The truth is starlight
Pure, focused
traveling at the ultimate, constant speed
unchanged through Time unimaginable
And yet
when we perceive the truth
the gravitational pull
of the mass of our desire
packed into the world we build
around ourselves
bends the truth
to the curvature of our self-deception
Thursday, tonight, there is a John Lennon Tribute Show at Kobo and a facebook rumor that Andrew Graham will participate. The Summit has Titus Andronicus and The Compressions. The Kyle Sowashes and Rosehips are at Treehouse and Wonder Twin Powers and the George Barrie Trio are at Woodland's Tavern.
Friday,The Muzzleloaders are at Ravari, Megan Palmer has a CD release during the happy hour at Rumba followed, naturally, by The Spikedrivers. Dr. Kenny Delicious, Descendre and G Finesse are at Woodland's.
Saturday, The Town Monster, The Loyal Divide, The Phantods and George Elliot Underground are at the Basement. The Shrunken Head has Vegas 66, Skully's has Jared Mahone and The Wet Darlings. Ghost Shirt is at Treehouse.
Sunday, Woody Pines does an early show at Rumba followed by Hoodoo.
Star Light, Star bright
The first star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight
mark
August 26, 2010
August 19, 2010
What's Up This Weekend?
I’m a firm believer in taking personal responsibility for celebrating the day of one’s birth. I got the momentum started by choosing the Banana Bean for the traditional Sunday family birthday brunch and having fried oysters and soft-shell crab. My pregnant baker brought a butter cream coconut cake inspired by my request for Hostess sperm cupcakes. Afterwards, I took advantage of my Mother’s odd refusal to join the family women for a “Wicked “ matinee. This fortuitous opportunity was a gift of healing redemption for someone who had been kicking himself over losing his opening night tickets.
Since August 16th fell on a Monday this year, I had scheduled the day off but another last minute twist of fate landed me on stage in a Judge’s chamber for a short, early morning matinee where domestic disaster dramatically hung in the balance. I had compared my task of changing the Judge’s mind to quickly changing the course of an aircraft carrier but, like an unexpected gust of wind, the facts of the case turned the sails of Justice toward victory. Blind luck had allowed me to smash a scary pinata for my client and I could feel the endorphins raining down inside. Triumphant, I shed my pinstriped armor to revel in the frenzy of shopping for a picnic at the pond.
At the deli, my picnic partner-with-child and I ordered a few slivers each of five exotic salamis, the ones to which I usually pay a wistful glancing homage, right before ordering the ham or turkey that’s on sale. Like a kid allowed to go shopping for his presents in a toy store, I loaded up with a fresh baked batard, triple cream brie, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, black Mediterranean olives and an orange fleshed honey dew. Finally, I allowed myself to be seduced by the gooey strawberry, whipped cream and yellow cake strumpet that I would normally pass by with Puritanical restraint.
Down on the farm, the pond was a glittering private oasis surrounded by impenetrable bands of leafy green in brilliant sunlight and black shade, guarded by stiff, silent regiments of soft, brown-helmeted cattails. We floated between the cool wet surface and the solar-energized air saturated with a micro-toned chord of chirping crickets that slowly rose and fell, bubbled and burst, shifting back and forth across the water, punctuated by the birds’ short horn lines. This classic, sunny August day in Ohio was worthy of being called a gift from God. Time stood still as I eschewed the remainder of my clothing, walked down to the end of the splintery wooden dock and paused in quiet contemplative preparation for a dive into the refreshing layers of descending liquid temperatures.
All semblance of propriety and civilized demeanor were surrendered during our naked lunch on the blanket in the grass as I tore into the mountainous open-faced sandwich that exploded like a volcano spewing delicate, smokey spiced greases, slightly pungent, melting buttery brie, salty olive oil and the watery blood of a freshly picked tomato all over my face and body. On this fifty-eighth anniversary of my birth, in the presence of the sun-kissed freckled pink tumescence of my unborn son, I dove into the amniotic fluid of basic pleasures and reemerged from the womb of innocence.
Thursday, tonight, The Floorwalkers do the happy hour at Rumba followed by JPS Brown and an incredibly good band from Cincy, The Sundresses.
Friday, The Columbus Discount Records Anniversary party is at Bourbon Street with Guinea Worms, Sandwitch and many more. Dick's has The Randys and Kobo has Moon High, Mt. Carmel and The Phantods.
