Sychronicity

Wow, it has been over a month with no entry....  a lot has been going on.  Lots of gigs, lots of new stuff at work. But most interesting has been bits of synchronicity that have been popping up.  Some are small coincidences, others are more confounding.

The small ones are things like:  I'll be driving, listening to the radio, and a story comes on NPR.  During the story Sinclair Lewis is mentioned.  I look up to see a freeway exit for Lewis Road.  Again listening to NPR on my commute to work, a story comes on about airline pilots.  The car in front of me is displaying a “Dog  is my co-pilot” bumper sticker.  I called the AT&T customer service number, 611.  The Time?  6:11 pm.  Random synchronicities...

But a few more impressive synchronicities have also happened lately as well.

One revolves around a training video that is being produced at work.  I was asked to act in it, portraying an identity thief (that was fun!).  While editing the scene, the producer/editor chose a piece of music from a production music library that seemed to perfectly fit the tone of the scene.  As it turns out, I actually wrote the piece of music!

The other one is weirder.  I was checking out the West Sac Goodwill, the one were I had my karmic transgression and reset, and something pretty weird happened.  As it is nearing Halloween, they have brought out all the cowboy boots they have in storage for possible costume use.  Most all of them are priced at 30.00.  I do not need another pair of cowboy boots, as I have both black and light brown pairs that I love, and at 30.00 I can easily resist the urge to pick up another pair, although 30.00 is more than fair for a good pair of boots. BUT.... there was one pair that was a perfect dark brown counterpart to my black lizard skin pair.  They appeared to be custom made, fit perfectly and were just 15.00.  At 15.00 I could not resist buying them.  So I did.

As I examined the boots more closely I found that they had insoles that were a little thick and I thought they might fit even better without the insoles.  As I pulled out the insoles, I felt a piece of paper that had been between the insole and the regular sole.  I pulled it out and found that it was a post-it note with one word on it: "Jeff."

I guess these boots were meant for me!

I've also been working on Dolphin Manor.  Here is a shot or two...

New wall paper border added above loft.  I LOVE it!

Sleeping loft corner detail

Nevada City, Brick and Mortar Music Hall, and a Karmic Re-Set

Nevada City Skyline.

Parlor Tricks had a gig booked for Sunday August 19th, 2012, so I stayed north for the weekend.  Since the gig was on Sunday, I took the opportunity to head north and explore Nevada City and Grass Valley on Saturday.

Fun places.  Pretty much like being on an old west movie set, except these are real.  I wore the Faux-Jo watch and it paid off handsomely, opening conversation at three different shops I went into.  The shop owners seemed impressed with it... well worth the investment to get some small talk going.

While the northern exploration was basically fun, the day was filled with annoying restaurant experiences.  I woke up and wanted bacon and eggs, so I headed over to Eggies, but the parking lot was full and as I headed out to find parking on the street, I found myself in a right turn only lane that took me away from the restaurant with no easy return.  So I said, "Screw it," and headed out to Whole Foods for the breakfast bar where I could get bacon and eggs for less money anyway.  But when I got to Whole Foods, I found they were out of bacon, so I headed back to Eggies.  This time there was parking, but as I was looking at the menu, I noticed they had a special Huevos Rancheros with Pork Chile Verde.  That piqued my taste buds, so I decided to change horses and give it a try.  I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, but was surprised when they arrived meatless and  "rojos."  I then checked the menu and found that they actually had two varieties. The waitress had given me what I ordered, just not what I wanted. Argg... She could have asked for some clarity, don't you think???

The bad restaurant experience continued in Nevada City.  Around lunch time I was in the mood for some meat and saw one restaurant with a reasonably priced steak sandwich, but I didn't want to eat too early; I wanted this meal to last the rest of the day.  I fooled around and by the time I went back, the place had closed for the interval between lunch and dinner.  Not wanting to wait for the dinner menu, when I am sure the steak sandwich would have been more expensive, I ended up and a bar and grill joint and the host's snooty attitude made me feel creepy when he seated me. The place was bland and so was the burger I ended up with.  Yes a day of annoying eating.

