Skip to main content

The Skinny (Show Recap)

Last night's performance at Skinny's was a barnburner, if one is still allowed to burn the barn. International Pop Overthrow came to North Hollywood, literally blocks from my place. I got to walk to the gig; shades of Liverpool. The communal aura of IPO is one of my favorite parts of the festival. I was thrilled by Math & Science, the first band of the night. They were a lot of fun and I hope to check them out again soon. There are a few more must sees this week at IPO. But onto my recap...

There was an enthusiastic, large crowd packed into Skinny's living room setting. The vibe of the place is very cool. Feels like you're playing at home. The stage lights are bright and until I sauntered into the crowd during the vamp of our last number, I had no idea just how many people were in the audience. I could hear them singing along, especially on the ballads, however. It was a treat to see Ruth and Peter from Spygenius (who were here all the way from the UK).

The Inimitables were on point last night. Even with a back line (that can be blessing or curse, this time more blessing) and a short set, they were blazing. Kevin Jarvis kept me in time masterfully; Teresa "Baby Doll" Cowles' bass was grooving; and Evie Sands was doing her thing on lead guitar. The ladies handled backing vocals, too. It's always a trip to hear Teresa singing parts that are lower than mine. I love those ladies; and with Kevin, it's a powerful soul-machine. These are musicians who are notable in their own right, so I am privileged to have them in my band.

The set featured hit after hit from On The Rebound. We didn't want to waste any time, so I kept the chit-chat to a minimum. Oh, and I was playing my acoustic-electric Fender that has been on the road with me the last few years. But this was the first time since 1989 that I played rhythm guitar in a full band setting. It was fun and challenging. My style is all high chicken-scratch, inka-chicka-inka-chicka ripped offa James Brown records.

Here's the set list:
So Sophisticated
Our Love Is Known By Name
She's My Go-To
Supermodels With Gatling Guns
Your Majestic Rejection
Huckleberry Finn
On The Rebound
A Miracle Is On The Way

So yesterday was a big musical event day here. The show, the new single dropped and very importantly my new music video debuted. Thank you for all of the love you are showing Huckleberry Finn. In case you haven't seen it yet or want to see it again or want to share it, see below. Please tell your friends that Summertime has a new groove and it's name is Huckleberry Finn!


I am thrilled that from the time I walked to the show last night to when the show was over there were an additional 100 views of the video. I hope that it will become my most viewed work in short order. Thank you for your support of my art.

See you soon!
x

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (Review)

I'm just in from the world premiere of Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins . WHRJ is the new comedy starring Martin Lawrence, directed by Malcolm Lee ( Roll Bounce ; Undercover Brother both underrated and well-worth your time) . It's the story of a Hollywood hotshot who takes his new fiancee and his son to his parents' 50 th wedding anniversary/family reunion. Mr. Lawrence as usual shows off his comedic genius. He has steadily become a sure bet in Hollywood. This time Lawrence is flanked by a cast of stars that at times threaten to steal the movie. Mike Epps (Reggie, a straight-up fool) and Mo'Nique (Betty) in particular shine in their roles as cousins to Lawrence's talk show king, RJ Stevens aka Roscoe Jenkins. The gift of gab runs deep in this family. Michael Clarke Duncan has never made me laugh so hard as Otis, Roscoe's unlikely little brother. Anytime the three of them were on screen the audience's laughter drowned out the dialogue. Watch for the softba...

Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air - Book Review

“The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air” is a trippy new mystery novel from Phillip Mottaz. It captures the grit and gilt of the City of Angels with the flair of a contemporary Raymond Chandler. The brisk pace and wit are reminiscent of Douglas Adams’s entries in the detective game. Flourishes of  Fletch  and “Medium” also spring to mind. However, Mottaz has added a psychic/mutant/superhuman touch and his own comedic voice, structure and internal monologues to the proceedings that help the author announce his own style and the arrival of a literary heroine for a new generation. Hairstylist and budding private investigator, Danica Luman is the perfect character to convey the irony, angst and sarcasm needed to tell a 21st century L.A. crime story. Danica also represents anyone who thought it would be neat to get tangled up in a mystery and the darkly comic cautionary tale that follows. The genre is recognizable, but Mottaz offers a fresh take on the not-ready-for-prime-ti...

My Grammy Moment

This year's 50th Grammy Celebration was so superior to last year's awards ceremonies that I can barely contain my thoughts as I type. So many highlights. So many great moments. I hope you had a chance to watch the show. In case you didn't here's a bit of what you really missed out on from my seats in the 200 level: The Time reunited to perform "Jungle Love." Flat out fun. They had the Staples Center grooving. Rihanna joined them half-way through to perform her hits "Umbrella" and "Don't Stop The Music." What became abundantly apparent was how superior the Time's nearly 25 year old song was. Rihanna's performance was helped by being backed by one of the premier funk outfits of all time. Morris Day and Jerome still have the moves and the comedy timing down! Aretha Franklin and Co. ran through gospel hits ancient and new. They brought Cherch to the show like never before. And when the choir and 'Retha finished with "the...