A Frog's Tale by Mark Opsasnick

Local author Mark Opsasnick is definitely a guy in the know when it comes to DC bands and clubs. He's spent a good deal of time tracking down the history of both in our area. DC ROCKS is honored to have his insights this week as guest author. Here are Mark's thoughts about a show coming up Tuesday at The New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt:

Any attempt at describing the stage appearances of the musical artist presently known as “Mystr Treefrog” will inevitably fail to do the amphibious Montgomery County, Maryland-based axe-master justice. Best known for his ambitious 80s-90s run as vocalist-guitarist for the hard-rocking local band Shock Opera, the iconoclastic Treefrog has recently taken to periodically hopping off his perch and descending upon local stages where he cranks up his croaking and playing and delivers mind-bending, mood-altering, and dream-inducing musical performances.
When pressed for labels, Treefrog, whose simple slogan is “Beat the monster – feed him wine and show him fire,” identifies his sound as “Swampadelic thump – like Woody Guthrie on magic mushrooms and steroids, only possibly more melodic; twisted twang n’ blues to an interspersed go-go beat.” He goes on to proclaim his personal appearances are like “having a good old-fashioned hootenanny around a campfire – with girl scouts roasting sunglasses on sharpened sticks (that will be the acoustic set)” and promises that for his upcoming gig at the New Deal Café in Greenbelt he and his cohorts will “try to keep the racket down a little to respect the room…We may even sing ‘Michael Row’d Da Boat Ashore.’ Differently. Perhaps backwards.”
Got all that??
Unfortunately, such illuminating scribble fails to deliver the props Mystr Treefrog so richly deserves. For full effect, leave the tadpoles behind, seek the vibe, and experience the man – or frog – yourself.

Time: 7pm sharp.

Admission: Absolutely Free!

Food and drink: Not Absolutely Free!

And here's Mark's skinny on the New Deal:

The New Deal Café is not your typical Washington, DC-area watering hole. It serves as a Lebanese restaurant, coffee house, beer/wine bar, live music & performance art venue, and art gallery –all rolled up into one nice hippie, trippy package. There is never a cover charge (unless a special benefit is underway) and the comfortable back room-dining area accommodates approximately 60, with additional seating always available. The café welcomes everyone and conveys a warm, bohemian atmosphere. Live music is featured six nights a week (they are closed to the public on most Monday nights), with every imaginable style offered on their eclectic schedule. The Café’s Thursday night open mic has become one of the best in the nation’s capital, with a wide range of talented local musicians – electric and acoustic – taking the stage every week. What I like best is the laid back atmosphere (you can have a quiet dinner, hang with friends at the funky little bar, or take a seat in a darkened corner and “zone out” as I frequently do) and for those of us who are slowly bidding farewell to those wild all-nighters of our youth, the hours are accommodating – the Café closes up shop at 9pm on weeknights and live music acts are usually off the stage by 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Located in the historic “Roosevelt Center” just across from the historic Greenbelt Theatre, the New Deal Café is a fantastic suburban alternative to a night in the bustling city. Parking is free and so are the good times!