Saturday, The CDR party continues at Carabar with Times New Viking, Mike Rep & the Quotas, Black Swans and more. Wonder Power Twins and G. Finesse & the NS are at Scarlet & Grey. The Athens Community Music Festival will feature over thirty-five local acts at seven uptown venues. All proceeds go to grant opportunities for local musicians and music education. Admission is $10 for an all-venue wristband or $5 per location. Visit myspace.com/athensmusicfest for a complete schedule. Hint: Stella and The Lennon Orchestra are at Jackie O's.
Sunday, Flypaper ends the Goodale Park Summer Music Series at the Gazebo.
We've got to get ourselves back to the Garden. mark
Since August 16th fell on a Monday this year, I had scheduled the day off but another last minute twist of fate landed me on stage in a Judge’s chamber for a short, early morning matinee where domestic disaster dramatically hung in the balance. I had compared my task of changing the Judge’s mind to quickly changing the course of an aircraft carrier but, like an unexpected gust of wind, the facts of the case turned the sails of Justice toward victory. Blind luck had allowed me to smash a scary pinata for my client and I could feel the endorphins raining down inside. Triumphant, I shed my pinstriped armor to revel in the frenzy of shopping for a picnic at the pond.
At the deli, my picnic partner-with-child and I ordered a few slivers each of five exotic salamis, the ones to which I usually pay a wistful glancing homage, right before ordering the ham or turkey that’s on sale. Like a kid allowed to go shopping for his presents in a toy store, I loaded up with a fresh baked batard, triple cream brie, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, black Mediterranean olives and an orange fleshed honey dew. Finally, I allowed myself to be seduced by the gooey strawberry, whipped cream and yellow cake strumpet that I would normally pass by with Puritanical restraint.
Down on the farm, the pond was a glittering private oasis surrounded by impenetrable bands of leafy green in brilliant sunlight and black shade, guarded by stiff, silent regiments of soft, brown-helmeted cattails. We floated between the cool wet surface and the solar-energized air saturated with a micro-toned chord of chirping crickets that slowly rose and fell, bubbled and burst, shifting back and forth across the water, punctuated by the birds’ short horn lines. This classic, sunny August day in Ohio was worthy of being called a gift from God. Time stood still as I eschewed the remainder of my clothing, walked down to the end of the splintery wooden dock and paused in quiet contemplative preparation for a dive into the refreshing layers of descending liquid temperatures.
All semblance of propriety and civilized demeanor were surrendered during our naked lunch on the blanket in the grass as I tore into the mountainous open-faced sandwich that exploded like a volcano spewing delicate, smokey spiced greases, slightly pungent, melting buttery brie, salty olive oil and the watery blood of a freshly picked tomato all over my face and body. On this fifty-eighth anniversary of my birth, in the presence of the sun-kissed freckled pink tumescence of my unborn son, I dove into the amniotic fluid of basic pleasures and reemerged from the womb of innocence.
Thursday, tonight, The Floorwalkers do the happy hour at Rumba followed by JPS Brown and an incredibly good band from Cincy, The Sundresses.
Friday, The Columbus Discount Records Anniversary party is at Bourbon Street with Guinea Worms, Sandwitch and many more. Dick's has The Randys and Kobo has Moon High, Mt. Carmel and The Phantods.
Saturday, The CDR party continues at Carabar with Times New Viking, Mike Rep & the Quotas, Black Swans and more. Wonder Power Twins and G. Finesse & the NS are at Scarlet & Grey. The Athens Community Music Festival will feature over thirty-five local acts at seven uptown venues. All proceeds go to grant opportunities for local musicians and music education. Admission is $10 for an all-venue wristband or $5 per location. Visit myspace.com/athensmusicfest for a complete schedule. Hint: Stella and The Lennon Orchestra are at Jackie O's.
Sunday, Flypaper ends the Goodale Park Summer Music Series at the Gazebo.
We've got to get ourselves back to the Garden. mark
August 12, 2010
What's Up This Weekend?
