Hail to the Chiefs

Tinsel and Rot's salute to bowling continues as we bring you the results of the First Ever Presidents' Day Bowling Extravaganza, which took place today at Bowl-Rite Lanes in Union City, NJ (13 games bowled for $41, with one shoe rental...what a place). The Extravaganza featured six presidential duels, plus a bonus solo game for Rutherford B. Hayes. After a spirited tie in the first game, the subsequent five head-to-heads were a little less competitive.


Game 1: Franklin Pierce (120) tied LBJ (120). LBJ works his way out of a quagmire and ties the game in the 10th.



Game 2: Millard Fillmore (176) def. James K. Polk (115). Fillmore makes the Finger Lakes region proud and takes home the Top Bowler of the Day trophy, handily defeating Polk (shown above).



Game 3: Herbert Hoover (135) def. William Howard Taft (113). They weren't booing, they were chanting "Hooooooooooover."



Game 4: Warren G. Harding (157) def. Calvin Coolidge (105). Silent Cal is no match for Harding (shown above looking very unathletic), who atones for his Teapot Dome sins with a 52-pin victory.



Game 5: Ulysses S. Grant (138) def. Grover Cleveland (104). Not a very effective president, Grant proves to be competent enough to beat back the resilient Cleveland, seen gunning for a second, nonconsecutive spare above.



Game 6: Chester A. Arthur (151) def. John Quincy Adams (87). The Gentleman Boss shows off his kegling prowess in a thumping of the exhausted JQA.



Game 7: Rutherford B. Hayes (126). No one wants to play "Rutherfraud," but he soldiers on anyway with a respectable 126.

Happy Presidents' Day to all and to all a good night.

Let the Eagle Fly

With the NFL officially off the clock, you can now enjoy the splendors of the PBA Tour on ESPN. And because the people who run the PBA have more brains than those who run the NHL (and now more viewers), they're actually taking advantage of an early non-NFL weekend to air their always-entertaining Skills Challenge.

The Skills Challenge finds eight two-man teams competing for $15,000 in what is essentially a game of Horse without the spelling. I've only seen one-on-one Skills Challenges, but I assume it'll be the same deal for this one, which is billed as "Young Guns vs. Legends." It's usually pretty cool, and some of the shots are damn impressive. My personal favorite is the Flying Eagle, one of Chris Barnes's specialties.



Norm Duke (master of the towel shot) is the defending champ, though, so he'll be the one to beat. Other top contenders are Tony Reyes, Mike Machuga, and, of course, New Jersey's own Parker Bohn III. All are featured in the promo below.



Check it out on Sunday at 2 p.m., or whenever the finals of the PBA 2007 Go RVing Classic wrap up. Pete Weber's currently fourth in that, so maybe you should make a whole early afternoon of it and see if you can catch some PDW action.

Because, Just Because

After a few hours of sleep, I arose bright and early Saturday morning with the intention of squeezing in a visit to the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame in Euclid before my 1:50 p.m. flight back to JFK (the airport, not the man). The Hall of Fame's website said it opened at 10 a.m. on Saturday, so it seemed doable, particularly because it seemed that the Hall of Fame could not possibly occupy more than three rooms in Euclid's old City Hall. Polka even had to share the space with the Softball Hall of Fame, or, to use the museum's complete name, the Greater Cleveland Slo Pitch Softball Museum and Hall of Fame. Think of that niche and imagine how exciting such a landmark would be. I passed on that.

But the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame--now there's something that'll get me out of bed at 8:30 on a Saturday morning. Just to make sure that the website wasn't lying (as websites sometimes do), I placed a call to the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame at 9 a.m. I got a recording that confirmed the 10 a.m. opening, but, most excitedly, the recording ended with a sincere wish for me to have a "polkarrific" day. Indeed, I would.



I would like to go on record that Yellow Zone Cabs get the Tinsel and Rot Seal of Approval for Best Cleveland Taxi Service. I tried another one on the way back from the Beachland, and they overcharged me, plus the driver kinda yelled at me for not having a plan to get out of Iraq. He was actually a good guy, but the political talk got kind of awkward toward the end of the ride, particularly when we pulled up to the hotel and the conversation didn't end. I was kinda tired, dude.

But Tom, the Yellow Zone driver who drove me to and fro the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, was aces. He stunningly knew nothing about the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, but he knew Euclid well, having lived there 40 years ago. So he found it just fine and gave me his card to call him for a ride back. And then he apologized for being late and gave me a discounted ride straight to the airport. He's the man. I've got his cell number if you want it. He works weekends.

Anyway, after Tom dropped me off around 9:45, I took a walk around Euclid and took in the many exciting things it offers on a Saturday morning. There was a funeral going on at the church and a bakery was open. Rather than barge into the funeral, I went to the bakery (Wojtila's) and picked up a disappointing chocolate custard doughnut and a far superior Polish-type pastry that I never got the name of. Tasty, though. I tried learning the names of Polish pastries once, but just when I thought I had the pronunciation of "paczka" down, I asked for one at a bakery in Greenpoint and the woman looked at me as if I were insane. So now I just point at things in bakeries. (The pronunciation, by the way, is "POONCH-kah." Clearly, I'm an idiot for not getting that one right.)

Where was I? Right, the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame. Much like the Greater Cleveland Slo Pitch Softball Museum and Hall of Fame is not quite the actual Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame must distinguish itself from the International Polka Hall of Fame, which I'm not sure is an actual building. The facility in Cleveland honors the style of polka where the accordion is up front, rather than the brass-heavy styles of bands like the one led by 16-time Grammy-winning Jimmy Sturr, whose only appearance in the Euclid HOF is a picture in a hallway and a few CDs in the gift shop. I doubt he takes it personally.



The Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame is built around the legacy of the all-time polka king, Frankie Yankovic (no relation, jerko). Yankovic played the biggest role in popularizing the Cleveland style of polka and is responsible for two of the most revered polka recordings, "Just Because" (one of the all-time great songs) and "Blue Skirt Waltz." He brought polka out of the suburbs of Cleveland and into the public eye, and his name is clearly still spoken in hushed tones among the polka aficionados of Cleveland, if not the world. Memorabilia from his career fills the main room of the Hall, and he is the centerpiece of the 15-minute video that the woman in the gift shop was nice enough to play for me. I'm sure she was stunned to see a 30-year-old man in the Hall of Fame at 10:15 in the morning. Yes, surprisingly, I had the Hall of Fame all to myself. People don't respect the past like they used to. They've got Frankie's jacket on display. What are you waiting for, America?



In addition to the plaques honoring the Hall of Fame inductees and the classic polka recordings that defined the genre, there is also a section of the main room devoted to the Trustees Honor Roll, which salutes those who contributed to the longevity and popularity of Cleveland-style polka. First of all, regardless of the achievements of these people, it's a collection of some of the best names ever, such as Jack "Porky" Ponikvar, Heinie Martin Antoncic, and Rudy Kershishnik. But it's also an interesting look into not just polka, but also the working-class people who lived lives in service to polka. Here are my two favorites from the bunch:



After my tour through the Hall, I did some damage at the gift shop, picking up a Johnny Vadnal CD, because his music sounded cool in the 15-minute documentary and he was an important guy in the early days of Cleveland-style polka, and a Casuals CD, because the cover had a bowling theme and one of the songs on the disc was titled "Grab Your Balls, We're Goin' Bowling." I don't think a CD has demanded me to purchase it quite as strongly as that one. And then I threw in a mug, a t-shirt, a pin, a postcard, a sticker, and, yeah, I think that's it.



If you're ever in Euclid, I think you know where you oughta go.

***

After Tom dropped me off at the airport, I had about 45 minutes to spare, so I searched around for some souvenirs and some food for the trip. As I decided whether I should buy a Cleveland Rocks t-shirt (eventual answer: yes), I came across the oddest looking, allegedly edible thing ever. Clearly, I had to buy it. And since my camera actually has a "Cuisine" mode for photographs, preserving it for the ages seemed like the right thing to do.



Pig heart or doughnut-like foodstuff? You make the call. (For the record, I think it was an apple fritter. There were apples involved.)

As I tucked my ginormous sugar-coated thing into my pocket, I headed onto the plane back home with warm memories of a seeing a truly memorable, life-affirming concert, hearing the crunch of snow under my feet for the first time in a long time, and experiencing a slice of polka heaven in Euclid.

