tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83165419985307686792023-11-16T12:08:46.037-05:00one cheer<b> a New York journal</b> <p></p>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-19754730585370292172013-03-01T18:43:00.005-05:002013-03-02T23:07:59.436-05:00Lost In Time, Lost In BrooklynNot really a big deal. I always get lost when I go to Brooklyn. This time I had a map (thank you Google maps ) so it only took turning down a few wrong blocks before I was headed in the right direction:<br />
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The MTA Transit Museum.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>If I remember this correctly, this train is from the 40s</b></td></tr>
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You have to go down into an old subway station, and if you are not paying attention, you could miss the entrance. (as I did, standing right next to it.) It starts with the history (the breaking ground and the sand hogs), and continues up to the present (hybrid busses). There are old photos and stories and old signage, and when you go down one more flight: Old trains!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You can see my friends in the window</b>.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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As you can see, the trains had the old advertising in them as well.<br />
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The place was full of people, many New Yorkers, and it seems to me that, despite the amount we all complain about it, we New Yorkers love our mass transit!One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-40552025688085854752013-02-24T20:02:00.000-05:002013-02-25T17:31:31.572-05:00Tibetan Throat Singers and Patti Smith: a Love StoryIt started with Tibetan monks singing a prayer. It ended with Patti Smith and her Band. <br />
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It was the Tibet House US Benefit at Carnegie Hall. <br />
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So this is where my brain went when the monks started singing: Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory, torturing his roommate by practicing his Tuvan Throat Singing.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UA2nKCFgLFg" width="480"></iframe>
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Then, to completely change the mood, tUnE yArD comes on and plays a Yoko Ono song called Warrior Woman. <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/window/media/page/0,,141648-954616,00.html">Warrior Woman clip</a> from Artist Direct. Just thirty seconds but it gives you a taste.</b><br />
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The whole show was very avant garde, so it was more than appropriate to open with a Yoko Ono tune. I won't give you a blow-by-blow of the whole concert, because it was 3 hours long, but there was a string quartet, electronic and midi music, a human beat box, Phillip Glass, poetry, dance, and my personal favorite: Patti Smith Band playing <i>For Your Love</i> with the Tibetan Monks. No, I have no video of that. Mea culpa.<br />
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Patti Smith recited an Allan Ginsburg poem, <span class="st"><i>Wichita Vortex Sutra</i>,</span> accompanied by Phillip Glass. It occurred to me about half way through the poem that I've never actually read any Ginsburg; I've only had it read to me. Then she wrapped the whole evening up with three of her songs, ending with <i>The People Have the Power.</i><br />
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The audience in Carnegie Hall were on their feet.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-26161587929978097932013-02-19T16:24:00.002-05:002013-02-22T12:56:09.065-05:00We mess up everything at R.H. Macy'sMy goddaughter and I visited Macy's on President's Day to hunt for shoes. She is having a Sweet Sixteen party — something I never had nor attended in my youth, but there we were, and she needed shoes. The department apparently has been redone, and is now the largest shoe department . . . anywhere? I think they said anywhere. There are something like 300,000 shoes at the Macy's in Herald Square, and we were there to look at them all.<br />
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We started on one end, walked briefly through Louis Vitton, but exited quickly. Yes, we got scared away. The first shoes that really caught our eye were in the Michael Kors section. Beautiful, and so much less intimidating. A man named Edward greeted us there, and when we told him we had just started to look, he told us that he'd give us the "Sandy Relief" discount because we were from New York. Now, I already had a visitor's discount card because I used my Connecticut license, but that was only 10% and the Sandy one was going to be 20%. But he said, "You can only get it if you come to me. So whatever you see in the store, bring it here."<br />
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We looked in every section, took pictures, then decided over lunch which ones she would try on.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The red-glitter Dorothy shoes I had to talk her out of buying. <br />Only because the heel was too freaking high.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">What you see here are Burberry shoes. At over $500, a pipe dream.</span></div>
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Well, we almost immediately screwed up the Edward thing. To be fair to ourselves, we had no idea what we were doing. We had no idea how it worked to bring shoes from another section to a salesperson elsewhere. Remember, this place was HUGE. We decided my goddaughter would try on shoes in other sections and when we found something we liked we'd bring it to Edward to ring up.<br />
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And the first screw up was in Michael Kors itself. We got there and there was no Edward. So we had this other guy bring out shoes for us. (and what was the first thing he said, which we ignored? "Was anyone helping you?")<br />
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Then, across the floor at Nina shoes, we got yelled at.<br />
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We had a woman helping us there, and we mentioned that we had shoes on hold at Michael Kors. Then this scary colleague of hers came over and told us we could only have ONE person in Macy's helping us. ONE. What were we doing, having different salespeople in the shoe department helping us?<br />
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ONE.<br />
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Now we knew we had screwed up, so we gathered a few more shoes to try on and high-tailed it back to Edward.<br />
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He was very very disappointed in us. He had to tell the other Michael Kors guy that HE was actually helping us from the get-go, and then he reiterated to us about his being able to give us the secret discount.<br />
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And when we got our discount? It was the 10% visitor's, the one we would have gotten anyway! No, we said nothing about the Sandy discount, just got the heck it out of there with our shoes before we were yelled at again.<br />
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<b>The silver ones were the pair we bought.</b></div>
One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-18582725578063739382013-02-18T08:29:00.001-05:002013-02-18T08:29:15.421-05:00Happy 80th Birthday, Yoko OnoSay what you will about Yoko, there's something great about this song she wrote right after Lennon was murdered:<br />
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Yoko Ono: "Nobody Sees Me Like You Do" (1981) <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4JGE0ZLtOyE" width="459"></iframe>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-7237971683992585632013-02-15T16:15:00.000-05:002013-02-15T16:49:56.632-05:00Love L-U-V<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/01YePzk29Mc" width="459"></iframe>
"You best believe I'm in love L-U-V. . . ."
