American Idiot in Berkeley: The Raves Are Justified!!

Kay and I say American Idiot at the Berkeley Rep yesterday (actually we ushered to get free tix) and were just knocked out. Not familiar with Green Day's music, but it didn't really matter. From an Audio Visual perspective, I have never seen so much multi-media happening at once! TV screens, projected images, live band on stage, a dancing duet on wires, lights, lights and more lights! Ear plugs are available and some will definitely want to use them. Great, young, talented and energetic cast! I was tired just watching them Hands sore from clapping so much. I highly encourage you to see this play, it's head for New York soon.. like several other Berkeley Rep plays in recent years.
Some pix taken from Green Day's Web site:http://www.greenday.com/site/american_idiot.php

Stevie Ray Vaughn Statue in Austin

Thought this was a nice tribute. South side of river. Near Threadgills.

Musical Past Re-enters My Life!!

I spent most of my Jr and Sr high school days at Paris American High School, just outside Paris in a little town called Garches. We were all military kids, surrounded by French culture which made for some interesting times. However, missing was the rock and roll scene taking place back in the States, so some of us got involved in playing music. Early on I remember seeing couple guys playing guitar at an assembly and later at a school dance. Never really learned their names, but it really pushed me to get my own guitar and learn some songs. Ultimately, got good enough to start a band, named the Jazztones for some reason, and we played at the Teen center on Friday and Saturday nights. Also got to play at the the Officer's club in West Berlin once ('nother story).






Well, speed forward until this week. Thanks to another PAHS alum, Joan Imus and her web page for us ex-Pirates (school mascot), I reconnected with one of those early guitar players. Turns out his name is Jerry Corbitt and if that name sounds familiar, it's because he was one of the original "Youngbloods" of "Get Together" and others, fame. He now lives in Texas after leaving Marin county about 8 years ago. He has a new CD out, really good, and it has an updated version of his song "Grizzly Bear" which you might remember as one of the Youngbloods' big hits.
Small world these days, thanks to all these Tubes and Internets.

Check out his music:

http://www.myspace.com/jerrycorbitt

I think I have a photo of him playing at PAHS; I'll look for it and post it. I'm sure he will appreciate folks seeing him in his teenage days! LOL!

Stay tuned

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass #8, San Francisco.... surviving the crowds - loving the music!


Our first visit and it's a bit overwhelming. So much music, so many venues and too many people!
Use the link to get all the info on who played. Since it is a free concert, paid for by a guy named Warren Hellman, people come from all over, even out of state to hear music over a three day period. But, there apparently is no attempt to discourage huge crowds so that is what you get. Golden Gate Park was never so crowded, even during the Summer Of Love... and I was there so I know!
I'll go into detail more later. Still digesting and mulling over how to do it differently next year. Some photos to give you an idea.
http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/






EmmyLou Harris was joined by Patti Griffin and Shawn Colvin with Buddy Miller helping out. All that talent, and free.

Plasma TV - Making the Connection


So, while waiting for the TV stand to arrive, I finally got up the nerve to connect the Panasonic to my home theater system. After much thought and foreboding, chose the S-VHS video connector, sometimes known as S-Y, which is a 4 pin cable that vastly improves the signal quality. You might recall that in '82-83, S-VHS came out to upgrade VHS, which was crap, and to replace U-Matic, the 3/4" format that at one time was broadcast quality, long before Sony Beta-SP came out. Anyway, high end components all have that connector and since I am not using the HDMI connectors yet, that seemed the best choice for the time being.
And it turned out to be the correct choice!! The picture quality is amazing. Especially off DVDs. We don't have a HD Dish receiver yet, so we are looking at analog broadcast most of the time, even if it is in the 16/9 format. But the DVD images are very, very sharp. Can't imagine what the Blu-Rays will be like!




Zone Music in Cotati Honors Bill Bowker of KRSH radio!


Seems Bill has been on the air in and around Sonoma county for 30 years. That's a lot of hot air!
And good music choices.






While there I ran into another long time DJ, the iconic and original Dallas Dobro, of KFAT, Gilroy, fame!!
He also has been part of the success of stations KHIP and KPIG in the Monterey-Watsonville area (tho now San Francisco residents can now get KPIG on am radio, 1510, I believe). Now doing weekends on KRSH, it's a joy to listen to him and to remember what quality radio used to be like (and occasionally can be now).
We are very fortunate to have KRSH in our neighborhood and if you want to find out for yourself, it's streamed at KRSH.com.
In the photo, with Dallas in the middle, is also Big Dave, from the Saturday morning "Rockabilly Roadhouse" also on the KRSH. Fun music, makes me want to grab the Gibson and play along. Got sore fingertips at the moment from practicing that Hayes Carll song.

And speaking of good music, the Hellhounds were performing at the Zone when we got there. Great blues group, all local boys and an excellent lead guitar. Worth seeing if they come to your neighborhood!

And since it would not be Sonoma County without an excellent lunch, Kay and I headed to Willi's Wine Bar in Windsor. One of our all time favorite restaurants for small plates and wine flights, we were not disappointed in our choices:
Tunisian carrots,












seared scallops, pork pot stickers and flat bread with figs, arugula, and prosciutto. Can you say "Yum?"

What a rough life! Later, y'all.......

Friday Rants! Or, My $.02

McSame and Palin fighting each other now. Check this story out on Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/12/12533/9165

I'm annoyed at Apple today. I have been a Mac user from the beginning; Mac Plus, the SE, all the way thru a Tangerine iMac to now, an intel iMac which I use as a video editing tool for my Web Video clients' videos. I now have 3 iPods (don't ask why) including the new 5G iPod classic, which is where the complaint comes in. Once upon a time, back when Apple included all the accessories you needed with the iPod purchase, it was very easy to connect my iPods to either my camera for downloading pictures for storage (works great while traveling, frees up the memory card each night) or displaying all my fascinating photography efforts (who laughed?) on a local tv set. No problemo as we like to say in Sebastopol. However....
With the new changes and the iPod classic, the old ways don't work. Now a new cable must be purchased which now connects with the multi-pin slot on the iPod as opposed to the former mini jack. Here's why I am annoyed (remember back there at the beginning of this rant?):
Apple charges $49.99 for that cable, calling it an AV Composite device. It's a freakin' cable, made in china for $.40 if that, and includes a power adaptor, which used to be free. Fifty bucks to connect to a tv/home theater. I am currently investigating similar items on eBay that sell for less than $15. Some for as little as five bucks. I'll let you know, just in case you have the same issue.

I have not made the decision yet where to move to the iPod Touch. Not as much storage, tho it is fun to play with. The new interface, touch screen, really is nice. And my friend Perry Madison is thinking of dumping his Palm pda to get one. I'll wait until I find out what kind of av cable IT requires to connect to my new Panasonic Plasma TV.... which we can't use at the moment cause we are still waiting for the TV stand to arrive from StandsandMounts.com. Someone mentioned to me that the name sounded like a porno site. Hee, hee.

Also, discovered a new singer-songwriter, thanks to KRSH radio in Santa Rosa. Name is Hayes Carll and is best known at the moment for a song titled "She Left Me For Jesus" which Don Imus called the best country song ever. Check his website for music, his entire cd plays for audition purposes. http://www.hayescarll.com. The sound you might hear in the background is me learning his song "beaumont" on my Gibson and trying to get my calouses back.