I went to my 40 year class reunion last Saturday night. I skipped the formal dinner the night before because I still suffered from a significant aversion to, or fear of, my past life in Whitehall. The only loyalty I ever showed my hometown was to its music scene including the school orchestra where I played the french horn. Otherwise, I had no feeling for my school or neighborhood, just my friends and our insular little substance-abusing, rock and roll-exploring world which I didn't leave until ten years after graduating from high school. So when the first class reunion rolled around, I got together with a fellow female classmate and staged a counter-reunion with a half gallon of cheap red wine in the party house parking lot under the raised hatchback of a white AMC Gremlin. Maybe, subconsciously, I wanted to be there but I couldn't allow myself in. I skipped the next reunions completely and then the 30th rolled around. I guess I was finally of the age to have enough self-confidence to be myself in any group, even the ghosts of my past where we all knew who we used to be in our former lives. I had an absolute ball. The dancing was frenetic, sweaty and constant. This was a fun bunch after all. Sure, I stuck out like a big epileptic, red-shirted thumb with flailing strands of not-yet white hair but I felt accepted and I accepted them. I even made some new friends including the girl who use to live on the other side of the world at the end of my street. Ten years later, I still couldn't bring myself to join everyone at the Friday dinner but the Saturday night party was another blast. I'll always remember a circle of us with arms around each other swaying and singing together with gusto to the band's excellent version of " A Whiter Shade of Pale". I regretted not taking advantage of that rare moment in the passage of my life to be with them Friday night too. I'd forgotten I had nothing to fear. Maybe next time.
Thursday, tonight, Pecha Kucha is Under the Stars at Junctionview Studios in Grandview, 889 Williams Ave. Super Collider Theater will present skits in between the power point presenters and Shin Tower Music will perform. Jeni's and Pattycake will serve refreshments. I went to the last one and it was really entertaining. BYOB and chair. 8 PM.
Friday, The Treehouse has Righteous Buck & the Skull Scorchers and Whiskey Daredevils. Matt Monta & the Hot Coal Band and Eric Nassau are at Woodland's. The Summit has Wonder Twin Powers but beware of Marvin the Robot. I will being doing the annual stroll down Elvis' Memory Lane at Skully's with The Randy's and The Sons of Gladys.
Saturday, The Flashing Clock is at Ruby's and The Wet Darlings are at Rumba. Roadtrip?
Sunday, Dick's has Bop du Fway and Kobo has Six Gallery.
Monday is the day of my birth and I hope to be picnicking at the pond. Later at 10 PM, my good friend and best pet cop this town ever had, Jenn Kulina, will be starring in a documentary on Animal Planet entitled "Gang Dogs".
You ain't nuthin' but a hound dog. mark
Thursday, tonight, Pecha Kucha is Under the Stars at Junctionview Studios in Grandview, 889 Williams Ave. Super Collider Theater will present skits in between the power point presenters and Shin Tower Music will perform. Jeni's and Pattycake will serve refreshments. I went to the last one and it was really entertaining. BYOB and chair. 8 PM.
Friday, The Treehouse has Righteous Buck & the Skull Scorchers and Whiskey Daredevils. Matt Monta & the Hot Coal Band and Eric Nassau are at Woodland's. The Summit has Wonder Twin Powers but beware of Marvin the Robot. I will being doing the annual stroll down Elvis' Memory Lane at Skully's with The Randy's and The Sons of Gladys.
Saturday, The Flashing Clock is at Ruby's and The Wet Darlings are at Rumba. Roadtrip?
Sunday, Dick's has Bop du Fway and Kobo has Six Gallery.
Monday is the day of my birth and I hope to be picnicking at the pond. Later at 10 PM, my good friend and best pet cop this town ever had, Jenn Kulina, will be starring in a documentary on Animal Planet entitled "Gang Dogs".
You ain't nuthin' but a hound dog. mark
August 5, 2010
What's Up This Weekend?