RIP Shadow Morton, producer for the Shangri Las.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-14741936870299749952013-02-14T08:54:00.001-05:002013-02-14T10:29:26.855-05:00Early Bird Catches the. . . EwAnother first in a long time: I'm early for work. Turns out it was easy -- just don't hit the snooze alarm.
Meanwhile I have a visiting cat in my house, which is making my two resident females a little twitchy. Hopefully we'll make it the two weeks with no bloodshed.
Side note: did you know that in "literary" circles. the use of "hopefully" is frowned upon? People use it to mean "I hope" but technically it means "full of hope," as in, "Full of hope, we'll make it the two weeks." I think the literary circles should chill out and accept the fact that "Hopefully", the way most people use it, is here to stay.
Pictures of visiting cat to be posted soon. One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-5679531559536303782013-02-13T12:02:00.002-05:002013-02-17T12:50:10.297-05:00I'm Baaa-aaack. . . .It's been a while. Okay, truth is, when I tried to use a fancier template for this blog, everything got all messed up. Then, I spent a few years writing a novel. So here I am again, and hopefully will be entertaining you all (or should I say, both of you) once more. Coming up:posts about the Phillip Glass and Friends concert next week at Carnegie Hall, a review of Wicked, and ... well, the usual thoughts about New York City and whatever pop culture is currently amusing me.
Just a thought: are blogs passé now that we have Twitter? Yes, that's how long it has been since I've posted here. By the way, I'm <a href="https://twitter.com/OneCheer">@onecheer</a> on Twitter.
See you all on the flip.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-14865358266493307572009-08-24T09:44:00.003-04:002009-08-24T09:56:32.919-04:00Blast from the PastYes, I've been negligent with this blog this summer. Mea culpa.<br /><br />The following is a video from a dance piece choreographed by Doris Humphrey, danced by her company in 1946. My first and long-time teacher, Ernestine Stodelle, was a member of this company, and is dancing here. Enjoy!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/erLI4QxhiIA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/erLI4QxhiIA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-3202846399873962452009-07-25T14:53:00.003-04:002013-02-16T21:01:20.652-05:00Craig Explains the UniverseAn ongoing theme here is Why We Love Craig Ferguson (not to be confused with the similar theme, Why We Love David Letterman). Here is the latest reason:<br />
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One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-28292624473663371342009-06-29T19:43:00.006-04:002009-06-29T20:56:10.589-04:00High FiveGot to Citifield this weekend, the last day of the Subway Series, and the first time I've been to the new Citi Fiield. It's still "Shea" to most of us Mets fans, but damn, the new stadium is really pretty.<br /><br />The Mets had been trounced by the Yankees both Friday and Saturday, and while I didn't have high expectations, especially with 9 Mets on the disabled list, I was hoping for at least a respectable showing.<br /><br />When you're a Mets fan, it pays to be an existentialist.<br /><br />You kind of know when the first pitch is hit for a double (Derek Jeter, of course) that this does not bode well for the rest of thee game. Three runs in the first inning. I was hoping that we would not be tortured like this throughout the whole game. And my, those Yankees fans can be smug.<br /><br />But the Mets defense for the next 6 innings was hot, truly beautiful to watch. If they could only hit and pitch!<br /><br />... all hope died when they walked Mariano Cabrera in the top of the 9th with the bases loaded... ouch... an AMERICAN League pitcher. How can they walk an American League pitcher? What do those guys have, like a .126 batting average?<br /><br />I got out of the Astor Place subway, holding my Citifield program, sporting my Shea Stadium memorial T-shirt, and I was stopped in front of Cooper Union by a young, blond-haired, tee-shirted fellow who said to me, "High five!"<br />I stopped, my weirdo radar triggered, scanning for incoming. He was a bit inebriated but otherwise seemed to know where he was, and had probably bathed in the last 24-hours. The conversation went like this:<br /><br />"Where you coming from?" he said.<br /><br />"Uh..." I was about to say "Shea." "Mets game."<br /><br />"Oh. You're a Mets fan?"<br /><br />What? Oh, yeah. Inebriated. "Well, I'm wearing the shirt..."<br /><br />"Who were they playing?"<br /><br />"Yankees."<br /><br />"Oh. So they lost, then."<br /><br />There are days when I'd have gotten mad at this statement, but this time I laughed. "Yeah. They put up a fight, though."<br /><br />"So... You married?"<br /><br />"Yeah."<br /><br />"Oh. Well... High five!"<br /><br />I high-fived him again.<br /><br />"Hey," he said. "How old are you, anyway?"<br /><br />I laughed. "You're not supposedd to ask a lady her age..."<br /><br />"Oh, c'mon. I'm 31. You like 31, too, right?"<br /><br />"Something like that. A bit older."<br /><br />He high-fived me again, for good measure.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-20137550353311737562009-06-21T14:22:00.004-04:002009-06-21T18:35:49.676-04:00The bowels of Brooklyn... or maybe it was the gall bladder<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Sunday morning, Father’s Day, I’m in the Telephone Bar with my computer. The music on the restaurant stereo is a 60s compilation: first up “My Girl,” now it’s “Build Me Up Buttercup.” Even though this music’s original intention was to be played through tinny AM radio speaker the stuff sounds really good.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Now “Stand By Me.” Yes, songs were short back then.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The older British dude that comes in here on Sundays just walked in. He’s customer 3, Customer 1 left just before I got here. It doesn’t get busy here until 2p or so. Right now, everyone is either at Café Orlin or the Mud Café.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Last night, D, my partner-in-crime, and I went out to the middle of nowhere that is "East" Williamsburg (!!!! I know: what the heck is THAT?) to see a band called the Reveling. Their claim to fame, or at least, the reason one would hunt them down if one weren’t a friend or a relative, is their drummer, the phenomenal Jay Weinberg, son of the famous Max. Happily, it turned out the band he's in is just as good as he is.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">After a confusing ride on the J train – normal people don’t take the J train unless they can’t avoid it -- we got out at the scary-looking Lorimer Stop, an elevated stop that was begging to be renovated, much like all the other stops on the J train. We followed a terminally hip couple down one of the staircases to the street; we figured they must know where they were going. They didn’t. Besides, it turned out they weren’t going where we were going, anyway. We had a map we printed out from HopStop.com, and managed to find the right street, and even the address, but there wasn’t a club there.