Pete Anderson at Tuning Fork, 8-26-25: Photos

I understand that the main draw of Los Angeles is the film and television industry. Hell, that's what brought me here. But what keeps me here is the music. This city has the greatest music scene. Any day of the week, you can catch some phenomenal musicians doing what they do best, and often in intimate rooms for little or no money. Musicians playing for the joy of it. Last night, Pete Anderson did a show at a place called Tuning Fork in Studio City. The band backing him included Paul Marshall (of I See Hawks In L.A., The Strawberry Alarm Clock, etc.) on bass, Skip Edwards (who has recorded with Chris Hillman, Gene Clark & Carla Olson, Rob Waller, and many others) on keyboard, and Chris Ross (who has played with Maria Muldaur, Lyle Lovette, John Waite and others) on drums. And Lightnin' Willie (who had just gotten back from England) joined them on guitar and lead vocals for the second of three sets! This was a Tuesday night. And guess what? It's a regular thing there. You can catch Pete Anderson there every week, though not always with the same musicians backing him. That's right, these great nights are almost routine in Los Angeles. If you live in this city, you owe it to your soul to explore the music scene here.

Last night we were treated to some seriously good bluesy numbers, both originals and covers (they did a very cool rendition of Bob Dylan's "She Belongs To Me"). One of my favorites was "Talkin' My Baby Down" from Pete Anderson's Birds Above Guitarland album, so after the show I purchased that CD. It's always good to take a little of the music home, don't you think? Here are some photos from the show:

Tuning Fork is located at 12051 Ventura Place in Studio City, California.

I See Hawks In L.A. at McCabe’s, 8-23-25 Concert Review

"Good And Foolish Times"

I See Hawks In L.A. returned to McCabe’s last night, delivering an excellent set and delighting an appreciative crowd at the sold-out show. This was the first time the Hawks had played that venue since the special celebration of Paul Lacques’ life back in April of 2024. That show was at a time when the band’s future was uncertain. Now the band is going strong again, with Dan Wistrom on guitar and pedal steel (though last night he played Weissenborn guitar instead of pedal steel). Interestingly, and fittingly, this show was also in honor of Paul Lacques, held to celebrate his birthday, which was the 20th.

Mike Stinson

Mike Stinson opened the show, joined by Jesse Harris on electric guitar and backing vocals. He opened the set with “Something Right About You And Me,” which contains the line “You’re my kind of crazy.” That’s a line, or at least a sentiment, that most guys are in touch with. A perfectly sane partner is not to be found (and perhaps not to be desired, even if she did exist), so the trick is to find someone who is your kind of crazy. His set also included “Late For My Funeral,” “The City I Love,” “Out Of The Rain,” “Draw The Line” (which he introduced by saying it “started as me lamenting the death of customer service in America”), “Forever Is Too Long” and “Box I Take To Work” (which was a crowd favorite). He wrapped up his set with a cover of Eliza Gilkyson’s “Beauty Way.”

"Dancing Like A Feather"

Less than fifteen minutes later, Victoria Jacobs and Dan Wistrom took the stage and began the set with one of Victoria’s new songs, “Dancing Like A Feather.” “This has been a really weird year,” Victoria said. She mentioned how a lot of stuff had been happening, then added, “Too much stuff.” Indeed. “Dancing Like A Feather” is a beautiful song, and its line “There’s no place I can go to where you are” is heartbreaking. Rob Waller and Paul Marshall then joined Victoria and Dan on stage, along with Richie Lawrence on accordion, and the entire band played another of Victoria’s new songs, “Forever Shine.” She has a solo album in the works, and it might be out around the end of the year, so keep an eye out for that, friends.

"Slash From Guns N' Roses"

“Okay, going back to my job now,” Victoria then said, putting down her acoustic guitar and moving to her spot behind the drum kit. “She can do it all, folks,” Rob told the crowd. And the Hawks went into “Hitchhiker,” such a good song, and one I hadn’t heard them do in a while. It was included on the Grapevine album. Richie Lawrence remained on accordion for the rest of the set, adding a special flavor to the songs. That was followed by “On Our Way,” the title track from the band’s 2021 album, and then another song the band hadn’t done in quite some time, “Slash From Guns N' Roses” from the California Country album. The audience recognized it immediately, and responded with appreciation and joy. One of my favorite elements of this song is that cool bass part. “It was Slash. That’s a true story,” Rob said after the song. “But you guys knew that already.” Yeah, I got the feeling that probably everyone in the room had seen the band numerous times. It was that kind of crowd, and the band was able to feed off that energy. Rob then told the tale of the shirt he was wearing, how he’d lost it after a gig at McCabe’s six or seven years ago and then found it again for sale online. The very same shirt, his shirt. I wonder just how winding was the path that shirt took in getting back to Rob.

