Amici:
Compassionate Release … I’d release him too (with one provision); it be done over Libya from 40,000 feet with an anvil strapped to his back.
Hey, Scotland … WTF?
The Bands … Doobies, Allmans, $9.00 beers and DW’s for everybody:
Doobie Brothers … in a word, "eh" … they certainly gave their all and it was pretty cool to see one of their two drummers weighed in close to Knucks (give or take 50 pounds), but they’re still the Doobie Brothers (their brand of Rock-N-Roll just doesn’t do it for the ugly one). That said, the Principessa Ann Marie very much enjoyed them (and preferred singing along to the Doobie’s rather than listening to very long blues jams by the Allman Brothers). I give the Doobinators props for putting on a show … but I was very anxious for their stuff to end so I could finally hear the Allman Brothers live.
The Allman Brothers … GREAT (in a word) … the guitarists (Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks) are incredible and the other Trucks (uncle Butch) behind the drum kit was relentless. Greg Allman and his band remain a phenom 40 years down the road. I didn’t mind the price of the tickets afterward but it would’ve been even better had the played Whipping Post. Stormy Monday more than satisfied, however … just GREAT. Go and see them before it’s too late (this is their 40th anniversary).
$9.00 Beer … No, it isn’t a typo. That’s what they charge at PNC … $14.00 for a 24 ounce (or maybe it’s 26) … water is $4.00 (as was lemon ice) … absolutely criminal.
DW Drum Festival … is what it was … both drummers for both bands were playing DW’s and the big fella playing for the Doobie Brothers (Ed Toth) was using my Ruby Glass finish …
Big Nate … Yous remember me mentioning a former football player from Canarsie who wound up playing for Virginia Tech (big time), right? Well, here are some pics of big Nate Parker (a lawman in Raleigh-Durham) and his bella girlfriend and her bella girls. Nate, Sarah and Zuri joined us down at the Cape Fear Blues Festival last month.
Compassionate Release … I’d release him too (with one provision); it be done over Libya from 40,000 feet with an anvil strapped to his back.
Hey, Scotland … WTF?
The Bands … Doobies, Allmans, $9.00 beers and DW’s for everybody:
Doobie Brothers … in a word, "eh" … they certainly gave their all and it was pretty cool to see one of their two drummers weighed in close to Knucks (give or take 50 pounds), but they’re still the Doobie Brothers (their brand of Rock-N-Roll just doesn’t do it for the ugly one). That said, the Principessa Ann Marie very much enjoyed them (and preferred singing along to the Doobie’s rather than listening to very long blues jams by the Allman Brothers). I give the Doobinators props for putting on a show … but I was very anxious for their stuff to end so I could finally hear the Allman Brothers live.
The Allman Brothers … GREAT (in a word) … the guitarists (Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks) are incredible and the other Trucks (uncle Butch) behind the drum kit was relentless. Greg Allman and his band remain a phenom 40 years down the road. I didn’t mind the price of the tickets afterward but it would’ve been even better had the played Whipping Post. Stormy Monday more than satisfied, however … just GREAT. Go and see them before it’s too late (this is their 40th anniversary).
$9.00 Beer … No, it isn’t a typo. That’s what they charge at PNC … $14.00 for a 24 ounce (or maybe it’s 26) … water is $4.00 (as was lemon ice) … absolutely criminal.
DW Drum Festival … is what it was … both drummers for both bands were playing DW’s and the big fella playing for the Doobie Brothers (Ed Toth) was using my Ruby Glass finish …
Big Nate … Yous remember me mentioning a former football player from Canarsie who wound up playing for Virginia Tech (big time), right? Well, here are some pics of big Nate Parker (a lawman in Raleigh-Durham) and his bella girlfriend and her bella girls. Nate, Sarah and Zuri joined us down at the Cape Fear Blues Festival last month.
Nate and Sarah looking formal
Sarah's girls: Esther, Jasmine and Zuri (Zuri was in Cape Fear)
This, of course, is Nate in his Sam Jackson pose.
Mini Reviews ...
The Kreutzer Sonata ... a violin/piano piece by Beethoven that Leo Tolstoy turned into a short story and director Bernard Rose turned into a movie. There’s good and bad about this movie but I wound up intrigued by actress Elizabeth Röhm (she was terrific). It’s all about love/hate/infidelity/jealousy, et al … it’s a psychological thriller worth doing the research on (reading the Tolstoy novella). I’m not sure if I’d recommend it (remember, the boss says if you see a movie and want to kill yourself, I’ll probably love it), but I was intrigued enough to watch it a second time. Röhm (a Law & Order regular at one point) was truly magnificent.
An American Affair … I was intrigued with the storyline (one of JFK’s mistresses, the CIA and all the espionage imaginable) are blindsided by a brat who lives across the street. The brat was just too unlikable for me to like the movie and it just wasn’t a very good movie. Mol, who I thought was brilliant playing Betty Paige, was more than fine in this work as well, but unless you’re a Mol fan, pass on this one .
The Florist’s Daughter … Patricia Hampl’s memoir is a reflection of an ordinary life set against her parents; the collective history of each family and all that came after her parents met … except this is in no way an ordinary story. Hempl tells an intriguing story about life in St. Paul, Minnesota; the Irish v. Czech influences on her life and changing times. Very good stuff, amici. Highly recommended.
Rehearsals lead to an open Jam … we’re still not sure what we’re called (our band—pics, video and bios to come shortly), but we’ll be making noise at Casa Stella Sunday afternoon. So far it’s been a kind of Cream/Allman Brothers/George Thorogood mix. We shall see … there’s an open jam we’re considering playing at in New Jersey in a few weeks.
—Knucks
