Unfortunately, I missed a once in a lifetime opportunity to have an “End of the World” sale last week, but I am in the mood to deal anyway, so if anybody needs any instruments or gear of any sort, come see me and I will still honor the “End of the World” prices!
As long as we’re on the subject of shameless self-promotion, please go to www.reverbnation.com/ brooklyncowboys and check out my band’s page. While you’re there, stop by my friend TJ Colatrella’s page and our band page, The Manchilds. TJ is a great songwriter and The Brooklyn Cowboys, TJ, and The Manchilds have owned the #1 spot on the Reverb Nation charts in The Hudson Valley for the past year in our respective categories, country, folk, and blues. If you like what you hear, please become a fan.
Wow, what a great week of music we had last week, and this week’s pretty great too! Starting tonight, Thursday, May 26, there’s no better way to start the weekend than by going to see a band who were just voted the #1 band in the Hudson Valley, THE REDDAN BROTHERS BAND (www.reddanbrothers.com or on MySpace at www.myspace.com/johnreddan) at The Falcon in Marlborough, where there’s usually no cover charge. There is no other band more worthy of this distinction. These guys are great! They’ve played about ten shows for me over the past few years, and, in fact, I was the first person to book the Brothers in Ulster County. I’ve seen them grow as a band and I strongly recommend this show. John and Chris Reddan are both masters of their instruments and it’s rare that you see this level of musicianship at such a young age. Neither one is out of the 20’s, but they’ve got about two decades of roadworthy experience between them, John with The Bill Perry Band and Chris with Popa Chubby. You can’t go wrong here folks!
On Friday, May 27, we’ve got some kind of day! No matter where you are, there’s some great music. Upstate, downstate, eastside, westside, all around the town. Starting with hometown favorite LEVON HELM, who will be celebrating his birthday with his adoring fans at UPAC in Kingston, along with special guests, Donald Fagen, Natalie Merchant, and Marc Cohen. The show is sold out, but if you can snag a ticket somehow, it will be worth it! If you’re left out in the cold for that one, there are numerous ways to console yourself. ROSEANNE CASH brings her bad self to the Paramount in Peekskill for a night of Americana and rockin’ country. If country ain’t your bag, PHISH starts a 3 night run at Bethel Center for the Arts and if you’re in the city, tonight is WAVY GRAVY’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan. The line up at The Beacon is pretty awesome, and a testimonial to the good will Wavy has created in the musical community over the last 45 years. The man who was the MC at the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair has gotten Crosby and Nash, Jackson Browne, Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, Dr. John, Bruce Hornsby, Jorma Kaukonen, Steve Kimock, and Buffy Saint-Marie to come to his birthday party, which is a benefit for Seva Foundation, a very worthy cause. Look it up!
Saturday, May 28, PURPLE K’NIF returns to Market Market in Rosendale. These guys rock and are the best surf band in the Hudson Valley, as they proved so aptly when they opened for Roy Loney here last winter.
Sunday, May 29, THE BEARSVILLE SESSIONS continue with the third in the series. This week, the focus is on The Rolling Stones. The house band is kickass, and this promises to be a great night, especially if you’re a Stones fan.
In closing, I’d like to welcome my friend, Charlie Blumstein to The Townsman and announce the date of The Reservoir Music Fifth Anniversary Party at The Bearsville Theater. Charlie will definitely give you a POV outside the mainstream, and as such, should be presenting some interesting issues in his column, which I recommend you read. As for the celebration, the date is July 15, 2011. I’ve already booked some impressive talent, but am still working on adding more, so I hope to be able to tell you who exactly will be playing by next week. Stay tuned and keep those cards and letters coming!