The day did end pleasantly though.  A street musician set up right next to where I had parked my car on Main Street.  She had a beautiful fragile and pure soprano voice which she blended with simple steel drum patterns.  It was original and had a really touching quality, although I am not sure she actually knew what she was doing.  It was effective nonetheless, especially since I could just hang out at my car and listen until I was ready to go.

Sunday August 19 Parlor Tricks had a gig at an SF club, The Brick and Mortar Music Hall.  It is a legit music venue with an excellent sound system and engineer, a young lady who had graduated from E'xpressions and she really knew her stuff.  Too bad nobody showed up for the gig.  What do you expect for a Sunday?

On the way down to the gig, I tried to make a Karmic Investment.  I stopped by the West Sac Goodwill and bought the clock with no hands.  I mean... who else was going to buy the darned thing?  It was my duty, having removed the hands myself.

Forgive me.... Hopefully I have effected a karmic re-set.

Engine Co. No.2, Nevada City.

Road Trip to Boonville and a Karmic Payback.

Self portrait with bolos

August is shaping up to be another busy month of gigs, mostly all with Parlor Tricks.   But it got started the weekend of August 4 with Agency EL84 playing the Stinson Beach Party on a bill with two other bands; Brodaddy and The Tomorrowmen.  The gig was a ton of fun, although not particularly well attended - but those who were there seemed to dig it.  We didn’t get paid but we got all the free BBQ’d oysters we could eat, and I did eat a few.

My friend Colleen, the original Gidget, came up from the city for the big beach party. I picked her up at the ferry in Sausalito and then out to Stinson.  It was a foggy day, and at times it felt more like Brigadoon than the Golden State, but fun was had by all.

Agency EL 84 in action!

The following weekend was a Parlor Tricks double header:  wedding in Boonville on Saturday, re-wedding on Sunday in Berkeley.  The drive from Sacto to Boonville is about 3 hours, and I had a couple of different options on how to get there.  I choose the road less traveled.  This route took me past Clear Lake, which I had never been to, and was interested in seeing.

Clear Lake: NorCal Lake Cuomo?

Public Pier on Clear Lake

On the route I couldn’t help stopping at a road-side Thrift Store where I found a great Western bow tie. I’d been looking for one of these forever, so when I saw this one in red rhinestones, for the grand price of one dollar it was a “must buy.”  They also had a kind of nice (but not fantastic) brass belt buckle for just two dollars so I picked that up to add to my collection of one (now two) buckles. 

But then, just up the street, I found an old feller selling some stuff by the roadside at a sort of a mini flea market.  He had a couple of FANTASTIC belt buckles that he let go 10 bucks each.  He also had a great Navajo silver cuff bracelet watch with nice big chunks of turquoise and coral but he wanted 100.00 bucks for that – out of my price range.  I have been keeping  my eye open for those types of watches…. (more on that in minute)…

He then asked me if knew what the most valuable buckle on his table was, and since I thought I just bought the best two, I was a little perplexed.  He pointed to a kind of nondescript pewter buckle commemorating the Korean War, of which he was a veteran.  That was the most valuable he said, because so few were made.   We discussed his service, and I suggested he take that buckle off the table.  After a moment he decided it was his to keep.

Rhinestone Cowboy Bow

Three New Buckles

While I was thinking what a great area to have a summer cottage, I passed a small lane named Bruner Drive.  I guess some other Bruner passed this was and thought it was cool place as well.  It is not often that you see Bruner spelled that way.  Here in NorCal, I do run across other “Bruners” but they are usually spelled Breuner…

I got to the gig in Boonville around 1:30, although the band was not due to set up until 3pm, and damn it was hot, 100 degrees or so.  Sacto had been hot, but I was hoping it would be cooler up in the redwoods, but not so. 

Driveway to Wild Iris Retreat

The wedding was absolutely gorgeous.  It was at the Wild Iris Retreat, which is up on top of a mountain with views all around.  The grounds were beautifully done, including a pool and small dance “barn” open on one side.  The gig went well, with people enjoying themselves.  So many young beautiful people, so much love in the air.

The Ceremony

Melina of Parlor Tricks

Bassman and Dancers

Parlor Tricks rocks the Barn

After the gig I drove down to Bart’s, about 2 hours away (hellish after a long hot day), stayed overnight, and then off to the next gig around 11:30 am.  Life of the traveling musician…

This gig, too, was in a beautiful setting: a wonderful house, mansion really, in the Berkeley hills,  complete with its own private Greek theater framed by towering redwoods.  This event was a couple renewing their vows after 20 years, so it was little more low key, but lover-ly nonetheless.

