admittedly rare) drunk idea that stood up in sober light to challenge Allan to a Desert Island Dozen, listing the 12 albums that you could not live the rest of your life without. A couldn't quite get it down to 12, but here goes nothing...

Matt's Desert Island (Baker's) Dozen

William Clarke – Tip of the Top
The Faint – Danse Macabre
Holly Fats Band – Rock This House
Ray Wylie Hubbard – Live at Stingaree 4-13-07
BB King – Live at the Regal
Little Walter - The Essential Little Walter:1
The Pixies – Doolittle
Reverend Horton Heat – Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em
Jimmie Rivers & the Cherokees – Brisbane Bop
Raymond Scott - Reckless Nights & Turkish Twilights
Junior Wells – Blues Collection
Hank Williams III – Straight to Hell
Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life

(in alpha order)

In other exciting news, this blog's now the first hit when Googling 'Giggin for a Livin'.

Quarry House AND! Bangkok Blues 2-8-09 The Idle Americans and Pessimist Parade

My first 2-fer (2 gigs in a day) since I started blogging!

Quarry House (2-6)
Georgia Ave & Bonifont
Silver Spring, MD

onto

Bangkok Blues (7-11)
926 W. Broad St.
Falls Church, VA

I am a big fan of playing shows at The Quarry House with both bands, The Idle Americans and Pessimist Parade. One of the biggest goals I've had since starting down this tortuous musical path is to unite the Skins (young punks) and Rockabilly cats (old punks) and playing shows with both bands is a big step towards that. IA played a great set (if a little long) that turned on some of the PP fans to us. It was frustrating to tell some of the skins for months that I was in another band that was really good and get shrugged off. But, the only way to change minds is for folks to see us play.

Pessimist's set was also really good (I remembered to stay sober!) until the last 3 songs. We had folks right were we wanted them, we were getting ready for the last 3 songs ANDDDDDDDDD...Wilson's bass broke. The ground came loose. So, after fumbling around for a couple minutes, losing everyone's interest and any energy we had in the set, we played two last songs as a trio and Rio and JJ did 'She Said' as a Lux Interior (RIP) and Hazel Atkins tribute.

*scramble, scramble, scramble*

By the time we got to Bangkok and played our opening set, we were all chugging Red Bulls, trying to keep some energy up. And poor Scott, it was his 3rd gig that day after doing his Sunday church service (I know, right?) in the morning.

This was also remarkable for being the first time in 3 days that I hadn't seen Mr. Enthusiasm.

Last gig for today coming up...

Zoo Bar 2-7-09 Big Boy Little Band

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave
Washington, DC

Ok, y'all can stop givin' me shit now because I'm back with a vengeance.

And I think I even remember all the gigs I've played since then.

The last time we played a full night at the Zoo Bar on the first Saturday, I had a manic time getting down to Zoo Bar because the way I use to get out of Baltimore was blocked and I spent 30 minutes longed than I planned in downtown Brawlmer. That'll learn me to cut things too close. I've been really good about showing up on time since then though (knock on computer desk).

After showing up 15 min late and setting up, I look out in the crowd and notice DC harmonica/singer luminary Bruce Ewan was kind enough to join us. After the gig, he talked to Big Boy and some of that conversation was relayed to the band and seemed to support the reflections that I had on the Big Boy Little Band from Thursday.

Bruce confirmed that the new originals were a strong point to the band and that the flow had improved due to the aforementioned brutal practice schedule (3 times a month is intense for a blues band). I (we?) was (were?) also flattered when he said that we should skip over trying to book bars in the area and move right to bigger venues (the Wolf Traps, State Theatres, and festivals) of the DC music world. So, I managed to recover from my late start and we put on what I thought was a good show where a number of regulars that might have departed at midnight a couple months ago stayed around an extra hour or two (or three (I *heart* (parentheses))).

On to the next gig...

Country Store 2-6-09 Idle Americans

Country Store
somewhere down Medley's Neck Rd.
Leonardtown, MD

The only way I am fortunate enough to be doing what I'm doing is via the kindness of friends and strangers. I get to eat (and not just pay my rent, etc.) because of folks nice enough to drop a little in the tip bucket. Often I get to sleep because friends nice enough to let me crash at their place offer up a couch. I was fortunate enough to meet another friend at the Country Store that happened to live across the street from BFE who not only had his own place, but a full band set up.

But, before the after-hours jam that lasted till 7 in the morning, there was the CS jam. Here I was going to give an annotated slideshow of the jam, but Shutterfly won't let me d/l, embed, or nuthin.

So, screw you Shutterfly.
Comments welcome.