I went to The Ohio State Fair yesterday. As a life-long resident of Columbus, I've been to the Fair many times over the past half-century. The oldest memories I have center around musical experiences. Back in the 60's, my rock and roll band, The Side Effect, played on the grassy island where the giant red cardinal sculpture used to perch. I also remember seeing James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone in the outdoor arena. I used to take my son, Ruyd, there who always forced me to ride the rides like The Zipper even though I inevitably got sick and we always tried to catch the the explosively-loud tractor-pulls. After those days of taking the kid there, I rarely went back because...well, let's face it, the Fair is kind of tacky. But that ignores all the things I do enjoy at the Fair. The art show at the Janis building is always good. One of my favorite things to see is the baked goods competition at the Arts & Crafts building. I just love looking at all those cookies, pies brownies and cakes. I enjoy visiting all the farm animals which are just as exotic as any at the zoo to a city kid like me. Of course, the people watching is always amusing. The one thing that drives me crazy every time is figuring out what to eat. I have to walk up and down the fairway and look at everything and then I still can't decide. One of these days I'm going to learn not to get the french fries. They are good on the top but when you get closer to the middle they are a disgusting greasy mess. Corn dogs, roasted ears of corn and funnel cakes are usually safe bets. The chocolate covered wedge of cheesecake on a stick was geometrically tempting. DEVO was the reason that I and a lot of people I knew showed up there last night. It was reassuring to see these plump old guys pumping out that classic music like a well-oiled rock and roll machine. In between sets, they showed a spacey video that talked about how earth was a hundred trillionth of a grain of sand in the Milky Way and our life here is just an immeasurable fraction of time on our speck of the universe. The long voyage through space ended with them thanking us for spending a brief moment of that time with DEVO. I felt it was a good use my precious wisp of time and space in the vastness of the Universe to be enjoying something as absurd as DEVO at the Ohio State Fair.
Thursday, tonight, Flugge, DiCenzo & Castoe are at Dick's, my favorite gypsy punks, Gogol Bordello, are at The LC. Spikedrivers do the happy hour at Rumba and Cowboy Hillbilly Hippie Folk do the happy hour at Woodland's followed by Pleased to Meet You, Funky Roots and New Water Moonshine.
Friday, The Dublin Irish Festival begins. I should go there some year. Carabar celebrates its 5th anniversary with This Moment In Black History, Blueprint and Shin Tower Music, Circus has Two Cow Garage and The Lost Revival, Kobo has Old Worlds and Jon Burgess, Superdesserts do the happy hour at Rumba followed by Ghost Shirt and Trains Across the Sea, Miller Kelton and Billy Zenn do the happy hour at The Shrunken Head. Skully's Treehouse and The Summit are all doing Andyman benefits with tons of great music.
Saturday, Carabar has The Kyle Sowashes, Your So Bossy and The Compressions, Dick's has Derek DiCenzo, Ruby's has Matt Monta & the Hot Coal Band, Candye Kayne and The Mendelsonics are at Rumba, Soul Satyr is at Woodland's. Kobo and Treehouse have more Andyman benefits with similarly stellar line ups.
Sunday, The Spikedrivers do the Goodale Park Music Series at noon.
Use your Freedom of Choice. mark
Thursday, tonight, Flugge, DiCenzo & Castoe are at Dick's, my favorite gypsy punks, Gogol Bordello, are at The LC. Spikedrivers do the happy hour at Rumba and Cowboy Hillbilly Hippie Folk do the happy hour at Woodland's followed by Pleased to Meet You, Funky Roots and New Water Moonshine.
Friday, The Dublin Irish Festival begins. I should go there some year. Carabar celebrates its 5th anniversary with This Moment In Black History, Blueprint and Shin Tower Music, Circus has Two Cow Garage and The Lost Revival, Kobo has Old Worlds and Jon Burgess, Superdesserts do the happy hour at Rumba followed by Ghost Shirt and Trains Across the Sea, Miller Kelton and Billy Zenn do the happy hour at The Shrunken Head. Skully's Treehouse and The Summit are all doing Andyman benefits with tons of great music.
Saturday, Carabar has The Kyle Sowashes, Your So Bossy and The Compressions, Dick's has Derek DiCenzo, Ruby's has Matt Monta & the Hot Coal Band, Candye Kayne and The Mendelsonics are at Rumba, Soul Satyr is at Woodland's. Kobo and Treehouse have more Andyman benefits with similarly stellar line ups.
Sunday, The Spikedrivers do the Goodale Park Music Series at noon.
Use your Freedom of Choice. mark
July 29, 2010
What's Up This Weekend?