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Now what?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">There was still some daylight, which was good, because the neighborhood seemed a bit sketchy. In front of the address, a band was unpacking their gear. The Reveling. We were in the right place. But where was that?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The band was very nice, and pointed toward a door.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">“Is this someone’s apartment?” I said.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">“Kind of. It’s a recording studio.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Right.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">After walking through a hallway of what looked like dorm rooms, we got to the room where the bands were setting up. It was one of those lovely unfinished spaces that has multiple uses. There was a card table set up that was the “bar,” and the “stage” was a throw rug. There was graffiti all over the walls, not the spray-can or air-brush variety, but the kind you might see in a men’s room stall, executed in red and black Sharpie. (Yes, I have been in a men’s room stall, Go ahead and come to your own conclusions.) I didn’t realize that there was any significance to it, other than self-expression, until I noticed the large red letters that were prominent just behind the stage that read, “Kidney Cancer.” Oh. Of course. These are all band names. The Rodeo Bar in Manhattan has a similar thing, with their bar covered with stickers from various bands who have played there over the years.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">We were late; the show was supposed to start at 8p, and it was well after that, but it turned out we were actually really early. It kind of felt that we had come 3 hours early to the prom, and they were still putting the streamers up in the gym. The long-haired dude who was manning the door told us they would probably be starting around 9p, so we went to Bushwick Avenue to get coffee.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">They started at 9:30. There were about 12 people in the audience, but somehow, with the lights out, it seemed like a club.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The first band was Aquadora, fronted by the aforementioned long-haired dude. He explained that he usually plays guitar, but both of his wrists were injured in a car accident, so he was just singing tonight. The music was fast, melodic, kind of psychedelic, rock and roll, and it was quite good. Our frontman sang the whole set with his back to the audience, which I thought maybe was his signature pose, but we found out that my friend D was right: he was being shy.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">“I’m usually holding my guitar,” he later explained.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Unfortunately, the mics were not working properly, and the vocals were barely audible, almost completely drowned out by the bass and drums. Now I understood why my ex-insignificant other used to obsess about the volume of his vocals.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">At one point, a tall, friendly, red-headed guy caught my eye and said – well, yelled, “Are you excited yet?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Rather than yell back, I gave him a thumbs up.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> "I'm excited," he said.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> D informed me that this was the Reveling’s bass player, Dennis,<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The Reveling was next. While the other band was clearing off the stage, and Jay and his girlfriend were setting up his drums, Dennis was going around offering ear plugs.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">“We’re okay,” I said. “That wasn’t that loud.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">“It’s going to be,” Dennis said. We took the earplugs.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Their music was a mix of the Ramones and the Cure. This was their last night of ten-straight nights of gigs, and their front man’s voice was shot. No problem; the band that would follow them, the Young Hearts, all surrounded him and joined in on the vocals. Seven guys singing. And we could just about hear them.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Jay Weinberg was a man possessed, a thrill to watch and a bigger thrill to hear, but that doesn’t at all take away from the other musicians in these three groups, all</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">of them madly energetic, wildly proficient musicians. The Young Hearts had a similar song style to the Reveling, maybe a bit less melodic, but, hard to tell when all you’ve got is the rhythm section. But great energy, and I look forward to hearing these songs with the lyrics and everything.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The Reveling will be playing at the Ace of Clubs at 9 Great Jones St, under the Acme Bar and Grill, on September 18</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">. That’s a Friday, so if you’re anywhere near New York City, you should check it out.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><a href="http://thereveling.com/news.aspx">The Reveling website.</a> If you get on their mailing list, you can download some of their songs for free.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/aquadoramusic">Aquadora</a> on MySpace.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><a href="http://www.youngheartsmusic.com/">Young Hearts</a> website.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I would like to add a link for the venue, as well, but I have to double check that I have the right information. (I was told to list it under a different name than what we were originally told.) Stay tuned.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-20825171904986869392009-06-15T04:15:00.005-04:002009-06-21T18:35:15.182-04:00Lost Tunnel of Atlantic AvenueIt's hard to believe that I've lived in New York City for three decades and have never climbed down a manhole.<br /><br />Until yesterday, when my friends K and V and I took a tour of <a href="http://www.brooklynrail.net/proj_aatunnel.html">Brooklyn's first subway tunnel</a>. Of course, one doesn't have this kind of adventure without it being photo-documented.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMY2YiHDV2yL7XHbhOoLkvEOKVB0nufgHhzTykDpbtW3-VRVq2qOphrzXUeALCy6vc1dgYjm4KrYNOiifqLptP5hLzIu1-OZ_Kobn7SLd00LkdM5bmhIb3GusqwgHLyAL4FXzrge7K-80/s1600-h/manhole.