"Carbon Dated Love"

The band delivered a really sweet rendition of “I See Hawks In L.A.,” featuring some great vocal work. Dan played Weissenborn guitar on this one. Rob gave him a pat on the back at the end of the song, and the audience responded too. I can’t imagine it would be all that easy to step into the role that Paul Lacques played in this band, and Dan is doing a fantastic job, fully embraced by the group’s fans. Richie introduced “The Wonderful Waltz,” a song that he wrote with Paul Lacques. For this one, Richie was on both vocals and accordion. It was so good to hear this excellent song performed live again. “I love you, Paul,” Richie said as they ended the song. Everyone in the room felt the same way. “The Wonderful Waltz” was followed by “Carbon Dated Love,” which, by the way, the band listed as “Fern” on the set list. The band delivered a particularly good rendition last night, featuring some cool guitar work by Dan.

"Songbird"

In addition to Victoria Jacobs’ upcoming solo album, there is a new I See Hawks In L.A. album to look forward to. When Victoria introduced “Skipping Stones,” a song she wrote with Paul Lacques, she said it’s going to be on that new album. It’s a fun song, with something of a Bo Diddley beat, and it featured some great stuff on accordion. Afterward, the band mentioned that Paul’s band Bonedaddys had toured with Bo Diddley. Crazy. “Skipping Stones” was followed by “California Country,” always a crowd-pleaser. I’ve said this before, but one way you can be sure a band is going to be good is if you notice there are musicians in the audience. There are always respected and talented musicians in the audience at Hawks shows, and last night after “California County,” Rob Waller gave a shout-out to members of The Firkins, mentioning how they do a great version of that song. And speaking of talented musicians, Gwendolyn Sanford joined the band on vocals and guitar for “Songbird.” In introducing the song, she told the crowd how she saw a hawk on her porch. The song’s first line is “I saw a hawk in L.A. outside my window.”

"Hope Against Hope"

“This is the one song I need a chart for,” Dan said before playing “I Fell In Love With The Grateful Dead.” Rob added that it’s the one Hawks song that uses all the chords available to them. There was an incredible energy to the song last night. Paul Marshall then sang lead on “Salvation,” a song that has become a highlight of the band’s sets. That was followed by another crowd favorite, “Good And Foolish Times,” which sounded even better than usual because of the presence of accordion. And the band included that little jam at the end. They wrapped up the set with “Hope Against Hope,” which seemed perfect, a beautiful ending to a great set of music. The encore was a rousing rendition of “Ride My Soul,” with the audience singing along. The show ended at 10:28 p.m.

Set List

1. Dancing Like A Feather
2. Forever Shine
3. Hitchhiker
4. On Our Way
5. Slash From Guns N' Roses
6. I See Hawks In L.A.
7. The Wonderful Waltz
8. Carbon Dated Love
9. Skipping Stones
10. California Country
11. Songbird
12. I Fell In Love With The Grateful Dead
13. Salvation
14. Good And Foolish Times
15. Hope Against Hope

Encore

1. Ride My Soul

Here are some more photos from the show:

Mike Stinson

"Forever Shine"

"Forever Shine"

"On Our Way"

"The Wonderful Waltz"

"Carbon Dated Love"

"California Country"

"Songbird"

"I Fell In Love With The Grateful Dead"

"Ride My Soul"

"Ride My Soul"

McCabe’s is located at 3101 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica, California.