Suffice to say that we were graced with the company of the Big Money Experience (incluye two-way sax) and Carl-from-across-the-pond, who's a whiz on the pedal steel. Personally, I theorize that pedal steel players have an extra brain-organ that helps them deal with all those strings, levers, pedals, and bars.

Oh, so much has happened since then. I'm gonna have to go on a blogging binge.

Zoo Bar Jam 2-5-09 Big Boy Little Band

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave.
Washington, DC

Reflections on the progress of the Big Boy Little Band:

As Bret (Big Boy Little) has said out there on the interwebs, he wasn't sure what he was going to do when Rusty left: whether he would dissolve the band or try to soldier on with someone else. I was honored when I got fingered (TWSS!) to take Rusty's place in the band, but I wasn't sure whether the feel of the band would be up to BBL standards. I feared it might be a shadow of its former self and fizzle out.

After practicing with the band (OMGee! in Blues-World), playing a couple months of gigs, hearing feedback from others, and listening with my own damn ears, here are my findings:

1) We're a lot tighter band. Due to practicing, songs don't seem to all have the same structure (that is, there are separate 'parts' for every song). This gives the night a better flow, keeps people around, and takes out some of the 'drag' that blues shows can have after a while. At the beginning, BBL was making set lists, but we almost don't need that anymore, because we have a larger repertoire.

2) The band has more breadth. Because we're practicing, we can bring in some songs that take a couple minutes (hours?) to figure out. Memphis soul, New Orleans R&B, and some more arranged songs (as well as arrangements that are combinations of these) are no longer off-limits. See: 'Memphis Train', 'Down Home Girl', 'Get Out My Life, Woman'. Also, because I'm singing songs, it breaks the set up when Artie's not there (which is most of the time).

3) The originals that BBL has been bringing are not your standard fare blues songs and really add some pop to the band. People tend to respond more when they like a song and know it's yours.

4) I can not put together an epic solo like Rusty can. Rusty Bogart can solo for 12 verses and tell a story with it, making no 2 licks sound the same. When he gets brings a solo to a close, as an audience member, I felt a needed a 'phew!' kinda' breath. I can go for about 2 minutes at the max. Some people like this because they get bored with just guitar, guitar, guitar. Some see it as artistic expression that makes showing up worth showing up. I fall in the latter category.

5) In any case, we have not had a slow night at the Zoo Bar as the Big Boy Little Band. Some nights have been better than others. But, in general, bigger crowds are coming, people are staying longer, and the tip bucket and the ring reflect this. And, if anything, fewer musicians are coming compared to diners, drinkers, and fans. In blues jam world, this=good, because musicians tend to have low tabs and take up space (myself included). And, Wolf and I have only had this gig during the winter. The real test will be to show if we can sustain this good attendance into the busy months.

My New Year's Resolutions were (I know it's late, but I didn't want to jinx myself):
1) Update this blog with every gig.
2) Keep up with recording my income/expenses.
3) Go to a bar to see/play music every night.

NYR findings:
1) Grade: C- I'm about a week behind.
2) Grade: D I'm about two weeks behind.
3) Grade: A+ Haven't missed a day.

Cheers!

Tyson's Tavern 2-4-9 Ken-G Songwriter's Night

Tyson's Tavern
2112 Fleet St.
Baltimore, MD

On my Monday night pub crawl, I usually stop by the open mic at Leadbetter's in Fells Point to

a) practice new songs
b) hang out with musicians
c) fulfill my insatiable desire to play live music
d) try to hook up with the bartender
e) all of the above

If you picked (e), you are wrong because the answer was (f).



(f) only a), b), and c)

because that's not the type of guy Fonz is.

Anyway, Ken-G Shorts was hosting and he came up to me and asked if I had any plans for Wednesday, when he hosts a songwriter's night at Tyson's at Fleet and Boston. I told him I had plans before recognizing that he wanted to have me on a gig.

My first solo acoustic gig!

So, after apologizing for not being able to hang out on Wednesday, I show up and there's another fine, fine singer/songwriter named Kristin Watts. In a unique format, the three of us trade songs all night, filling in when we can. Ken-G has a really great ear for chords, so he can usually find something on some instrument (mandolin, lap guitar...) to fit.

After doing all our originals and a couple odd covers, Kristin had to leave at 11. Ken asked if I wanted to stay till 12 and I wasn't doing anything, so I said sure.

That's when the fun started.