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMY2YiHDV2yL7XHbhOoLkvEOKVB0nufgHhzTykDpbtW3-VRVq2qOphrzXUeALCy6vc1dgYjm4KrYNOiifqLptP5hLzIu1-OZ_Kobn7SLd00LkdM5bmhIb3GusqwgHLyAL4FXzrge7K-80/s320/manhole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347539169050550386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mQFP7dT2uyzaQNmtg4UHAk2TBj2dsjyaYjh44Bughy_bp4Bcj1VYUvIY5t1s4Aqmlt9ESUxB7TxlV4a133J9aQoubxh4B8aDP1JWESCrk8hS8P9AZX7JeUzrqDroBAexitUBYEV2_8SZ/s1600-h/descent.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mQFP7dT2uyzaQNmtg4UHAk2TBj2dsjyaYjh44Bughy_bp4Bcj1VYUvIY5t1s4Aqmlt9ESUxB7TxlV4a133J9aQoubxh4B8aDP1JWESCrk8hS8P9AZX7JeUzrqDroBAexitUBYEV2_8SZ/s320/descent.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347539172080157746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrn1h8-u-erGFCCDDgPq-CDcchPiiOoXi_NuDXogz7Wc0uW_KvalW3qutcNh1uX6syv7e8IVdl-S2mZPdW0AYCs9ERQx0FCCA1NpDuCOo4VjFVXrtSCE-jeYic1gFe7zel1Ywlk7DVmDw/s1600-h/V_Me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrn1h8-u-erGFCCDDgPq-CDcchPiiOoXi_NuDXogz7Wc0uW_KvalW3qutcNh1uX6syv7e8IVdl-S2mZPdW0AYCs9ERQx0FCCA1NpDuCOo4VjFVXrtSCE-jeYic1gFe7zel1Ywlk7DVmDw/s320/V_Me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347540476415484114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBKZIC2gs8J0Lhp6vy9J59KGOhb_ZqGJabg6NvMHvCqal7HWYzaPgIHIgOcOJFRf8Jo2ZjhwaXrJWyBvs1Vt_FN-kkTniG8cm6EzGbDSiQL8Nkd5ViPm3rR_ZtQYZEzKxR9idbnUVZ7es/s1600-h/stairs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBKZIC2gs8J0Lhp6vy9J59KGOhb_ZqGJabg6NvMHvCqal7HWYzaPgIHIgOcOJFRf8Jo2ZjhwaXrJWyBvs1Vt_FN-kkTniG8cm6EzGbDSiQL8Nkd5ViPm3rR_ZtQYZEzKxR9idbnUVZ7es/s320/stairs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347540486182171794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpma-I030ac-lZY9EEAQxA_iEVTGXMDIi2Xwlc-26TSAhDp38GSkQeQQl8Lp5uGUhclhcTPjzj7LwKfHTaAG8m5q2gqNpU0y1vUd3A5zkagLTTnzcJ7EocmdAZX5qx_RJgZrIrkTkyrbBW/s1600-h/kit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpma-I030ac-lZY9EEAQxA_iEVTGXMDIi2Xwlc-26TSAhDp38GSkQeQQl8Lp5uGUhclhcTPjzj7LwKfHTaAG8m5q2gqNpU0y1vUd3A5zkagLTTnzcJ7EocmdAZX5qx_RJgZrIrkTkyrbBW/s320/kit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347540483859858466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiaQgUHefS_j1DsgMZ0KZCx7BMFaVdeBSkM0xd_UVo4mNEaDPP25U8h48fH8ZsGDONyD_SCOY_KQXCUnCsKvGdchotE7D8PGifMGumyrkKmW27AdB0wb7feQAHrsYHy0Iu-EigdDGakak/s1600-h/exit2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiaQgUHefS_j1DsgMZ0KZCx7BMFaVdeBSkM0xd_UVo4mNEaDPP25U8h48fH8ZsGDONyD_SCOY_KQXCUnCsKvGdchotE7D8PGifMGumyrkKmW27AdB0wb7feQAHrsYHy0Iu-EigdDGakak/s320/exit2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347540491766853762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCnYlEThk7HzVeSBsL-ATMYbcOSBnlFS_g9XVViwpkkLFz-Hdtayyk8sAzKm8kI4_I6grmsg7szFxBhveNkHI4RlFS0DKyzyzGbFAqVERNVMbe_5Dus1Qy4_r9hY27GAk2RrPyqSAHoox/s1600-h/exit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCnYlEThk7HzVeSBsL-ATMYbcOSBnlFS_g9XVViwpkkLFz-Hdtayyk8sAzKm8kI4_I6grmsg7szFxBhveNkHI4RlFS0DKyzyzGbFAqVERNVMbe_5Dus1Qy4_r9hY27GAk2RrPyqSAHoox/s320/exit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347540488037340162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The next tunnel tour will be on July 19th</span></span>, 11 am and 1pm. It's BYOFL (bring your own flashlight).<div><br /></div><div>UPDATE: For some reason, the LA Times had a story about this. Link is <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hometown-newyork21-2009jun21,0,4884291.story">here</a>.</div>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-85258239978156058022009-06-01T16:27:00.003-04:002009-06-01T16:40:53.013-04:00New Yorker, CoolerAdd this to the New York Cool list:<br /><br /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1827871374" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=24059201001&linkBaseURL=http://www.newyorker.com/video?videoID=24059201001&playerId=1827871374&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="466" height="395" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed><br /><br />Article from EW <a href="http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/05/iphone-new-york.html">here</a>.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-64028097914524894782009-05-30T16:10:00.011-04:002009-05-31T00:48:50.121-04:00New York CoolSometimes what's cool about New York is not what you would think.<br /><br />Here, briefly, a sampling of events I witnessed or attended in the City this past month, latest thing first:<br /><br />1) Book Expo America conference. A friend convinced (er.. coerced?) me to attend the Book Expo at the Javitz Center this weekend. Yesterday and today we came home with about as many books as we could uncomfortably handle. Since I've been in the publishing business for 100 years or so, one would think I'd have gone to this event before, but no. I suspect this is because no one I've ever worked for has ever considered me important enough to be sent to such an event.<br /><br />This morning, we attended a BEA "Breakfast" Round Table event (and the word "breakfast" really needs to be in quotes here, as it turned out to be nothing fancier than muffins and bagels), MC'd by Craig Ferguson. My cohort, M, made a beeline for a table at the front, albeit all the way to the left, as the center ones were reserved for more important people. Sharing the table with us were some folks from Oklahoma. Okay, so I know I tend to be overly cynical, but these people were so completely stereotypical of buttoned up, corn fed , humorless midwesterners that you'd think they were sent by some local casting agency. They sat with their backs to the stage, and although Craig was his usual charming and witty self, our tablemates had these pissy looks on their faces the whole time. Did they come all the way from Oklahoma just to get some fancy New York breakfast, only to be gravely disappointed by the sparse fare? Because they didn't seem any more interested in the three other authors who were speaking, and they left the complimentary copies of the authors' books on their seats. No worries; these books were quickly picked up by book scavengers. One woman came over to our table and scooped up five extra copies of Craig's book. (I'm really thrilled to have an advance copy of Craig's book, too, but I don't need five copies.) I'm sure the other authors' books found homes as well: Except for those folks from Oklahoma, everyone around us seemed to be proper bookophiles.<br /><br />2) There's a new little restaurant on Avenue B called Fu Sushi. Fu, the 32-year-old who owns the place, was our host, waiter and busboy the evening we were there. The place has innovative concoctions, and super fresh fish. They were even advertizing a fugu night. It's only six months old. I'm hoping it sticks around for a long time.<br /><br />3) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex. It's a tease, because it's just a sampler of the real thing, but it's a whole lot of fun, nonetheless. It starts with a short multi-screen film reel of the history of rock and rolll, then you are given headphones and MP3 players that are be triggered to play appropriate music as you approach each exhibit. The whole thing ends with the John Lennon in New York exhibit, which is simultaneously fascinating and bone-chilling. If you can look at that paper bag filled with the clothes Lennon was wearing the night he was shot and not shudder just a bit, you have Coca Cola running in your veins.