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Apples in Stereo The
Holmes Brothers |
06.18.2005 / Bobbie
"Blue" Bland, Michael Penn, Erin McKeown, OPEK, The Mavens Pittsburgh, Pa bitch.
A huge crowd full of your usual YEPers (re: middle age, white, upper middle class) graced the lawn, some with families, some with elaborate picnic setups. On stage was Erin McKeown and I gave her 20 minutes of my time but I was less than impressed so I hopped back on the bike and across the Roberto Clemente Bridge towards the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Bobbie “Blue” Bland had just started and I was lucky enough to squeeze up towards the front of the stage. This was a more lively audience and it was refreshing to be at show by a black performer and not have an audience dominated by white folks. Some idiot up front was yelling out “Bobbie!” and unfortunately he responded and the guy asks him to sign a plain white t-shirt. “I think I’ll do my show first,” said Bland. The guy yells something back and some huge bouncer-looking dude gets up from the back of the stage and when the guy in the audience see him, he sits down and shuts up. This encounter appeared to agitate Bland and he remained slightly guarded throughout the show. As he sang, the legendary blues balladeer still had a silky smooth voice but lacked any real punch as he remained on his stool throughout the hour and a half show and had trouble with the highest of notes. He appeared slightly bemused with the crowds’ inability to follow along with the singing of “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.” But with tunes such as “Turn On Your Lovelight,” “Cry, Cry, Cry,” and “I’ll Take Care Of You” Bland and his wonderful band kept the crowd on it’s feet only to slow down for his occasional signature love ballad. Afterwards I headed back to the YEP festival to catch the last 20 minutes of Michael Penn. I was able to get right up front and, though I missed the songs off his 15 year-old hit album, his new songs sounded up to par and I will be looking forward to the new release. There were a couple of standouts, one being “Walter Reed.” He played the whole set from behind a pair of too-large Risky-Business-style sunglasses, at one point making fun of his partner’s ill-timed chewing gum break, “Having some gum, Dave?” During the last song my pager was going off as Wifey was calling me home. The need to upgrade to two-way communication being painfully apparent, I was able to grab some guy’s cellphone to report that I’d be back shortly. We were to meet up with the Country Mice, as they had obtained some free tickets for an event in Larryville benefitting The Sprout Fund. Dubbed “Hothouse 05” the event is held in a different location each year, this year residing in a yet uncompleted loft and artist studio development that would have been unheard just five years ago when my beloved Lawrenceville was still teeming with Yinzers. It turned out to be a very cool party with multiple artists, performers, bands, acting troupe, etc. spread throughout the three levels of the building-in-progress as well as a tent outside. Drinks came with the tickets so I was pounding cold Irons and after wandering the grounds we spent the remainder of the night outside listening to the mesmerizing jazz of 15-member OPEK led by stalwart bandleader Ben Opie. Afterwards we retreated to the Thunderbird Café just a few blocks up Butler St. as I’ve wanted to show this place off for some time. The back room is just a visual feast with exposed brick walls and a stage encompassed by a three-wall street scene mural. Country Mice were impressed as we settled in at a balcony table and grooved to the country stylings of The Mavens. I don’t know why these guys have been off my radar but they are a terrific traditional-style country band with some mighty talented musicians including a pedal steel session player. Seated at a table was musician powerhouse couple Sam Pace and Becky Corrigan, both of Local Honey and various other bands in the past, reveling in the $1.50 beers. Becky got up and sang two songs with the band displaying her appealing vocal chops as I reminisced of older days when her band The Polish Hillbillies were destined for alt-country stardom that would never materialize. Weary of the long drive home, Country Mice resigned to spending the night in the wilds of the North Side and we finished off with a pot and Stroh’s binge as the lights of the city shimmered below amid distant shrieks of passing trains and the murmur of last call traffic. |
