My View of Life on the Dock
Now, this just looks like fun!
These guys from Orlando are on tour, so tomorrow night is probably your only chance to see them. Here’s how local, Paul Diamond (whose band Diamond Dolls are opening the show) describes them:
They are called Bad Santa and The Angry Elves. A Christmas cover/mashup band in complete Ho Ho Ho attire. They are very entertaining as well as a well rehearsed band hailing from Orlando, and New York City.
33 live music shows to choose from tonight through Sunday (see weekend live music lineup here). Oops, make that 32 (unless you already have tickets to Overboard’s sold out show at Old Sloop tomorrow night). Here’s a taste of what you’re missing if you don’t:
But wait! They’re coming back to Rockport as part of New Year’s Rockport Eve’s huge lineup of excellent entertainment. See the NYRE live music lineup here.
Tonight’s music lineup is killer and includes KBMG @ Dog Bar featuring Dave Brown on guitar. Just in case you forgot who Gloucester’s greatest guitarist is, here they are at Celebrate Gloucester 2010 (with Nelson Bragg on percussion):
Joey certainly got it right in his Monday post about Ladies Night. Downtown Gloucester is absolutely the place to be tomorrow (Thursday).
And if you need a break from your local shopping (that supports our local economy), mosey on down to the Gloucester House some time between 8 and 10:30 to catch Allen Estes with his son, Dylan ~ two good looking guys with great voices and songs that will warm your heart.
Have something to eat, a few drinks and then get right back out there and, as Joey says, drop some cash.
Meanwhile, there’s great live music all over Cape Ann tonight too — and plenty for the guys tomorrow if you want to get away from the ladies. Check it all out here.
All you guitar players out there, answer me this: What’s missing from this video of Savoy Brown @ the Bull Run last Saturday night (12/1)?
Answer: Pedals. Kim Simmonds and his excellent band rocked the place for over 2 hours and he never once stepped on a pedal. In these days of more and more gadgets (all of which have to be carted around to each gig, unpacked, hooked up, tested … well you get the idea) I found it refreshing to hear a tremendous variety of sound coming from a virtuoso who lets himself go and just plays like he’s loving every single note.
BTW: His rhythm section, Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums were every bit as good as he was, so perfectly musically tuned to each other you’d think it was a single guy playing both instruments at the same time.
Yes, folk. Once in a while it’s worth crossing the bridge for excellent music — and it broadens your horizons too. Plus, as soon as you return to Gloucester, you realize what an unusually rich music scene we’ve got, right here in our own back yard.
Do you really think there was anything else happening anywhere near Shirley MA last Saturday? Nope. Bull Run was it.
Want proof? Google “Live music in Shirley MA” and see what you get.
Then google “Live music in Gloucester MA”.
As Joey would say, #Boom!
If you don’t feel like googling, just go here and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Last Monday we introduced the mathematical concept of inverse proportions, as part of our new series Peter & Vickie’s Laws of Life (LOL). This week’s LOL is an example of another mathematical concept, the one-to-one-correspondence, A.K.A. bijection, and could be stated thus: There is a 0ne-to-one correspondence between the change in direction of health advice and the change in direction of the U.S. Treasury Bond Interest Rate.
Here are some examples that support this LOL (refer to the graph above):
LETTUCE
One of the best teachers I had was Mr. Ford, a bulky, real-man-football-coach, who didn’t eat salad but always found fun, engaging ways to teach. For a few weeks of 8th grade biology, he would begin nearly every lesson with, “When you eat a ham sandwich with lettuce …” and proceed to explain how you digest carbs, protein, etc., but the lettuce was pure cellulose, provided no nutritional value and went “right on through.” This became a class favorite. He’d say his line and excited hands would instantly thrust into the air as our little buts bounced off the seats. We just couldn’t wait to finish the rant against lettuce. In fact, the final question on that year’s final exam (worth 20 points) was an essay: “What happens when you eat a ham sandwich with lettuce?” My buddy Austin Shelton (who played guitar in my band back then) got 25 points because, in addition to the correct answer, he added a diagram of the complete “lettuce path”, showing it coming out the ass. The year was 1968 and interest rates were on the rise.
Then, in 1982 Frances Moore Lappé published Diet for a Small Planet, in which she, among other things, promoted the nutritional value of lettuce and interest rates made their steepest reversal of the 20th century!
Need more proof than this? OK, here goes:
FATS
In 1941 people begin using Margarine (a trans-fat) instead of butter and the war against saturated fats in our diets begins in earnest. Interest rates reverse course. In 2006, saturated fats are good again, trans-fats are bad, trans-fat labeling becomes mandatory and NYC bans trans-fats in restaurants. Once again interest rates reverse course.
