The Mekons Bring Their Special Magic To Sierra Madre, 10-11-25

Mekons performing "Abernant 1984/5"

I would prefer to never give another cent to the greedy monsters behind the Live Nation/Ticketmaster empire. And one delightful way to avoid funding those beasts is to attend house concerts, one area they haven't yet managed to infiltrate. There is a looseness and an intimacy at those shows that is either absent or at least not as prevalent at other types of venues. The bands tend to be more relaxed and have a better time at house concerts. There is also a greater possibility that they'll take chances in their set lists, and that's when the magic is most likely to happen. And no worries about being overcharged for a plastic cup of beer, like at House Of Blues or someplace. Hell, just bring your own cooler of beer. That's what I do. And when the band is the Mekons, and it happens to be Jon Langford's birthday, well, you know you are in for something special. Last night the Mekons (that is, half of them: Jon, Sally Timms, Susie Honeyman and Rico Bell) brought their great sense of fun and joy to the backyard of a house in Sierra Madre, California, and it ended up being one of the best shows I've ever attended. 

Sue introduced the band

Though this house concert series (Mariposa Music) has all the necessary sound equipment, the decision was made by the band to perform without any amplification, just as they had done the previous night at the art gallery, and that decision gave the show even more of an intimate vibe. These are the nights I live for. When everything is falling apart, just as it is now, we can be okay if we find the music. At just after 7 p.m., Jon Langford joked, "Check, check," without a microphone. Our host Sue Behrens introduced the band, mentioning how she got into the Mekons. I suppose we each have a story like that, those of us who have fallen in love with this band, a band that somehow remains unknown to the vast majority of people. As the first set began, Jon mentioned how they learned that their 1985 album Fear And Whiskey had sold well in San Francisco, Chicago and New York, and they opened the show with a song from that record, "Abernant 1984/5," about a miners' strike. The line "How much more is there left to lose" got a cheer from the audience, with Jon responding, "Yes." I've been largely avoiding the news since the horrible results of the 2024 election, but everything I hear is bad. Much has been lost, that's for certain. They followed that with "Hole In The Ground," and, as at the previous night's show, Jon asked for help on the whistling part. "Put your lips together and blow," he instructed, channeling Lauren Bacall. I'm not sure if folks did much better with the whistling than at the gallery show, but it didn't matter. We were all having a great time.

"Slightly South Of The Border"

Sally took over lead vocal duties at the beginning of "Last Weeks Of The War," that song coming from the band's Journey To The End Of The Night album. Susie delivered some beautiful work on violin, while Sally urged her to step forward, closer to the audience. Jon pointed out the album's producer, Ken Sluiter, who was in the audience. Sally then got out her kazoo for a totally fun rendition of "Slightly South Of The Border," with the line "Small stupid children" becoming "Small stupid chicken." The previous night the band had brought its "Luxury Chickens" exhibit to a gallery in Los Angeles, and at this house concert, behind the audience, was a cage with chickens (so far as I know, these chickens had not been taught to smoke). So a strange theme of sorts? With house concerts, there is always the danger of some loathsome neighbor summoning the authorities, and so Sally told the audience that if there were a noise complaint, it would be because of the kazoo. Fair enough. Jon joked about the carpet that had been placed on the ground for the band. "In Wales, they would call this posh," he said.

"A Fearful Moment"

An excellent rendition of "A Fearful Moment" followed, with Rico on lead vocals. This was only my second time seeing the band play this one, and it ended up being a highlight of the set. Sally then sang "Millionaire," the audience singing along. I'm always happy to hear this one, even if, as Jon said, it has been rendered meaningless by inflation. Sally joked about Susie being shy, at which point Jon strode out into the crowd and Sally commented, "He's not." "Last Dance" is another that got the audience singing along. "I wanted to say fall in love/I wanted to say fall in love with me." If the world made any sort of sense at all, everyone everywhere would fall in love with this band. They followed "Last Dance" with "Dickie, Chalkie And Nobby," a song whose lyrics I imagine would speak strongly to most people. "Treasure the memories when all else fails." They wrapped up the first set with a rousing rendition of "Hard To Be Human Again," with Sally first joking again that the police were going to show up because of the awful noise of the kazoo. Rico was on harmonica for this one, but the police are not bothered by that instrument. Jon and Sally moved through the crowd as they played this song. It was a great way to conclude the set, which ended at 7:51 p.m.