We ended up trading songs back and forth as more late-nighters wandered in until 1:30. The owner, Dean, really seemed to enjoy us and Ken knows so many songs, both common and un-, that he could pick things that were predictable or memorable enough to follow along with (sorry, sorry, sorry!!! --with which to follow along) that we could both play/sing all night. The bald contingent (Rucker, Dr. Pimpenstein, and Dean) made for a good time with odd requests, Mr. Enthusiasm (Pino) showed up to keep the night interesting, and I met a bunch of remarkably cool people (well, mainly 1). The night did not end until well into the morning, which made it hard to run errands on Friday. Speaking of errands, I must split. Will be back with the weekend wrap-up next time.

Next: Need to blog Thurs., Fri., Sat., and, oh shit, fucking SUNDAY!

Cat's Eye 2-3-09 The Idle Americans

Cat's Eye Pub
1730 Thames St.
Fells Point
Baltimore, MD

This was the first full set (that I remember) that IA had played in some time and, from the reactions of the band and several folks who have seen as on numerous occasions, probably our best show ever. Sadly, owner-bartender Tony was not there due to a wicked hand injury, but Dave Palmer filled in.

The people that wandered in liked us, stayed, got on the e-mail list, bought a CD, and vowed to be back in a month. The number of fans that we bring in that go out of our way to see us is steadily growing (shout-outs to Josh Lieberman and his whole crew (Duke, Liz, etc.), Kim & Bob, Kingsnake, Steve Kierns, Bonnie & Andy, The Trossbachs). Even the day-time bar staff (hi Jackie!) even stayed 'till the end of the night. The only notable absences were Chris, Dora, and Allison.

The originals were tighter than they'd ever been. Wolf and I were pretty unanimous on the set list. And once my hands got warmed up, Zach and I were firing on all cylinders (or some other mixed metaphor).

Tomorrow: First ever solo acoustic gig at Tyson's in Canton!

Bangkok Blues Blues Jam 2-1-09 The Idle Americans

Bangkok Blues
926 W Broad St.
Falls Church, VA

Apparently, there was some soccer game today that most folks watch, so instead of 7-11, the jam was from 2-6.

So, after seeing (Dave)^4 (The Swinging Daves at Cat's Eye), I got a ride back with Chris & Josh to my house. I woke up with enough time to spare--if my car had been at my house instead of on the other side of Baltimore. So, I frantically scurried the streets of Baltimore looking for a cab and, for the first time since I started blogging, I was late for a gig; which is pretty good for me.

So, thanks to Wolf for starting the jam without me. The one 3 song set we did play as The Idle Americans was held to a very responsive crowd that, for a remarkable number of people, were champs and stayed from 2-6. When I showed up at 10 past 2, the place was as crowded as I've ever seen it at 7 on jam night.

Also of note, Rt. 7 looks very different in the day light. Who would've known?

Next: Cat's Eye on Tuesday

Zoo Bar 1-30-09 The Idle Americans

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave
Washington, DC

I remember everything that happened before the gig. I hung out with Nikki, went to Chris's, we had a jam and he drove my car to the bar.

I remember everything after the bar: Chris driving my car back, getting pulled over at the traffic stop, eating chicken soup, crashing in the guest room.

But, the gig itself is a total blank.

Could not tell you a single song I played.

And while alcohol was a factor, I wasn't black-out drunk. Any suggestions, please comment.

Next: Tomorrow off, Stupor Bowl Sunday at Bangkok

Zoo Bar 1-29-09 Big Boy Little Band

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave
Washington, DC

Ode to the Back Room:

Bastion of the tired
Manager of our respite
From the noise at the bar
That so often holds us despot

Not that you aren't good
But we do this all night
And we just want a break
Or to have a little light

To eat our bacon cheeseburger
Or opine on what we're sick of
And where else in the bar
Am I gonna' read this week's Savage Love?

So farewell Back Room
And here stops my bitchin'
Cause while we don't have our space
At least Steve gets a bigger kitchen

Next: Zoo Bar, take 2

Bangkok Blues Blues Jam 1-25-09 The Idle Americans

Bangkok Blues
926 W Broad St.
Falls Church, VA

I should have just set up a cot in the back and stayed the night.

I've developed a habit when I'm at jams that I'll call "Ship without a Port" (kudos to Scott on the name). Since I've been coming here a minute, I know most people that wander through the door on a Sunday night. This is, of course, amazing. There are so many people to talk and catch up with that I end up not ever staying at any one seat or table.

This is not inconvenient until you go out to just listen to music. I can not sit still in a bar anymore. I'm like a 5-year-old at a birthday party. I have to be either talking to someone at the bar, smoking outside, smoking inside, in the back writing a song, making Family Guy references with Zach, squatting down talking to Wolf and Connie, or any other number of brief enterprises.

Is it possible to develop ADHD at 25? Cause I hear that adderall stuff is pretty cool.

