Rocktober

Why is it that the first time I have some solo writing time in months every single one of my favorite jambands has to come to the New York City area???

String Cheese Incident played at a community college not too far from Asbury Park on Saturday night. It was a cute, fun, round room. Unfortunately their long-time sound engineer had just quit / been fired over longstanding gripes with the managers, and so the same quaint factors made for an atrociously muddy mix.

Danced up front during second set, and got down a little with a bunch of freaks I love the STRING CHEESE INCIDENT, but was too in my head over the departure of Jon O'Leary to really enjoy.

We zoomed up the Garden State Parkway, thru the Holland Tunnel, and walked in to the Knitting Factory just as New Monsoon started up, sometime after 1 a.m. After the debacle in Lincroft, we were happy to be in a happy-vibed crowd, albeit a small one. And much dancing and festivity took place. Guitarist Jeff Miller was the most relaxed I've seen him over the last several years we've been following them, and so the music was brilliant.

Sunday NM played again at Mexicali Blues in Teaneck, joined by Hot Buttered Rum String Band. One of the storm's players, Bo, who's instruments are acoustic guitar and banjo, lost a close family member and was home visiting. It was the band's first appearance without him, and they were wistful at times, but still very high powered. Aaron Redner, the fiddler from Butter, filled in an alternate part for him on Calypso. And then Erik Yates joined in for a couple a few songs late on banjo.

Butter had opened with a gorgeous set of their usual hot and spunky stuff. Another meltdown!

I arrived a tad late, missing the exit for the George Washington Bridge in a bit of musical mayhem, and having had to turn around in Fordham. I don't know the river crossings or the northern parts of the metro area nearly as well as Brooklyn, so it was a tad of a hairy ride. I always think of my Dad and my Pop-pop when we ride by Yankees Stadium, 'though, and also muse about where my Bronx relatives on the Barrett side lived. So it's definitely a different nostalgia trip for me than for darling hubby.

A good crew of GoudaFriends were in the house, for we all do love the sound at Mexicali Blues, and it was pretty nice sized crowd for a Sunday night! Next up: Yonder Mountain String Band.