Then back to Sacto, back to work.  I’ve been roped into working with the video production unit filming a training video showing how we administer supplemental drive tests to stroke victims.  I got to play the stoke victim.  Oy.  But, hey, it’s better than digging ditches on a hot day.  Actually I must confess it was kind of fun.

I did a little local thrifting and found what may be my new best steal:  a wonderful ladies’ Navajo silver cuff watch with rose quartz stones.  Really beautiful one-of-a-kind craftsmanship by a guy named Jameson Lee for a mere 19.95.  I checked on Ebay and found other similar pieces by Lee going for 250.00.  Also at the same thrift stop I found a men’s Faux Navajo (Faux-Jo?) watch for 7.99.  I picked it up as well, but it is just costume jewelry, not really valuable, just cheap cast metal with fake turquoise, but it still looks cool.  It is funny.  I had just seen that silver Navajo cuff watch by the side of the road (for more money than I cared to pay) and then two turn up at a thrift store in a similar style… It often seems to go that way….I get alerted to something I want to collect and then it turns up unexpectedly… Was it there all along and I was missing it?  Or is it attracted to the “light?”

Faux-Jo

The Real Deal - Jameson Lee Silversmith

Then another P-Tricks gig on Wednesday night in SF.  It was a fund raiser for a local politico, a young liberal guy named Julian Davis running for 5^th District Supervisor.  The best part of the event was where it was held:  The Westerfield Mansion, and incredible restored Victorian.  It is to die for, really. 

Westerfield Mansion, this shot does not do it justice!

On the way down to the gig I set some bad karma in motion and got immediate payback. Why is it that bad karma slaps you in the face right away and good karma comes around so slowly?

Okay here’s my sad story of moral degradation, I am not proud.  A few weeks ago while thrifting, I found a great clock for the camper:  it was made from a slice of log, with a Native American themed clock face, but the hands were corroded and I didn’t like their style anyway.  So I bought some new hands at Michael’s Craft Supplies, and put them on.  The clock worked fine.  But... although these hands were BETTER, I did still did not LOVE them.  Well…on the way to the gig on Wednesday, I stopped at the West Sac Goodwill and I saw a clock that had the perfect hands for my camper clock.  Well… I didn’t want to pay for the whole darned clock, even though it was only 4 bucks, so I removed the hands from the clock and walked out with them.  I haven’t done anything like that since I was a kid.  Yes, it was a moral low point, stealing from the Goodwill (!) and I knew I would be punished!

And punished I was.  When I got back to the camper after the gig, I was excited to put the lifted hands on the clock, but somehow this time when I installed the new hands I broke the clock movement.  I had replaced the other set of hands without incident, and am not sure what I did differently this time.  But this time I busted the clock.

I did some online research to find a replacement for the movement, and it wasn’t hard to find: there are lot’s of people into making clocks out of “whatever” as craft projects. The prices on the movement part run from about 5 up to 12 bucks. Not bad, but I wanted it fixed NOW, so I found a local Sacto clock repair guy. I went into his shop and it was amazing.  He had this incredible antique 8 foot tall hunting lodge themed cuckoo clock, as well as many others that were just mind blowing.  Well, he said he would not sell me the movement outright, but he could fix my clock for 26.00 while I wait.  He said he would use a quality Seiko movement, guarantee it for a year, blah, blah, blah   After thinking a few minutes and under the influence of the wonderful and bizarre clocks surrounding me (I am a sucker for clocks), I succumbed.  I said, “Go ahead, let’s do it.”

So my “free” hands ended up costing almost 30.00 with tax.  And not only that, I let the guy screw me over on the deal.  The Seiko movement wouldn’t fit so he had to use a lower quality Takane movement, plus I didn’t need the hands that came at no cost with the movement.  Really the guy should have knocked a couple of bucks off his price, but I just signed on the dotted line.  Take it away, baby.  That’s Karma!

Just think, if I had actually paid for that thrift store clock that I lifted the hands from, I would have had a spare movement to use when the other one broke.  Of course the original movement never would have broken because I would not have incurred the Karmic Rath!