"Neglect"

When the band came back a half hour later, the second set started with a song that was a hit for Patsy Cline, "Sweet Dreams," with Rico on lead vocals. It's a song the Mekons covered on their 1986 record The Edge Of The World, and they delivered a really good rendition last night. Jon then stepped up onto a large colorful cube, leading Sally to caution him, "Don't damage yourself up there." Susie and Sally sang "Sanctuary," the only song of the night from the band's new album, Horror, and one of its best tracks. That was followed by another of the show's highlights, "Neglect," from Journey To The End Of The Night. It was particularly funny, and the audience was laughing throughout the song. "Give me ten thousand pounds, oh please." This was a total delight. "A pound of flesh," Jon commented afterward, referencing Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice. He then quickly taught the audience some of the lyrics to "Shanty," and everyone joyfully joined in. "With a Yo and a Ho, and there's one thing I know/We're not in the same boat at all/With a Yo and a Ho, and the wind starts to blow/As we float off the edge of the world." Again, these are the moments that make life worth the hassle. And those are lyrics we can all shout out with a certain exuberance, especially these days.

"My revenge will be swift and weird," Sally announced, and the great fun continued with "Big Zombie," which also comes from The Edge Of The World. "I'm just not human tonight," they sang. Well, as we know, it's hard to be human. The band had a guest vocalist, Tawny Newsome, join them for a wonderful rendition of "Wild & Blue," yet another highlight of the night. But really everyone in the back yard was singing along with this one. We were all guest vocalists, more or less. It was Jon Langford's birthday, as I mentioned, and after "Wild & Blue," he said, "I'm 37," reminding me of a particular moment from Monty Python And The Holy Grail. He then introduced "Before I Grow Too Old" by saying it's "about that urgency you feel later in life." Oh yes, I think most of us understand that feeling. He dedicated the song to Tony Fitzpatrick, an artist who inspired Jon's own work in the visual arts, and who died yesterday. The Mekons wrapped up the show with "Keep On Hoppin'," a song from Honky Tonkin' that has a great energy. The audience called out for an encore, but that didn't happen. Instead, the audience sang "Happy Birthday To You" to Jon, and that's how this magical evening came to a close just before 9 o'clock, though many people continued to hang out for a while, not ready for the night to be over.

Set List

Set I

1. Abernant 1984/5
2. Hole In The Ground
3. Last Weeks Of The War
4. Slightly South Of The Border
5. A Fearful Moment
6. Millionaire
7. Last Dance
8. Dickie, Chalkie And Nobby
9. Hard To Be Human Again

Set II

1. Sweet Dreams
2. Sanctuary
3. Neglect
4. Shanty
5. Big Zombie
6. Wild & Blue
7. Before I Grow Too Old
8. Keep On Hoppin'

The Mekons Pop Up at La Luz De Jesus Gallery, 10-10-25

In February, Jon Langford and Jim Sherraden's "Complicated Characters" exhibit came to Los Angeles, opening at an unusual gallery called La Luz De Jesus Gallery, which is located inside a store called Wacko on Hollywood Boulevard. Perfect, right? Sally Timms was with them that night, and, after "The Ballad Of Biscuit And Drogo," we were treated to a couple of Mekons songs. Then last night, the Mekons (half of them, anyway: Jon, Sally, Susie Honeyman, and Rico Bell) brought a different sort of exhibit to the gallery. Titled "Luxury Chickens" ("I saw a man hold a chicken to his head"), this one featured the band's hand-painted T-shirts (there were some such shirts for sale at stops along the band's summer tour). And, of course, there was music.

