Northside blogothon

Click picture to hear the Markers Set at S. Cecilia's

So... played a couple of gigs at the Northside festival and it felt like a tour so I'm gonna write about it here. My folks came in for the weekend coincidentally adding to the jumble of hectic moving gear, people, vibes to different locations in search of that 20 minute blast of otherness. Brought folks from LGA for a pizza party at chez moi aka Pete's Pizzaz Pizza Parlour. Super fun usual spinach, mushroom, shallot pie and another with some fancy cured spicy meat on it too... the rain and upstairs neighbor spoiled the BBQ style but the oven worked good too. Then I brought the folks over to their holding pen aka Aaron Rosenblooms pad, just 4 blocks away. There waiting for us were the Magik Markers, fresh from their journey down offa Mt. Tom. After a hectic loud out/Violet Ray reunion, we got to St. Cecilias house of God, also 4 blocks away from chez moi. Don't know how I missed this spot, maybe cuz I never go to church, but wow! St. Cecilia's rivals some of the cathedrals of northern france... well maybe it's not that big.. but it seemed like it! We set up right in the pulpit under the very intimidating watchful eyes of Jesus and played some totally free form MM(usik). This place had some serious echo and it was a great spot to innaugurate my new drum kit, the rocket. Ed Askew was great with piano accompanyment and some cool songs about getting stoned with beautiful Tom. Totally weird scene. The woods got into some jammed out zones too and the kids lined up to buy their new cassette which looks great. The Markers did the midnight load up and money changing the Markers were off to MA.

Don't remember what happened Saturday. I think it involved sitting around, drinking coffee, and mall shopping. Went over to the gig at Europa. Another hectic settup where nothing seemed to work right.. oh man ... fret fret.. Then as the bell struck 7 the Spectre Folk band played a short electrified set for the after dinner crowd of the N'side. B Meds and 2 new tunes from our forthcoming Vampire Blues record.. super fun and easy once we got going... Also a chill break down and hang. After the gig Meehan and I rolled out for some research on an insanely killer restaurant in E. Williamsburg called Brooklyn Star for an Australian tourist magazine. When homeboy's in research mode he orders everything on the damn menu and holy moly... this was the best meal of recent memory. Super super good California oysters, Raw Kale salad, Romaine wedge, Pig Tails(!) with hush puppies, and for desert some succulent Bone Marrow on Texas Toast. The memory of that last one still sends my brain reeling into some altered zone of savory oblivion.

This ain't really northside anymore.. but on Father's Day we took the folks to the MOMO milk bar in W burg for pork buns and then off to Coney island for some real brooklyn times. Super fun new swing rides at Luna Park and a sweet stroll on the boardwalk. I just don't feel like a New York man unless I get an annual pummeling from the cyclone.. so I went for a spin on that hellride too... A super end to a really fun weekend.

Don't forget to check out the Spectre Folk band this Friday with the Sic Alps at DBA!!!!