Thanks, Cleveland. You rock.

Cleveland Rocks

As you may have noticed, I have a large fondness for music. It is, as described by Hunter S. Thompson, "a matter of energy for me, a question of Fuel." And there is no time of the year where I am more in need of that Fuel than the first two months of any year. Even when the winter's not as harsh as usual, there's something about January and February that demands a trip somehwere to see music. Last year, it was a couple of trips to see the Avett Brothers in January. But the Avetts were way out West this winter, so that was out of the question (or, more to the point, out of the budget). So I would have to look elsewhere.

In early January, I checked the Split Lip Rayfield site, looking for updates on Kirk Rundstrom's health. The band had done a few shows at the end of 2006 that they declared to be the official end of the road. I had thought about taking a trip out for one of those shows, but the timing didn't work out. So I had resigned myself to the fact that I'd miss out on seeing Split Lip one last time.

Until that day in January when the band announced that Kirk wanted to keep doing shows and would head out for a four-day run in February that would include a stop at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland. That would be the furthest east the band had come on their farewell tour. I hemmed and hawed a bit about the money part of the trip, but after getting a reasonable price on a flight, it was all systems go. I'd take a flight Friday morning, see the show on Friday night, and then head home on Saturday. Then, checking out what to do in Cleveland, I discovered that the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame was in nearby Euclid. And so the trip became that much more exciting.

Well, maybe "exciting" isn't the right word for a trip built on seeing a man with terminal cancer for the last time. But then again, maybe it is.

***

To recap for those without a strong knowledge of every post here, Kirk Rundstrom, guitarist and singer in Kansas's Split Lip Rayfield, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last January. After undergoing months of treatments, doctors eventually gave him the bad news in June that there was little they could do. He was given two to six months to live. Rather than spending his last days undergoing more treatments that would weaken him, Rundstrom decided to go out doing what he loved. So, with mandolin player/singer Wayne Gottstine back on board as well, Split Lip Rayfield went back out on the road, doing weekend runs and shows for their Kansas fanbase. Now, almost eight months after the prognosis, Rundstrom is defying the odds and still playing shows.

I once saw John Hartford give a show at the Bottom Line a few months before his death. In betweeen songs, he would take swigs from what I assume was a bottle of medicine, apologizing for his sluggishness along the way. Toward the end of the show, he expressed his regret that he would not be able to meet with fans after his set, as it was just a bad idea considering his weakened medical condition. At the time, I didn't really know much about John Hartford, so the show--and his frail condition--probably wasn't as heartbreaking to me as it was to his more devoted fans. What I remember most about the show is Hartford's dry, laconic ramble through "Watching the River Go By." It's a simple, mainly spoken song, but that night Hartford and his band made it seem like the greatest song I've ever heard. I bought the studio CD on which it appears, and it sounds just fine. But it doesn't sound like it did that night. There's a sweet, sad magic missing from it. I'm glad I got to hear that magic that night.

I also once felt compelled to take a bus to Woodstock to go to the memorial service for The Band's Rick Danko. I know that seems strange, but it really didn't at the time. It seemed like exactly the right thing to do--because The Band played a big part in guiding me to the music I listen to and love. And I just felt that I had to show my appreciation in some way. But there may have been another reason for going, too. Danko played solo shows in New York City all the time, and I always put them off, thinking there would always be plenty of opportunities to see him again. And then, suddenly, there weren't. I think I went to Woodstock partly as an apology for missing all those shows, and partly because I was angry for having done so.

Since then, I've tried to treat certain shows with a sense of urgency. Maybe that sounds odd to you, because you get your Fuel other ways. And that's fine. But that's how I got to Cleveland.

***
After a pleasant, uneventful flight, a quick stop at the hotel, and a cab ride from a driver who seemed to only have a vague idea of where the Beachland Ballroom was, I headed into the show. Well, actually, I first made a few purchases at the nearby Music Saves and the kick-ass This Way Out downstairs at the Beachland. But I'll skip over that in favor of the actual show, OK?
There were two opening acts, one (Chittlin') who had pretty good songs but not much stage presence and another (Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival) who had great stage presence but kinda dopey songs. The latter at least demands a picture, particularly because experimentation with my new camera resulted in this one:



They certainly weren't boring. I don't know if I'd run out to buy their CDs, but it is a pretty entertaining live experience. And during their last song, a fight broke out behind me. Always cool.

But all that was a lead-up to Split Lip, who took the stage to loud applause and an outpouring of love, which was another reason I was glad to be at the show. Most of the Split Lip shows I've seen in the NYC area have been criminally underattended, so it's always nice to see a good band get a good-sized crowd. I remember seeing Split Lip at Maxwell's in Hoboken back in 2005, and I was among ten people who share that memory. I also recall reading that Wayne Gottstine left the band soon after that tour, and understanding completely.

Anyway, as I said, Gottstine was back on board, and since his mandolin playing has always been my favorite part of the band, it was good to see him up on stage again. And, of course, it was good to see Rundstrom up there, too. He certainly looked a little frailer than the last time I saw him, but he still looked reasonably well, particularly for a man that doctors didn't expect to be playing to a large crowd in Cleveland on a Friday night in February 2007. But it was sort of a weird experience for me. While I would usually not think twice about a guitarist staggering around a bit on stage, every time Rundstrom tipped back a bit or lurched forward, I would just get really worried. It was one thing to come to Cleveland to see Split Lip one last time, but it would be something else entirely to see something horrible happened while Rundstrom was on stage. So my heart jumped a bit when he knocked his head against the microphone mid-set. And I was a little distracted for the next few minutes.

But then the music took over. It's hard to really explain Split Lip's sound, other than I like it. What else do you need? It's played with bluegrass instruments (with the exception of a bass made from a gas tank and one string made out of weed whacker line), but it's not really bluegrass. I bet I've used that same description--minus the bass part--for the Avett Brothers, and Split Lip does share a similar, fast-picking energy with the Avetts. And it's that energy--whether derived from Eric Mardis's banjo runs, Gottstine's insane mandolin solos, or Jeff Eaton's mastery of the aforementioned unique bass--that completely washed away the sadness I expected Friday night's show to bring.





And when Rundstrom ripped through a guitar solo or plowed into singing, the realization that I was seeing a really good band give everything they had to a devoted crowd on a Friday night in Cleveland knocked away any sorrow in my heart. The show wasn't a funeral. It was a celebration, just like every show the band has done since Rundstrom's diagnosis and every show they will do until...

I don't feel like finishing that sentence. And I doubt anybody in Split Lip does either. So they play on. They've added some more dates for the months ahead. They'll be a helluva party.



P.S. I don't know if you'd dig Split Lip's music, but why not give it a shot? Visit their homepage or their MySpace page to hear their songs (and maybe buy thir CDs?). And you can donate money to help Kirk out by clicking on the link on the left-hand side of this page. Think about it, OK?

NEXT: And then we polka.

Ein prosit, Mr. Sturr

Tinsel and Rot salutes Jimmy Sturr on his 16th Grammy Award for Best Polka Album. You can't stop him; you can only hope to contain him.

More polka-related stuff--and a bunch more weekend-related stuff--later.

As promised...

Most Sunday nights follow the same pattern. Early in the evening, I vow to head to bed early so I can be refreshed for work on Monday morning. Then, around the time that whatever "Surreal Life" offshoot currently on the air starts up, I begin to realize how stupid it would be to be "refreshed for work" and wind up aimlessly running up and down the cable dial, staying up well past the usual time and eventually settling down to watch a completely pointless show hosted by a gasbag.

That show is "Mike'd Up." And the host is Mike Francesa, a man whose chief contribution to society is that, on a radio show cohosted by Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, he is actually the guy I consider to be the more annoying one.

While a TV show hosted by Russo might have mild entertainment value, one hosted by Francesa is righteously awful. And on a consistent basis. The show consists of Francesa spouting off nonsense about whatever sports event he finds worthy (but never hockey, because he knows absolutely nothing about it) usually behind a table with a bowl of snack food on it (this week's edition featured a Super Bowl XLI cake and a platter of wings). Half of his opinions are asinine, and the other half are just lame. In that, he is, of course, your typical sports radio host, but there's something about actually seeing the smug look on Francesa's face, which you don't actually have to contend with on the radio, that makes me insane. But yet I watch. Unfortunately, the show usually makes me so angry that I never make it to the show I actually want to see, the legendary and soon-to-be-extinct "George Michael's Sports Machine." And then I go to bed angry, which is a good way to start the workweek. After watching the show, I start to understand why people call in to sports radio and sound unhinged. Maybe that's what the future holds for me.