I've been through a couple unusual experiences the past 24 hours. I just spent the entire day trying a case to a Judge which I rarely ever get to do. And last night, I was one of the Judges. I was asked to join a sound engineer and a record company veteran on a panel to critique the performances of a dozen singer-songwriters in an American Idol-style competition at The Woodlands Tavern. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but it turned out to be fun and my beers were free! The other two Judges were much more qualified than I was to give these performers some worthwhile advice so I tried to be as witty as possible while saying something that sounded like I had been listening. I thought one contestant was really good and most of the rest had some redeeming qualities. The difficult part was confronting the inevitable one guy who was just awful. His bright, shining face just beamed behind a big set of perfect white teeth. He gave a passionate performance of two songs that sounded like he had been listening to too much Dave Matthews with unimaginative chord changes, unsophisticated lyrics and uninspiring melodies for which he rarely sang a note on pitch. I felt like I was hurting a cute little puppy when I told him he needed to work on his intonation but he let me off the hook when he admitted he couldn't sing. He wasn't the best but he was the bravest.
Thursday, tonight, Jim Maneri & Friends are at The Gateway Purple Box. Andrew Graham & the Swarming Branch are one of the most exciting new bands in town and they are at Rumba with Vug Arakas & the Stallions.
Friday Love Culture, Wet Darlings and The Spruce Campbells are at Circus. Wonder Twin Powers come out of hiding for a show at Fats Billiards of all places. Rumba has The Kyle Sowashes and Ghost Shirt and Vegas 66 is at The Shrunken Head. Trains Across the Sea and Couch Forts are at Treehouse and Donna Mogavero is at Woodlands Tavern.
Saturday, I would personally appreciate it if you would stop on down to Rumba after 8 PM to support a benefit for Colony Cats & Dogs whose primary mission is to spay and neuter our furry little friends. Joyce Rice and myself have organized this event and the following musicians have very graciously offered their services: Anna & the Consequences, Ned Wreckman, Joe Crump, Andrew Graham, The Wahoos, Whoa Nellie, Righteous Buck & the Skull Scorchers, Tin Armor, Earwig and The Bygones. Each band plays a couple songs hopefully with at least one cat-related theme. Earlier at Rumba, the amazing Hamell on Trial does the happy hour. If you come to see Hamell, you can stay and throw a little money in the kitty for us. Derek DiCenzo and Ned Wreckman's alter-ego, Jimmy Casote will be at Dick's, The Bygones will move over to Ruby's and Skully's has The SoHud Supershow with The Floorwalkers, Max Power Trio and Joey Hebdo
Sunday at the Gazebo in Goodale Park members of Yumbambé will perform from 12:30 to 2:00 and Taco Trucks Columbus will host a Street Food community potluck.
Wednesday, I'm pretty excited about seeing DEVO at the Ohio State Fair.
What's new, Pussycat? mark
Thursday, tonight, Jim Maneri & Friends are at The Gateway Purple Box. Andrew Graham & the Swarming Branch are one of the most exciting new bands in town and they are at Rumba with Vug Arakas & the Stallions.
Friday Love Culture, Wet Darlings and The Spruce Campbells are at Circus. Wonder Twin Powers come out of hiding for a show at Fats Billiards of all places. Rumba has The Kyle Sowashes and Ghost Shirt and Vegas 66 is at The Shrunken Head. Trains Across the Sea and Couch Forts are at Treehouse and Donna Mogavero is at Woodlands Tavern.
Saturday, I would personally appreciate it if you would stop on down to Rumba after 8 PM to support a benefit for Colony Cats & Dogs whose primary mission is to spay and neuter our furry little friends. Joyce Rice and myself have organized this event and the following musicians have very graciously offered their services: Anna & the Consequences, Ned Wreckman, Joe Crump, Andrew Graham, The Wahoos, Whoa Nellie, Righteous Buck & the Skull Scorchers, Tin Armor, Earwig and The Bygones. Each band plays a couple songs hopefully with at least one cat-related theme. Earlier at Rumba, the amazing Hamell on Trial does the happy hour. If you come to see Hamell, you can stay and throw a little money in the kitty for us. Derek DiCenzo and Ned Wreckman's alter-ego, Jimmy Casote will be at Dick's, The Bygones will move over to Ruby's and Skully's has The SoHud Supershow with The Floorwalkers, Max Power Trio and Joey Hebdo
Sunday at the Gazebo in Goodale Park members of Yumbambé will perform from 12:30 to 2:00 and Taco Trucks Columbus will host a Street Food community potluck.
Wednesday, I'm pretty excited about seeing DEVO at the Ohio State Fair.
What's new, Pussycat? mark
July 22, 2010
What's Up This Weekend?
