Will it rain? Will it NOT rain? Oh the tension. At this point we’re on the road, so it best not! ilyAIMY’s racing to Veterans’ Park in Bethesda, MD to play a show for their Artists’ Market – and this is usually a fun show, if a little over-warm. Today it’s potentially also a little bit over-moist, but as usual, no meteorologist can give us any sort of straight scoop – and though weather prediction has ALWAYS seemed something of a dark art more like rolling bones than science, I feel like this summer specifically has been just absolutely random. Storms that are predicted don’t happen and “derechos” crop up with little to no warning wiping out power to hundreds of thousands of people in the area… sometimes it feels like the end of the world.
Last night we had a fun little Harrison Ford party to celebrate Harrison’s 70th birthday and as a late celebration of Kristen’s much-less-than-thatieth birthday. We had a good gathering with more friends than expected, but fortunately less friends than were invited. Kristen made the finest in spicy meats and many people descended upon the house with beers and bourbons and wines and whatevers. It was a delicious evening and we watched Air Force One, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Blade Runner, Cowboys & Aliens and of course, Empire Strikes Back. Good times were perpetrated, snark was shown and shared, food was consumed, beverages were drunk and the new television was GREATLY appreciated.
And my Alien chopsticks arrived. Man, they’re the Life of EVERY party. You don’t even know!
Well, it didn’t rain. As a matter-of-fact we had about the best weather we could’ve hoped for in mid-July: not crazy hot, overcast enough to make it tolerable outside, breezy with storms that approached but never quite got close enough to make me worry about getting blasted through the microphone – we had a great crowd and a good time, and by the time we got off stage we weren’t TOO exhausted to break everything down and head over to New Deal to do it all again… but you know… once again… with FEELING.
Last night’s show at the New Deal Café was bad ass. Especially the second half – even though at that point my hands were feeling it (I think Hands, ironically, was about the sloppiest I’ve ever played it) just from all the heat and the humidity and having played for about five hours at that point. It was great to share it with Beggar’s Ride, and really wonderful to share the New Deal as a whole with them. They’d never been there (I’ve got to remember that just because it’s been a staple in the local scene for over a decade doesn’t mean EVERYONE’S played there) and it looks like that’s going to be a really dazzling match.
I also think I FINALLY have really gotten the hang of the New Deal’s sound system. It’ll probably change by the time we get back there though. It’s their way.
Below – a bunch of random catch up photos!
Unfortunately, we were out of town for the first two weeks of our CSA, but once we were back in town I remembered how much trouble it was to FIT all the vegetables from our awesome farming collective all up in our fridge. Sigh. My Java Mammas mug has fallen victim to gravity. This made me kind of sad. A friend offered to buy me another one from the new owners, but even though it’d LOOK the same (t’was a mighty handsome mug) I’D know. Oh yes. I’D know. I don’t think I’d posted this before, but I feel it’s worth sharing! It’s the perfect parking spot I acquired in front of Church of Boston when we played there with Pesky J. Nixon! I just wanted it commemorated! On the plane I have time and energy to mix Wytold’s set from my open mic… it sounds pretty amazing! Our last show at the Chantilly Dogfish Head had this exciting addition to our stage show… I know we’re late here, but I just offloaded some photos from my phone. Above, waiting in traffic to get to the airport in Boston sort of sucked ass, but it DOES mean I’ve got about 12 photographs just like this one of the cool bridge from the intro to Boston Legal. (I’m sure it’s important in other ways too). The flight back from Boston got in to Baltimore surprisingly early, which left us waiting at BWI airport just long enough to get bored… In addition to the insanity of the storms whipping through for our pre-98 Rock band practice on June 29th, we also spent the entire evening being glared at by Luna. Otherwise charming, she made it clear what she thought of having band practice at Rowan and Kristi’s.
After our performance at Fairfax Corner, I endeavoured to vanish into the background as our adoring child-fans mobbed Heather… a bunch of these kids were collecting autographs from each of the artists over the course of the season. The Crawdaddies soundchecking at the Fairfax Corner Concert Series in Fairfax, VA. They were a great mix of pop rock and zydeco-bluesishness. I’ve known about them for a long time and was VERY surprised at how young most of the players were (June 28th, 2012).
In Takoma Park there is art happening. I don’t know all the details but all of a sudden all of these art trees simply sprang forth like mushrooms after the rain… this one made me think of B Heather’s doing vocals on David Potts-Dupre’s new CD – and is doing a pretty marvelous job of it too. Above, Heather singing at Asparagus Studios with Steve Steckler in the foreground being spectacularly useful in helping cement her harmonies and to formulate her ideas. David seems pretty happy with what Heather tracked today… VERY happy actually! (what I’ve gotten a chance to hear sounds pretty amazing – I even found myself humming some of the songs the next morning)