This week's post-Super Bowl edition was particularly heinous. The moment at which my anger reached a fever pitch was when Francesa spent a good portion of time complaining that Peyton Manning didn't act happy enough after winning the Super Bowl. And then he showed some footage of John Elway's toothy smile after he won the Super Bowl, insisting that he would have preferred to see Manning celebrate like that. This went on for several minutes. Or maybe several hours. I lost track of time.

So, today, Tinsel and Rot is pleased to induct Mike Francesa into the People Tinsel and Rot Would Like To Kick in the Groin Hall of Fame. Congrats, pal. See you Sunday night.

Headline of the Year

I was going to write something about how much of a jackass Mike Francesa is (maybe later), but then I came upon this headline on my Yahoo Most Popular Headlines page:

DESK PHOTO OF STILLBORN BABY CREATES AWKWARD OFFICE ISSUE

I'm not sure what to say about that. Other than I'm glad I don't work with "Madge."

What I Liked About January

*Miranda Lambert, Mercury Lounge, NYC
*The birth of Quinn Marcas McCormick
*The coconut custard danish ring from the Cake Chef, Staten Island, NY
*Another powerful death episode of "Degrassi: The Next Generation"





*Islanders 5, Rangers 3 (and watching people walking in and around vomit during the first intermission)
*Dinner with the Gambinos in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
*The Iaffaldano/Petty Engagement Extravaganza, Brick, NJ
*"My American Dream" by Naked Trucker and T-Bones

*Spotting myself in a picture in The Grand Ole Opry (p. 240)
*The Pizza Margherita at Lil' Frankie's, NYC
*The Bangles, House of Blues, Atlantic City, NJ
*The willingness of people with cars to drive me places

Enjoy every sandwich

Today would've been Warren Zevon's 60th birthday. Go listen to some of his songs, wouldya? And if you aint got any of his songs, go buy some of his CDs. Here's some:

*Excitable Boy
*Warren Zevon
*The Wind
*Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School
*Sentimental Hygiene

and if you prefer the less adventurous Greatest Hits route:

*I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)
*Genius: Best of Warren Zevon

I'll forever be a little bummed that I ignored him for so many years and never got to see him live. But here's his last Letterman appearance. Still hits me hard:

Rethinking the Songs of My Youth: Bangles Edition

Before I get to the Bangles, let me just share an interesting discovery I made Friday night, while walking from the Atlantic City Hilton to the Showboat House of Blues, where the Bangles were performing. Avid readers of T&R (as the kids call it), will no doubt be aware of the many depressing things Atlantic City has to offer, from belligerent amputees to Eddie Money singing on a beach. But, as it turns out, the true depression in Atlantic City can only be achieved when you walk the entire length of the boardwalk at night in the middle of January. Nearly every store was shut down, with the exception of the "Never Closed" Bob's Gyros and competing sleazy-looking massage parlors offering $20 and $32 full body massage parlors. Yet, music still blares out, both from casinos (like Bally's Wild Wild West's New Country mix) and from a section of shops just down the way from Bally's, where, right on cue, "Theme from 'A Summer Place'" blared out as I walked past.

Anybody in Atlantic City in January is inside the casinos, hunkered down among the slot machines or gorging on a comped buffet. And there isn't much movement from casino; you pick your spot and hope for the best. Should the worst happen to hit, you must decide to either ride it out or venture out onto the boardwalk and faced those harsh winds. And judging by the dead-eyed glares that met me when I walked into a few of the casinos, there was a lot of riding out going on Friday night.

Yes, if you find yourself traveling to Atlantic City in the dead of winter, it is clear that you either have a severe gambling problem or there is something much, much worse wrong with you.

I, of course, am among the latter.

***

With a Ticketmaster gift card and the knowledge that I'd get at least two-thirds of my bus fare back, I made the decision to board an Academy bus at the Port Authority Bus Terminal and head out to see the Bangles at the Showboat House of Blues. Much like my love for Huey Lewis and the News, my love for the Bangles is genuine and nonironic. Of course, I find the Bangles to be much better-looking than Huey Lewis and any members--past, present, and future--of the News, so that may have played a part in my decision to go to Atlantic City on the weekend that winter finally got its act together. Or I may just be crazy. Feel free to come to the conclusion that makes you most comfortable.

But I have been attracted to a lot of female musicians in my time, so it's not just the fact that I was gonna have a chance to see Susanna Hoffs that put me in Atlantic City. The Bangles also don't do too many shows these days, particularly on the east coast (though rumors of a summer 2007 tour have popped up).I saw them a bunch of years ago at Irving Plaza, which, as it turns out, was probably the only time I'll ever see the classic Bangles lineup, since bassist Michael Steele retired from the band a few years ago. Lest you think I spend a lot of time thinking about the Bangles, I learned of her retirement about three hours after I bought my ticket to the AC show. I don't want to give the impression that I sit in my apartment and pore through the Bangles' web site. However, I have spent the last two days doing just that. And looking for a clip of "The Allnighter" on YouTube. I've said too much.

Anyway, the chance to see a rare Bangles show and to hear the Bangles songs I enjoyed in my youth (and, OK, yeah, to see Susanna Hoffs...and the equally-pleasing- to-my-eye Vicki Peterson) compelled me to get on that bus, on which the bus driver and the man in the front seat engaged in a two-hour-long, loud, rambling dialogue (much thanks to the music of Dave Edmunds and Eddie Floyd, which drowned out a good deal of that). I wound up getting $22 of my $31 bus fare back from the Atlantic City Hilton, plus a $5 food coupon. So I stepped foot in Atlantic City down only $4. I could get used to being elderly.

After the aforementioned most depressing walk ever, I headed into the Showboat right on time, something I am always grateful for when I'm in Atlantic City. The show began with a brief set from the horribly named Fran Smith Jr. and the Ten-Cent Millionaires. Here's something I just discovered five minutes ago: Fran Smith Jr. currently plays bass for the Hooters, who his biography says have ridden the fame of "And We Danced" to become "one of the hottest bands in Europe." Really? C'mon, Europe. Get your act together.

(Oooh...here's something else very entertaining from his bio [which, I should mention is much more enjoyable than his set was]:

"From his own recording studio he has produced many successful projects. His clients run the gamut from friends like Joe Piscapo and Flo and Eddy of The Turtles to local artists and bands."

I'm willing to let it slide that he misspells the names of two of the three friends he mentions, but I do feel obligated to note that that may be the saddest gamut I've ever seen.)

There was a 45-minute wait between the end of the Millionaires' set and the start of the Bangles', and that was filled with 45 minutes of '80s music over the PA. The most entertaining part of that lengthy intermission was watching the steely, leather-jacketed facade of the gentleman to my left crumble two notes into Katrina and the Waves' "Walkin' on Sunshine," when his head started reflexively bobbing to the peppy beat. I was also trying to gauge how many guys came just to see if Susanna Hoffs still held up. I put the number at roughly two-thirds.

And many of those two-thirds angled up to my spot stage left seconds after the Bangles came out swinging with "Hazy Shade of Winter" (one of the Top 10 cover songs of all time). Security spent a good part of the first three songs picking out those snapping photos, including the guy behind me who was so dead set on getting that Susanna photo that the flashlight shining directly in his face barely even phased him. And even after the first warning, he kept at it. He gave up after being spotted again, though. As my own attempts to smuggle a camera in were thwarted, I can offer you no photographic proof that Susanna Hoffs is still hot. But she is. You'll have to just trust me.

You will also have to trust me that it was a really good show. All the hits were polished up and presented just as good as they sounded on my 45s in the '80s, and the newer songs from their last record, "Doll Revolution," fit in just fine. Particular highlights were "Ride the Ride" (which segued into the '80s classic "In Your Room"), the Elvis Costello-penned "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution"), and my favorite song of the first half of the show, "Rain Song," originally cowritten by Vicki Peterson when she was in the Continental Drifters.