On the gallery's website, the evening was described as "A Night Of Serenading Under The Laundry Of Brit-Punk Band Mekons." And, yeah, the two rooms had clotheslines strung across them, with Mekons shirts of various colors and designs, each one unique, hanging from the lines. As I overheard Rico telling a patron early in the evening, there were no prints and no repeats. Each shirt was hand-painted. Lots of cool, fun designs and artwork, many related to specific songs in the Mekons catalogue. It sucks to be poor, because there were several shirts I wanted to purchase. I had to settle for just getting photos of some of them. A few folks arrived well before the 6 p.m. scheduled start time to choose their shirts before they were picked over. They made some nice choices too. They had been at the previous night's concert out at The Palms.

A little after 6 p.m., Jon wondered aloud where his band mates were. He then spotted Rico. "There's one," he said. "That's enough." But this place, not just the gallery but the store too, is full of interesting stuff to look at, so the others could have been busy in various corners. Soon, however, they were all in the gallery, and it wasn't just myself and other fans who were taking photos. The band members themselves were taking photos of their shirts. And then, to fill the gaps created when people made purchases, they began hanging more shirts. More great designs. Different band members created different designs. There was a Horror shirt that I especially liked, and I learned that one had been created by Rico. If you haven't yet added the band's new album to your collection, I highly recommend picking up a copy. It's available on both CD and vinyl (don't be one of those jerks who only stream music). There were a few other shirts with designs related to that album. Somehow I became certain that if everyone on Earth were walking around in handmade Mekons shirts, the world would immediately become a delightful place. All problems would vanish, except perhaps that of the cranky, raspy-voiced chickens. If you're wondering about the title of the exhibit, "Luxury Chickens," and why the chickens are depicted smoking cigarettes, well, it's because there was a woman who had taught her chickens to smoke and those chickens had become addicted to nicotine. Crazy, but apparently true. I think at this point, however, those chickens are probably vaping, hanging around junior high schools and thinking they're cool.

As much as I wanted one of the Mekons shirts, I know myself, and if I ever purchased a $200 T-shirt, the first day I wore it, it would end up covered in pizza sauce, even if I weren't eating pizza. But there was also Mekons underwear, which even I could afford (and which would be less likely to end up with pizza topping on it), and a hat, though someone had grabbed that right away.

"Last Dance"

A little before 7 p.m., the band gathered in a corner in the back room for the first set. They performed without microphones, with Jon on guitar and vocals, Sally on vocals and hand percussion, Rico on accordion and vocals, and Susie on violin. Folks along the walls stood, but those in the middle of the room sat on the floor, the T-shirts hanging above them (the shirts would have blocked their view had they remained on their feet). The Mekons opened this special show with "Hole In The Ground," a song from the 1987 record Honky Tonkin' and one I don't think I'd had the pleasure of seeing them perform before. The song featured a bit of whistling, and Jon asked the crowd to join in. We didn't do a very good job (we were awful, let's face it), leading Jon to say kindly, "It's hard to whistle in public." They followed that with "Last Weeks Of The War" from Journey To The End Of The Night, released in 2000, with Sally on lead vocals for the first section. The line "I'm not ruined, but I need repair" seems to describe all of us, the entire world. But last night we weren't focused on that, and rather just running with the great joy in the room. Susie delivered some beautiful work on violin, especially at the end. Jon then announced they were going to do one more, a remark met with laughter from the audience. One more? They'd only done two songs. Jon joked that the group would be abandoning music entirely at the end of the year. The last song of the set was "Last Dance," with much of the audience singing along with them. The first set ended at 7:10 p.m. "One more," someone shouted out, leading Jon to reply that they'd do more in ten minutes.