I was left to divine the message in a tale of two men who died this week and whose lives, like mine, were shaped by rock and roll.
I didn't know "Andyman" Davis that well. Since 2005 my office was on top of his and we often met in the parking lot. He was a passionate supporter of local music and so of course he loved Comfest which is what we usually talked about. I always got treated with his trademark warm hospitality at his Treehouse. The smile on that big bear of a man is one I will always remember. The rest is public knowledge. He was a legend in this town for his work establishing a successful independent alternative-rock radio station, the only one of its kind I believe, and the marathon Christmas shows for children's charities. He earned the happiness and satisfaction that comes from working at what he loved to do and building a loving family.
David Getreu was my best friend from high school through my twenties. He was a musical genius who taught himself to play the Hammond B3 organ as well as anybody in the world. He hard-wired my brain to appreciate good music and initiated me into the rock and roll lifestyle. Nobody had more of an influence on the person I became, for better or for worse, than he did. I helped lug his B3 and 2 Leslie cabinets around when he played with the Dave Workman Blues Band. He wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics for six songs on an album that was released by Columbia Records in 1978, the highlight of my creative life. I'm not sure why he was so unhappy and had to anesthetize his pain with drugs. After many years of trying to get him to write songs with me again, I left him behind. He was in a methadone program for more than 20 years. The last time I saw him, he was practically unrecognizable, wearing an orange jumpsuit in court. He died without family or friends.
Andy Davis led a life to be celebrated and his untimely death is a tragedy. David Getreu wasted a life that was full of promise and his death brings a tortured existence to a peaceful end. Tonight, I will be at the LC gathering for Andyman which will be filled with just some of the many people who loved and admired him. Alone, in my heart, I will mourn for an old friend whose flickering flame, once so strong and bright, has finally been extinguished.
Thursday, tonight, the "Andyman" Davis remembrance at the LC. Doors open at 6 PM. Later, the Circus has Righteous Buck & the Skull Scorchers and Joe Ong is at Dick's.
Friday, Circus of Cool is at Dick's, The Shrunken Head has Joshua James & Erika Carey, The Muzzleloaders are at Ravari and You're So Bossy is at The Summit.
Saturday, Jen Miller is at Dick's, Ruby's has Fort Shame, Rosehips and Curtis Cole, Rumba has The Wet Darlings and Bourbon Street has Mike Rep, Ron House, Cheater Slicks and Guinea Worms.
Monday, the Burlesque-A-Pades show at Skully's might be fun with the Potaini Sisters, Viva Valezz and Lady Monster.
Children are playin' on their way home from school
Keep the blankets on the windows, that's my only rule.
From the song "Congratulations". Music by D. Getreu. Lyrics by mark
I didn't know "Andyman" Davis that well. Since 2005 my office was on top of his and we often met in the parking lot. He was a passionate supporter of local music and so of course he loved Comfest which is what we usually talked about. I always got treated with his trademark warm hospitality at his Treehouse. The smile on that big bear of a man is one I will always remember. The rest is public knowledge. He was a legend in this town for his work establishing a successful independent alternative-rock radio station, the only one of its kind I believe, and the marathon Christmas shows for children's charities. He earned the happiness and satisfaction that comes from working at what he loved to do and building a loving family.
David Getreu was my best friend from high school through my twenties. He was a musical genius who taught himself to play the Hammond B3 organ as well as anybody in the world. He hard-wired my brain to appreciate good music and initiated me into the rock and roll lifestyle. Nobody had more of an influence on the person I became, for better or for worse, than he did. I helped lug his B3 and 2 Leslie cabinets around when he played with the Dave Workman Blues Band. He wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics for six songs on an album that was released by Columbia Records in 1978, the highlight of my creative life. I'm not sure why he was so unhappy and had to anesthetize his pain with drugs. After many years of trying to get him to write songs with me again, I left him behind. He was in a methadone program for more than 20 years. The last time I saw him, he was practically unrecognizable, wearing an orange jumpsuit in court. He died without family or friends.
Andy Davis led a life to be celebrated and his untimely death is a tragedy. David Getreu wasted a life that was full of promise and his death brings a tortured existence to a peaceful end. Tonight, I will be at the LC gathering for Andyman which will be filled with just some of the many people who loved and admired him. Alone, in my heart, I will mourn for an old friend whose flickering flame, once so strong and bright, has finally been extinguished.
