I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.
Edgar Allen Poe

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so
-Bertrand Russell

What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...
-James Branch Cabell

February 28, 2014 - 10:27 a.m.

Spuyten Duyvil and Texas in Brooklyn

I am meeting a student before class this afternoon so I have to get moving. Yes I know it's sad that I view leaving at 11:30 as leaving early.

Oh no I need a trigger mechanism to start writing and can't find one. Of course that's my trigger mechanism. After school I went to Trader Joe's in Chelsea. When I got to the front of the checkout line I was told to go to register 10. When I got there somebody had just started checking out. I didn't know what to do but then the guy in register 11 called me over and he checked me out. I was confused, could I really have misheard 10 for 11? I told the cashier I thought it was 10 and he told me what happened. The woman who was supposed to go to him went to 10 instead. I said, "Well it's math, people have trouble with math." That started a fun conversation. He said he was so happy to hear me say that, he loves math. And then we talked about math and people being inconsiderate and all sorts of fun things. Conversations like that with cashiers is one of the joys of Trader Joe's.

I pretty much just made a pit stop at home. I put away my groceries and 40 minutes later headed out to Hill Country BK to see Spuyten Duyvil. This is another ultimate home games. One of my favorite bands with good friends in it at my favorite restaurant. I ordered something they don't have in the Manhattan restaurant shoulder clod. It was good but I think I prefer the brisket. I also had a rib and corn pudding. I know you consider what I eat vital information.

When I got there the hostess sent me to my seat then I got my food. It was only when I got back to my seat that I noticed that Coco and Bruce were at the table next to mine. Hey I was concentrating on food. Actually I was concentrating on finding the band. I was doing merch and I didn't know if I'd be sitting at the table assigned to me or wherever they set up the merch. I found them but there are a lot of people in the band so there was no room at their table. So I didn't move over there till they took the stage.

The first time I went to Hill Country BK there was hardly anyone there. Miss Tess played for a small but surprisingly appreciative crowd. This time it was more like I expected. The place was packed with people not listening. I'm glad I was far from the bar. That's always the noisiest spot. But of course some people listened, Coco & Bruce, and Bruce, and me. No I didn't make a mistake. The only other person I knew there was a WfUV volunteer named Bruce. It's was like the Australian University Philosophy Department.

The band played two sets. It was as long as I've heard anyone play in ages. That and the food are big advantages to playing there. Did I mention the food?

This was an unusual configuration for Spuyten Duyvil. Jim the harmonica player couldn't make it and Efrat the fiddle player is no longer with the band. so for many songs they were a five piece, Rik on electric and lap steel guitar, Mark on bouzouki and tenor guitar, Beth on Vocals, Jim in Bass, and Lou on drums. But then they were joined by the mandolin player from Folkadelic whose name I have totally forgotten and Hannah Rose Baker on fiddle. When the show started Hannah was sitting with me at the table. She didn't join in till the second set. I thought she was someone I was supposed to know, I mean she's sitting with the band, but she didn't ring a bell at all. I was prepared to be embarrassed but then found during the break that we never had met. This was her first time playing with the band. See I'm not as big an idiot as I thought. I was going to say when I start forgetting cute women musicians you can put me away but I didn't recognize Katherine the first time I ran into her socially after meeting her at NERFA and I don't want to be institutionalized so we'll just let that idea go.

So how did it sound? Great. I wasn't surprised. I knew I could trust their judgment on who they invite to play with them. I asked if I could join the band so I'd get fed. Don't you think Spuyten Duyvil needs an electric kazoo player? Doesn't every band need an electric kazoo player? Don't I need an excuse to get free barbecue?

I took a lot of pictures as I was sitting right up front. The lighting and set was interesting.


That's a lot closer to sixties psychedelic than Texas barroom. I tried for a while to make Mark's face not look green. Then decided to just go with the psychedelic.


Mark


John


Rik


A rare show where I had a clear sightline on Lou


Beth


Hannah

Now let's get psychedelic

They won at some people in the crowd over.


Presenting the Spuyten Duyvil Dancers!

It was a fun night. I can't say it was a good day though as I didn't have any chocolate. I hope the good mood continues. It should I have fun plans for tonight. I'm going to a Broadway show. Want to know which one? You'll have to tune in tomorrow.


I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge:
please hold me accountable.





Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
Wise Madness is Now In Session - May 28, 2018
The NFL and the First Amendment - May 27, 2018
On The Road Again - May 26, 2018
Oliver the Three-Eyed Crow - May 25, 2018



creative commons
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.
Horvendile February 28, 2014
site search by freefind advanced


Follow on Feedly



about me - read my profile! read other DiaryLand diaries! recommend my diary to a friend! Get your own fun + free diary at DiaryLand.com!