Jesse Dayton: The Hard Way Blues (2024) CD Review

Jesse Dayton is a musician and songwriter who combines blues, country and rock elements to create a great sound. He has worked with Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, and also with Rob Zombie and John Doe. He performed with Lucinda Williams at Bill Clinton's second inaugural ball, and in 2023 released an album with Samantha Fish (that disc, Death Wish Blues, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album). He was a member of the Road Kings, and then released his first solo album, Raisin' Cain, in 1995. His latest release, 2024's The Hard Way Blues, contains all original material. And he has some excellent musicians backing him, including Shooter Jennings on piano and keyboards (Shooter Jennings also produced the album), Ted Russell Kamp on bass, and Jamie Douglass on drums and percussion. There are also a few guests on various tracks.

The album opens with "The Hard Way," which has a cool intro, feeling like the beginning of a fantastic roller coaster ride, preparing us. There is some delicious work on bass in that opening section. And then the song kicks in, rocking like a train blasting out of its station. Sure, there is a sense of bravado in the lyrics, but I don't think it's necessarily saying the hard way is the best way. "Well, luck of the Irish or divine fate, either way I survived/Now I'm kneelin' on my knees at the foot of my bed and I'm grateful I'm alive/But the shitty committee's still raising Cain in the back of my head/Lord, give me the sense not to jump the fence and wind up dead/And I did it the hard way."  This song has a hard-hitting rock sound and a driving beat, with a strong bass line. The lyrics mention a "broke down palace," but I don't think it's intended as a Grateful Dead reference. Then "Night Brain" opens with some delicious blues guitar, with that sort of back porch feel. "It seems like every time I try to shut my eyes and go to sleep/Well, my night brain tortures me in my bed." Oh yes, that is something we can relate to, particularly these days. Soon the song kicks in to have a great, heavy blues rock sound, a thumping, pounding beat. There is something oddly catchy here, particularly in the rhythm. This song also features some good work on guitar and a powerful vocal performance. The lyrics mention that magical time of song, "4 a.m." (there are many songs that take place at that time). This is a great song for all of us who are having trouble getting a good night's sleep. How do we turn those thoughts off? Seems impossible in these unsettling and infuriating times.

"Talkin' Company Man Blues" kind of slides in, and features nice stuff on keys right from that first section. Matt Hubbard plays keyboards on this track. "Well, that was then, this is now/Ain't no consolation prize for you anyhow/Thirty years punching the clock/For a big steak dinner and a fake gold watch/Yes, we're living in troubled times." And though this song employs the dreaded "self"/"shelf" rhyme, here it doesn't even bother me; it actually works here. And yes, this song too kicks in, gathering more energy for the chorus. And check out that bass work. I am always happy to hear Ted Russell Kamp. There is also some good stuff on guitar. Plus, special guest Courtney Santana delivers some excellent backing vocal work here. "Yeah, the payoff is a ripoff/And the buyout, well, it's a sellout/And the cold call is the last call/'Cause there's nothing left to lose." That's followed by "Baby's Long Gone," which has a cool acoustic blues sound at the beginning and features a really good vocal performance. As the title suggests, it's a song about a man whose woman is gone. Gone from this life, that is. It's a song that looks back, and contains some interesting percussion. Then when it seems the song is ending, it comes roaring in with more force and energy, and starts to rock.

"Navasota" has a strong opening, grabbing our attention. What I especially love here is Jesse's great raw vocal performance. So when we hear that some preacher opines he is making "the devil's music," we understand where the guy is coming from. There is a power here, and it's certainly not coming from some angelic realm above. No, this power is bubbling up from beneath the surface. "Well, that guitar'll take ya to hell, son." There are moments when that guitar seems eager to move the song more into the rock and roll realm. That's followed by "The Ballad Of Boyd Elder," Boyd Elder being the artist who created the horns on that Eagles album cover. Jesse Dayton plays both guitar and bass on this track, and is joined by just Patrick Herzfeld on drums and percussion. "Working on a painting, workin' on a buzz/Lovin' all the woman and runnin' from the fuzz." Yeah, as you might guess from those lines, there is something fun about this one, and its lyrics refers to Bobby Fuller. Then "Angel In My Pocket" has a gentler, sweeter sound as it starts, with some really nice work by Matt Hubbard on accordion. "Well, I hurt myself a million ways/Thinkin' I don't deserve you/And survived the dark with my angel's light/Somehow made it through."