Karma, Live and learn.  “I have really learned my lesson this time!” I said again.

Log Clock in the camper, with bad karma hands.

Another STEAL!!!

Sah-weet Score!

Today, I decided to hang around the neighborhood in Sacto and do a little local thrifting. The master plan was to hit a few of the stores I normally skip and then head out to discover Discovery Park.

I found the little gem of a bolo above at Thrift Town on El Camino.  It must've slipped by the pricers and they should be kicking themselves:  'cuz it is real silver and real turquoise!  Yesterday in Folsom I saw similar pieces priced 120.00 and more.  This one was marked 5.99.  I did not hesitate.  I just said, "Ring it up!" Yes a STEAL!!!!

It really is quite sweet.  Small but very finely crafted.  Perfect.  My new favorite bolo.

I also found a nice hand engraved solid nickel silver belt buckle from a rodeo in 1979.  Price: 7.99.  Funny thing about this buckle:  when you look at it one way it reads "2nd Place."  But when the light hits it just right, it clearly says "3rd Place." So I wonder, was this a mistake by the engraver, or was somebody trying to upgrade their position???  Hmmmm.  Guess we'll never know.  But, all-in-all, a great weekend of thrifting.  Some great deals on some quality pieces.

I then hit the road out to Discovery Park, a nice stretch of green along the river.  When I got there, I found there was a 5.00 charge to use the park.  Being by myself, and just on an exploratory adventure, I declined to pay the fee and headed back to my Arden and Howe Neighborhood.   On the way, I saw a previously unknown thrift store and I pulled into the parking lot to explore.  Nothing of interest in the store, but as I was leaving, I found 5.00 in the parking lot.  Was it a sign? Should I go back to the park?  Maybe it was.  Maybe the adventure of my life was there.  I'll never know.  I stashed the bill in my shirt.

The rest of the day has been a bit annoying - so what else is new?  I couldn't find any fully shaded spot and really I just wanted to practice my instruments, but where?  I explored a new (to me) park just up Howe past the Home Depot.  While there, I found that the cabin door on the Dolphin was having problems again.  So a trip over to Home Depot was in order.  I had repaired this once before, but this time I came up with a better solution by adding a couple of "L" brackets to reinforce the corner.  The door now works better than ever before.  Phew.  I am holding this thing together with spit a glue, and that is half the fun.

Throughout the day, I have been fantasizing about starting a band: a psychedelic cabaret, dada vaudeville, space age bachelor pad orchestra.  Psycheglamaret.  VaudeDaDaVille.  The DaDaVille Frolic Orchestra.  That's it.  That's the name!  Okay, let's make it happen!

A Day In Folsom: "I Hear That Train A'Comin'"

I spent the day (Bastille Day, Saturday July 14th, 2012) frolicking in Folsom, the town, thankfully not the prison.

But unfortunately the day did not start with a frolic.  Yet another annoying incident. Ok here it is:  The dashboard AC in the Dolphin had gone out when I was returning from the Keenan Winery gig in June. When I had started the trip, the AC was blowing ice cold, but by the end of the trip it was merely cool.  A few days later, nothing but hot air.  As the Dolphin is built on an '86 Toyota truck chassis, I figured the AC must use the now banned R12 freon.  On Craig's List, I located a guy in Sac who was selling some R12 at 20 bucks per can, and made arrangements to meet him Saturday morning.  He had also offered to install the freon.

Well, I showed up at his house at the appointed time.  His driveway was a moderately steep slope, and I could not pull the RV up the hill due to the overhang behind the rear wheels. I decided to jockey the Dolphin into the driveway at an angle to get the nose a little closer to the garage where his tools were. As I was backing up, I heard an awful "KRUNCH." Oy, my heart sank.

I had backed into his mailbox and taken the box off the stand.  Except for the separation, the box was undamaged.  But the stand, one of those welded ess-shaped anchor chain affairs, was bent - ever so slightly - so now the box would not be level with the street.  The box would be at a bit of a tilt. The owner, Mr. R12 guy, explained the pains he had endured to ensure the cement would set right for the box to be level.  Try as we might, neither of us could level the platform.  Damage to the Dolphin was minimal, but it added a nice new 4 inch gash to the fiberglass siding.

