Another rough weather day yesterday! Snow, sleet, freezing rain were on tap for Michigan on last night’s Tuesday Night Music Club open mic at Solid Grounds. Also on tap was a hot bowl of Mike’s Chicken Chili Soup!
Another very nice turnout for the weather! Ira was back. He had not shown up since around March if I remember right. Seven Bridges was there along with Darwin. Tim from the EA posse told me a friend of his was thinking of coming out. Brian Milne showed and played a great three song set. He said he was real nervous, but it didn’t show. Great job Brian! Dar and I noticed when he started playing 13 Days by JJ Cale that the opening chords and strumming are identical to Lennon’s Working Class Hero. </trivia> Kathy, Ann and a few others were there too! Great night.
Brian Keith Howard from Seven Bridges joined me for Drew Nelson’s song WalMart and one of mine, Help Me Be Good. In the “lightning round” Seven Bridges came up with me for John Denver’s Thank God I’m a Country Boy.
Glad to get a little live music in so close to Christmas. Lindsay and Dustin got in a little after I got home last night. Must’ve been a tough drive. The car was completely covered in ice. Today has been sleeting and freezing rain and now rain.
I wonder if there’s any of that soup left…
J
Permalink
Leave a Comment
Tonight – Baseline. And most of the snow has been plowed.
As usual, I spent the third Saturday of the month at Northville’s Art House for the Baseline Folk Society’s Open Mic Show. Missed last month’s when I was up in Harbor Springs at the retreat. Even after playing for a couple hours last night I was ready to go play a few tunes (Drew Nelson’s WalMart, Better Man and Nothin’ All Day) and listen to some great music.
Scott Ludwig did a great job as host. Dude has a very specific sense of humor. But, he IS a banjo player, so that explains a lot. Rise Again was the featured act and did not disappoint. We all went out to Ruby Tuesday’s after the show.
Few of the highlights for me were Dan Yando, Alex and Maggie Zakem, Mike Mullen and Maggie (apparently I needed to be on stage with Maggie too!) as well as Rise Again’s set. Denice was awesome on one of the Christmas songs she was featured on (I don’t remember which, it was just awesome, trust me). Rick Pitts came out from East River to watch. He and I sat together and chatted a bit about playing and writing. Nice guy.
Dinner afterward was the usual combination of good food and really childish behavior (well, not AS childish… Cliff wasn’t there). Memo to self: Never let my girls get into Girl Scouts (long story).
Great night! Time to get ready for the show at Zou Zou’s in Chelsea in a couple weeks.
Oh, and it’s snowing again…
Night,
J
Permalink
Leave a Comment
Another great evening at Solid Grounds coffee house tonight! Tons of performers and lots folks there to listen. Place was rockin’! Seven Bridges, Darwin, Mark, Ann, Greg, Ed and a whole host of usual suspects were there. Met two new ladies named Angel and Nancy. They were too much fun!
I had not played Jesus and John Lennon publicly in a long time so I did it tonight. Unfortunately I also have not played a harmonica while playing in some time and the thing completely got out of place during the song. Got through it though. Should’ve had Jim come up! Doh! Finished up the first round with Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson.
Keith and I did fellow Michigan artist Drew Nelson’s song WalMart v2.0 (with a little Johnny Cash thrown in) for the “lightning round”. Keith will be joining me for the Solid Grounds show on November 22nd! Be sure to come on out!
Harbor Springs, here I come!!!
John
Permalink
Leave a Comment
Drew Nelson and Sam Corbin at the Trinity House
This post has nothing to do with my music, but, at the same time, has everything to do with it. Saw recently that Sam Corbin was playing with Drew Nelson at the Trinity House Theater so I thought of going. I’ll be sharing a stage with Sam at the White Crow in February and really wanted to catch a show of his (and meet him). At the exact same time I was kicking around the idea, Craig Carrick dropped me a line to put a boot in my butt to go. Craig is very persuasive.
Sam and his drummer, Billy Harrington did a great opening set, finishing with my favorite, Kalamazoo. He also did a great rendition of Ray Lamontagne’s Jolene. Immediately after his set, Drew Nelson came up with a banjo and started in with Sam on electric backup.
Drew Nelson is the real deal, my friends. This guy can play, sing, do the banter and flat out “perform”! What a great treat. I always feel like an idiot when I say things like that, because there are probably tons of people who have known this guy for years. Ah, well. Drew finished with a very cool and unique version of Hallelujah. Totally unique.
During the evening, I got to shake hands with a number of folks. Billy Brandt was there. I got to meet Craig Carrick and John Milroy. Not to mention my girls Ann and Kathy from the Tuesday Solid Grounds open mic! And, yes, I got to meet Sam Corbin. We chatted briefly right after the show. Very cool guy. Looking forward to keeping in touch with him.
What a great evening. I cannot believe that was my first time at the Trinity House. Hopefully the first of many, many shows. Maybe even play there someday! One can only hope.
Night,
J
Permalink
Leave a Comment
