Wow! Welcome to Wowtown! It's the April 8th, 2002, Antihoot at SideWalk and I'm deciphering my memo notes. Thomas Tumax played a great song about the groundhog that passed (it peaked out its nose into the path of a passing meteor). "It's a Full Moon Over Wowtown." See him Friday at Sidewalk with David Dragov opening the night.

Chris, wearing a Ramones T and playing a nylon string guitar, and Dan, on bass, played a great first song and the second, a two chord walk on the wild side song.

Joe Bendik's opened with an open tuning steel slide of a song with the lyric,"My Landlord Not Feeling What I Mean." He's always up against The Man, and frankly, I think he can handle it. Next song, a list song with a gospel blare repeated that "It's a a fine Line between," well, a list of things, most memorable being, as Lach quoted throughout the night, a blow job and getting sucked... I think there was a female reference contained in the line.

Robin, like Chris, was also in nylons (nylon guitar strings, originally catgut??? more easily obtained than wire... Smithsonians? History lesson please.) She sang about the Blackstar Cowboy with buddhist tendencies.

Casey Holfet back from California with Jenn Lindsay talked about riding in the back middle seat of the car, riding bitch, and an audience member corrected him, saying the term referred to the passenger on a motorcycle. Casey played a 12 string, filling the room with it, and his voice, during the chorus climax of his great second song, one of his earlier songs.

Sonia, in love with the pencil bearded silent bob (yes, the man with a view askew), but respectful of his marriage vows, (it's the innovative filmmaker/writer/actor/auctioneer, Kevin Smith -- she confessed her fondness when Lach asked about the cartoon graphic sticker of him and his blonder counterpart on her guitar.), Sonia, at eighteen, is one powerhouse vocalist and simply the coolest of the coverers. I am so grateful for her performance of Look how they shine for you, referring to the stars; it's a strong song by Cold Play. Good thingI was sitting with musicologist tv personality Dave of Dave's Place. She also referred to that good feeling when they knocked out the Death Star, a Star Wars reference, thank you Joseph Cambell for at least making such info available, again I owe understanding the reference to The Dave of Dave's. The reason for the reference being the parallel in movie history heights achieved with the ending flames of The Fight Club. Then she played the Pixies song that plays under The Fight Club end credits, "Where is My Mind," beautifully performed. Pixie guys, you'll love her. (Before her I only knew "Is she weird? Is she white? Is she promised to the night? -- and her head has no room -- is she...").

Lach observed that the Sinking of the Bismark was, like the destruction of the death star, a turning point, this one for England v. Germany. He just saw the Christopher Lee film version. He also described a Real World documentary about a cosmonaut stuck up in the Mir Space Station during the Soviet/Russia transition. You're going next week, right? AntiHoot Open Mike hosted by Lach every Monday at SideWalk, 94 Ave A, NYC's East Village.

Next stop, the Nemo conference performer presenting a cliche ridden specifics aversion song for the Poor Little Rich Girl and all the kings horses couldn't put richie together again. (Noel Coward wrote to her, "don't drop a stitch too soon." Did he coin the PLRG phrase? Brikell well caught the gist when she songwrote to the iconic Edie Sedgwick)

During the second song ("clone me" inspired by the pet cloners' press release), I started critiquing the steak wrap I was eating. Dave pointed to the salt & pepper shakers and I started critiquing them until his definitive "vintage" left nothing more to be said on the subject. Anyway, and obviously, the performer's two songs were quite strong in that they made identifiable marks upon the memory. .

Chris Taylor started off slow and ended big with what is the very big "Come Over Here My Love," and followed with the not too dissimilar sounding "I'm Sorry." He brings to mind the later set of James Levy. Both have strong realistic rock ballad voices and songs that grow.

Lach with the elegant Chuck on Sax performed "I Always Love the Girl Who Lives in a Private World, and I Become a Jester Just to Get Her To Smile at Me," and with regard to the statement contained therein, SO DO I, although I'd love to temper "Always" with "when I think she on to something," or is that, "when we discover the near spiritual connection that has ALWAYS existed between the two of us?" Dream on.