"Slightly South Of The Border"

Twenty minutes later, Jon, Susie and Rico were ready to go, and they began singing Sally's name as a way of summoning her. It worked, and Sally was soon singing "Ghosts Of American Astronauts." From the audible reaction, it was clear that this was a song several people were particularly happy to hear. Afterward Sally commented, "No one's bought the underpants." "I'm not surprised," Jon said, "Not my favorite section of the thrift store." Sally indicated that they'd been washed. Rico then took over lead vocal duties for a wonderful cover of "Sweet Dreams," which was a hit for Patsy Cline. That was followed by another song I'd never seen them perform before, "Dickie, Chalkie And Nobby," a song from the Natural album. What a treat it was to get to see them do this one. This was a special evening, indeed. Then when Jon began "Millionaire," Sally met it with, "Oh, great." "Such enthusiasm," Jon joked. The audience sang along with the song's chorus, and the song ended with the chorus sung a cappella, mainly by the audience, a wonderful moment. That was followed by a cover of "Before I Grow Too Old," also known as "Silver And Gold," a song that was recorded by Fats Domino. Sally took out her kazoo, an instrument that had been missing from the band's summer gigs in Los Angeles. "An instrument I've mastered," Sally playfully boasted. She and Jon talked about how the kazoo was invented in the United States, and thus it was an act of patriotism to play it. The song on which she played it was "Slightly South Of The Border," a song from The Edge Of The World. It contains the line "Shopping is easy and much can be bought," and on that line, Sally indicated the T-shirts hanging above the crowd, as Jon had done on that same line back in February, on that occasion motioning to the artwork on the walls. The second set ended just before 8 p.m.

"A Fearful Moment"

The Mekons did one final, short set before the evening came to a close, but first Sally had a bit of business to attend to. She had a pair of tickets for the new Paul Thomas Anderson movie at the Vista that she was not going to use, and was hoping someone in the audience might want them. Someone did. That taken care of, the band started the set with "Abernant 1984/5," a song from Fear And Whiskey. There was a great energy to the song, and afterward Jon mentioned that at the time that song was recorded the goverment was trying to destroy our lives, and now here we are again. "How much more is there left to lose?" he sings in that song. There is no question but that we are experiencing a terrible time, particularly in this nation's history. Who would have guessed that the United States would so willingly and eagerly embrace fascism? So it was fitting that the band would follow "Abernant 1984/5" with "A Fearful Moment," with Rico on lead vocals. There was a false start, as Rico and Jon got on the same page. This was another song I don't recall seeing the band perform in concert, and was another highlight of the evening for me. Susie then got a chance to sing, but not before Sally teased her about how getting a good review led her to want to sing on every song now, even Sally's parts and Jon's parts. The song, "Sanctuary," comes from the band's new album, Horror, and is one of that record's best tracks. They wrapped up the set, and the show, with "Hard To Be Human Again," with Sally again on kazoo and Rico on harmonica. It was a perfect choice to conclude things, and Jon and Sally moved among the crowd and T-shirts during part of the song. "I saw a man hold a chicken to his head." The show ended at 8:46 p.m.

Set List

Set I

1. Hole In The Ground
2. Last Weeks Of The War
3. Last Dance

Set II

1. Ghosts Of American Astronauts
2. Sweet Dreams
3. Dickie, Chalkie And Nobby
4. Millionaire
5. Before I Grow Too Old
6. Slightly South Of The Border

Set III

1. Abernant 1984/5
2. A Fearful Moment
3. Sanctuary
4. Hard To Be Human Again

Here are a few more photos from the evening:

"Hole In The Ground"

"Last Dance"

"Last Dance"

"Ghosts Of American Astronauts"

"Sweet Dreams"

deciding how to open the third set

start of "A Fearful Moment"

La Luz De Jesus Gallery is located at 4633 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, California.

Kissing Other Ppl: "Kissing Other Ppl" (2025) CD Review

Kissing Other Ppl is the new project by Vivian Leva, Riley Calcagno (those two usually performing as Viv & Riley) and Rachel Baiman. Interestingly, as these artists are known in part for their songwriting, the group's debut album, a self-titled release, contains all covers. And not all are songs you'd expect these artists to cover, and that is certainly part of the fun of the album. A glance at the cover should be a clear enough indication that this is not an overly serious endeavor. That doesn't mean, however, that they've chosen funny or silly or light songs. Quite the contrary actually, but the songs are approached with a wonderful openness, a willingness, or eagerness, to see where each number would take them, and what they might do with the songs. And the results are wonderful.