SMOKING
In 1900, doctors actually prescribed smoking to calm nerves, etc. Smoking was thought to be good for you. Interest rates were on the rise. But scientists were beginning to connect smoking to health problems and in 1921 several states banned smoking. Interest rates began to drop. In 1940 doctors began promoting smoking again and, believe it or not, cigarette companies advertised in the JAMA. Interest rates began to rise. In 1960 Smokey the Bear said (in an anti-smoking campaign) “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Interest rates began to fall.
What’s next? Guess we’ll have to wait until interest rates rise again to see the newest health fad. Until then, I’ll follow the advice I heard from Julia Child defending her “rich French foods”, saying that her mother always advised “Moderation in all things and a little bit of everything.” — and I’ll enjoy a little bit (or a lot) of everything at our great local restaurants — especially the ones with live music (see here).
In these days when TV chefs are more popular than rock stars, here’s a tribute (with music) to the greatest TV chef of all time.
Cape Ann TV’s annual Santa Party is Tuesday 12/4 from 3-7pm. The event is FREE and all children are welcome. Check out this video:
As this is the season of giving, Cape Ann TV is a Project Uplift children’s toy and teen present collection site for families in need. Although it is not necessary to bring a gift, you may drop off a new unwrapped toy or new clothes for a child, or gift card for teens up to age 14. More Info: 978-281-2443 or see the website, here.
Savoy Brown @ The Bull Run.
Savoy Brown up next. This is why we couldn’t be at crowell chapel tonight.
Renee & Joe — just beautiful.
Those of you who were lucky enough to get tickets to see them with John Rockwell and the great Chelsea Berry tonight at Crowell Chappel are in for a real treat!
The Shills – HOT!
Great live music continues on Cape Ann tonight and tomorrow. See the lineup here.
On Wednesday, you could get to nearly every live show in Gloucester if you scheduled it right (as I pointed out in this post). That’s probably not gonna work this weekend, ergo, you’re just gonna have to choose. Not an easy task, so take a look at the live music lineup and start talking with your friends now, so you’re not arguing at the last minute.
Tomorrow you’ve got choices all over the Cape from opera to ska and every genre in between in Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, Essex and Hamilton. Whew! What a way to start off the new month. Music is listed here, but before most of the evening music starts, bop down to Rocky Neck for the Art Colony’s opening reception at their Cultural Center.
I’m not even gonna talk about Sunday right now, but Dog Bar and Rhumb Line are featuring two of my favorites. Have a look:
Today’s Gloucester Daily Times article correctly states that tonight’s show featuring Boston rockers, The Shills with local rising stars Renee & Joe, is at Latitude 43. But their Tunes on the Town listing has the wrong location.
Tonight’s ALL AGES SHOW is at Latitude 43. Doors open at 6:30. Come for a great dinner and stay for the show. Kids: bring your parents and prove to them that this generation is producing great music!
Get $10 tickets online here (until 3:30pm) or @ Gloucester Music or Liquor Locker until 5pm. Tickets are $15 at the door — cash only at the door, please.
A portion of the proceeds benefits the Berklee2Gloucester Scholarship Fund.
Renee & Joe have promised an excellent set of new music. Here’s a taste of the hot, driving, melodic sound you can expect from The Shills:
There are simply too many excellent live music choices tonight. That’s the bad news. The good news is that shows start at 5pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. That means, if you work it out just right you can get to 4 or 5 excellent shows. They’re all free and all within walking distance.
And then there’s TV — cable, that is. Local Music Seen with Allen Estes is airing a special show that premiered in the summer featuring 3 generations of the Estes Family all on stage at the same time. It’s kind of like a peek into the family living room. Catch it at 6:30pm tonight on Cape Ann TV Channel 12 — or if you’re out, you can tape it and watch it when you get back. Here’s a sneak peek:
This just in from the gals:
We’ve been invited back to SEAPORT GRILLE Wednesday, 11/28 starting at 5pm on Roger’s St., one of Gloucester’s most popular waterfront restaurants. Please come enjoy the show and maybe do a bit of local holiday shopping afterwards. Honky Tonk Women have added many new songs most of which are requested favorites and we have launched our first website. We hope to entertain you soon.
Sheila, Caroline, Barbara and Elaine
And you’ll be helping send a Gloucester student to Berklee, too! Don’t forget this is an ALL AGES SHOW. Kids: bring your parents and prove to them that this generation is producing great music! Get tickets here or @ Latitude 43, Gloucester Music or Liquor Locker. The next time you can see these guys, you could be paying a lot more for a big venue far away . . .
Just in case you’re not convinced, watch the video to see how hot these guys are:
Last Monday we began our new series, Peter & Vickie’s Laws of Life (LOL for short), with a law about losing and gaining weight (see here). That LOL was a corollary of a well known law of chemistry & physics and hinted at the mathematical concept of inverse proportions.
Today’s law (inspired by Greg Bover’s Quote of the Week) is an example of inverse proportions and could be stated thus: Your likelihood of being right is in inverse proportion to how sure you are about it.
