Open Air Disco at the Yard, Brooklyn

Following my mandolin recital I danced away a balmy Sunday night at the Yard, an open lot on the Gowanus Canal in the heart of Brooklyn. DJ Danny Wang spun golden disco hits from Europe and the States, whipping a relaxed and happy crowd into a frenzy on the outdoor dance floor wedged between a grove of trees. Though the Gowanus Canal, a tributary of the East River that flows through the heart of industrial Brooklyn, is far from a fresh mountain stream, it lent the scene an almost European feel. Just avoid deep inhalations through your nose while standing at canal's edge.  But if anything was living in that urban urinal of a canal, it was groovin' on some slammin' beats that night.

Cheap beer and sangria was served from a makeshift bar, and hungry hipsters wolfed down humongous organic quesadillas from the owners of a beloved Red Hook taco truck. Though the forces of gentrification are encroaching ever closer on the Gowanus industrial area, it still felt like we were far from the baby strollers and lattes and we could dance to tunes as loud as we wanted. Sunday Best promoted a series of outdoor events at the Yard throughout the summer, and seem to be promoting more indoor events as the seasons turn. http://www.sundaybestnyc.com/
More photos here.

Recital at Jalopy Theater

After months and months of intensive study with my mandolin teacher Michael Daves, I finally had the chance to show Michael, fellow students and attending friends how my playing has progressed. With the illness of my performance partner, I had to perform my two songs, "Midnight on the Stormy Deep" and "Bluegrass Breakdown" with Michael. I always feel a little bit of nerves before going on stage for the first time in a long time, but I felt very comfortable right away. Adding to the fun was the honor of playing on the Jalopy Theater stage, one of my favorite live music venues in all of NYC. It's a real down-home theater in the heart of Red Hook in Brooklyn, way off the beaten path in many ways. It's a bit of a trek to get there by subway, but always worth it to check out the music and the vintage instruments for sale in the front. Anyway, it was a fine show, with many heartfelt performances by fellow students, including the first ever public performance by Michael's 10 year-old daughter, who sang a murder ballad with the gravitas of a 75 year-old bluesman. Well, almost. She definitely had the crowd by the ears. A group jam on "Rolling in My Sweet Baby's Arms" wrapped up a memorable Sunday afternoon. Next time, oh Jalopy stage, I'll be back with a band! More photos here... (Photo above by Robb Wood)