The album opens with "Kissing Other People," a pop song by Lennon Stella. I wasn't familiar with Lennon Stella, and so this was the first version of the song I heard. I've now listened to the original, and I greatly prefer this cover. It's a pretty and thoughtful rendition, more emotionally engaging than the original recording. "That's how I know that your love is gone/That's how I know I'm really moving on/'Cause I don't feel guilty kissing other people." The track features some really nice stuff on violin. They follow that with a song by Wilco, a band that is not as surprising a choice for this album. The song, "Ashes Of American Flags," was on that group's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, released in 2002. This track contains some wonderful vocal work and interesting touches. "I want a good life with a nose for things/A fresh wind and bright sky to enjoy my suffering." This one also contains excellent work on strings.

"Hold On Magnolia" is a song written by Jason Molina. It was the final track on the final Songs: Ohia album, The Magnolia Electric Co., released in 2003 (or that could be the first album from Jason Molina's Magnolia Electric Co. group, depending on who is talking). It's an excellent song, and these guys deliver a really good rendition, with Riley on lead vocals. "No one has to be that strong/You're stubborn like me/I know what you're trying to be." There are some beautiful harmonies here, creating a soothing effect. The first time I listened to this disc, it was a grey, rainy day and I was alone. I closed my eyes while listening, and this song felt perfect. "Hold on, Magnolia/It's almost time." This version is shorter than Jason Molina's recording, and doesn't have that long fadeout. It is followed by "Where'd All The Time Go," a song by the group Dr. Dog, included on that band's Shame, Shame album. This song was released as the first single from Kissing Other Ppl. The vocal work on this track is especially captivating. "And you know I get so forgetful when I look in your eyes." And that final line, "Somebody sinks and is gone in the blink of an eye," is one that stands out. This rendition doesn't include that final section from the original version.

The trio delivers a wonderful rendition of Joan Armatrading's "Woncha Come On Home," the lead track from her 1977 record Show Some Emotion. And these guys do indeed show some emotion. I love the harmonies. It's their vocals that really make this recording exceptional. "Oh baby, don't stay too late/You know I hate to be alone/And I'm alone/Baby, woncha come on home." They then get more into the country realm with a cover of Dottie West's "A Lesson In Leavin'," a song from her Special Delivery album. This is a song that hopes karma will do its thing. I personally don't believe in that, but the idea certainly holds its appeal, particularly if we actually get to witness the event. "And I hope that I'm around/To watch 'em knock you down."

"Born To Lose" is an excellent song from Waylon Payne. It was included on his 2020 album, Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher & Me. Kissing Other Ppl delivers a beautiful rendition. Again, the vocal work is at the center, and here the voices seem to tell us things are okay (even if they aren't, and these days they most certainly aren't). "I went away, you swore you'd wait for me/It hurt me as bad as it must have hurt you." They wrap up this great album of covers with "Ain't No Easy Rider," a song from Dan Parsons' 2018 album Sunday Morning Cinema. "Never cared much for heaven or hell/But where I end up going, I hope I go there well." This is a beautiful and striking rendition. "I've got love and I, I've got hope/But I ain't no easy rider if you give me too much rope."

CD Track List

1. Kissing Other People
2. Ashes Of American Flags
3. Hold On Magnolia
4. Where'd All The Time Go
5. Woncha Come On Home
6. A Lesson In Leavin'
7. Born To Lose
8. Ain't No Easy Rider

Kissing Other Ppl was released on August 8, 2025 on Peacedale Records.