<br /><br />4) The First Annual Dance Parade. I saw this quite by accident, because it happened to pass right by my door. You might not think so, but it's actually unusual for a bonafide parade to travel down St Marks Place. I've never seen it before, unless you count the time the Hungry March Band followed me home, or any Saturday with the Hare Krishnas. The Dance Parade better as a concept than it was in execution. By the time the various groups of dancers passed by my house, they were so exhausted they barely cared any more. Marching in a parade is one thing; dancing requires a different kind of energy, one that is intensely tasking. Try doing a routine over and over and then try to cover ground while you're doing it. I've done this in both the Halloween Parade and the Mermaid Parade, and let me just say: yikes.<br /><br />5) The last significant conference at the Javitz Center before the Book Expo was the Furniture Show. This is only significant to me because of the in-store events. Each May my above-mentioned cohort, M, and I hunt down these events to consume whatever hors d'oevres and drink they provide. This year the first few we went to were kind of sparse, your choice of wine or NYC Tap Water and all the pretzels you could eat. But they got better as the month went on, until the last event we went to where the caterers kept offering us more and more food and we had to decline. It seemed this year that the number of tall skinny Italian designers in black leather that attended an event was directly proportional to the lack of food and drink. Maybe that was just a coincidence.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-11171968086063055662009-05-26T13:41:00.004-04:002009-05-26T18:17:55.038-04:0050 Songs for 50 YearsI created this play list for a friend of mine who, like me, was turning 50 this year. Seeing as that's the case for a lot of friends of mine, I thought I'd share this. Besides, everyone loves a list.<br /><br />This was harder than you might think. I tried to have a mix of the Billboard Hits and the obscure. There are mostly original songs, but there are a few covers. I was trying, for the most part, to choose songs that my friend might not have, and also songs he probably would like. (This list would be a bit different if I were making it, say, for myself,) Some years just sucked, and some years I would have wanted to have chosen ten or more. That's the way it goes.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />1959</span> Poisoning Pigeons in the Park -- Tom Lehrer <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1960 </span>Stay -- Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1961 </span>One Mint Julep--The Clovers <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1962 </span>Bobby's Girl (Demo - Stereo) -- Marcie Blane <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1963 </span>So Much In Love -- The Tymes <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1964 </span>Tell Me Why -- The Beatles <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1965 </span>Just One Look -- Doris Troy <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1966 </span>I'm A Believer -- The Monkees <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1967 </span>Try a Little Tenderness -- Otis Redding <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1968 </span>Punky's Dilemma -- Simon & Garfunkel <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1969 </span>Sugar Sugar -- The Archies <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1970 </span>I Think I Love You -- The Partridge Family <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1971 </span>Groove Me -- King Floyd <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1972 </span>I Saw the Light -- Todd Rundgren <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1973 </span>Angie -- The Rolling Stones <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1974 </span>You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet -- Bachman-Turner Overdrive <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1975 </span>Young Americans -- David Bowie <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1976 </span>Still the One -- Orleans <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1977 </span>American Girl -- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1978 </span>Surrender -- Cheap Trick <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1979 </span>Brass In Pocket -- The Pretenders <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1980 </span>(Just Like) Starting Over -- John Lennon & Yoko Ono <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1981 </span>See Jungle! (Jungle Boy) -- Bow Wow Wow <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1982 </span>The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum) -- Fun Boy Three <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1983 </span>Blister in the Sun -- Violent Femmes <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1984 </span>It's My Life -- Talk Talk <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1985 </span>In Between Days -- The Cure <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1986 </span>The Perfect Kiss -- New Order <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1987 </span>Sweet Child O' Mine -- Guns N' Roses <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1988 </span>A Little Respect (LP Version) -- Erasure <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1989 </span>Roam -- The B-52's <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1990 </span>Keep On Walking -- Spanic Boys <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1991 </span>Losing My Religion -- R.E.M. <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1992 </span>If I Had $1,000,000 -- Barenaked Ladies <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1993 </span>Mr. Jones -- Counting Crows <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1994 </span>Only Wanna Be With You -- Hootie & The Blowfish <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1995 </span>Surf the Wild Gowanus -- Simon and the Bar Sinisters <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1996 </span>Thirty-Three -- Smashing Pumpkins <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1997 </span>Tubthumping -- Chumbawamba <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1998 </span>The Boy with the Arab Strap -- Belle and Sebastian <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1999 </span>I Need to Know -- Marc Anthony <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2000 </span>Mama Told Me Not to Come -- Tom Jones & Stereophonics <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2001 </span>Family Affair -- Mary J. Blige <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2002 </span>Waitin' On A Sunny Day -- Bruce Springsteen <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2003 </span>Belleville Rendez-Vous (Demo) -- Ben Charest <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2004 </span>Trouble -- Bonnie McKee <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2005 </span>How to Save a Life -- The Fray <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2006 </span>See the World -- Gomez <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2007 </span>You Can't Always Get What You Want -- Band From TV <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2008 </span>Manhattan -- Kings of LeonOne Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-53576269506027268132009-05-22T09:32:00.005-04:002009-06-03T16:18:33.480-04:00Party at Bruce's PlaceLast night Bruce Springsteen and 20,000 of his closest friends in New Jersey had a party in the Izod Center in the Meadowlands.