IT’S OFFICIAL – WINTER IS ALMOST OVER! PHIL DOES NOT SEE HIS SHADOW! GO OUT AND SEE A SHOW THIS WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE!!!!
As previously mentioned in this column, STEVE GILLETTE & CINDY MANGSEN will return to the Hurdy Gurdy in Paramus, NJ on Saturday! Be sure to sign up for the Hurdy Gurdy mailing list by entering your e-mail address in the box at the top right hand column. (Full disclosure – I am a member of the board of directors and the booker for the Hurdy Gurdy.)
Tonight, Lucy Kaplansky is sold out at the Outpost in the Burbs. (A good lesson in why it is important to purchase advance tickets!) There are a number of other great shows tonight – the amazing April Verch will be appearing at the Minstrel Coffeehouse in Morristown, NJ; Ari Eisinger performs at the Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor in Brooklyn; Fred Eaglesmith will be at the Turning Point in Piermont, NY; Cherish the Ladies will take over Bodles Opera House in Chester, NY; Sloan Wainwright will be at the Garden Stage (in the Unitarian Universalisgt Congregation) in Garden City, NY; and Buckwheat Zydeco will be rocking BB King’s Blues Club in NYC.
On Saturday night, besides Steve & Cindy at the Hurdy Gurdy, you can also catch the Greencards and Rich Deans at Sanctuary Concerts in Chatam, NJ; David Bromberg and his Big Band at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ; the Dirty Stayout Skifflers with Rick Nestler at 22 BelowCoffeehouse located in the Lutheran Church; Jay Mankita and Peter Siegel (what a great pairing!) will perform at the Peoples Voice Cafe in NYC; Dan Milner & Bob Conroy perform in the tavern at Historic Richmond Town in Staten Island; Odetta will take center stage at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater in Port Washington, NY;
If dancing is more to your tastes, The Flying Romanaos with caller Melanie Axel-Lute will provide the music at a Swingin’ Tern dance at the Ogden Memorial Church on Main Street (Route 124) in Chatham, New Jersey. The beginner’s workshop starts at 7:30 PM with the dance following at 8 PM.
There is no excuse to plop yourself down in front of the TV this weekend! Get off your butt, call up a friend or two, and get out and enjoy some music!!! You might find it habit forming.
Of course, many of you will be glued to your TV sets on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl and the endless pre-game, halftime and post game shows. It seems as if a law has been passed requiring Americans to watch the game, with a bowl of chili and chicken wings at their side. Before you settle down for this ritual, be sure to listen to WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS this Sunday from 3 to 6pm ET. Bill Hahn and I will be in the studio as we kick off our once a year fund drive. That’s right, we beg for your help just one time each year. If you come through with support, we get to do the show for another year. Check out our website www.wfdu.fm for a list of premiums. We need your help.
Let’s make this a great weekend for folk music! Get out and enjoy!!!!!!!!!