Susceptibility to this law begins in childhood and blossoms in teenagers. For example, when they say things like “Mom it’s gone; I’m positive it’s not there. It’s nowhere in this house. I’ll bet you a million bucks. Somebody must have stolen it,” at which point Mom takes a quick look and finds it in 45 seconds.
Once people reach adulthood, they tend to be sure of more profound things like when the world is gonna end (the next date is next month on 12/21/12).
People who are the most sure they’re right often spew hyperbole (hype for short) to make their points — which proves this LOL, since the graph of two variables that are inversely proportional is a hyperbola.
Of course, I’m absolutely positively sure about the veracity of this law. In fact I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life — except, perhaps, that Gloucester & Cape Ann have the best music scene in the entire universe as evidenced by this week’s live music lineup — see here.
I doubt the world will end on 12/21/12, but I guess, given this LOL, that I’d better not be absolutely sure. Here’s a video of Sugarland, Matt Nathanson & Little Big Town covering the classic R.E.M. song on the last day people were sure the world would end:
This just in from Brenda Malloy:
Wanted to let you know that the Rocky Neck Art Colony Winter Show, which is normally located on Main St. in Gloucester for the month of December, will be located this year at The Cultural Center on Rocky Neck. From Dec 1 through Dec 23, Thurs – Sun, 11am to 6pm, The Winter Show is open with artwork, pottery, jewelry, ornaments, etc. There is a reception each weekend, for a total of four fun events in December for you to enjoy! The Cultural Center is located in the former Christian Science Church at 6 Wonson St, Rocky Neck.
The opening reception is this Saturday, Dec 1 from 6 to 8 pm
Hope to see you there! Please pass this on to anyone you know that may be interested.
Thanks!
PEACE!
I brought a surprise for my father to Thanksgiving dinner — and it made him happy. Back in 1962 & ’63 our family lived in Céligny Switzerland, not far from Geneva, an experience that broadened all of our horizons more than we could ever have imagined. Among many other things, my father and I discovered the wonder and delight of European cheeses — hundreds of them. One of his favorites was Bel Paese, a semi-soft Italian cheese (originally made to compete with soft French cheeses) that we would get at a local cheese shop.
So when The Cave opened on Main St., I asked Laura, the owner, if she had any Bel Paese. She didn’t but was happy to order it for me. She also ordered Appenzeller, a Swiss cheese I fell in love with at 7 years old. Here’s a video of Vickie tasting the cheeses and wine we got on our first trip to The Cave.
(Since then, we’ve learned how to pronounce the name of the wine. It sounds like Sarah Harris and that’s how I remember it — my first girlfriend was named Sarah.)
OK, back to the story: we brought a chunk of Bel Paese to Thanksgiving dinner this year and you should have seen the expression on my father’s face. Soft, buttery, with a unique aromatic flavor, this simple taste transported him back to that wonderful cheese shop in Switzerland and we began reliving adventures from 50 years ago.
That’s why I shop locally. A personal connection with the owner of a local shop is priceless.
Last year, I wrote a letter to the Gloucester Daily Times entitled Occupy Main St., with another story about shopping locally and I was surprised at comments from people who would only by locally made goods. That, to me, is going too far.
I don’t expect that everything I buy is going to be made locally. Honestly, that’s impractical and undesirable. I like European cheeses and wines. And I love chocolate and coffee, neither of which grows around here. More importantly, I’m certainly not going to wait until late next spring to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Trade with the rest of the world has been a major economic driver of our country and our city since the beginning. If nobody outside of Gloucester ate the fish landed here, our economy would have been dead in the water hundreds of years ago. And the Boston Tea Party was a protest against taxing a staple that comes from thousands of miles away.
I love being able to go downtown and find exotic items with the magic that brings another time to life for my father and me. The fact that supporting local shops helps keep them in business and drives our local economy makes me feel even better about it.
Do you feel this good after having stood in line at the mall? Probably not. So let’s support our local merchants and then go out and party at local venues who support local musicians. There’s tons to do this weekend. Check out the local live music schedule here.
Gloucester’s annual Santa Parade and Kent Circle Tree Lighting is tomorrow (SUN).
Parade begins at the State Fish Pier at 3pm and ends at Kent Circle for the tree lighting around 4:30pm.
Look for the Pink Elephant and donate an unwrapped toy to Toys4Tots.
Santa arrives at Kent Circle by fire truck and children are invited to sit on Santa’s lap.
Everyone at Kent Circle is invited to sign holiday cards to be sent to our troops overseas and to bring an unwrapped toy for children in need.
Free popcorn and hot chocolate provided by Lobsta Land and The Gloucester Fund.
Music at Kent Circle by the Docksiders, North Shore Bell Ringers and the Firemen’s Band.
Bring the kids and help celebrate the season with your friends and neighbors in Gloucester!
Good Morning Gloucester 