I’ll be at the Arlan Feiles & the Lone Orchestra show, Power to the Peaceful, at the Stone Pony, this Saturday night. Be there, ’cause it’s going to be incredible!

I’ll also make it out to Rick Barry’s 6th Annual Holiday Hangover, next Saturday, at The Saint.

So much musical goodness going on in such a short amount of time, I suppose I’ll have to let you know the fabulous news about the band sometime soon. Sometime…

Soon.

Blasphemy!  Referencing a Paul song as the title to a post about John.  Meh.  Sod off.

Today is December 8th, and though December 7th is more often knows as “a date that shall live in infamy” (Pearl Harbor…read a book some time), 60+ years later, it doesn’t mean so much to us as December 8th: The day John Lennon died.

My initial intent to go into the City today was to see an exhibit of John’s artwork on display, but while I was going in, I couldn’t just not go to Strawberry Fields (John’s Central Park memorial, across the street from his home at the Dakota, where he was killed), so that got immediately tacked onto the agenda.  I never made it to the art show because my day somehow got busier and busier, but my trip to Strawberry Fields was better than any art show could have been (especially one where Yoko had autographed John’s artwork…WTF?)

When George and I entered Central Park at 72nd St and Central Park West, we heard nothing.  But as we got closer, we started to hear the singing.  It was very dim, as if the 100 people crowded around the 8 or so acoustic guitar players were singing under their breath, afraid to be heard. 

I had considered bringing my guitar as a fleeting thought, but once I got there, and saw all the guitar players, I was so glad I hadn’t: I was so incredibly out of my league…these guys knew EVERY song!  We quickly worked our way to the front of this mess, and parked ourselves on a bench in the midst of the musicians.

George and I were there for maybe an hour and a quarter (though I would have stayed all day if I could have).  I was singing all the harmonies and backing vocals (i.e. “Bang, bang, shoo-oo-oop shoop”) at the top of my lungs.  Before long, there were maybe 300 people, and the singing was so much louder as people had become comfortable with themselves and with their neighbors, and were embracing the moment (even George started humming and singing the occasional refrain).  With so many voices, it was like a choir where everyone had decided which part they wanted to sing, and each vocal line could be heard throughout the crowd like one living entity (think: the recording of “Give Peace A Chance”).

Before we headed off, I turned to George and said, “This is what music is all about and should always be like: Lots of people, getting together, playing songs together, singing together, connecting and being happy.”  It was the best way I could think of to remember John Lennon.  I’ll be going back every year.  Next year, you’re coming with me.

Holy crap!  Last night was AWWWWWSOME!  Haven’t seen the Twisted Tree so packed ina  LONG time.  It was hot and stuffy, and you couldn’t get a seat for like two hours.  If you didn’t come out to the show last night, it’s probably a good thing, ’cause you wouldn’t have been able to fit inside, anyway!  Huge thanks to Alex Biese, Mike Shearer, the rest of SemiPop, Ben Sbar, David DiGioia and Graham Schumann who all played great and had a ton of fun with us!  And of course, super thanks to the Twisted Tree for having us, and for feeding us with incredible food!

I can just remember it being the beginning of the night, maybe 30 minutes in, and saying to someone, “I love tonight”, and it only got better!  I played through 15 songs throughout the evening, most with accompaniment of some sort.  Super kudos to all of you for managing that excellent round at the end of “God Only Knows”, and as happy as it made my heart to hear a room full of people screaming at the top of their lungs, “War is over if you want it,” I really hope you all thought about it as you sang.  I wear it on my guitar case like a badge all year ’round.

Let’s do last night again sometime soon!

Click it to download it, then repost the crap out of it!

Well, I hope you took the time to vote in the Asbury Music Awards, which will be held on November 17th, at the Stone Pony.  I’ll likely be there, and likely won’t win (I just hope Anthony Fiumano does, because that guy’s rad).  Now, moving on to more pressing matters:

All right netterwebs, listen up.  I’m going to be doing the most super-de-duper show on Asbury Park’s First Saturday, December 1st.  I’ll be taking over the Twisted Tree Cafe for an early evening show from 5pm-9:30 (which means you can hang with me until the bars get interesting).  David DiGioia, Ben Sbar, SemiPop (led by the inimitable Mike Shearer) and Alex Biese (of Day For Night) will join me in this barage of awesomeness, and I’ll be somewhat accompanied by Graham Schumann and perhaps some combination of the above artists.

So, mark it on your calendars for December 1st, rope in a few friends, and enjoy my favorite restaurant in Asbury Park while we present the acoustic rock for you.

I JUST found out that we can vote in the Asbury Music Awards. Go to thesaintnj.com/AMAballot2007.pdf and follow the instructions, but keep in mind that THIS Sunday is the deadline, so you can only use snail mail if you get it in tomorrow morning. Also, I’m not saying “vote for me”, but I am saying that Benedict Arnold was hanged. Take from it what you will.

The Asbury Music Awards awareness show went well.  Everyone played well and several of the awards voters came out to see us (which restores a good deal of my faith in the voting process, just knowing that many of the voters have actually made the time to find out who we are and how good we sound).  Scott, one of the owners of the Saint, which runs the AMA’s, was quite pleased with the job I did running the show and asked me to do the same for the “Best Female Acoustic” showcase next weekend.  However, my sister is getting married, so I’ll by in Doylestown, PA.  Watch out, Pennsylvanians!  I’m a-comin’!

I’ve got some maybe shows in the works, so keep your eyes open for updates.  Also have some band developments, but nothing to officially announce yet, other than that the band will continue.

I am oh-so-stoked to be playing an Asbury Music Awards awareness show with my fellow “Best Male Acoustic” nominees, Bob Denson, Keith McCarthy, Christian Beach, Astronaut Jones, Anthony Manno and Dakota Bends. The show is THIS SATURDAY, 10/27, from 1-5pm(ish) at the Twisted Tree Cafe.  So come out, enjoy the acoustic rock, have some lunch and see us play.

I finally got enough content submitted and then got off my lazy duff and created the Audio page of the You section. It features two live recordings, two remixes and one cover (for now). In addition to other somewhat-unwitting contributors, MASSIVE amounts of thanks to Chandra who created much and submitted most of the content. She has set the bar. Now who’s gonna take her on and submit me some content? Now go check it out, suckaaaaas!

I’ve been nominated for an Asbury Music Award, in the category of Best Male Acoustic Act.  I’m up against some of my favorite artists (and, surprisingly, not up against some others).  I doubt I’ll win because I have so much respect and adulation for many of the other nominees, but I’m really thrilled to be in the top ten.  Who wants to be number one, anyway?  Nowhere to go but down, and everyone’s got your number.  The awards will be held on November 17th, at the Stone Pony.  I’ll be there.  Come hang out with me!

 Check out all the nominees at AsburyMusic.com