Labor Day Weekend Show

Yesterday (Labor Day), Wife and I watched “The Bank Job” on DVD. Good movie. Fast-paced in general, good story line with a few twists. It just all came together in the end.

The plot of this movie was based on what I believe may be a dying plot line—that is the need to keep embarrassing information secret. I was thinking this morning about the whole Palin-pregnant daughter issue, and thinking that I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a movie where the entire premise was a high profile political candidate or potential nominee wanted to keep secret something embarrassing from his or his family’s past. I’m not sure you’d make an audience believe that much longer, since politicians are realizing its best to just get it out there. But in this movie, it worked.

Yesterday was the day Hurricane Gustav made landfall in south Louisiana. I don’t like watching hurricane coverage on television, particularly the weather channel. In 2005 we watched the Katrina coverage on television because we were hoping to find some word about our neighborhood, but I wound up yelling at the set most of the time. I guess Gustav was the first big threat since we moved, and we still have friends in the area, so we had somewhat of an interest in watching the coverage, but I was committed to not spending all my time hunkered down in the couch. In the time I spent watching, I got the impression that the coverage guys were bummed that there wasn’t more damage, especially the way they kept watching the water lap over that floodwall on the industrial canal. I found that picking up the local coverage through the New Orleans and Baton Rouge television stations via their internet feeds was much more informative, and less irritating.

Anyway, when I walked out to get the paper Monday morning, I was surprised to see the sun; but then I reminded myself that I live in Middle Tennessee now. So I wrote this poem (copyright by me, all rights reserved):

Hurricane Watch
After immersing myself in
hurricane coverage
on television and live streaming internet feeds
since yesterday dusk,
this morning I was struck
like a bolt of salvation
from an overused phrase to
feel the sun shine
unfiltered by clouds and
without the aid of the
slightest breathe of a breeze.

My biggest challenge
it seems is to not re-live
in the storm spinning miles away,
and to instead live,
sheltered-in place one might say,
in the shade of a patio umbrella,
appreciative of the breeze.

Matt King

Wife and I were in car Sunday evening and heard the DJ play “Shanty Town” a new song by Matt King. At the end of it, the DJ made some comment about it being a mix of someone, someone, and Tom Waits. I told my wife that he forgot Steve Earle. I’m not sure we are going to be hearing Matt King chatting with Lon Heldon anytime soon.

Several years ago, we saw Matt King open up as a solo act for Robert Earl Keen at the House of Blues in New Orleans. We were blown away. King put on a better one man show than most acts can pull off with a full band. I recall he had some sort of drum device that he played by stamping his foot. When I listen to the songs he’s posted on MySpace, I can still hear that same foot stamping beat.

After the show all those years ago, I looked to see Matt King records were out there. When I saw the albums I thought “This can’t be the same guy.” From what I’ve heard on MySpace, Matt King must be making music now that is closer to what he wants to be making.

Man, this is good stuff. Right now, the prospect of going to the office just isn’t so appealing compared to just hanging out all day and listening to this music.

September 17 @ Mercy Lounge

I’ve been conducting “research” lately making sure that I am as prepared as possible for the Americana Music Showcases coming up in Nashville. I believe I’ll be spending my first evening at Mercy Lounge to catch Marcia Ball (who I have seen at JazzFest before) and Will Kimbrough, among others. Here are some YouTube clips for the artists of the evening.

Romantica



Kane Welch Kaplin



Marcia Ball




Kim Richey, Will Kimbrough, Mando Saenz