<br /><br />The thing about Bruce is, to anyone who has not ever seen him live, he seems like a cliché. I can say this, because before 1995, I was one of those people. It's probably irritating to folks who have never seen the Springsteen phenomena to hear about people trying to get tickets to every show, putting everything aside in their schedules to get to the shows, traveling across country, trading their first born for tickets. In New Jersey, it's kind of a given that many of the fans will get to most if not all of the shows he does in the area. This is why scalpers can get $2,000 (yes, you read that correctly) for a ticket in the GA standing area.<br /><br />There are people, of course, who are not fans of any kind of rock, who would sooner leave their new car unlocked on the street with the keys in the ignition than spend $90 and up for a ticket to a stadium concert. Some of those people did see Springsteen play the Super Bowl, and many of those people have started thinking, "I gotta see that guy."<br /><br />It is the nature of well presented music to be a brain-eraser. No matter how mad you are at your boss, how worried you are about money, how sad you are about your breakup, there comes a point that you cease to be a disembodied spirit and find you have gotten over your sorry self and are connecting with the performers on the stage.<br /><br />With Springsteen, it happens dramatically: you feel an electrical charge and you're smiling, another one and you can't help but giggle, then you're raising your arms because Bruce has directed you to do so and blowing out your voice singing along to Born to Run, even though you only know about ten words of the lyrics.<br /><br />Bruce will be back in New Jersey in the Fall to play Giants' Stadium one last time before they tear it down. Now that Ticketmaster has had their hands slapped for last January's ticket debaucle, maybe we'll get to see the show.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-65528796810195392122009-04-27T14:06:00.010-04:002009-04-27T14:31:51.209-04:00Rollerena's Birthday BashWith a Studio 54 theme. Of course. (because it's also the 32nd anniversary of Studio 54)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaeugajJSPYX3FalsMA6Ppn_Gz7etqZGIhNRfj3rmw9ktMXFyEM9h2cjEhw4PpLYfOEUptHIN9rt6O1Cg0sD_1ahdGVgVVGt9IUe_FemYhm4BxSgdwlwMVD0IcPk1xzZ1hU05PCbze67Z/s1600-h/me_bill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaeugajJSPYX3FalsMA6Ppn_Gz7etqZGIhNRfj3rmw9ktMXFyEM9h2cjEhw4PpLYfOEUptHIN9rt6O1Cg0sD_1ahdGVgVVGt9IUe_FemYhm4BxSgdwlwMVD0IcPk1xzZ1hU05PCbze67Z/s320/me_bill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329434583055508770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me and B, taken with V's iPhone</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKPYcRKwPK1hzrwhdredr_mAaa1dPmvtKNVqeedavrk-mYcfLzw4rEw-NkVuhK-cMxguydcqwrpy0cVpNvpOsJ9KL_JwCFXKJwhiRk39HEHgK8-ZsTMwtrFdEXU2jpdFrxpnJpl-3WLFl/s1600-h/me_bill2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKPYcRKwPK1hzrwhdredr_mAaa1dPmvtKNVqeedavrk-mYcfLzw4rEw-NkVuhK-cMxguydcqwrpy0cVpNvpOsJ9KL_JwCFXKJwhiRk39HEHgK8-ZsTMwtrFdEXU2jpdFrxpnJpl-3WLFl/s320/me_bill2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329434580783639666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me and B, taken with V's iPhone</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2ecxkeCFV08ZiI6358ig-oFVirhi_HYDt7zDyYERaGzSv7KDTYVZv1PZaku9lXYsWjTDP2HnHpXA82Beg8oMgTcDLU6UEoP8OvnZgj_DReaHZig7AIMqZ1bsdxsKAILmJsnH7XVvkxMT/s1600-h/roller.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2ecxkeCFV08ZiI6358ig-oFVirhi_HYDt7zDyYERaGzSv7KDTYVZv1PZaku9lXYsWjTDP2HnHpXA82Beg8oMgTcDLU6UEoP8OvnZgj_DReaHZig7AIMqZ1bsdxsKAILmJsnH7XVvkxMT/s320/roller.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329434581688885986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The great Rollerena herself</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV79ZjwpW_oHVSwKdYoysSiUCsX7a0jPkSzpw0YOhtoD05SB4csjFY9_eeON2e5M6pttcl1qOiAPvO1P1BP-i7-1jEr_YAC1pUXAN0V9aQCfa1IeZoZx7S7-Db49qbNWmUGlHM8e6-_0mO/s1600-h/ball.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV79ZjwpW_oHVSwKdYoysSiUCsX7a0jPkSzpw0YOhtoD05SB4csjFY9_eeON2e5M6pttcl1qOiAPvO1P1BP-i7-1jEr_YAC1pUXAN0V9aQCfa1IeZoZx7S7-Db49qbNWmUGlHM8e6-_0mO/s320/ball.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329434575290752098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Disco ball</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sa2u3Yo2oL7o8Z8WYNoIsX-TDQqgmsOI1jGXTu9vahf3rIuwYu3luI9ha972XxVfdBCNOGy4IpPFSDR3k6ydQniM48GMBSswmcfqdq_v_gZvv_3hHd64JPQ-ioM7lyl7eIaUj5H6VVDY/s1600-h/partier.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sa2u3Yo2oL7o8Z8WYNoIsX-TDQqgmsOI1jGXTu9vahf3rIuwYu3luI9ha972XxVfdBCNOGy4IpPFSDR3k6ydQniM48GMBSswmcfqdq_v_gZvv_3hHd64JPQ-ioM7lyl7eIaUj5H6VVDY/s320/partier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329434569902955938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A party-goer we were dancing with</span><br /></div><br />I am shocked to report that Rollerena does not have a Wikipedia page. For those of you who are interested, here are two articles about the legend that is Rollerena:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/970088/rollerena_a_forgotten_gem_of_recent.html?cat=8">Rollerena: A Forgotten Gem of Recent Gay History in New York City</a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://joyzeeboy.blogspot.com/2007/11/rollerena-diva-activist-skater-legend.html">Rollerena: Diva, activist, skater, legend</a></span>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-15082431000826244572009-04-02T13:45:00.006-04:002009-04-05T14:53:04.332-04:00The Rest of You, Rattle Your JewelryOkay, so I'm not done with this topic after all.<br /><br />If you haven't already, check out <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/arts/music/01tickets.html?hpw">Ben Sisario's recent article in the NY Times</a>.<br /><br />I am today addressing this except of that article:<br />"Two years after the repeal of New York State’s decades-old anti-scalping laws, the ticket marketplace has become a fiercely competitive game in which major corporations compete over resale prices with the fan next door, scalpers have a Washington lobbyist and thousands of tickets disappear in a fraction of a second.