And then there were the hits of the '80s--"Manic Monday," "Eternal Flame" (the final encore), "If She Knew What She Wants" (kind of a hit), and, of course, the main-set closer, "Walk Like An Egyptian." I guess I was about nine years old when that song came out, as it was released in 1986, the Year of Great Things (Mets win the World Series, Giants march to the Super Bowl, Wrestlemania 2, my family gets cable), a year that may never be duplicated again. "Walk Like An Egyptian" was probably one of the first 45s I bought, compelled by that super-cool video. I can't really say why I liked--and still like--the song (other than its catchiness), but I do know that Susanna Hoffs's delivery of the following benign couplet still does something to me, even on a cold night in Atlantic City:

"If you wanna find all the cops,
They're hangin' out in the doughnut shops."

I don't know what it is about those lines, but I hear them and it brings me back to the Year of Great Things. And I feel a little better. About the past. About the present. And about going to Atlantic City in January to see a really good band.

Get naked

Those who have studied my works (and there are, of course, many) will know of my endless devotion to what is clearly the greatest TV show of all time, "Freaks and Geeks." Now, some may have expected "Saved by the Bell" to follow that introductory phrase, but those folks have really only scratched the surface of Tinsel and Rot. And to that I say, "Please stop scratching the surface; you are ruining the paint job."

But back to "Freaks and Geeks," the greatest TV show of all time, criminally mistreated by programmers at NBC and cancelled after only one season. It's a damn near perfect season, though, and you can view that season on the "normal people" boxed set or, like me, shell out the big bucks for the special high school yearbook edition, which remains one of the greatest purchases I've ever made. I cherish it even more than I cherish my Singing and Dancing Bocephus (I actually have Singing and Dancing Bocephi, but I only purchased one).

As great as the DVD set is, it its still sad and unfortunate that there will likely never be another show as good as "Freaks and Geeks." But the actors who made it such a fantastic show are still out there. Some have appeared on shows that didn't exactly work out (John Francis Daley [Sam Weir] on "Kitchen Confidential," Busy Philipps [Kim Kelly] on "Love, Inc."), and some have landed on halfway-decent shows (Jason Segel [Nick Andopolis] on "How I Met Your Mother," Linda Cardellini [Lindsay Weir] and, ta da, Busy Philipps on "ER"). But there is no "Freaks and Geeks"-related show that I am more excited about than the upcoming "Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show" on Comedy Central.

The show stars David Koechner (Champ Kind from "Anchorman" and, yes, a waiter in one scene in "Freaks and Geeks") as Gerald "T-Bones" Tibbons and Dave "Gruber" Allen (guidance counselor Jeff Rosso on "Freaks and Geeks") as the Naked Trucker, whose guitar covers up his, er, area. The Naked Trucker generally only does shows in L.A., but I did get to see the show as part of an ultra-serious political show at the Knitting Factory in New York a few years ago. Many people in the audience seemed stunned and unable to really laugh, which was pretty unfortunate. Because it was damn funny. Plus, I got Gruber to sign the aforementioned DVD yearbook and found out that playing Rosso on "Freaks and Geeks" probably wasn't much of a stretch for him. One of the coolest celebrity encounters ever.

Anyway, I'd been hoping the Naked Trucker show would come back to NYC, but then I heard about the TV show. And I became giddy. The clips I've seen so far are pretty fantastic. It may not be for everyone, but if it aint for you, maybe you should rethink reading this blog.

Here's a video clip from comedycentral.com. The premiere show is Wednesday night at 10:30. Plan your lives accordingly.

Rethinking the Songs of My Youth: "City of Crime" Edition

There are many reasons why there will always be a place in my heart for "Dragnet." First, I think it's a good movie, and I watch it just about every time it comes on TV. Of course, I've only recently stopped watching every episode of "Boy Meets World" on TV, so maybe that's not such an impressive accomplishment for the creators of "Dragnet." I imagine they'll take what they can get at this point, though.

Second, it's got my all-time favorite character name--Emil Muzz (portrayed winningly by Jack O' Halloran). If I ever become so famous that I have to check into hotels under an assumed name, you, the crafty and attractive Tinsel and Rot reader, will be able to find me by asking around for Emil Muzz.

Third, I like the TV show the movie pays tribute to (and lovingly mocks) almost as much as the movie. If you ever get the chance to see the "Blue Boy" episode of the TV show (actual episode title: "The LSD Story"), you will find what might be the greatest half-hour program ever on TV. I tried finding it on YouTube, but it was a rare instance where YouTube failed. You can buy it on iTunes, though. It'll only cost $1.99, which is a helluva bargain. I'm gonna buy it as soon as I get done writing this.

Fourth, "Dragnet" was the only movie my dad ever took me to, and it took a lot of pleading to make that happen. And it's not because my dad didn't like hanging out with me (I think); he just didn't like going to the movies. At all. I know of only three movies he saw in a movie theater after my birth ("Goodfellas" and "Titanic" were the other two). So, getting him to take me to the Saturday night showing of "Dragnet" at the Fairview Cinema in Hudson, New York, in the summer of 1987 is really one of my major life accomplishments. (Trivia Note: I saw another revered classic, "My Blue Heaven," in that same theater, which solidifies its status as one of the most important movie theaters ever.) I couldn't tell if he enjoyed the movie all that much, but I know he liked the TV show just fine. So I reckon he at least dug that Gannon (Harry Morgan, Colonel Potter from "M*A*S*H," one of my dad's all-time fave shows) was in the movie.

And, finally, "Dragnet" will always hold a place in my heart because of the big hit off the soundtrack, the Dan Aykroyd/Tom Hanks rap duet (with help from Deep Purple's Glenn Hughes) on "City of Crime." And that song was the reason I bought--I mean, made my dad buy me--the LP of the soundtrack (from the Strawberries three doors down from the Fairview Cinema) even though there was only one side of actual songs (Side B just had selections from the score, which fell well short of an Academy Award). The songs on Side A were no great shakes either, featuring Patti LaBelle's "Just the Facts" and New Edition's "Helplessly in Love," which weren't exactly career highlights for either artist.

But it didn't matter, so long as the soundtrack had "City of Crime." I loved that damn song. And I think I kinda still do. Which is why I'm glad YouTube (and mjsamps, whoever you are) didn't let me down when it came time to find the video for it. The dancing clearly makes the song even better. I bet Tom Hanks watches this every day.



I feel much better about this than the Jermaine Stewart thing. I don't know if I should, but I do.

Del Reeves RIP

Here at Tinsel and Rot, when a member of the Grand Ole Opry dies, we mourn (a policy we reserve the right to revisit in a few decades). And so, we note the passing of Del Reeves on New Year's Day at the age of 73.

There are four Del Reeves songs that find a home in the deep, tangled morass that is the psyche of Tinsel and Rot. The first is "Philadelphia Fillies," which I first heard as a youth on "Baseball's Greatest Hits: Let's Play II," the less entertaining sequel to the classic first volume. It was Reeves's last hit and hardly one of his best, but it's a cute novelty song (written by Jim Mundy) anyway.

The other three songs that register in the Tinsel and Rot universe are all truckin' songs, starting with Reeves's first big hit, "Girl on the Billboard," which can be found on the swell "Truck Driver's Boogie" CD from Diesel Only/Audium. It's up there among some of Red Sovine's songs and, of course, "Six Days on the Road" as one of my favorite truckin' songs. And it seems like Canadian country band the Road Hammers released a cover of it last year. From what I can hear on YouTube, it don't beat the original.

Another of Reeves's hits, "Looking at the World Through a Windshield," may be my all-time favorite trucking song. And Son Volt's cover of it on the "Rig Rock Deluxe" record is the closest I've come yet to actually liking Son Volt. That record also featured Reeves and Jim Lauderdale doing "Diesel, Diesel, Diesel," which you can listen to right now, should you click here.

That whole record's great, and you oughta get it.

And you also oughta raise a glass to the memory of Del Reeves.

141

So, in January 2006, someone on the Marah message board threw down the idea of attending 100 shows in the year. Some doubted it would happen, which was all the push I needed. Tell me something can't be done, and I'm just stupid enough to try to do it. (Quick...someone tell me I can't be successful in life.)

And so, here I am in January 2007, the proud attendee of 141 shows in 2006. Please hold your applause 'til the end.

