Waking up in the space of someone I admire greatly, there’s always the temptation to explore and I’m pleased to see such a tight-knit community as evidenced by the CDs and artwork floating around. There’s Ryan Montbleau’s new CD, there’s a framed piece of Dan Blakeslee’s artwork – I’d never snoop, but I certainly scan, and there’s another little pang where I almost wish I Lived up here. Being able to walk to a couple of dozen venues and drive to a couple of hundred, and the sheer concentration of music up here is unnervingly intense. I have lots of friends up here – and lots of people who I wish I could get to know better – which just requires more time than a ghost like me will ever have.
Should I have gone back to that guy’s place and helped with the communal whiskey? Is that how I’ll get the bonding on that I desperately crave? We never jam with people after our gigs, generally we’re completely tapped out – but isn’t that cross-pollination one of the things that lead me to Love music in the first place?
Continuing with my scanning, the space is filled with amplifiers and congas and speakers and toys. A Lego Naboo starfighter and a toy piano share space with an old Mighty Mouse amplifier a Fender Deluxe that might be as old as I am.
Heather playing ukulele at the Burren – again, thanks to Lacy Pennington for grabbing my camera and stealing our souls! One of the other acts at the Burren Acoustic Showcase on Sunday evening in Sommerville, MA, Juliana Finch. She was wonderfully charming and got my Firefly joke. We can be friends. The end of the night is a wonderful duo in the form of our host, Tom Bianchi, and our host next Saturday, Jake Bush.
I didn’t realize you could have peaceful mornings in Boston, but it’s silent in Somerville outside and Monday morning I GUESS sees the beautiful old neighbourhoods abandoned as everyone fought their way to work hours ago.
I normally associate the area with unending construction, the squeal of busses and shouting – but it’s like Boston wants to compete with the Dream Away today.
Last night at Tom Bianchi’s acoustic showcase at the Burren in Somerville, MA we shook the roof and thundered our way through a set. The bar crowd seemed a little unruly and we were cautious about slowing down, especially since there’d been an Irish trad CD release earlier in the evening and the excitable Irish trad peeps had been excited and were NOT calming down any time soon.
As usual, the part that was really special for me was the end of the night when Tom and whoever’s there to play with him jam out for the last hour or so of the night, running through a seemingly randomized list of originals and covers (100% originals last night, I think) Tonight Tom was joined by Jake Bush of Pesky J. Nixon and I’m pretty sure Tom spent an hour just surprising Jake with songs that he may or may not have heard before, and Jake proficiently volleyed back with accordion accompaniment and then blazed back with solos when space provided. For as much as I’ve liked the energy of 4 or 5 people on the Burren stage being lead by Tom, and for as much I Love the intimacy of Tom on his lonesome, this duo was fascinating and subtle and passionate and hilarious.
other performers – and lo and behold the Baker Thomas Band slunk forth. I don’t know the background, I don’t know the members. I know they play every Wednesday night at TOAD and that two of their regular members were missing last night meaning they had 9 people on and off and around and nearby the tiny stage, making one HELL of a noise.
Masterful jam sessions orchestrated by Tom in role of ring-leader. He should’ve had the curly moustache and a whip as he literally directed the band while playing bass and singing. Sometimes with a meaningful glance, sometimes with a shout, on occasion with a whack of the head. The band was a frenzied THING and it was marvelous to see the beast controlled with such panache. I was sitting right next to Noah (electric guitar) and his amplifier – a tasteful creature full of elegant chords and blazing solos – and it was interesting to watch Tom (directly behind Noah) occasionally give him a poke that meant “guitar solo coming in four!” or something to that effect. Usually there was a nod of acknowledgement. Ocassionally there was a shake of the head like “this is in Bb! I hate soloing in Bb!” but the result was invariably the same and Noah, with his nonchalant head bob action, would launch forth into something wonderful.
Pesky J. Nixon’s accordion player, Jake Bush, was also part of the act, singing and squeezing and generally holding down the front of the room. The whole thing was like an incredible, musical circus – and I’m SO glad we made the time to go. Bad-assery was indeed perpetrated!
Today is all about mixing audio… Wytold songs and Andrew Luttrell songs… I SHOULD do some ilyAIMY songs but I doubt I’ll get to it, especially since what I WANT is Dan Blakeslee songs! Pasnoof.
Wandering a bike trail in Somerville, MA we encountered this garden robot apparently defending the locals from Triffids. Meep! That’s a whole lot of bikes. I think ALL of these people rushed in front of our car right before they parked her by the T. Having already had Nepalese food yesterday, we didn’t sample this wonderfully named fooderie. Wandering Portsmouth, NH and honing in on the Red Door where we were playing, I ran across this. Cute sign. Won’t be no Capital City Cheesecake though!
After spending the morning wandering our environs in Somerville, MA, I let my hair down and drove to Portsmouth, NH. Aaaand then feet happened. Sigh. No toes in my hair please. Just no.