Thursday, tonight, the "Andyman" Davis remembrance at the LC. Doors open at 6 PM. Later, the Circus has Righteous Buck & the Skull Scorchers and Joe Ong is at Dick's.
Friday, Circus of Cool is at Dick's, The Shrunken Head has Joshua James & Erika Carey, The Muzzleloaders are at Ravari and You're So Bossy is at The Summit.
Saturday, Jen Miller is at Dick's, Ruby's has Fort Shame, Rosehips and Curtis Cole, Rumba has The Wet Darlings and Bourbon Street has Mike Rep, Ron House, Cheater Slicks and Guinea Worms.
Monday, the Burlesque-A-Pades show at Skully's might be fun with the Potaini Sisters, Viva Valezz and Lady Monster.
Children are playin' on their way home from school
Keep the blankets on the windows, that's my only rule.
From the song "Congratulations". Music by D. Getreu. Lyrics by mark
July 15, 2010
What's Up This Weekend?
Here is an excerpt from my Comfest article that will be published at cringe.com:
It was still light out but Saturday night was over at the Main/Bozo Stage. That felt really strange. I headed over to the Gazebo for the Thatcher Ely memorial service. I knew Thatcher as the Iron Man at the Gazebo Stage. Like a mother hen, he always took care of the Entertainment Committee’s tee shirts and doled them out to the stage heads. After taking over Scottie McBeans, he became Mr. Coffee Roaster and he always smelled of the various coffee flavors. I particularly remember the hazelnut odor that would emanate from him. He was a hard worker and generous with whatever he had to share. Yeah, he was a character who would drive me crazy at times but you knew he was a guy who would always have your back and that’s important when you’re on the Comfest team.
The service behind the Gazebo at the glittering pond’s edge was very beautiful. Two of the most popular performers he took care of at the Gazebo, Megan Palmer and Donna Mogavero, played guitar and sang. And then, as Candy started to speak, a huge bolt of lightning crashed from the sky. A storm was on its way as ghostly breezes swept around us. The speakers bravely continued and, just as Thatcher’s ashes were being spread on the lawn, the raindrops began to fall. I left and made my way over to the Clean Up and Recycling Headquarters to begin my volunteer shift.
Doing the Saturday night Clean Up shift had been my way of trying live up to my personal Comfest mottoes, “Don’t ask anyone to do anything you’re not willing to do.” and its variant, “If you want something done, do it yourself.” I had done just about every other type of job at Comfest but I had fastidiously avoided Clean Up. And Lord knows, I didn’t want to work on a Comfest Saturday night. In the old days, that was the big party night where a hundred or more people would gather at the Maneri/Dougan/Scheiber house on Norwich and, among other things, drink kegs of beer and get crazy. But as the wild parties faded out and my Comfest fervor evolved to new heights two years ago, I jumped in and discovered the joy of walking behind a garbage truck at 2 AM alongside a grimly determined army of 20 or so strangers slinging plastic bags of leaking, disgusting trash into the compactor that would occasionally cause the bags to explode and spew garbage juice all over you. As far as Comfest experiences go, it’s hard to beat the feeling of camaraderie I feel with these anonymous volunteers who come from many different backgrounds in every size, age, sex and color.
This year, my favorite Comfest moment was working at headquarters and watching all the people coming up and volunteering to help clean up the park as the lightning cracked and the rain poured down in the darkness of night. That is what Comfest is all about. Fortunately, there are still some small Saturday night parties that go real late and at the end of my shift I was able to drag my aching body over to a friend’s house in the Short North and dump it in a hot tub occupied by three beautiful women. Ah, the Agony and the Ecstasy of Comfest.
Thursday, tonight, Derek DiCenzo does his annual Bastille Day celebration of all things that sound French at Dick's. C'est tres manifique!
Friday, Trains Across the Sea do the happy hour at The Shrunken Head and The Mendelsonics do the happy hour at Rumba. Later, Skully's hosts The Main Street Gospel's CD release with Mount Carmel.