Anyway, here are some highlights, followed by the whole list for those keeping score at home.

And if you are keeping score, God help you. But here are some fun facts. I saw shows in 12 states. The fewest shows seen in a month was 5 (February). The most shows seen in a month was 19 (in June). From June 7 to June 17, I saw 25 full or near-full sets. I saw Maybe Pete 17 times. I saw the Hudson Falcons 12 times. I saw Marah 12 times. I saw the Avett Brothers a measly 8 times. The last live song I heard in 2006 was "Judas Kiss" by Eric Ambel and the Roscoe Trio (and it was damn good).

Top 10 Shows
1. BR549/Avett Brothers (Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY)

This was the third time I'd seen the tour, and it was by far the best, with both bands revved up for the Saturday night NYC crowd. It was the first time I saw the Avetts really claim a big NYC crowd as their own, and, unfortunately, some Avett fans bailed after their set and missed out on seeing BR549 rise to the challenge of living up to the Avetts' set. And while they didn't necessarily come out on top, they did put on a helluva show that ended with the Avetts coming back on stage to tear apart "Stay A Little Longer." One of the best shows I've ever seen in any year.



2. The Campbell Brothers/Lee Boys (BB King's Blues Club, New York, NY)

Sometimes great shows hit you when you least expect it. I'd sorta been interested in seeing the Campbell Brothers for awhile, since I like Sacred Steel music, or at least what I'd heard of it. So, when I got the weekly e-mail from BB King's offering free tickets (the easy access to free shows in NYC helped out in the drive for 100), I figured I'd take a shot. And what I got was another of the best shows I've ever been to. The opening set by the Lee Boys was good enough, but it didn't prepare me for the total domination and joyful noise of the Campbell Brothers' set. By the time, the Lee Boys joined the Campbell Brothers on "Jump for Joy," I was out of my seat, jumping around, overtaken by the genuine euphoria of the music. There are no pictures of this, so you'll have to trust me. And trust me that you have to see the Campbell Brothers at least once in your life.

3. The Yayhoos/Bottle Rockets (Mercury Lounge, New York, NY)

Again, there's no possible way this show could've sucked. Even after already seeing the Yayhoos twice and the Bottle Rockets four times in the year, I was ready for more, and both bands delivered. The Bottle Rockets seemed a little more revved up than usual after a dismal turnout in Brooklyn the night before and pounded out absolutely killer rock. And then the Yayhoos took the stage, opened with an NRBQ cover, and then showed why they are the mightiest band in the world. People who cannot enjoy themselves at a Yayhoos show are people who should be locked in a room and forced to listen to the Dave Matthews Band for the rest of their lives. Or maybe subjected to something less harsh.



4. Alejandro Escovedo/Marah (Irving Plaza, New York, NY)

Another unbelievable double bill that shows that there was some divine force that wanted me to break the 100 Shows in a Year barrier. I only wish I could've seen more than one show with this lineup. It's always good to see Marah on a big stage where they can stretch out and show a big crowd why they're everything rock and roll oughta be. And though a short Marah set is never ideal, they managed to pack every minute on the Irving Plaza stage with the sweat and power of a marathon, three-hour show. When they were done doing that, the Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra took everybody higher with a set that alternated between haunting and rocking. Or, in other words, it kicked ass like every Alejandro show does.




5. John Fogerty/Willie Nelson (PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ)

I don't generally hold high hopes for outdoor amphitheater shows, even ones co-headlined by two legends like Fogerty and Nelson. But this turned out to be the best amphitheater show ever, even though I almost ended up stranded in the PNC Bank Arts Center parking lot after getting on the wrong bus to the Aberdeen-Matawan train station. Of course, the only reason I was running late for that bus was because during the encore, which was a few minutes after people started to leave in order to beat the traffic, Bruce Springsteen joined John Fogerty on stage to sing "Long Tall Sally." And with that, my first unannounced Springsteen appearance, I officially became a New Jerseyan. But it was a kickass show before that moment, with a great opening set by Willie and the Family, during which Willie's guitar picking was back on display after his recent carpal tunnel troubles. And then Fogerty choogled through his headlining set, pounding out hit after hit before the Boss joined in. I was so happy that I was able to not scream at the stupid git that said she was "glad I finally got up" to see Bruce. Pardon me for having manners, hot shot.


6. The Yayhoos/Avett Brothers/Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings (Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO)

The first night of Twangfest, a festival that apparently made it its mission to book almost all of my favorite bands for their tenth (and final?) year. Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings (and Robbie "Cousin Oliver" Rist) were a happy surprise, the Avett Brothers nailed a set that alternately rocked the believers and offended the naysayers, and the Yayhoos topped it all off by overpowering a crowd that should have been bigger. And then I was so deliriously happy that I (a) related to Yayhoo Keith Christopher that he once walked in on me taking a dump in the Mercury Lounge bathroom and (b) walked all the way back to my hotel through streets that I'd never walked before. Completely sober. It was a good night.

7. Marah/Adam Masterson/Christine Smith (Underground, Philadelphia, PA)

The best Marah show of the year, undoubtedly a much sought-after distinction for all involved. If the eight people that read this blog weren't already Marah fans, maybe I would go on another rant about how a Marah show will almost certainly be the greatest thing you'll ever see, particularly a Marah show in Philadelphia. Or I would mention how a life lived without seeing a Marah show is empty, shallow, and meaningless. Luckily, you've all seen Marah, so I can stop now.

8. Joe Ely (Joe's Pub, New York, NY)

I generally like Ely best with a band, but this solo show was almost as entertaining (though not as powerful) as a Joe Ely Band show. The night was full of interesting stories (how many people do you know that actually ran away and joined the circus?) and classic songs, both his own ("Me and Billy the Kid" and "I'm Gonna Strangle You Shorty") and others' (the only song about cockfighting that always puts me on the verge of tears, Tom Russell's "Gallo del Cielo," and Terry Allen's "Gimme A Ride To Heaven, Boy"). And it was also the last show I saw in my 20s. Sigh.

9. Scott Miller and the Commonwealth/Lucero/Mic Harrison and the High Score (Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO)

Another great Twangfest show, although Lucero's set didn't do all that much for me. But seeing V-Roys Mic Harrison and Scott Miller sharing a mike on "Cold Beer Hello" (and Shawn McWilliams's guitar solo) puts this show on the Top 10 list. Miller's set was actually a blast from start to finish, heavy on songs from the excellent "Citation." I also caught about 10 songs from headliners BR549, but I had to be up early in the morning for a reluctant flight home. Twangfest was a good time. I hope they figure out a way to do it again. [EDIT: Looks like they just might: The Twangfest site says it's on for June 6-9, 2007. Make your plans accordingly.]



10. Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete/Doug McKean (Chuck's Steakhouse, Akron, OH)

The best all-around show of my week on the road with the Hudson Falcons and Maybe Pete, and it was (a) preceded by a good dinner and a killer jukebox run, (b) featured a request for Phil Collins during Maybe Pete's set, and (c) was capped off by a jam on Bruce Springsteen's "No Surrender." I wish more than eight music lovers in Akron had seen it.



The next 10
11. Little Jimmy Dickens/Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright/Hank Thompson/Jean Shepard/Ferlin Husky/Charlie Louvin (American Music Theatre, Lancaster, PA)
12. Eric Ambel and the Roscoe Trio (Lakeside Lounge, New York, NY)
13. Ollabelle and Friends (Banjo Jim's, New York, NY)
14. Strays Don't Sleep (Canal Room, New York, NY)
15. Soweto Gospel Choir (NJPAC, Newark, NJ)
16. Bottle Rockets (Mercury Lounge, New York, NY)
17. Drive By Truckers/Bobby Bare Jr. (Webster Hall, New York, NY)
18. Bloodshot CMJ BBQ (Meat Purveyors, Bobby Bare Jr., Deadstring Brothers, Silos, Mark Pickerel, Scott Biram) (Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY)
19. Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete/Jason Bennet and the Resistance (Middle East, Cambridge, MA)
20. Scott Miller (Rodeo Bar, New York, NY)

And here's the full list, as documented by me in a multicolored table in Microsoft Word throughout the year. I will soon be passing that on to the Nerd Hall of Fame. Look for it. I can get you passes.