Also, I realized on Tuesday night that that last stint was 11 gigs in 12 days. Go Matt!

Next: These last few days off
Next-Next: Zoo Bar on Thursday AND Friday

Bangkok Blues 1-24-09 The Idle Americans

Bangkok Blues
926 W Broad St.
Falls Church, VA

Top 5 reasons why this gig was awesome:

5. We played the early show, so I could play and then start partying and listening to music. That's a much more convenient order than what typically happens.

4. It was a pretty good payday.

3. Nikki was there, but didn't have to work.

2. During our set, the dining room was full and a lot of folks stayed for the Swampkeepers.

1. The Swampkeepers were awesome. They played good songs and played them well. Ian Walters is not a totally unique animal, a completely new species (his name even sounds like an 18th-century taxonomist). I am pretty sure that if Ian and I had learned different instruments, then we could switch places.

Apehangers 1-23-09 Idle Americans

Apehangers
Rt. 301 south of La Plata
Bel Alton, MD

Apehangers is a biker bar. There are no two ways about it. Every conversation going on outside while people were smoking involved either bikes or ink. Needless to say, the Idle Americans are not standard fair for this place. The impression that I got was that most bands in there have there Marshall half stacks, Ampeg 8x12s, subwoofers on the PAs playing their Nickelback and Monster Magnet covers (for the uninitiated, REALLY loud, REALLY generic rock).

At places like this, generally the only people that like us are the doormen and bartenders because we're something different. This is also the same reason that we don't go over so huge with the regs. We did manage to make a couple new fans with our obscure covers and a couple of fans from other venues down-these-parts showed up. All-in-all though, the place was kinda empty and we don't bring heavy drinkers. But, the regulars in the back did stick around all night shooting pool and shimmying to our Ramones cover. I'd be surprised if we got another gig here, which is fine by me, but a payday is a payday.

To give you a flavor for the night, in-between songs, Zach launched into the head for AC/DC's "Hells Bells". That's funny if you're playing at, say, Bangkok where it's assumed that you won't play Hells Bells. But, at a place where it's assumed you will play Hells Bells, it just comes off as disappointing. Though, as Wolf pointed out, Zach is more than welcome to play Hells Bells if he sings it.

Zoo Bar Jam 1-22-09 Big Boy Little Band

Zoo Bar
3000 Connecticut Ave.
Washington, DC

It took me a while, but I finally found it. Generally, when I go to a restaurant regularly, I order the same thing and I hadn't found that Zoo Bar dish that was to replace all others. So, perhaps in reference to the roots of the blues, I recommend the beef brisket sandwich.

Most of The Swampkeepers--the new blues band that's sweeping through the DC roots community--showed up. It made me look forward to the show we played with them on Saturday at Bangkok, but more on that later. Ian Walters is an amazing vocalist. He has a style that immediately recognizable and no note is ever out of place. It's also good to see that Alan Hoffman is back in fine form after setting the Guiness Record for Fastest Recovery from Arm Surgery.

Next: Hanging of the Apes

Glen Echo 1-20-09 The Idle Americans

Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom
Glen Echo Park
MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, MD

I normally abhor playing Glen Echo. Due to its swing-dancy nature, we are limited in our song choice almost to where they're dictating bpms. The place is huge, but loud, so we have to turn WAY down (Jamie-the-sound-guy, though a sweet guy, is always bringing up some sound issue with me). And you can't even drink!

I don't know if it was all the Change-love in the air, but Tuesday was actually a pretty fun gig. First of all, traffic was supposed to be redonkulous, but ended up much ado about nothing. It was the lightest Beltway traffic I have EVER seen on a Tuesday at 6pm. Musically, our oeuvre has expanded to the point where I really don't have to limit myself too much in song choice. After playing there 6 times, I finally was able to find an amp setting that I didn't hate that was low enough for them. And Scott and I found this Thai place so we didn't have to sit around the back room, cold and sober.

The waltz band that was on before us was A-mazing. It was sort of a thrown together group of pros (Jamie called them The Gigmesiters), but they were tight. Like, so tight that Rob Bamburger's a fool for not booking them when he does a live thing.

And the fact that about 300 folks showed up in everything from jean shorts to tails (we were somewhere in between) and it was a good payday for a frickin' freezin' Tuesday made it the sort of gig that makes me love what I do.

I was expecting to spend after hours in DC because the bars were all open till 4. Turns out only the bars I didn't want to be in were open till 4 and I ended up at Josh's at 2.

Up Now: Headin' off to Zoo
On Deck: Friday at biker-bar-bar-none Apehangers
In The Hole: Saturday at Bangkok with Ian, Joaquin, and Bob's band