For the next eleven days, folks on the East Coast have a chance to catch one hell of a double bill of political music. On a hit and run anti-war tour, Mat Callahan and Yvonne Moore will be joining David Rovics for six public shows (not counting the one at Boston's Berklee School of Music, where you need some kind of fucking all-access pass to get in--I hope they're getting paid well, the sellouts).
"Who?", I hear you mumble. Okay, short course:
Mat Callahan was in the duet Prairie Fire, kinda the house band of the RU/RCP through the mid-'70s. Their album Prairie Fire (and I've got a handful of them to this day, still sealed) was a killer. Mat went on to form The Looters, a key band in the Bay Area World Beat scene of the early '80s. He writes great for two voices, and I doubt he's ever had a better singing partner than Yvonne. I'm hoping he does "Come On, Virgie"--one of the best strike songs in the English language--but not counting on it.
David Rovics is of a newer vintage--he turns forty next month--and an older school--he's spent the last decade and a half traveling the US and foreign parts with a guitar and an ever-growing collection of original tunes. He performs at picket lines, rallies, sit-ins, riots, anywhere people are in struggle, and on occasion at clubs, in living rooms and wherever he can make a buck. Almost everything David has ever recorded can be downloaded free at his website, but show him some love and throw a couple bucks his way. I'm hoping he does the original version of "Glory and Fame"--with the verse denouncing the restoration of capitalism in the USSR--but not counting on it.
If you are in the vicinity and not in traction, do not miss:
Saturday, March 10
Vox Pop
1022 Cortelyou Road
Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY
Lars Din opening all the way from Gainesville, Florida!
Contact Sander
Sunday, March 11
Wrench in the Works
861 Main St.
Willimantic, CT
doors open at 7 pm
Contact Chris
Thursday, March 15, 7:30 pm
Edge of the Woods
379 Whalley Avenue, 2nd floor
New Haven, CT
Contact Paula
Friday, March 16
House concert
Dunkirk, MD
Contact Russell
Saturday, March 17, 7 pm
Fleming Center
1426 9th St. NW
Washington, DC
Behind the Brian MacKenzie infoshop
In addition to David and Mat & Yvonne will be Spoonboy
Contact Wade
Sunday, March 18
40th Street Stage
Norfolk, VA
Contact Star
And for easier-to-please music lovers in the New York metropolitan area, I have been given reliable information about another date. Dennis O'Neil, who can't sing, can't play, can't clap his damn hands four times in a row with the same interval between, but does have a pretty decent record collection, will be DJing at Teddy's Bar & Grill in Williamsburg on Thursday, March 22. If enough folks show up (and order), this could turn into a twice a month gig!
2 comments:
I sure would like to get a copy of the Prarie Fire joint. I'll digitize it and get it back to you. I'm also trying to run down a copy of the Break the Chains album done by the May Day Singers, a Workers Viewpoint aggregation. A few friends swear they have them in storage but have not pulled them out yet. PRRWO/RWL had a group if I am not mistaken that was kind of ad-hoc. They might have been called the Proleterian Singers (of course)but I don't think they recorded.
The May Day Singers were tight. The title tune for the album was based on the melody line from one of Billy Paul (Philly-Me and Mrs.Jones)songs, "We All Got A Mission."
Ajamu--I'll get you one or perhaps get myself hooked up to burn MP3s my own self, from my substantial vinyl holdings. Ever hear "Free Bobby Now?" by the BPP house band, The Lumpen? I got one on hand...
Don't have the May Day singers, though. Anybody reading this?
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