"Huntsville Prison Rodeo" has more of a country vibe, to fit its subject. "Mama packed a picnic lunch, we'd drive up 95/To the Huntsville Prison Rodeo to see who survived/Well, we pulled into the prison gates, the guard dogs searched our truck." Another line that stands out is this: "With three seconds of freedom between the hospital and morgue." The phrase "doin' life without parole" of course reminds me of "Mama Tried," though the character in the line here is 22, not 21 as in Merle Haggard's song. Then "Esther Pearl" begins in a darker place, with misery in its background. This one tells a compelling story of the Underground Railroad. These days, the sorts of bastards who were members of the KKK are in positions of power in the government. The energy increases for the song's chorus. The album concludes with "God Ain't Makin' No More Of It." This one has a heavy edge, and its first lines add to that feeling: "She left me twisting in the wind, livin' by my wits/Funny how our problems bring out all our grit." There is a wild energy to this song, a song that feels ready to tear things apart. There is a moment in the second half when it pulls back, but soon it drives forward into the melee again. This track contains some cool work on keys. "Eventually found out reality was really where it's at/Still you took the last hit."

CD Track List

1. The Hard Way
2. Night Brain
3. Talkin' Company Man Blues
4. Baby's Long Gone
5. Navasota
6. Ballad Of Boyd Elder
7. Angel In My Pocket
8. Huntsville Prison Rodeo
9. Esther Pearl
10. God Ain't Makin' No More Of It

The Hard Way Blues was released on May 31, 2024 through Hardcharger Records and Blue Élan Records.

Donna Lynn Caskey: "Tiny Victories" (2025) CD Review

Donna Lynn Caskey is a singer and songwriter from Virginia who is now based in southern California. Nicknamed "Banjo Gal" after her instrument of choice, she released her first album, Nameless Heart, in 2014, and followed that with The Love Still Shows a couple of years later. Now she has a new album, Tiny Victories, which contains all original material, tracks that not only contain some wonderful work on banjo, but also excellent lyrics. Joining her on this release is Ed Tree, who plays guitar, bass, keyboard and harmonium. He also produced, recorded and mixed the album. There are also a few guests on certain tracks. By the way, in addition to being a talented musician and songwriter, Donna Lynn Caskey is an artist. The album's cover art is hers. Also by the way, Steve Werner took the photo that is on the back of the CD case.

The album opens with "Last Resorts," a song that I love right from its first lines: "I'm out of touch with reality TV/I don't know much about celebrities." Actually even before she finished that first line, when I heard it as "I'm out of touch with reality," I was right there with her. But I can relate to the line even more when she finishes it. Can you believe that so-called "reality TV" is still going strong? I watched the very first episode of Survivor, and that was more than enough for me. At the time, I thought the fad would exhaust itself within four years. Boy, was I wrong. Anyway, there is a delightful playfulness to this song, but she also has something to say here. "It's time for last resorts, baby/It's time for last resorts now." It does seem that way, doesn't it? Everything else has failed. Check out these lines: "High rise hotels and hot pink flamingos/Entertainment desperadoes/Sunshine State taken over by condos/Golf courses and Mar-a-lagos/I need a still, dark and quiet place." And soon she sings, "What we've lost can't be replaced/Can what remains be saved?" I believe it can, but I'm not sure it will be. What will be the last resorts? Whatever they are, I agree it is time for them. Scott Babcock is on percussion on this track.

"I Will Love My Life" also grabs me from its opening lines: "I tried to follow all the rules/Afraid that God is cruel/Years and years of books and school/I still feel like a fool." I think many folks can relate to those lines. These lines also stand out for me: "Oh, I know that nothing lasts/But I keep getting attached/And the changes come so fast/Fade into the past." Those are excellent lyrics, and there is a beauty to her delivery. This is, after all, a rather positive song, as you might guess from its title. "I will love my life/As it passes by." Ah, but it passes so quickly. Death is always lurking in the shadows, and not a one of us will avoid it for too long. So we should all love our lives. This is one of my personal favorites on this album. It is followed by "What If Even If I Will," which has a gorgeous, almost haunting folk sound, as if coming from some deep past that we could all tap into if we tried. "What if I’m at my worst?/Even if you’re at your worst/I will be with you/I will be with you." We each need someone who will be with us at our worst moments. This is an unexpectedly powerful track, a folk song that feels part of that great tradition. "What if we lose it all?/Even if we lose it all/I will be with you." These days it is very easy to imagine losing it all, and several people I know did lose everything in the recent fires here in Los Angeles. This track is another of the disc's highlights.