(And for those who don't read this blog regularly, I suppose I should prepare you for the fact that, yes, I saw Debbie Gibson. And to make that a little more pathetic, I only had the opportunity to see her because Steven Seagal cancelled his scheduled show. Judge me if you must.)

JANUARY (9)
1/9 Dan Baird and Homemade Sin/Laura Veltz Scenic (New York, NY)
1/13 Marah/Adam and Dave's Bloodline/Maybe Pete/Kindred Souls Stone Pony (Asbury Park, NJ)
1/14 Marah/Andrew Grimm Iota (Arlington, VA)
1/15 BR549/Avett Brothers Ram's Head Tavern (Annapolis, MD)
1/18 Bobby Bare Sr. Joe's Pub (New York, NY)
1/20 BR549/Avett Brothers Mohegan Sun Wolf Den (Uncasville, CT)
1/21 Blackout Shoppers/Hymen Holocaust/A lot of punk bands whose names weren't as memorable as Blackout Shoppers and Hymen Holocaust Nikki and Sam's (New York, NY)
1/21 BR549/Avett Brothers Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY)
1/25 Maybe Pete/Pagoda Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)

FEBRUARY (5)
2/16 Flogging Molly/Scotch Greens Nokia Theatre (New York, NY)
2/19 Allen Toussaint Joe's Pub (New York, NY)
2/21 Maybe Pete Rockwood Music Hall (New York, NY)
2/21 Bobby Bare Jr. Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
2/25 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete/Jason Bennet and the Resistance Middle East (Cambridge, MA)

MARCH (11)
3/8 Jon Langford's Ship and Pilot Bowery Poetry Club (New York, NY)
3/10 Marah/Kieran McGee Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)
3/11 Marah Drew's (Ringwood, NJ)
3/12 Todd Snider World Cafe Live (Philadelphia, PA)
3/16 Pogues/Slackers/William Elliott Whitmore Nokia Theatre (New York, NY)
3/18 Little Jimmy Dickens/Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright/Hank Thompson/Jean Shepard/Ferlin Husky/Charlie Louvin American Music Theatre (Lancaster, PA)
3/19 Mike Ferrio/Eric Ambel Banjo Jim's (New York, NY)
3/23 Kathleen Edwards/Joel Plaskett Joe's Pub (New York, NY)
3/24 Billy Bragg/Jill Sobule Society for Ethical Culture (New York, NY)
3/25 Maybe Pete Pussycat Lounge (New York, NY)
3/31 Alejandro Escovedo Joe's Pub (New York, NY)

APRIL (8)
4/7 Neko Case/High Dials Webster Hall (New York, NY)
4/9 Soweto Gospel Choir NJPAC (Newark, NJ)
4/13 Losers' Lounge: The Highwaymen Joe's Pub (New York, NY)
4/14 Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys/King Wilkie Town Hall (New York, NY)
4/15 Lakeside Lounge 10th Anniversary w/ The Roscoe Trio Lakeside Lounge (New York, NY)
4/19 Jon Langford's Ship and Pilot (w/ Sally Timms)/Chris Mills/The Victoria Lucas Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
4/24 Highway 61 Revisited Lion's Den (New York, NY)
4/28 Supersuckers/Rhino Bucket Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)

MAY (10)
5/3 Rodney Crowell Canal Room (New York, NY)
5/4 Rodney Crowell Canal Room (New York, NY)
5/6 Greencards Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)
5/10 Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver WFC Plaza (New York, NY)
5/13 Hudson Falcons/Final Summation Club Deep (Asbury Park, NJ)
5/13 Hudson Falcons/Five Shot/Labor Day Saints East End Cafe (Newark, DE)
5/18 Marah/Adam and Dave's Bloodline World Cafe Live (Philadelphia, PA)
5/19 Elvis Costello and the Imposters (w/ Billie Joe Armstrong/Fiona Apple/Death Cab for Cutie) Taj Mahal (Atlantic City, NJ)
5/21 Avett Brothers Wine in the Woods (Columbia, MD)
5/27 Black 47/Searson/Glengarry Bhoys East Durham (NY) Irish Fest (East Durham, NY)

JUNE (19)
6/1 Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder Schimmel Center (New York, NY)
6/3 Deborah Gibson Newport Centre Mall (Jersey City, NJ)
6/7 Yayhoos/Avett Brothers/Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings Schlafly Tap Room (Twangfest; St. Louis, MO)
6/8 Dirtbombs/Deadstring Brothers/Glossary/ Transmitters Duck Room (Twangfest; St. Louis, MO)
6/9 Bottle Rockets/Kevin Gordon/Sovines Duck Room (Twangfest; St. Louis, MO)
6/10 Scott Miller and the Commonwealth/Lucero/Mic Harrison Duck Room (Twangfest; St. Louis, MO)
6/13 Yayhoos/Chris Harford/Tom Freund Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
6/14 Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys/Tres Chicas Stuyvesant High School Auditorium (New York, NY)
6/15 Bottle Rockets/Bobby Bare Jr. Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)
6/16 Bottle Rockets Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
6/17 Rhett Miller/Ollabelle/Teddy Thompson Summerstage (New York, NY)
6/17 Maybe Pete CBGB Lounge (New York, NY)
6/20 Son Volt WFC Plaza (New York, NY)
6/20 Will Hoge Southpaw (Brooklyn, NY)
6/22 Alejandro Escovedo/Marah Irving Plaza (New York, NY)
6/25 Cheap Trick/George Clinton/Los Lobos/Patti Smith/Fab Faux/Smithereens/John Eddie Liberty State Park (Jersey City, NJ)
6/28 Dr. John Rockefeller Park (New York, NY)
6/29 Strays Don't Sleep Canal Room (New York, NY)
6/30 Scott Miller and the Commonwealth South Street Seaport (New York, NY)

JULY (14)
7/1 Southside Johnny/Maybe Pete/Bob Polding Band/Joe D'Urso Stone Pony (Asbury Park, NJ)
7/3 Hudson Falcons/Ratchets/Guns on the Run/Chilling Details Club Deep (Asbury Park, NJ)
7/5 Rhonda Vincent and the Rage Madison Square Park (New York, NY)
7/6 Biscuit Burners/Chapin Sisters Living Room (New York, NY)
7/12 Uncle Earl/Abigail Washburn Madison Square Park (New York, NY)
7/14 Dave Alvin South Street Seaport (New York, NY)
7/14 Avett Brothers/Nicole Atkins Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY)
7/15 Green River Music Festival (Alejandro Escovedo/Avett Brothers) Greenfield Community College (Greenfield, MA)
7/17 Mark Linskey/Roger Hoover and the Whiskeyhounds Club Deep (Asbury Park, NJ)
7/18 Terry Allen WFC Plaza (New York, NY)
7/18 Roger Hoover and the Whiskeyhounds Rodeo Bar (New York, NY)
7/19 Little Feat Rockefeller Park (New York, NY)
7/22 Maybe Pete Bitter End (New York, NY)
7/29 Huey Lewis and the News/Chicago PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel, NJ)

AUGUST (18)
8/1 Billy Joe Shaver Joe's Pub (New York, NY)
8/2 Mary Gauthier/Eliza Gilkyson Madison Square Park (New York, NY)
8/2 Ollabelle and Friends Banjo Jim's (New York, NY)
8/3 Hippiefest (Dr. Hook, Country Joe, Mountain, Terry Sylvester, Joey Molland, Mitch Ryder) Asser Levy Park (Brooklyn, NY)
8/5 John Fogerty/Willie Nelson PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel, NJ)
8/12 German Alps Festival (Jimmy Sturr, die Bayrische 7) Hunter Mountain (Hunter, NY)
8/13 German Alps Festival (Jimmy Sturr) Hunter Mountain (Hunter, NY)
8/15 Todd Snider/Rebecca Schiffman Canal Room (New York, NY)
8/16 Will Kimbrough Lakeside Lounge (New York, NY)
8/17 Morley/April Smith and the Great Picture Show NJPAC Theater Square (Newark, NJ)
8/18 Roots of American Music Festival (Bettye Lavette, Hazel Dickens, Murray Porter, Chico Hamilton/Buster Williams, Guy Davis) Lincoln Center (New York, NY)
8/19 Roots of American Music Festival (Percy Sledge, Eddie Floyd) Lincoln Center (New York, NY)
8/20 Roots of American Music Festival (Adrienne Young, Murray Porter, Blue Vipers of Brooklyn) Lincoln Center (New York, NY)
8/20 Avett Brothers/Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band Concert Cruise (New York, NY)
8/24 Holmes Brothers Terra Blues (New York, NY)
8/25 John Arthur Martinez/Uncle Monk Ace of Clubs (New York, NY)
8/28 Miranda Lambert/Buddy Love Project House of Blues (Atlantic City, NJ)
8/30 Campbell Brothers/Lee Boys BB King's (New York, NY)

