New Year's Again?

Is it me or is New Year's Eve rolling around more quickly than it used to? I feel like I just got used to writing 2019, and now I have to move on to a whole new decade? Tomorrow?!

When I was little, the New Year's Eve plan was to write up solemn resolutions. One year, when I was about twelve, I wrote my list in what I thought was very fancy (albeit almost illegible) script promising myself to feed the dog without being told, watch very little TV, and rise with the sun.  (I don't know what I was thinking with that last one, but none of those things ever happened.)

Later in life, New Year's Eve activities became more of a quandary. Have a party?  Go to a party? Which party? Would anyone come to my party if I did have one?  Where would everyone be at midnight ? Ugh.

This posting wishes all you resolution breaking, commitment averse, procrastinators a very Happy New Year, and for anyone looking for a last minute party,  King Soul comes to the rescue with a no cover gig at Clyde's.

Murry Christmas

Even though my father religiously paid his dues to St Sophia's, we never attended church on Christmas Eve or anytime for that matter. Instead our routine was to stay at home with family and friends, have Greek soup, and trim the tree. Dad also had his own private rituals. He would slip into the family room before it got too late to make a few prank phone calls, snickering to himself while he dialed. Once his victims were on the line, he would bellow "HO! HO ! HO!  This is SANTY CLAUS! Pause. "I'm calling FROM the NORTH POLE! Have you been GOOD this YEAR?" Sometimes the child would delightedly answer his question, but more often than not, they would just yell back. "I KNOW THAT'S YOU, PAPOU! You can't fool me!"

"NO IT'S NOT!" he'd yell even louder, as if volume made the difference.  "IT'S SANTY CLAUS !" Then he'd add a few more HO HO HOs to drown out any protest, and roar on about reindeer and the North Pole before hanging up. I loved listening in- especially since he had no qualms about calling kids who were old enough to shave. No matter what age, it was the same treatment. "Hello. Is this Stacey? HO! HO! HO! THIS IS SANTY CLAUS! HAVE YOU BEEN A GOOD BOY?"

"Why yes, I have, George. Could you bring me a fire truck? A real one?"

"HO! HO! HO! George?! George who? THIS IS SANTY CLAUS!!!! MURRY CHRISTMAS!" He'd yell, with his DC accent slipping through.

 On Christmas Day, he would put on a fake white beard and goofy hat, and argue with grandchildren insisting he was not Papou until they finally gave up and went along with the program.

I'm grateful for all the goofy memories I have of my father. He inspired the zany in everyone. For anyone looking for fun this holiday week, JV's, which, by the by, is owned by a very busy Greek woman, is open with live music both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Murry Christmas, every one.

Ancient Tribes and Troubadours

First page of Teddy's photo album

I spent part of last summer packing up an old friend from 930 F Street days. It was a strange and sad mission because he was on his way out of this world and would not be returning to Adams Morgan where he had lived for over forty years. I met Teddy when he was bartending at the 9:30 Club in the 1980s - after he finished divinity school at Georgetown.  He had a commanding presence, an eloquent voice and biting wit. He never stopped educating himself and everyone and anyone who walked into the bar. We used to call him "Father Ted."

Bookcases lined the walls of his two bedroom apartment on Lanier Place. I knew Teddy loved to cook and garden, but as I boxed up his things, I learned he studied every religion under the sun, including astrology.  He loved wind chimes and unicorns and magic. He kept every piece of paper his life generated, all liquor promotion swag, plus lots and lots of match books. Here we are stuffed in his apartment for one of his infamous Russian New Year's parties.

Our 9:30 tribe is scattered now, but the weird and arty people, which populated what was once an outpost for the arts in a semi-abandoned downtown, are still in my life, and I suspect they always will be- at least as long as we are on the planet.

Tribal rite with corn. 

I wonder if there's still that camaraderie behind the scenes as live music venues come and go nowadays, but I do know that my DC music scene is made of interlocking components stemming from a tightly knit community.