<p>"... Once bought by telephone or at box office windows, tickets for concerts are now mostly bought online, pitting ordinary consumers against a network of professional scalpers who use ever more sophisticated technology to scoop up large numbers of tickets in a flash....</p><p>"After lobbying by ticket brokers to decriminalize reselling in the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/craigslist/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Craigslist.">Craigslist</a> era, many states in addition to New York have lifted restrictions on scalping, and large corporations have embraced what is called the secondary market for tickets, like eBay, which owns StubHub. New York’s scalping laws were softened in 2005 and have been suspended since 2007, allowing tickets for most large events to be resold at any price. </p><p>"Connecticut and Minnesota also revised their laws in 2007 to permit reselling, and in June, the New York Legislature will have to formalize its repeal or the old restrictions will return. The lobbying in Albany has already begun. </p><p>" 'This is a huge consumer rip-off,' said Russ Haven, legislative counsel for the New York Public Interest Research group. “There is no benefit to consumers in unlimited scalping.' "</p><p>-----------------------<br /></p><p>Legislators should ask themselves: Who is benefiting from unlimited ticket resales? The consumers? (no....) The artists? (no....) the venues? (no....) Or the snake-oil salesmen? (ding ding ding, yes!) Frankly, I can see the reasoning behind softening resale laws a bit: While resalers like Stub Hub charge insane fees -- 15% charged to the seller, and another 15% charged to the buyer, for the <span style="font-style: italic;">same tickets -- </span>on the other hand, when I had to sell tickets I couldn't use, I felt safe using Stub Hub, and the buyer on the other end was guaranteed that the tickets were not forged. But isn't there a middle ground between the old scalper laws and no restrictions at all? A cap on a resale ticket price, for instance? A time delay when tickets can be resold? An 80% tax on the price of a ticket over face value?<span style="font-style: italic;"> Some</span>thing?<br /></p>I am going to assume that Albany is going to cave on this -- because caving is so easy and thinking about a better plan is so hard -- and I am going to offer here some alternate solutions for artists/venues to make the ticket-selling process a little fairer for consumers.<br /><br />1) Fans could refuse to buy resold tickets. Ha ha ha ha ha ha, I make myself laugh. The reason that doesn't work, and will never, ever work, and the reason why scalpers have existed as long as popular music has been around, is that music and entertainment is an emotional, often irrational, purchase. The thing is, concert tickets aren't like memorabilia, which is another purchase that is often emotion-driven, but it can be argued that it is a type of investment. You don't spend the money on concert tickets and then own something tangible that you can pass down to your grandchildren or later sell to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. If your kid has an insatiable crush on Taylor Swift, are you not going to try to buy him tickets for his birthday, even if they might cost more than you care to spend?<br /><br />2) Lotteries. Before the internet, ticket lotteries were a common anti-scalper tactic. You would send in a post card, and either get a pass or an arm band with a number on it, which would entitle you to go buy a certain number of a certain value ticket. Of course, internet sales are easier to coordinate, since it cuts out the need to have people manning the phones or box offices, but the old-school lotteries, while by no means a perfect solution, greatly curtailed a certain amount of scalping.<br /><br />3) Act like the airlines. A venue could set aside a certain number of seats that sell for face value. Then blocks of seats after another date would sell for a percentage higher. Then the last block of seats go for the highest prices. People are used to paying a cheaper rate for plane tickets bought 2 weeks in advance, and as those cheaper seats sell out, you pay more. The person next to you on a plane most assuredly did not pay the same price for his seat as you did for yours. Concert venues can just build that into their prices. Basically, this is what a lot of venues/artists are doing anyway, when they save blocks of tickets for "resale." This way, they are just being honest about it.<br /><br />4) Set aside blocks of the best seats for insane amounts of money, and donate the profits, or a percentage of the profits, to a charity. Someone wants to pay a scalper $10,000 for a front row seat to see the Stones? Beat them to it. Have some premium/select seats available. Maybe have that price include champagne and a lap dance from Mick Jagger. Rich people can still feel special that only they can afford these seats, and the money can go to a good cause, or at very least, can be split between the venue and the artist. But it cuts out the snake oil salesmen.<br /><br />original post:<br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/02/ticketmaster-we-have-problem.html">Ticketmaster, We Have a Problem</a><br /><br />Related posts:<br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/02/ticketmaster-we-have-problem-update.html">Ticketmaster, We Have a Problem, Update</a><br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/02/bruce-gets-last-word.html">Bruce Gets the Last Word</a><br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/03/people-in-cheap-seats-clap-you-hands.html?showComment=1238318940000">People in the Cheaper Seats, Clap Your Hands</a>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-10144258424769466542009-03-20T20:16:00.007-04:002009-03-21T21:25:31.271-04:00Fleetwood. And Mac. And Nicks. And Buckingham.A short review here.<div><br />We went to see Fleetwood Mac at the Garden last night. Missed Broadway's one minute of darkness for Natasha Richardson because that was when the show started, and we were already inside.<br /><br /><div>The concert was fantastic. (I almost said "awesome" but that word is so overused it's starting to develop the connotation "passable.") Stevie Nicks seemed to be avoiding all of her high notes (especially on "Dreams," which started the show), but still was in great voice and I wonder if she even really needed to do that. Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood continue to be the same musical maniacs they've always been. I could have done without the guy in the aisle leaning on me, and worse, breathing on me with his stale beer breath, as he tried to find his lost seat. He eventually went away. And let me just add here: "Yuck."