Begrudgingly and grumbling, he suggested we move on to the task at hand - adding the R12 to the Dolphin.  We popped the hood, and lo and behold, the system hand been upgraded to the more modern and environmentally safe R134a.  I didn't even need his R12!!!!

I expressed my sincere regret at messing up his mailbox, offered him 40 bucks for his trouble and I hightailed out of there.  I pulled into the first parking lot I could find with some shade so I could lick my wounds and fill the new gash with silicone caulk.  As I reflected on my ordeal, I decided to call Justine to commiserate.  BUT...  no phone!!! I had lost my phone somewhere during the morning.  I had had it when I called Mr R12 at 9 am, but not now.  Had I lost it when I tried to right the mailbox post?  Oh god I hoped not.  I was not about to go back there looking for it.  My phone was so old, I would rather upgrade to a new one than subject myself to the embarrassment of returning to the scene of the crime.

So I retraced my steps back to the Starbucks where I had started my day.  Still no phone.  I went online to see if I had an upgrade due and, sho 'nuff, I did - so it looked like time to finally upgrade.  As a last ditch effort, I asked the barista if anyone had turned in a phone and lo and again behold, yes, there it was behind the counter.  I can't tell you how many times I've lost this phone at a Starbucks and it has been turned in to the lost and found.  Nobody wants this old thing!  So... it looked like I would stick with the old flip phone for the time being.

But (yes another "but"),  as I tried to charge the phone, the socket would not make a solid connection and therefor I could not charge the phone.  Soon it would die.  I could not do anything to save her, so finally the decision was made, I MUST get a new phone. I did and it is done.

After all that annoying stuff I decided to head out to explore Folsom which is about 30 minutes outside of Sacto.  I had heard nice things about the area and that the Folsom 24 hr fitness was the best in the land.  So I researched some of the local thrift stores and headed out.  The olde towne area is quite quaint, with a number of Native American shops and galleries.  Betty's House of Turquoise is phenomenal. I was able to reassure myself that a number of the thrift store purchases I've made recently are actually quite valuable.  I found Yei Bi Che rugs similar to the one that I found for 8 bucks going for 800 dollars and up (thanks for the info S.G.!).  8 inch square sand paintings were going for 80 bucks.  I recently bought 2 of identical quality for 3 bucks each. A clock identical to one I picked up for 7.95 was going for 264.95.  I think I am doing well in the collection. Antique Road Show here I come.

I did find one bargain that I could not resist:  a Native American rug for 20 bucks.  I found this in one of those "antique collectives" where individual sellers have their own space, and I could not believe my eyes when I saw the price.  This one is VERY similar in quality to others I had seen earlier in some of the Native American "Galleries" going for 1200.00 and more.  I think I got a steal at 20 bucks.

And yes the 24 hr Fitness IS the best in the land.  Uncrowded (well it WAS Saturday night) lap pool with 5 lanes (most have only 3) a separate pool for water exercise, and single sex sauna and steam rooms.  The best in all the land.

Here's some pix:

The New Rug, folded in half....

Picnic at Folsom Lake

Gotta love this...

Lake Fun

Betty's House of Turquoise:  Not to be Missed!

I always wondered where Hop Sing ended up after the Ponderosa

Charming Olde Towne Folsom

Day is Done

Two Weeks Hard Labor, or How I Spent My Summer Vacation.

Before

After

It finally happened; I took a two-week vacation.   Since beginning with the DMV in 2009, I have not had any extended time off, so this was the first opportunity to tackle some home maintenance/improvement projects that have been piling up over the years.  The biggest project was repairing and rebuilding the deck.  I am not an experienced carpenter, so while I was confident I could come up with a solution that would – at the very least - be an improvement, I was not sure how it would really turn out.  Fortunately, with the help of some borrowed tools, the project came out better than expected.  It looks great, Justine is happy with the work and… I still have all ten fingers.  Project accomplished.

Handiwork Detail

Carpenter's LUnch

This vacation was also an opportunity to spend time with Mia who was returning from 9 months abroad at Oxford University.  We had a great time, squeezing in a few fun outings in between my chores.  With Julie and Raf, we spent a day at the beach in Santa Barbara then had dinner with my Mom at Harry’s Plaza Café.  The “Omaha”  (an open-face prime rib sandwich) was as good as ever, but the price is now up to 15.95.  I can remember when it was a mere 3.95, and that my friends in an economics lesson in the time-value of money.  

