7 or 8 more flames to fan.
October 1,09 Looking at backyard gate
Originally uploaded by Ghostly Penguin Display. First the newsly items:
1. The 2009 almanac has been updated for October.
2. Ultraviolet Garden is now available as a legal download:
3. There's an interview with the Corner Laughers at Voice Of Energy. There are a few slight errors and misquotes but overall it's very flattering.
4. I have several upcoming events in October: on the 15th I'm playing piano with John Wesley Harding at the Rickshaw in SF. On October 24th, I make my big screen debut in Why Isn't Chris von Sneidern Famous?, which is showing for one night only at the Landmark Clay Theater as part of the Cinema By The Bay film festival. The Corner Laughers will be playing a special Halloween / record release show on October 31st at The Make Out Room. There will be costumes and candy and contests. We hope to see you there.
Now the complaints: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is the worst thing in the world. Every year I proclaim that I will never go back again and every year they tempt me with free shows by my favorite artists. This year it was Robyn Hitchcock, Billy Bragg & Aimee Mann. As is usually the case there were about 8 million people there and there was really no way to see or hear any of the shows. It was cold and dusty, parking took about an hour and we missed the entire Robyn Hitchcock set. At the Aimee Mann portion, the people in front of us stood the whole time, blocking everyone's view even though there was no need to. It reminded me of the old "parable of the commons" or whatever - 1000 people go to a concert, at first they're all sitting down and everyone can see just fine. Then one person decides that if he stands up he'll be able to see better than everyone else. This in turn causes the people behind him to have to stand up, then pretty soon everyone is standing and no one can see any better than they could in the first place but they're all a lot more uncomfortable. The only positive note was that Karla bravely went up to Robyn Hitchcock (who was riding in a golf cart) and gave him a copy of our album. He's kind of connected to us through the Popover label, but I don't know if he understands or remembers that. Anyway, I swear to you that I am not going back ever again.