Thursday night, for example, The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours will swap out drummer Jack O' Dell (who has a gig with Arty Hill) for Ben Holmes (of King Soul and The Hula Monsters.) Arif Durrani's absence on keyboards will be filled in with the horns of Chris Watling (of King Soul and The Grandsons) and Chris's high school buddy Derek Huston who is up visiting from New Orleans where he is a kick ass sax player.  Feeling confused? Just make sure you're get to the Takoma VFW.  Show starts as soon as you get there (round 7:15) and rocks 'til 10 pm sharp.

Valentine Slim will liven up the Wheaton Legion on Friday - straight up no subs, but on Sunday  Thrillbilly/ Troubadour Jack O'Dell will be playing honorary DC denizen/ex- Commander Cody guitar slinger Bill Kirchen's special holiday show at the Birchmere with Junior Brown. 

The Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun

Welcome December and your solstice driven traditions which serve to brighten the gloom of late afternoons. Celebrations like Saturnalia have not changed much through the ages. The fields are empty, the harvest is in, and it's time to convert those fermenting fruits into festive party drinks.

We are copying the Romans when we bring evergreen things in the house. The Vikings also admired the conifer and decorated them in order to encourage their spirits through the darkest days. Mistletoe was revered by the Druids and seen as a sign of life and peace in the bare branches of winter forests. It even grows here in DC so keep an eye out for it when walking through the woods.

Those were the days, my friend, when sun worship was not associated with Florida or Coppertone. People fought darkness and depression with parties, gift exchanges and Yule logs. And light-lots of light- which is a lot easier to produce since Mr Edison came along.

At one time or another Saturnalia, Sol Invictus and the sun god Mithras's birthday were all associated with December 25th until Christians misdirected the date to mark the birth of Christ. The tradition of gift giving was then assigned to the Magi, and eventually devolved into an excuse to buy pajamas for the cat.

May I suggest slightly saner, local alternatives ?

Farmers markets are full of ideas as is the DC Holiday market which has live music through December 23. If you prefer to shop from bed, don't forget local authors like Mark Opsasnick. His new book Rock the Potomac "provides a comprehensive history of popular music in the Washington, D.C. area..."  (And believe me, anything Mark writes is comprehensive with a capital "C.")

Another great choice comes from former WHFS deejay, Cerphe Colwell. His "musical memoir" Cerphe's Up includes interviews and stories of cosmic connections made with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, Little Feat and many more.

Finally take your friends and family out and make sure those starving musicians get something to eat while we await the solstice which is December 21st at 11:19 pm in the District of Columbia.

DECEMBER

5

A Shrewdness of Apes/ Color School/ Noe  @ 7Drum City

Thrillbillys @ JV

6

Bob Band @ New Deal

Atomic Mosquitos/ Killers From Space @ Hill Country 

The Super Chargers @ Velvet Lounge

Eastern Standard Tine @ Union Stage

7


The Delarcos/ Apollo 66/etc @ Sliver Spring Legion

District Boat Parade @ The Wharf

Rock A Sonics @ Glen Echo

The Super Chargers/ One Way Out @ Velvet Lounge

8

The Nighthawks @ New Deal

11

 Swingin London Tribute @ Gypsy Sally's

12

RTT @ Takoma VFW

13

Valentine Slim @ Wheaton Legion

15

Bill Kirchen @ Birchmere

19

Thrillbillys @ JV

Flower Ave @ Takoma VFW

21

The Yachtsmen @ Dive Bar

Valentine Slim @ Takoma VFW

Solstice!!!

22

Daryl Davis w/ Patsy Stephens and the Hall Bros @ JV

23

EU and Sugar Bear @ Haydees

Caustic Casanova/Eat the Cake /Queen Wolf @ Pie Shop

25

Jimi Smooth @ JV

26

Dave Chappell Band @ JV

Thrillbillys @ Takoma VFW

27

Tommy Lepsom @ JV

28

Punk the Capital screening @ Black Cat

29

Nighthawks @ JV ( 4:30 pm)

31

Sugar Bear and EU @ Bethesda Blues

Oh He Dead @ Pearl Street

King Soul @ Clyde's Chevy Chase

First Night Alexandria w Grandsons and more...