And surprise, surprise – wonder of wonders; Julie took us to a beach unknown to me in all my 51 years of SB experience!  This is an amazing beach – secluded yet relatively easy to access, not overcrowded, beautiful cliffs, a moderately wide sandy beach, smooth bottom for wading/body surfing, and we even found a spot of shade that lasted all day.  How did I not know of this spot before?  It is my new favorite beach!  The only drawback is that there is not much in the way of surf – but that is a blessing in disguise as it makes the spot unattractive to REAL surfers.  On the other hand, they do allow horses on the beach so we returned a week later with Justine and her Mare.  That is the only way I have ever gotten Justine to the beach!  I am not going publish the name of this beach on the Internet, because - even though I know nobody is reading this blog  - I don’t want to be accused of letting the secret out.  But… if you have a burning desire to know, contact me directly and I will clue you in to the location of this wonderful – secret - spot.  Hush!

The highlight of the vacation was a Musical Saw Lesson from David Weiss, the premier saw-ist in LA.  Mia has wanted to learn to play the saw for some time. While in England, she bought one and attempted to get some sounds out of it, but it proved difficult.  Through a mutual friend I had known of David Weiss, who besides playing saw, is the principal oboist with The LA Philharmonic – quite an accomplished musician.   We were able to arrange a lesson for Mia and I was allowed to sit in (yay!).  It was really a kick!  The lesson lit a spark for Mia and she is now diligently practicing.  She is committed to learning this instrument but it really is quite difficult to get a musical tone and accurate pitches.   But I DO hope she continues to master this – because I would really like to record some duets!

During this vacation time, I had parked the RV in a State parking lot where I have a monthly pass.  The lot is under the freeway and it is where I normally park my commuter car, the Subaru.  I was concerned that the RV, parked continuously in one spot for two weeks, might draw some unwanted attention and be ticketed or towed. However, the parking supervisor assured me it would be OK as long as the parking pass was properly displayed.  Still I was a bit wary – who knows who you can trust at the DMV (where so much inaccurate information abounds)? 

I also had some concern when a security guard told me that homeless people camp out in the lot on the weekends.  It is nice and shady and otherwise protected from the elements under the freeway.  Also, I suppose that since it is State property, the Sacto City Police do not have jurisdiction there.  All-in-all, a nice spot to hang out if you have nowhere else to go.  Because of all this, I was afraid someone might be hanging out and just decide to break into the camper.  After all, it would be even nicer to hang out in a nice cozy RV… But luckily, all was well when I returned.  Dolphin Manor had not been vandalized nor otherwise accosted.  Phew.  Honor among thieves, I guess.  “One of us, one of us.”

Yes, I am one of them.

Home sweet home.  Now, back to work!

Home 1, Calabasas

Home 2, under the Cap City Fwy, near DMV HQ.

June: a Busy Month of Gigs!

Instagram Photo, Courtesy Mark Gartland.

Summer is here, and it’s been a busy month on the music scene.  It started on Friday, 06/08/12 when Agency EL84 played a benefit for World Oceans Day in Sausalito.   The highlight was some old geezer (in reality probably not much older than me) who came up a couple of times to vehemently tell us to turn down.  Kinda felt like being back playing a Jr. High School Dance.

The next night, Saturday the 9th, was Bond Girl’s re-debut with me on bass at the Rockit Room, a pretty legit music venue in SF: 

We played well and the set came off fairly well I think, but there was a little tension on stage between Cherie (Bond Girl herself) and Andy (the guitarist).  Andy is a bit of a “fiddler,” always messing with pedals and tuning, etc, and Cherie gets a wee bit anxious between songs.  I didn’t find the delay to be so bad, but the tension was noticeable to the audience.  However, major kudos go to Cherie for putting this together and pulling it off.  We split the bill with two other bands, Rue 66 and ZZ Topless, and bottom line, we had 90 paying customers between the three bands. All-in-all, a pretty good outing.