Emma Hedrick: "Newcomer" (2025) CD Review

Emma Hedrick is a jazz vocalist based in Indiana. She recently released her debut album, appropriately titled Newcomer. But though this is her debut album, she isn't as new to the scene as the title suggests. She has already won several awards, and this year was one of four winners of the New Works Arts Commission from Allied Solutions Center for The Performing Arts. Newcomer contains all original material. Joining her on this release are Connor Rohrer on piano, Thor Eide Johansen on bass, Anton Kot on drums, and Shane McCandless on saxophone, along with some guests on various tracks.

The album's lead track, "The Idea Of Love," eases in with some nice work on bass. And for a few lines Emma's voice is supported by just that instrument. "It's easy to fall in love/All the frills, all the flowers/Staying up for hours/It's easy to fall in love/Waiting for a phone call/Say the word and we'll be out all night." On that last line, the other instruments come in. She raises her voice on certain lines, such as "It's the staying that's the hardest part," but it is the more intimate sections that really stand out for me. And the sweet, gentle, dreamy scat is wonderful, perfectly conveying that delightful feeling of falling in love. This track also contains an excellent saxophone lead in the second half. Then "Dreamscapes" starts with drums and has a light, friendly vibe. There is a bit of a 1970s flavor to the track. "I already forgot you/I know that you moved on to/Somebody else." I like that little word play in those lines; we first hear the line as "one too" before the line moves straight into the next line, changing the meaning somewhat. This track features some nice work on drums, and Emma Hedrick delivers a section of scat, which then leads to a really good lead on trumpet. That is guest David Sneider on trumpet. I also like the funky element to this number, particularly in the work on bass and drums.

"Newcomer," the album's title track, begins gently with some pretty work on piano, setting the mood beautifully.  "I wait for the sun/I wait where no one/Even knows my name." This track features the work of a string quartet, made up of Davis Brooks on violin, Kara Day on violin, Derek Reeves on viola, and Anna Thompson-Danilova on cello. The string arrangement is by Shane McCandless. The strings and Emma's vocal performance give the piece a feeling of melancholy, of darkness, as winter approaches, and also a longing. "I watched the seasons change," Emma sings, and we do get the sense of time passing, of a world passing, things growing and dying before her eyes. before our own eyes, while we remain stationary. The piano work on this track is as moving as her vocal performance. "The newcomer's here to stay." Then there is an immediate burst of brighter energy as "In The Warmth" begins, a bit of scat right at the start. "Dreaming of you/My mind will wander/I always make a way back to find you/I know I like to be around you." And then she sings, "The stars drift by," a line that might have also been at home in the previous song, but here with a very different tone. There is energy to the rhythm of this song. Ryan Barski joins the group on percussion. That percussion and the drumming give an exciting sense to this track, particularly to the instrumental sections. And there is a section near the end when Emma repeats a couple of lines, and through that repetition her voice begins to feel a part of the rhythm. It's like we begin to focus on the sound of the words rather than their meaning. It's an interesting effect. I also love the lead on saxophone in the middle of this track, and the brief section where Emma's voice interacts with the saxophone. There is a delightful joy here, and the track will leave you feeling warm.

"I'm longing for a place I've never been/Where there's always something better, something new/But I never want to forget you," Emma sings at the beginning of "Tone Poem In Greenwich Village." This is a song of reflection. Then a minute and a half in, this track kicks in, with a classic rhythm, taking us into an old jazz club. There is no longer the sense of a lonesome late night, for a crowd has now entered. There is life in it yet, as that scat section seems to be saying. Ah yes, we can dance and shake our way through this world, she tells us without any words. Wonderful. That's followed by "Spring Haiku Collection," which begins with some pretty, contemplative work on piano. And Emma's vocal work is gorgeous and captivating. "Petals opening/Reaching for their promised light." This track features Peter Eldgridge on piano, and Alexandria DeWalt on flute. The instrumental section feels like light dancing upon a garden, upon our faces. "Wake up, sleepy head/Wake up from winter's long rest/Spring calls out your name." Those lines might remind you of  "Newcomer," the changing of seasons. There is a really nice vocal section, where both Peter Eldridge and Alexandria DeWalt join Emma on vocals, and that section helps make this track stand out.

