.saturday night's alright for folk rock.

photo: amelia

when i had the idea to folk up a hunchback song and include it in saturday's set, i never dreamed i could get a room full of people to join in on the final chorus. that's how awesome the parlor is.

:: the missed connections gave intimate performances of lots of great stuff from gesture sketch, and played an amazing new song that will hopefully make it onto this february's album.

:: mike hunchback was joined on one of many new classics-to-be by fish and jacki from his new weird fantasy band, which is currently mixing its first album with darren golda at bear bones recording (for which boy blue is currently building a site [link soon], and with which i may soon be making a recording or two). i got to hear the rough mixes after the show and they are shockingly good; i can't freaking wait for this record.

:: i test-drove a new tune, too. it needs work.

:: the rest of the evening was uniformly enjoyable; check out adam finchler's super-fun, super-catchy t.m.b.g.-meets-jonathan-richman goodness, aaron tramell's tom waitsy musings on post-collegiate life, and glad hearts, the rockin' full-band incarnation of ryan bing, who not only played a sensitive, acoustic iron maiden cover, but also bought copies of tick and "prologue."

photo: erin fancy

: update (31 december 2008) :
i got a last-minute call to open for mike doughty last night at maxwell's, where i had the good fortune to be mixed by the stellar and attentive hunchback craig of freedom school records. it is a rare and delightful experience to have a good sound man.

.joyful noise.

so apparently i'll be opening up a rare acoustic night at proto-legendary jersey punk venue the parlor in new brunswick, the day after boxing day. (i'm not sure why, but i'm rolling with it.) subsequent performers include my old friends mike hunchback and amelia of the missed connections, both of whom are strange and amazing. hit me up for the address if you'd like to come.

the parlor first annual acoustic christmas spectacular
the parlor, new brunswick
saturday, december 27th, 2008; 7 p.m.
the missed connections, mike hunchback, adam finchler, ryan bing, me
way free

bring a present.

.side dishes.

we've just completed a video of terry champlin's the earth below, a song for soprano and guitar quartet. (it's available as a quicktime on our video page and streaming over at youtube.) the warm light and narrow depth of field are the work of cinematographer joseph victorine, whose site we've just thoroughly revamped and expanded with some gorgeous new still photography. the glowing skin and smoldering gazes come to us from makeup magician mandy bisesti, whose site, overflowing with pretty ladies and indie-rockers (including a kick-ass mountain goats video), we've just launched.

goodness galore.