SEPTEMBER (15)
9/2 Bob Dylan/Jimmie Vaughan/Junior Brown Doubleday Field (Cooperstown, NY)
9/9 Marah/Slo Mo/Shalitas/ Adam and Dave's Bloodline/Christine Smith Northsix (Brooklyn, NY)
9/10 Beausoleil Robert F. Wagner Park (New York, NY)
9/16 Suzanne Vega/Alejandro Escovedo/Don Byron Fulton Ferry Park (Brooklyn, NY)
9/18 Ernst Hutter and Die Egerlander Musikanten/Jimmy Sturr Carnegie Hall (New York, NY)
9/21 Drive By Truckers/Bobby Bare Jr. Webster Hall (New York, NY)
9/23 Bobby Bare Jr./Films/Ghostfinger Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)
9/24 Chuck Berry/Jerry Lee Lewis/Duprees/Frankie Lymon's Teenagers Patriots Stadium (Bridgewater, NJ)
9/25 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete Manitoba's (New York, NY)
9/26 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete/Unarmed/The War Is On Mr. Roboto Project (Pittsburgh, PA)
9/26 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete Smiling Moose (Pittsburgh, PA)
9/27 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete/Doug McKean Chuck's Steakhouse (Akron, OH)
9/28 Yesterday's Youth/Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete Bernie's Distillery (Columbus, OH)
9/29 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete/Trouble Clefs/Dig-Its/Two-Bit Hoods Marley's Dog House (Huntington, WV)
9/30 Hudson Falcons/Maybe Pete 2500 Park (Detroit, MI)

OCTOBER (10)
10/4 Hank Williams III Northsix (Brooklyn, NY)
10/6 John Train Fergie's Pub (Philadelphia, PA)
10/11 Randy Newman Carnegie Hall (New York, NY)
10/12 Jon Langford's Ship and Pilot (w/ Sally Timms) Southpaw (Brooklyn, NY)
10/13 Earl Scruggs/King Wilkie BB King's (New York, NY)
10/16 Flogging Molly/Bedouin Soundclash Webster Hall (New York, NY)
10/20 Marah/Chris Mills/Michael Leviton Housing Works Used Book Cafe (New York, NY)
10/26 Marah/Adam Masterson/Katy Pfaffl Living Room (New York, NY)
10/28 Marah/Adam Masterson/Christine Smith Underground (Philadelphia, PA)
10/31 George Jones/Kris Kristofferson Carnegie Hall (New York, NY)

NOVEMBER (15)
11/1 Steve Earle/Allison Moorer/Laura Cantrell/Tim Easton Southpaw (Brooklyn, NY)
11/3 Jon Langford (w/ Sally Timms, Bill Anderson, Jean Cook, and John Wesley Harding) Living Room (New York, NY)
11/4 Bloodshot CMJ BBQ (Meat Purveyors, Bobby Bare Jr., Deadstring Brothers, Silos, Mark Pickerel, Scott Biram) Union Pool (Brooklyn, NY)
11/4 Maybe Pete/La Dolce Vita/Morning Theft Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)
11/8 Bottle Rockets/Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers Europa (Brooklyn, NY)
11/9 Yayhoos/Bottle Rockets Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
11/10 Matthew Ryan/Thad Cockrell/Michelle Malone Living Room (New York, NY)
11/14 Christine Smith Living Room (New York, NY)
11/14 Joe Ely Joe's Pub (New York, NY)
11/15 Will Hoge Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ)
11/17 Bobby Bare Jr. Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)
11/20 Adam Masterson/Willie Breeding/Christine Smith Googie's Lounge (New York, NY)
11/26 Marah/Adam Masterson Drew's (Ringwood, NJ)
11/27 Mike Viola/Jim Boggia Living Room (New York, NY)
11/28 Scott Miller Rodeo Bar (New York, NY)

DECEMBER (7)
12/4 Matthew Ryan/Willie Nile/Matt Mays + El Torpedo Union Hall (Brooklyn, NY)
12/8 Marah/Shalitas/Matt Mays + El Torpedo Irving Plaza (New York, NY)
12/12 Ollabelle Union Hall (Brooklyn, NY)
12/15 Ducky Boys/Hudson Falcons//Pug Uglies/Singing Spells TT The Bear's (Cambridge, MA)
12/18 Adam Masterson/Christine Smith/Willie Breeding Googie's Lounge (New York, NY)
12/22 Maybe Pete/The Commons/Mike June The Underpass (Elmwood Park, NJ)
12/31 Eric Ambel and the Roscoe Trio Lakeside Lounge (New York, NY)


I don't plan on topping 141 in 2007. Or even keeping track of concerts seen. But, by February, I'll probably get bored.

What I Liked About December

*Visiting with the Chambalas in Vestal, NY
*Picking up cool records at Autumn Leaves, Ithaca, NY
*Eric Ambel and the Roscoe Trio doing "Judas Kiss" at Lakeside Lounge, NYC
*The Maybe Pete Christmas shindig at the Underpass, Elmwood Park, NJ





*Islanders 7, Rangers 4; Islanders 4, Rangers 3; Islanders 2, Rangers 0
*The Marah Christmas show at Irving Plaza, NYC
*The biscuits at, um, Biscuit
*Finally buying a new computer


*Ollabelle at Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY
*Hanging with the HeindlWintringhams in Providence (and the trip to Cellar Stories)
*Picking through the remains of Tower Records
*The willingness of people with cars to drive me places

Tinsel and Rot's Ten Best CDs of 2006

1. The Avett Brothers--"Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions"
The leader out of the gate, and it never looked back. When the only bad thing you can think to say about a CD is that it may be a little too long, you know you've got a good one. "Talk On Indolence" also wins Leadoff Track of the Year.
2. Todd Snider--"The Devil You Know"
My favorite Todd Snider album, since, well the one before it. But that last one ("East Nashville Skyline") and this one represent Todd at the peak of his powers.
3. The Yayhoos--"Put the Hammer Down"
The mightiest band around lays down a mighty fine CD. Rock and roll's supposed to be fun, and the Yayhoos sure do seem to be having a lot of fun.
4. Scott Miller and the Commonwealth--"Citation"
Another fine CD from Miller and the Commonwealth that sounds best played loud.
5. Ollabelle--"Riverside Battle Songs"
And here's one that maybe doesn't need to be played so loud. Took me awhile to really get into Ollabelle, but this CD clinched it. I'm sure they're excited about that.
6. Ray Wylie Hubbard--"Snake Farm"
Thanks to Sirius Outlaw Country's incessant playing of the title track, I decided to give Ray Wylie Hubbard another chance. The disc starts to fade toward the end, but the first half's real strong. And the title track can't be stopped.
7. Will Kimbrough--"Americanitis"
A good mix of the political and the personal from Mr. Kimbrough. Strongest top-to-bottom effort yet from one of my favorite guitarists and an all-around swell guy.
8. Trent Summar and the New Row Mob--"Horseshoes and Hand Grenades"
Sometimes I think Trent Summar's a little too corny for me. But then I listen to the songs and they're real damn good.. The cover of "He Stopped Loving Her Today" may have been better served as a concert-only treat (the original intent), but I'm damn happy to have a version to listen to over and over again.
9. Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League--"The Longest Meow"
It's definitely not my favorite of his discs, but the bookends of "The Heart Bionic" and "Stop Crying" overshadow any missteps in between.
10. The Bottle Rockets--"Zoysia"
Best Bottle Rockets CD since "24 Hours A Day." And good late-night, bus/train ride music.


Want a CD with songs from these CDs, plus ten others (and a bonus)? Just ask. Send requests to the name of this blog (no spaces) at gmail(dot)com. (Spammers will not steal that e-mail address here!)