And then:

Sunday, June 10^th , was my first performance with the West Sac Community Orchestra.  We played better at the performance than we had ever played in rehearsal - which frankly is not saying much - this is NOT a Class A high performance institution; it is a non audition Communtiy Orchestra.  The concert was free and, ahem, you get what pay for….  Anyway… We repeated the program on Tuesday, and in general it was even better, but the orchestra came the closest I’ve ever been to an out-and-out train wreck!  The beginning of the overture to “Girl Crazy” has some syncopated rhythm and the orchestra just was not feeling it.  It really fell apart.  Nobody knew where they were, and most just stopped playing!!!  Luckily we all found our way to a common downbeat a few bars away, and we fell back into place…

Then, on Saturday the 16^th, G-Men (The Agency plus Mark Gartland) played our now annual gig at Keenan Winery.  I left Sacto on Friday and headed to Boethe Napa State Park, where I had reservations for the weekend.  It was a beautiful spot, lots of shady trees and a brook running nearby.  Good thing it was shady, because temps hit the 100’s!   The gig went well, pretty similar to last year.  Same great catering – oysters, shrimp cocktail, fresh tacos, wood smoked sliders, all great stuff. We were again re-booked on the spot, and a number of people at the event gave us really good complements.  Maybe more work will come? 

View from the Stage at Keenan Winery

I had been coming down with some sort of bug, so by the time the gig was over at 3pm, I went back to the campsite and crawled into bed.  I didn’t get up until the next day around 8:30 am, so I had over 16 hours of rest, but dang was it hot in the box!

That brings us up to the final weekend of the month!  Friday the 22^nd I had a rehearsal with Bond Girl to play at Andy(the Bond Guitarist)’s 50^th Birthday party on Sunday the 24^th.  I arrived at rehearsal at 7pm, having left work, jumped in my car and driven down to SF from Sacto, to find that Steve the drummer had slipped on a ramp at work and broken his wrist!  No drums for the party!  Andy had already rescheduled the party once, so we made the decision to do the party sans drums.

In the meantime, I filled in on bass for two Parlor Tricks gigs, both on Saturday the 23^rd.  The first was a wedding party out at the Marin Headlands Hostel.  It was a really interesting place.  A bit shabby around the edges, but certainly with a lot of history and charm.  The park had once been an army base and the hostel was a large house that had once been officers’ quarters.  There are also several buildings that have been converted to artist studio space.  Hmmm.  All nestled on the cliffs of the Marin Headlands, just above the Golden Gate Bridge.  How do you get one of those artist studios?????  That’s what I want to know.

I was first of the band to arrive and could find nobody in charge… There was no cell phone reception and I was not even sure I was in the right place.  Luckily the other members arrived about an hour later and we confirmed we were in the right place for the right party, which turned out to be a blast.   We were on from 7pm to 8:30pm and the whole party danced the entire time.  It is really so much fun to play when the entire audience is into what you are doing.  They give you so much energy back.  That is why we do this thing!!!

Eddie Scher, Parlor Tricks

Wedding Dinner al Fresco, Marin Headlands

           

At 8:30 we had to pack up and high-tail it to the Rockit Room in SF.  We were the third of a three band bill.  We got there in plenty of time, but I was mystified as to why we were on this bill.  The first band was a screamo-metal band, the second was some kids doing original music, sounded kind of Cars influenced.  And then Parlor Tricks, an “industrial ragtime band,”  Apparently someone in one of the other bands saw a P-Tricks video online and loved it.  Whatever.  By the time we got on stage at 11:15, the place had pretty much cleared out.  But we had small group that stayed to hear this curiosity ( I am sure), and they were really into the band.  They danced, added a clapping rhythm section on one song, and generally had a great time.  Which made us have a great time!  Again, its all about the energy you get BACK from the audience.

Gotta love this poster!  Now how San Franciscan am I???

Well, anyway.  Tonight, Sunday the 24^th, Bond Girl will be playing Andy’s Party, sans drummer, and it’s time to start getting ready already…. I expect it to go fairly well.  It is just a party, and for fun, so…. HAVE FUN goddammit.

Tomorrow I get to head south to Calabasas for two weeks vacation.  Mia will be returning from Oxford and I look forward to spending some time with her.

Yep,  HAVE FUN, goddammit.