PopWars

Nothing gets in the way of painting class so I didn’t even check the start time for the Empty Hearts gig at Sticky Lips. We just got in the car after class and headed out to the club/BarBQ joint. I expected the place to be packed for the free, warm-up gig for the bands’ upcoming tour in support of their debut album. The band had been rehearsing in Andy Babiuk’s practice space for the last week in Rochester.

More people were leaving than arriving when we showed up and the place was jammed but kinda quiet so we made a beeline for the bar. We ordered two Southern Tier 2XIPA’s and headed toward the stage just in time to grab this shot of the roadies packing up the gear. And this isn’t any ordinairy gear, this is all vintage gear or state of the art gear as would be the case with Andy’s pedigree. Guys were taking cell phone pictures of the the teardrop bass and Gibson SG that Elliot Easton apparently never touched. He played his Les Paul all night through the Marshall stack above. Someone pointed out that Andy’s bass amp, an Ampeg, was sporting a Vox grill cloth.

I stopped in the bathroom before leaving and ran into Wally Palmer, the lead singer. I had not seen him in person since New Math played a gig with the Romantics in 1978. Olga said the show was great and it took her back to the Scorgies days. In fact there were more Ramones shirts here than you could shake a stick at. Olga’s brother, Victor, the former Chesterfield Kings road manager, drove up from Philly. He told us Clem Burke has his own drum roadie. There was pretty good vibe in the room. I wish we had seen the show. When we talked to Andy we acted as though we had. I know it was a good one.

Here’s their video.

We’d seen heard Dave Liebman at the Jazz Fest in 2003 and 2008. He is always a musical delight. On Saturday at the Lovin’ Cup he had the same bass player as the other shows but this time he was playing with an additional horn player (alto sax player, clarinet and flute), Matt Vashlishan, a former Eastman student. He wrote some especially beautiful tunes for the band and the horns were great together. Dave continues to teach and he keeps his ears open. His piano player and drummer are young and gifted. Their two sets, finishing with Coltrane’s “India,” covered some rich terrain.

Liebman played with Miles on some of my favorite lps, “On The Corner” and “”Get Up With It,” so I would follow him anywhere.

One of my mother’s hobbies was arranging the furniture in our house. She has a great eye and good taste and the rearrangements were often startling in their inventiveness. Sometimes they only lasted a few days. Noel, the cafe manager at the Little Theater, sent us an email last night Informing us that Margaret Explosion would be playing at the other end of the room. Apparently they’ve moved the grand piano and the whole space has been reoriented. Tonight I plan to set my drums up close enough to the dishwasher’s room to be able to incorporate the the pots and pans in my kit.

In my parents’ day the circus use to pull into town on the train and stop right bend the Armory on East Main. Two nights ago, when we passed the place on the way to the Little they were padding old metal heads down on the front steps. Judas Priest was in the house. Last night it was the rapper, Nas and tonight my nephews will be there for Bassnectar.

Duane posted a 1978 photo today on fb that he took of my old drum set, a long exposure penlight portrait. I wish I still had that Slingerland set. I sold it to buy a louder set while I was in New Math. David Accorso, who was touring with Julio Iglesias at the time, came down to my basement and he picked up the rack mount tom and tapped it with his fingers. He smiled and said, “Ooo, these are some nice tubs,” and he handed me the cash. The small set was many ply and heavy. I bought a bigger, black Pearl set. The bass drum delaminated in no time. Maybe that was because I would stand on it during our set.

Someone named Mike booked Margaret Explosion for this years Naples Grape Fest. We were a litle worried about the lengendairy traffic jams that happen in that vineyard laden valley but he said he would give us a secret route and a prime parking space. We were to play a one hour and fifteen set but we had to be there an hour ahead of time. We’re used to waltzing in at the last minute with just enough time to set up and get started.

Four of us drove down in the same car, our car. We let Bob drive and Ken sat in the front seat. Margaret and I sat in the back with all the equipment. Of course Ken didn’t bring his double bass and I had to take my bass drum apart to put both my snare and my seat inside the drum to save space. We stayed out of the wine tasting tents and strolled the grounds before our set. Peggi bought some fresh squeezed lemonade and I found a coffee stand. One vendor was selling giant dog bones and another had flooring samples. We played between Amanda Lee Peers, fresh from her debut on “The Voice,” and a Zydeco band. We left as they were being introduced. We listened to a recording of the gig on the way home. Both it and the scenery were out-a-sight.