2006: The Year in "Celebrity" Pictures

2006 was a pretty good year for photos of me taken with a hodgepodge of people with varying degrees of fame. And it culminated in what might be my favorite Christmas card photo tandem (for those unfamiliar with the Sigman Holiday Greeting, every year I send a photo of me with a person more famous than me...there are two selections per year, so you can collect and trade 'em). So, as a year-end recap, Tinsel and Rot presents the Top 10 "Celebrity" Photos of 2006:



10. Me, David Ruprecht, and David Walls

Taken after a very trying bus ride and an abbreviated "Price Is Right" show, this photo pairs Mr. Tinsel and Rot with the announcer guy (David Walls) and "Supermarket Sweep" emcee ("next time you're at the checkout counter and you hear that beep [beep, beep], think of the fun you could have on "Supermarket Sweep!") and faux Atlantic City "Price Is Right" host David Ruprecht. Honestly, if I won anything during the show, it would have paled in comparison to having a picture taken with a real live game show host. I went back and he wasn't the host anymore. And the magic was gone. But at least there was that one magical day.



9. Me and Bobby Bare Sr.

Since Bobby Bare Sr. generally stays away from touring, particularly in the Northeast, I'd given up hope that I'd ever seen him in person. But with a new album to promote ("The Moon Was Blue"), he came up east for a show at Joe's Pub. And after the show (and having him sign a bunch of albums), this photo happened. Pretty cool.



8. Me and Pete Weber

Ever since seeing Pete Weber drop a trophy on national television, he's been my favorite bowler. What? You're surprised I have a favorite bowler? Stop reading this blog. It's not for you. Anyway, I finally managed to make my way down to the U.S. Open Pro-Am in East Brunswick to see PDW in action. And I think I'm heading back this year. Photo with Walter Ray Williams this time? Time will tell. Trivia fact: Pete's wife took the photo.



7. Me and Ray "Dr. Hook" Sawyer

The only way to get me to go to Coney Island on a weeknight in the middle of a brutal heat wave is to have Ray "Dr. Hook" Sawyer on a stage singing the hits of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show (particularly those written by Shel Silverstein). Dr. Hook was part of Hippiefest, a lineup of musical giants that included Joey Molland from Badfinger, Terry Sylvester from the Hollies, Mitch Ryder, Country Joe McDonald, Mountain, and Rare Earth. I made it to Rare Earth before I bailed. I actually was hesitant to get the picture with Dr. Hook, but, really, you should never pass up the chance to get your picture taken with a guy with an eyepatch.



6. Me and Robbie "Cousin Oliver" Rist

Winner of this year's Completely Random Celebrity Encounter. Seeing the Avett Brothers and the Yayhoos on the same bill would've been plenty good for me, but when I realized that the guitarist in the opening band who looked familiar was Cousin Oliver, it became a Night for the Ages. This photo was taken mere moments after Robbie chugged a pitcher of beer, and seconds after he took a picture with me on his camera. I can only hope I made his blog.



5. Me and Miranda Lambert

Miranda narrowly beats out Frances "Paulie Walnuts's Mom/Aunt" Esemplare for Hottest Celebrity I Had a Picture Taken With in 2006. Sometimes, I think about the fact that I joined Miranda Lambert's fan club just for the opportunity to have this picture taken and I become slightly embarrassed. Then I think about the other odd things I've done in my life, and that seems to fall logically in line.



4. Me, Chris "Peter Brady" Knight, and Adrianne Curry

It's only because this was taken so early in 2006 that this didn't make it on to the 2006 Sigman Holiday Greeting. I kinda forgot about it until after the decision was made. But, really, do people still know who Adrianne Curry is? Has her absence from VH-1's Celebreality for, oh, several months, erased her from the public's memory? Maybe so. In any case, I do like this photo. I would almost like it better without Adrianne Curry, but I will refrain from completely admitting that is true lest you question my heterosexuality.



3. Me and Little Jimmy Dickens

Clearly, if more than two people in my circle of friends knew who Little Jimmy Dickens was, this would've been a lock for the Sigman Holiday Greeting. Much like the Bobby Bare Sr. situation, the possibility of ever seeing Little Jimmy Dickens seemed slight. But thanks to the magic of the yearly American Music Theatre Country Legends show (see you in March), a true dream was fulfilled. I don't think I've ever been more excited to take a picture than this one.



2. Me and Todd "Willis" Bridges

Sigman Holiday Greeting #1. "Diff'rent Strokes" was probably the first show to lay claim to the title of "My Favorite Show." And, so, the opportunity to be photographed next to Willis Jackson at the Fall Chiller Theatre show was quite welcome indeed. I suppose Gary Coleman would be cooler, but, based on his general orneriness, that seems unlikely. And Todd Bridges seemed like a good guy, though that was perhaps hastened by my willingness to give him money. Whatever it takes. Trivia fact: That's Lou Ferrigno's arm on my right.



1. Me and Toby Keith

Sigman Holiday Greeting #2. Only a picture of me and Garth Brooks would be more entertaining. And I've tried and failed to get that on numerous occasions. So, with Country Music Mortal Enemy #2 due to make an appearance on "The Colbert Report," I headed down to the studio to see what I could do. I brought a recent issue of "Country Weekly" with Mr. Red, White, and Blue on the cover, so I wouldn't have to go up to him and just ask him for a photo. After an excruciating wait with some righteously annoying autograph collectors, Toby emerged from the stage door with a few other guys and commenced signing their soon-to-be-on-Ebay crap. I got my CW signed (if anyone wants it, just ask...it's yours) and asked for a photo. My camera refused to cooperate initially, but the magic finally happened, just as a car ran over a plastic bottle and created a loud pop. That partially explains the sideways glance on Toby's face. Or maybe he just wanted to get away from me. Hard to say.

In any case, I thanked Toby for stopping, and, rather than put a boot in his ass (which is, after all, the American way), I think I actually patted him on the back. Now, yes, you could argue that any attempt on my part to insert a boot anywhere near Toby Keith's hindquarters would've resulted in him beating the holy hell out of me, but I choose to look at it a different way. I was so overwhelmed at the thought of a stellar Christmas card that I was able to momentarily overlook my blind hatred of the man for one shining moment and give him a well-deserved pat on the back. And if that's not the holiday spirit, I don't know what is.

The last known survivor

So, I saw a preview screening of "Rocky Balboa" (a/k/a "Rocky VI: Please Forget About Tommy Gunn") last week. and, as most critics around the world seem to agree, it really wasn't all that bad. Sure, there were a lot of clunky, "dramatic" speeches from Rocky and the climactic fight is both clumsily presented and not that engaging, but all the flaws are erased by the return of Sylvester Stallone's major contribution to the cinematic world: the training montage.

The training montage, or at least the Rocky training montage, was absent from the much-maligned (but still highly quotable, according to Tinsel and Rot) "Rocky V." In its stead was the Rocky/Tommy Gunn kinda-training montage, which didn't quite do the trick. Still, it built up to the glorious ending, where Tommy Morrison shows off his acting chops, which were just about as good as his professional boxing chops. And in case you didn't follow Tommy Morrison's boxing career, that was not a compliment.



(As an aside, part of the reason why Antonio Tarver doesn't suck as Mason "The Line" Dixon [worst opponent name ever] in "Rocky Balboa" is because he isn't allowed to talk much. So, see, something was learned from "Rocky V.")

Of course, the montage may have just needed some time off after the montage to end all montages that was Rocky training in the frigid Russian winter in "Rocky IV." Actually, there were two: one with the synthesizerrific stylings of Vince DiCola and this one, the true classic, buttressed by "Hearts on Fire" from the legendary John Cafferty (sans Beaver Brown Band):



I'm so glad Rocky beat that Russian piece of garbage.

Anyway, back to "Rocky Balboa." With this final installment (and, really, I think this is it), Burt Young solidifies his status as the unsung hero of the "Rocky" series. For proof, view the clip from "Rocky Balboa" below, which includes another in the long line of great Paulie quotes:



"Ice is stupid. People standing on ice are more stupid." Brilliant. Really. I'm not being ironic.

So, to sum up: "Rocky Balboa" gets the Tinsel and Rot Seal of Approval. Of course, you've read my other likes in life, so maybe that Seal of Approval aint all it's cracked up to be. I report, you decide.