When I first glanced at the track list, the title "Comment Section Is Closed" tickled me, and I thought it might be a funny song. And, yes, while there is a sort of dark humor to it, this song certainly has something to say. "She said, 'When you gonna finally have kids?'/Maybe never for all I know/Fertility issues, miscarriages/Not that it’s any of your business/Excuse me, don’t you know?/The comment section is closed on my body/If you didn’t, now you know/The comment section is closed on my body." I think many people didn't know. Perhaps because of the internet, people feel comfortable, even compelled, to voice their opinions on everything, including the way people (well, women, let's face it) appear. It would be great to get back to people minding their own damn business, getting on with their own lives. "Bodies grow, shrink, get sick, heal and age/Why must you remark on every format change?"

These lines from "Buttercream Roses" are heartbreaking, largely because they ring so true: "But even by five years old/I wanna keep my expression under control/I don’t want to show how I feel/How much anything matters to me/Please don’t tease/I’ve already learned to keep myself a secret." How horrible that children learn to keep their selves concealed. Life is so short, and to go through it feeling cut off from one's feelings, or feeling it's better to not express them, is awful. And Donna Lynn Caskey has part of this song take place during a birthday party, creating a dynamic juxtaposition between the exterior action and the interior turmoil. "As Is" also addresses people's attempts to change to blend in. Check out these lines: "You go to great lengths to try to stay safe/Without feeling safe/I love you, my friend/I love you as is." A striking section of this song is when she sings a sort of list of advice that most people have received. Hearing it all together, the real and detrimental impact becomes clear. "Be seen and not heard, play cool, play small/Don't ask and don't tell, be no trouble at all/To get along, go along, doing good deeds/Quiet, agreeable, don't have needs." Again, life is so short. Be the person you are. After all, no one out there has any clue what it's all about anyway. This song offers a friendly hand to those who need it, to counteract that sort of harmful advice. "You're allowed to be here/To leave yourself be/Allowed to relax/To sigh in relief." The first time I listened to this album, this song nearly had me in tears.

"Win The Day" provides the album with its title: "Win the day/Find a way to win the day/It may be a tiny victory no one else can see." I wonder if tiny victories are the only victories we'll see from now on. But they add up, don't they? "Grief won't defeat me/Despair won't defeat me/I can feel what I feel/It doesn't define me," she sings here. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of such things. Actually, probably often we do. This is a beautiful and needed song. Then there is something playful and sweet about "Do Something Small." It is also surprisingly catchy. I suppose many of us feel a need to do something big with our lives. I'm not sure it comes from other people. It feels to me that the person we are most worried about disappointing is our self. But this song is about reducing that drive, that ambition to a more personal level. "No big ambition/No great vocation/I'm not on a mission/Oh, oh, oh, oh, I will heed the call/Oh, oh, oh, to do something small." Perhaps that is what it takes. Here she also sings, "Give me back my joy," a line that stands out to me. It's one that many people want to scream at the powers that be, as well as at life itself. These lines also stand out: "Then go to sleep in peace/Like one who just confessed." Like I said, this album contains some incredible lyrics.

"Heal The Rot" has a much more somber tone, and is a song about racism and hatred, something this country is still failing to face. "Pull the monuments out like rotten teeth/The roots go deep, deep, deep/No more denying this deadly disease/Long overdue for treatment/Got to do what it takes to heal." There is an interesting change in the middle of this song, where she sings about one specific person, someone who was a good child, but as an adult is arrested for a hate crime. And we wonder just what happened to the person. As it's been said, children are not inherently racist. They learn it. These days they don't have to look far to learn it. Forest Miller plays fiddle on this track, delivering some really strong work. "Heal The Rot" is followed by "Song Of Creation," and in this one too she sings of a healing: "We can heal the old wounds/Become more and more attuned/Make life sustainable/Peace is attainable." This track features another beautiful vocal performance. "In that state of grace/Where we all feel safe." These days, so many people lack that feeling of safety. Fred Rose adds some wonderful work on flute on this track. The album concludes with "Rebirth Day," which also features a gorgeous vocal performance. This one is all about the voice, the lyrics delivered a cappella. "Sometimes I've got to step out of the way/But I don't take it personally/This doesn't belong to me/Life flowing through me and to me/I receive it graciously." And we are again reminded of the album's title by these lines: "Every victim's craving victory/I claim victory for me/And now I'm walking tall/I claim victory for us all."

