Kill Your Television (ignore all the plaid shirts)

suggests Happy people spend a lot of time socializing, going to church and reading newspapers — but they don’t spend a lot of time watching television."

Not so bright in this morning light

It was a long evening. Too long in fact - and while I share some of the blame (don't believe everything you read/hear/are told), I continue to wonder why no one can put on a good show anymore. Here a few questions to think about.

1) Why can't a venue ever post the actual time a band will go on? Originally it says 7pm. When I arrive they say 9pm. They actually go on at 11pm.

2) Why can't opening acts not be terrible? I think this is a pretty low bar. Just don't suck. Unlucky for me, the opening acts last night did suck. The first act was monotonous, droney, repetitive and electronic. The fact that they looked like poster children for American Apparel didn't help them either.

The second act, while slightly more creative, with some ability to use a looper, was also too redundant and overly dramatic. Chill out. relax - its music. And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the guy at the bar - the only guy actually talking during the show - wouldn't shut up. His voice was an additional track to an already annoying song.

3) Did you do a sound check before you got on the stage? This seems to be a recurring theme lately. I know the economy's bad but I'm sure there must be someone in your crew or at the venue who can perform a sound check and ensure all the levels are correct. This will benefit everyone.

The back story - why I'm writing and the band in the picture (which is dark and you probably can't make anything out).

Brightblack Morning Light - been a fan for years. Missed them the first time they came through NYC a few years back so I was determined to see them live. Little did I know I would need every ounce of that determination just to make it to their opening song. And needless to say, once they did take the stage things improved.

In fact, Rachel Hughes (keys) was excellent. While the keys are a driving force on the CD, it was even more evident on stage. Additionally, their use of other non-traditional instruments such as a strange flute like thing as well as a xylophone-like thing were also very cool. Lights - very trippy and they even had a smoke machine... A little gimicky and if it wheren't for the crowd - probably would been pretty cool.

Shineywater (guitars/vox) however - back to the mixing point above. He looked like he was having fun and from what I could hear it was probably ok - but that was the problem. "Probably".... Turn it up buddy - it's a concert - people came to hear you!

Anyway - I arrived with high expectations and left defeated and exhausted....

Oh wait - I didn't even get a chance to rant about the crowd.... Needless to say, I needed every drop of determination and perseverance to make it through the night...... Perhaps we can catch them in some Kwanzaa hut up in VT after a day of skiing - with hot cocoa in hand and a smoke in the other - now that sounds superior.

Big hugs go out to my wife for going with me. She showed true grit and didn't complain once. She left that up to me.

-----------FOLLOW UP-----

Interesting Video


EVEN BETTER "Comment" from Brkln Vegan Website:

"I banged that chick in the video. Her name's Mary and she lives in Oakland."

Get your sex bomb on down in the living room

And that living room is Bill's - Bill Saxton the man with the Sax.

I had the pleasure of seeing Bill a few weeks back and what an evening. Great music - great crowd. Awesome. He's even on MySpace and check out the review below...

Enjoy and thanks Mart-nitski for the heads up on this hidden gem.

Frommer's Review

Imagine hearing great live jazz in your living room. That's about as close as what you will experience at the very intimate and special Bill's Place. Bill is Bill Saxton, a jazz saxophonist extraordinaire and a Harlem legend. Saxton was a Friday night regular for many years at St. Nick's Pub and has played at clubs all over Harlem and downtown. In late 2005 he opened his own club in the parlor level of a brownstone on West 133rd Street. In the 1920s, 133rd Street between Lenox and Seventh Avenue, with a number of speakeasies and jazz joints up and down the block, was the original "swing street"; a 17-year-old Billie Holliday was discovered singing in a club on 133rd Street, and the block was the model that West 52nd emulated and tried to imitate in the 1940s and 1950s. So it's appropriate that Saxton's place is on this historic block -- the jazz heard here is also the real deal. There are no frills at Bill's Place: Come into the parlor, find a seat -- there aren't many, so reservations are a must -- and groove to Saxton's pure bop sound. Alcohol is not served, but soft drinks are available and you can bring your own bottle. Open on Friday and Saturday only. On Friday Saxton and his quartet perform while Saturday is reserved for legends and emerging talent.

“Como Se Dice…Como Se llama? (OBAMA, OBAMA)”

It's been 48hrs - OMG this is amazing! Get the lyrics and MP3 here.