He followed with his hilariously unique brand of the blues riff, "Drinking Beers with Mom."

Jordan Corbin performed the indelible Halfway Dingbat Halfway Smart Halfway Science Halfway Art. And the Bird on a Painting song which some say refers to female orgasm. Dave observed that vocally she bears resemblence to Jil Sobel. I forgot to ask who that is. Could it be the woman I know as Just Jill?

Nell Baliban, with "Just No Forcing Love" followed by the beautiful jazz chorded "Wallow," provided a Joni Mitchell moment or two.

Next played a fellow wearing a parks department shirt; I meant to ask, does he play guitar for the NYC Parks Dept? He'd pasted his ID on the guitar. I think Sean was his name. Parks permits are essential during the summer.

James Levy played Cementeria or, rather, something about cemeteries, and was joined by Dina Dean for Smoking in my Window. There's a girl at my window.... "Who on earth is tapping at the window?" asked Elvis Costello. "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window," was a refreshing moment during the mordant second side of the Abbey Road album with the funeral march cover. Was Paul Dead Or Not? Not in that song. (added note: I'm just remembering how depressingly horrifying that album was. Can an audience really make entertainers THAT weird?)

Yuka played and sang one outrageously controlled simple single note sounding ukeleili song, followed by and joined by Joe Driscoll for the beautiful Yes Yes Yes! Joe provides beats -- tasteful mouth percussion. Joe runs Artland on Grand Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Do you think I keep up with this detail? I played next joined by J.T. Casaubon. Maybe more later. See you there Sunday April 14th at 10! This is a continuation of the blogger entry that precedes it.

Last night I played "Cul de Sac" and, with Josh (J.T. Casaubon) singing, "Don't Leave Me Behind (Prisoners of War)," then went downstairs to speak with Jenn about California venues. She likes Javanikan in Pacific Beach and Zodiak Cafe in La Mesa, both locations suburbs of San Diego. In San Francisco she likes Coffee House at Stanford University, The Hotel Utah Saloon and Cafe Du Nord.

Regarding Jamie Litt I have The Dave of Dave's note, nice hair, longer than ever.

Earl Pickens did his cowboy routine with open shirt revealing a T that read "Don't Fuck with New York." Let's all add the poetic follow-up line together, "'Cause New York will fucking kill you." He plays Saturday with his Black Mountain Maurauders.

Magicomic Asi bent spoons with his eyes. Jordan Corbin tried to afterward. He asked Jordan to sign his mailing list and she promptly took his sharpy and traced over her police acadamy sweat shirt, actually only over the "po" part...

Of Thee I sing, Baby.
The Thee of which I Sing is You!
The thee of whom I sing is you?
Eric McFadden of Funkadelik introduced the above word ideas with intricate guitar interplay.

Dave provided these names for while I was occupied: James Levy, we remember him. Lorraine Leckie, Timothy Dark, oh, I was back for Pre-War Yardsale. Their next stop is London!

Mary Gatchell played a song to help us recover from the inadequate Titanic Ballad, quite an inspiration to hear.

Anika played, oh, and it's anika that rhymes with Monica, her second song being an earlier one, "fuck with me. She sang, if you do, then do it right. Lach managed to offend a woman from England when he regretted missing the premier to Spiderman. Apparently, he'll be n England where they're just getting premiers of Planet of the Apes.

Atoosa combined Karma, Hades, Isees and Pythons in her first song. Her second song, a new one, quite beautiful and simply accompanied, was called sun yellow reversal. Was she wearing a sun yellow reversal at the time? We get spliced from circles into triangles.

Leaving I saw Adam Green, Joie DBG and Cockroach in the restaurant area, Cockroach being particularly well shaved. Apparently the way to go is a woman's bic with aloe. Sidewalk resumes serving its breakfast special after midnight. No one with three dollars shall go hungry there! Before the eggs arrived, I left.

And that's all I have to say about the latest in popular music as of last night.