I awoke Saturday to a downpour; a build an ark type of rain complete with thunder and lightening. Fran and I ate breakfast, I worked on that morning’s blog post and mostly we waited to see what was going to happen with the weather.
Our plan for the day shows for Saturday, plotted out on Friday, was to stay in the South Congress area (walking distance from our hotel). The trouble with that plan now was that everything we had counted on seeing was outdoors. But eventually the rain stopped and we decided to go ahead with our original plan.
We knew that the temperature was going to be in the 40s. We dressed in long sleeves and our New York outerwear. But the combination of cold and wind that greeted us was more challenging than we had imagined. Still, we pushed on.
The first stop of the day was the Brooklyn Country Cookout, located on a side street. Between Bob’s directions (“it’s right behind Guero’s”) and Google maps, we had no trouble finding it. But when we got there we were told that they were running behind schedule and that it would take another half hour or 45 minutes to get things set up. We then walked back to Home Slice Pizza and had a very quick couple of slices for lunch.
We still had some time, so we wandered around the back of Home Slice to see what was happening at Music by the Slice, Home Slice’s day show. We caught what was supposed to be Jeremy Messersmith’s last song. But because there was a power failure affecting the second stage, Jeremy ended up playing another four songs. Jeremy and his band sounded like a harder edged Fountains of Wayne, and I liked his stuff.
It was then time to go back to Brooklyn Country. We walked the two short blocks back there and found set up was almost complete. One of the organizers told me that I could help myself to cold beer (Brooklyn Lager, hence the Brooklyn Country name). I told him I was too cold for cold anything, but that I would certainly consider hot beer.
While Charlie Faye and Will Sexton were setting up, a car pulled up and up popped L’il Mo, a New York City favorite, who was not listed on the schedule. “I see a familiar face” she said, and came over to say hello.
Charlie and Will then took the stage and played a nice half hour set. In the meantime, L’il Mo and The Monicats had set up on the second stage and started up when Charlie and Will finished. I’ve seen L’il Mo a number of times, but never saw her play in a full length winter coat, coonskin cap (bought in Crockett, Texas and worn in honor of Fess Parker who had just died) and sunglasses. No matter, it was a good set and she made a good impression on the crowd. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Eliot 
Thursday seemed to be a reaction to the freneticism that was Wednesday. The day’s activities started in the late morning. Fran decided to go to the American Apparel sale and I set off for the Convention Center to see the keynote with Smokey Robinson. I got there early enough to grab a seat in the front section of the auditorium, and Bob soon joined me.