Saturday, Madlab holds the Volatility Festival at its new location, 227 N. Third St., from 3 to 11:30 with, among others, Woosley, Ghost Shirt, The Bush League All-Stars, Bookmobile and Earwig. Jim Maneri and Joe Blow are Dick's, Kobo has Town Monster and Vug Arakas & the Stallions, The Alwood Sisters and Moon High are at Rumba, Miller Kelton is at The Shrunken Head and the Surf Ohio Beach Party hangs ten at Woodlands Tavern with Miss Molly, Jim Volk, Apocalypso and more. I may head down to Athens for Brewfest and The Lennon Orchestra at Jackie O's.
Sunday, The Goodale Park Sunday music series at the Gazebo features The Mooncussers.
Aux armes, citoyens. Formez vos batailions. Marchons, marchons! mark
It was still light out but Saturday night was over at the Main/Bozo Stage. That felt really strange. I headed over to the Gazebo for the Thatcher Ely memorial service. I knew Thatcher as the Iron Man at the Gazebo Stage. Like a mother hen, he always took care of the Entertainment Committee’s tee shirts and doled them out to the stage heads. After taking over Scottie McBeans, he became Mr. Coffee Roaster and he always smelled of the various coffee flavors. I particularly remember the hazelnut odor that would emanate from him. He was a hard worker and generous with whatever he had to share. Yeah, he was a character who would drive me crazy at times but you knew he was a guy who would always have your back and that’s important when you’re on the Comfest team.
The service behind the Gazebo at the glittering pond’s edge was very beautiful. Two of the most popular performers he took care of at the Gazebo, Megan Palmer and Donna Mogavero, played guitar and sang. And then, as Candy started to speak, a huge bolt of lightning crashed from the sky. A storm was on its way as ghostly breezes swept around us. The speakers bravely continued and, just as Thatcher’s ashes were being spread on the lawn, the raindrops began to fall. I left and made my way over to the Clean Up and Recycling Headquarters to begin my volunteer shift.
Doing the Saturday night Clean Up shift had been my way of trying live up to my personal Comfest mottoes, “Don’t ask anyone to do anything you’re not willing to do.” and its variant, “If you want something done, do it yourself.” I had done just about every other type of job at Comfest but I had fastidiously avoided Clean Up. And Lord knows, I didn’t want to work on a Comfest Saturday night. In the old days, that was the big party night where a hundred or more people would gather at the Maneri/Dougan/Scheiber house on Norwich and, among other things, drink kegs of beer and get crazy. But as the wild parties faded out and my Comfest fervor evolved to new heights two years ago, I jumped in and discovered the joy of walking behind a garbage truck at 2 AM alongside a grimly determined army of 20 or so strangers slinging plastic bags of leaking, disgusting trash into the compactor that would occasionally cause the bags to explode and spew garbage juice all over you. As far as Comfest experiences go, it’s hard to beat the feeling of camaraderie I feel with these anonymous volunteers who come from many different backgrounds in every size, age, sex and color.
This year, my favorite Comfest moment was working at headquarters and watching all the people coming up and volunteering to help clean up the park as the lightning cracked and the rain poured down in the darkness of night. That is what Comfest is all about. Fortunately, there are still some small Saturday night parties that go real late and at the end of my shift I was able to drag my aching body over to a friend’s house in the Short North and dump it in a hot tub occupied by three beautiful women. Ah, the Agony and the Ecstasy of Comfest.
Thursday, tonight, Derek DiCenzo does his annual Bastille Day celebration of all things that sound French at Dick's. C'est tres manifique!
Friday, Trains Across the Sea do the happy hour at The Shrunken Head and The Mendelsonics do the happy hour at Rumba. Later, Skully's hosts The Main Street Gospel's CD release with Mount Carmel.
Saturday, Madlab holds the Volatility Festival at its new location, 227 N. Third St., from 3 to 11:30 with, among others, Woosley, Ghost Shirt, The Bush League All-Stars, Bookmobile and Earwig. Jim Maneri and Joe Blow are Dick's, Kobo has Town Monster and Vug Arakas & the Stallions, The Alwood Sisters and Moon High are at Rumba, Miller Kelton is at The Shrunken Head and the Surf Ohio Beach Party hangs ten at Woodlands Tavern with Miss Molly, Jim Volk, Apocalypso and more. I may head down to Athens for Brewfest and The Lennon Orchestra at Jackie O's.
Sunday, The Goodale Park Sunday music series at the Gazebo features The Mooncussers.
Aux armes, citoyens. Formez vos batailions. Marchons, marchons! mark
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