FOLKFAN
Saturday, February 14, 2004
A Valentine's Evening of Love-Songs with Mack Bailey, Christina Muir & Mary Sue Twohy at Cellar Stage in Baltimore, Md on February 13, 2004
With sweethearts like these 3 singer-songwriters, and a Valentine's Day theme, who would guess that one of the performers would wonder on stage "could be called a X-rated folk show?" Is the theme of love songs just too steamy, or is Christina's mischievous wit inspiring wit in the others?
Mack enjoys the music therapy he is doing and sings some of the songs he does there: songs about the funny side of love and what happens when love has glitches. He is great as always. However, I am most enchanted with his very beautiful new song written for children who need healing, Listen to the Children, "I have a heart, can you fill it with your love". NEWS ALERT - the newest Limeliter is our own Mack Bailey!
Christina sings Stawberries about buying strawberries and "playing a game of hide and seek". In another song, inspired by Dr. Seuss, Christina travels rapidly from speechless to forward.. Recalling being verbally hijacked, Christina sang Cat's Meow - "When The Cat Got my Tongue". And she talks about opening her heart again in New Day.
Mary Sue Twohy's song Baltimore is about loving more fiercely in the face of death, and almost losing a first love, her Dad. When Mary Sue's dad was critically ill John Hopkin's Hospital saved his life. But getting there wasn't easy. Her dad taught her to drive, and she has been driving for years. But driving to Baltimore was very hard. As Mary Sue sings "lost again in Baltimore - turn left into a dead end, turn right into the dark night" my eyes fill with tears. I heard this song first at the Takoma Park Folk Festival and I cry again hearing it, even though the story ends well. And more NEWS. Mary Sue has fallen in love, has moved to Washington DC and is in the process of merging 2 households. Her love songs tonight are so convincing. In all her songs she has such presence, conviction, and gentle firm beauty.
The format is round robin. But after discovering what a gorgeous sound happens when they back each other up, the women at least, are not willing to let go. Christina asks Mack to back her up. Then Mary Sue asks and he hesitates, a nonverbal "what again". Christina jokes "It's like it's his first time". Maybe you had to be there to get why Mary Sue asked, "is this an X-rated folk show?" Maybe you had to hear Mack teasingly referred to as "the bone in the soup". Christina Muir's partner from the Trio Hot Soup, Sue Trainer, even teased Mack from the audience.
At the break I hear about MacFMP, the Mid-Atlantic Coalition of Folk Music Presenters, a non-profit trade association whose purpose was (is) to create a network of venues, and support coordinated booking and grow the musical community. What a great idea! I make a mental note to find out more about it. And friends and I talk about what a great trio these 3 make.
After the break, Joyce tells us that Christina and Mary Sue have never performed together before and that this trio effort is unrehearsed. What great harmony they make backing each other up on songs. Joyce asks the audience what we should call them. The Love Letters? The Hot Love Trio! Yes, The Hot Love Trio fits! At the end there is a standing ovation for the Hot Love Trio!
Thursday, February 12, 2004
Eliot Bronson and Josh Lamkin at SNAFU in Frederick Maryland November 9, 2003
Sunday Night All Folked Up! SNAFU. What an inventive name. The open mike starts at 7pm, then the featured acts appear around 8 pm and afterwards there is a song circle. Lots of music and a good sized crowd. Some great Eliot Bronson fans in the audience. Eliot and Josh (The Brilliant Inventions) have a set list similar to that from the Arnold house concert.
I see a bit of SNAFU host David Morreale and want to see more.
Monday, February 09, 2004
Modern Man at Focus Inn Alexandria on February 8, 2004
Virginia TV is filming the show this night for a cable station in maybe Fairfax Va. Hopefully the Focus Inn web site will alert at least Virginians to the day/time the show is aired.
There is a huge crowd for this venue (I find out later a record 70 or so in attendance). Modern Man are 3 very funny guys, each an outstanding solo musician in his own right, David Buskin, Rob Carlson and George Wurzbach.
Their set includes:
Don't You Hate It When They Make You Sing Along - Of course the first song sets the tone for the evening. This is not going to be your normal folk show.
But then Modern Man begin to describe themselves Just another no-talent boy band getting by on raw sex? And people say how could 3 hotties like that be straight! Getting more realistic they say maybe they should be called Men To Graves - well that's a little dark. Or InContinent - that has a certain flow. We in the audience are howling - and this continues for the whole show.
More songs:
Bumper Hunting - now who else writes songs about road kill?
My Father Looks like Moe
Inappropriate Singing Styles - Rob demonstrates why Pavorotti shouldn't sing Dylan songs, why Dylan shouldn't sing the classics, why Rap groups shouldn't attempt Rogers and Hammerstein, and why Neil Young shouldn't do anything...
ESPN - the best divorce song ever written - and they provide a witty observation. Why is the Christian right against gay marriage? Let them get married, then they'll stop having sex.
I Did It, I Did It, I Did It - the best married guy true confession song ever written!
Dog in Taiwan - you can't eat dog there. Who says these guys are informative!
Jews Don't Camp - I assume some Kerrville experience inspired this song
I Still Want It All The Time - Isn't this is a guy song? Why do they encourage women sing along on one of the choruses?
The FBI song - the line about Hoover is my favorite
We're Martians
Suicide Hotline
Like a River
Channel Surfin' - again these guy really do nail who guys are.
A Much Better View of the Moon - one of the most beautiful songs ever written by a funny guy, or maybe any guy.
Eggs Don't Run - You don't have to be from New Jersey to get this song
The PR for this group says they are "Bridging the gap between the Three Tenors and the Three Stooges".
I've seen them before and always love their shows. And with this audience they were so on, so fast and furious with punch lines and asides. Or was it us in the audience? Were we just TOO responsive and too encouraging, egging them on to a faster and funniest kind of pace? Well as an audience we just didn't give up. We gave these guys two standing ovations! I want to see this show, and I want to see it again right here!
Their CD's are Modern Immaturity and Modern Men: The Wide Album. Click on the album names for links that include great descriptions of these guys, and song samples.