CD Track List

1. Last Resorts
2. I Will Love My Life
3. What If Even If I Will
4. Comment Section Is Closed
5. Buttercream Roses
6. As Is
7. Win The Day
8. Do Something Small
9. Heal The Rot
10. Song Of Creation
11. Rebirth Day

Tiny Victories was released on May 16, 2025.

Fernando Perdomo Celebrates His Birthday at Kulak's Woodshed, 8-16-25

Fernando Perdomo celebrated his birthday with a special concert last night at Kulak's Woodshed in North Hollywood (though his actual birthday is today, and this evening he is playing at the Wild Honey Backyard Amphitheater before a screening of The Power Pop Movie). You might already be aware that he is turning 45, because his new compilation titled 45's The Best also celebrates that fact. And, yes, that compilation is in addition to his monthly Waves albums and other current projects, some of which I learned about at the concert. Clearly, he does not sleep. After the concert last night a woman told me she was certain there are five of him. I'm not quite ready to discount that possibility. In addition to creating an album of new original material every month this year (the Waves series), putting out a new album with Matt Tecu (Getting Warmer), and helping out on other artists' projects, it turns out he's also been at work on a new Broken Sound album. And if that's not enough, he and another songwriter are creating a rock opera. So, five Fernandos does not seem out of the question. Right?

He started the show last night with a short solo set of new material, including "Harmonics And True Love," "Meet Me Down On Love Street," "One Way To L.A." and "Find Me" (the last two being from the upcoming rock opera). And then he had a string of special guests come to the stage, including Jay Asher, Michael Culhane (of Circus Guy), Craig Mirijanian (who did a wonderful rendition of "Norwegian Wood"), James Houlahan (I was especially happy to finally see him in concert after enjoying his CDs for years; he played "Ben Riley"), Robert Lopaka Souza, and the great Feef Mooney. Feef played "Cleo September" and "The Long Ago," the latter of which has the line "Nothing matters more than music." That is a line I appreciate. Then the duo of Fernando Perdomo and drummer/vocalist Michael Collins, known together as Broken Sound, did a great set of tunes, including "Sky Girl," "Company Man, Factory Girl," "Melt The Bots" (one of my favorites, which found them in special electronic masks, a delightful moment), "Everybody Wants To Screw The World" and "Zupruder's Other Films." That was followed by a short set by The Fernando Perdomo Band, including a beautiful rendition of "California Moon," "Searching For Myself," "Fill My Sky" and "Absolute Silence." The evening ended as it began, with Fernando Perdomo performing solo, wrapping things up with "Home." I've mentioned this before, but I don't believe I've ever heard a bad song titled "Home." The show went a little later than planned, and certainly no one was upset about that.

Here are some photos from the night:

Echo Park Rising, 2025: Photos

Tawny Ellis

Echo Park Rising is an annual celebration of music and other art, where all sorts of establishments temporarily become music venues. It's one of those times when you really get a strong sense of community in this city. I always have a good time, and I always get turned onto at least one or two new bands. Yesterday I didn't really have a game plan or agenda. As long as my girlfriend and I got to Raven's Gallery in time to catch Tawny Ellis' set, I was happy. And that we did. We caught a few other bands at various spots along Sunset Blvd. (and, yes, were turned onto some new artists), got some food, checked out some art, looked through the wares of various vendors, and enjoyed ourselves in the relaxed atmosphere of the festival. This is what life is all about.

Here are some photos from the day (we didn't stay into the night, because Fernando Perdomo was having a birthday concert in North Hollywood, and I wanted to be sure to get there early and grab a seat in the front).

Annie Jets at Sticky Rice

Saint Kid at Raven's Gallery

Saint Kid

Tawny Ellis at Raven's Gallery

Tawny Ellis

Tawny Ellis

sign over W. Sunset Blvd.

Jordan Patterson

Jordan Patterson

Jordan Patterson

Pillow Fight

Pillow Fight

Pillow Fight