</div><div><br /></div><div>A few young women across the aisle from us became quite animated at the end of "Silver Springs," angrily pointing and gesturing while singing along- with the lyrics: "You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you." No, none of us women could relate to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">that</span>.</div></div>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-67116332227437400832009-03-15T18:05:00.004-04:002009-03-20T21:57:23.589-04:00When Technology FailsI got a text message this morning from a friend of mine.<br /><br />"Stoopid [sic] question. Do you have [my ex husband's] cell number?"<br /><br />I called her back to tell her I couldn't find it, and she explained that the problem was she was heading over to pick up a few of her things that were still in the apartment, and the buzzer wasn't working. She was supposed to call him when she got there... except....<br /><br />"Wait a minute," she said, "Did we have land line?"<br /><br />"You don't remember if you had a land line? You were married.... you were living there... "<br /><br />"Wait. I think he had a phone in his home office. Let me try this one."<br /><br />Nope. Disconnected.<br /><br />I was instructed to send him an email to tell him that she would be outside of his building at the designated time, and that he should either call her, or just let her in.<br /><br />I got a call an hour later. He hadn't gotten the email (because, of course, he wasn't looking for it), so she had resorted to screaming his name from the street.<br /><br />He buzzed her in. Problem solved.One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-24181614256208316002009-03-13T18:36:00.010-04:002009-03-16T13:43:26.205-04:00People in the Cheaper Seats, Clap Your HandsI thought this subject was done for me, but then I wound up having a discussion this morning with someone who got me thinking. He had asked me, and I paraphrase, because I don't remember exactly how he worded it, whether I thought that Springsteen should do what other acts do: charge more for his tickets, since people are going to resell them for more anyway. My response was that -- again, this is approximate -- I love the fact that Bruce keeps his prices down, and what, is music only for the rich?<br /><br />I kept thinking about this throughout my day, and I realized it's more than that. Because scalping tickets is no longer against the law, at least in this state, scalpers can charge anything they want. If the only solution to ward off resale is to raise the tickets prices to "market value" (kinda like the outrageous and unreasonable rent prices we have here in New York, but that's another rant), that basically means the scalpers are determining what Bruce's ticket prices are going to be, NOT HIM.<br /><br />It's a price war, only in reverse.<br /><br />I think Bruce Springsteen might be able to fill a stadium with rich people. Thing is, maybe he doesn't want to.<br /><br />Okay, I'm done now.<br /><br />original post(s):<br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/02/ticketmaster-we-have-problem.html">Ticketmaster, We Have a Problem</a><br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/02/ticketmaster-we-have-problem-update.html">Ticketmaster, We Have a Problem Update</a><br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2009/02/bruce-gets-last-word.html">Bruce Gets the Last Word</a>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-46526396308817701032009-03-12T23:43:00.005-04:002009-03-13T00:51:48.459-04:00A Timely SubjectThis was created for a contest sponsored by AARP. People were asked to submit a video with the theme "U@50." This one came in second. I saw the one that won the grand prize, and I have to say, it looked like an ad for Celebrex (not a good thing) compared to this one.<br /><br />(Watch it all the way through.)<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/42E2fAWM6rA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/42E2fAWM6rA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-35604433887436938372009-03-11T21:09:00.007-04:002009-03-11T21:55:19.781-04:00ShockingThis was almost too predictable. Didn't we ALL see this coming?<br /><br />The only news item in recent years that I've found less surprising was when I heard that Paul McCartney and Heather Mills were splitting up.<br /><br />But one this is a close second:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Alaska Gov. Palin's daughter, fiance break up</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />By RACHEL D'ORO – 15 minutes ago</span><br /><br />WASILLA, Alaska (AP) — Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin, the teenage daughter of Gov. Sarah Palin, have broken off their engagement, he said Wednesday, about 2 1/2 months after the couple had a baby...."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iAw1T1lI9YJoKXvpomR4fYuhmnCgD96S5P780">rest of the story is here.</a><br /><br />Gee, who could have guessed THAT relationship would fail?One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-83988038002349113392009-03-06T14:52:00.003-05:002009-03-06T15:04:16.886-05:00OMGFinally over my bronchitis. I have been neglecting this blog, of course, because I was too busy coughing. Anyway, I had to post these videos, because they are so cool.<br /><br />The dancing:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zlfKdbWwruY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zlfKdbWwruY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br />The singing:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Us-TVg40ExM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Us-TVg40ExM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8316541998530768679.post-14811182961114077382009-02-20T09:47:00.011-05:002009-02-21T12:31:24.181-05:00More Props to LettermanI have been woefully negligent of this blog these past two weeks... there's been an evil head cold going around New York, which lingers for weeks. Anyway, while I will be posting a proper entry this weekend, I just had to plug my friend <a href="http://www.arthurneilson.com/">Arthur Neilson</a>'s appearance on Letterman tonight.:<br /><br />"Hey Everybody-<br />This Friday, Feb 20TH at 11:30 PM, I'm going to be on the "Late Show w/David Letterman".<br />I'll be performing with Shemekia Copeland. We will be playing the title track, "Never Going Back To Memphis" from her new CD "Never Going Back". Barbara Walters and comedian Mike Birbiglia are on the show as well. Take care. -Arthur"<br /><br />That's the other great thing about Letterman: his choice of musical guests.<br /><br />For the twelve or so of you that read this blog, you might remember a video I posted last year with Rosie Flores . Arthur was the guitarist playing with her. If you missed it, the link to that post is here:<br /><br /><a href="http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2008/06/rosie-comes-to-town.html">http://onecheer.blogspot.com/2008/06/rosie-comes-to-town.html</a><br /><br />(As soon as the Letterman clip is available, I will post it here.)One Cheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10690950273968828523noreply@blogger.com0