"Inside Your Mind" is playful from the beginning, when Emma offers a little scat, and the horns each reply in turn, a follow-the-leader sort of thing in that first section. David Sneider plays trumpet on this track, and Zach McRary is on trombone. "Sometimes it's hard to uncover/Things we bury when we're younger." That section with the brass is fantastic! I love the way it begins by revisiting the opening, and then flows into different territory,  the way her voice joins them in a delicious dream. Wonderful stuff! Another return to that opening section then moves us back into the song's main section. This track is another of the disc's highlights. I like how it ends with a reverse of the opening moment, where her voice is the final one heard. That's followed by "In The Garden." "In the garden/Nothing can hurt you," Emma sings at the beginning, while the piano creates a sort of magical, dreamlike feeling. There is later a nice, warm lead on piano that grows in beauty, breathing and winding its way through an enchanting landscape.

Andrew Tinch delivers some wonderful work on guitar at the beginning of "Come On Home," backed by some equally wonderful stuff on bass. "Reading all the pages through/Nothing seems to sound like you." I love the way the drums play an important role in leading into the main body of the song. The song has some pop and rock elements. Peter Eldridge joins Emma on vocals here. "Didn't know that I could miss you quite this much." This is another of my personal favorites. The album then concludes with "Waste No More Days," which features a cool bass line with a funky vibe.  "Neither here and neither there/Wondering if I want to stay/But there's so much on the line/To just throw it all away." There is delicious bass work throughout the track, especially that lead a couple of minutes in. Amy Azzara and Faith Quashie join Emma Hedrick on vocals. And we are left with the message of the song's title, "Waste no more days/Waste no more days/Waste no more days," something that's important to keep in mind during these uncertain times.

CD Track List

1. The Idea Of Love
2. Dreamscapes
3. Newcomer
4. In The Warmth
5. Tone Poem In Greenwich Village
6. Spring Haiku Collection
7. Inside Your Mind
8. In The Garden
9. Come On Home
10. Waste No More Days

Newcomer was released on August 1, 2025.

RJ Bloke (Jay Souza) Bids Adieu To Los Angeles With Four Concerts

at Tom Bergin's, 6-18-23

Jay Souza, who these days has been performing under the name RJ Bloke, is leaving Los Angeles in a month or so, and has four concerts scheduled before his departure. Though not originally from Los Angeles, he has a voice that has become closely associated with the southern California sound, and he plays an important role in the music community of this great city, having organized numerous concerts, including his Bigtop Bandstand music series, held at Tom Bergin's and then at Frogtown Brewery. When I first saw Patrolled By Radar in concert, the band was still known as 50 Cent Haircut. This was quite some time ago, but I remember being immediately drawn to the music and to Jay Souza's voice. Since that time, the band has released some phenomenal albums, including Be Happy and Cool Your Jets. And in 2023 Jay Souza, under the name RJ Bloke, released Hold Drugs Dear, an excellent solo album that included some songs he'd been performing with Patrolled By Radar along with some new material that seemed to point to even greater things ahead. Now it seems those greater things will take place in Portland, Oregon, not Los Angeles.

But before he goes, he'll be playing four last concerts. I'm sorry that I'm going to miss the first two, but I aim to catch the other two. If you live in the L.A. area and have not yet seen RJ Bloke in concert, here are four chances. I highly recommend checking out this important voice in music while you have the opportunity. Here are the four shows:

• September 26th at Cinema Bar in Culver City, 9 p.m.
• October 11th at Frogtown Brewery in Los Angeles, 6 p.m. (yes, this is part of the Bigtop Bandstand series)
• October 16th at Audio Graph Beer Company in Los Angeles, 8 p.m. (part of the Big City Campfire music series)
• October 29th at Big Foot West in Culver City, 8 p.m.

I'm really sad that Jay Souza is leaving Los Angeles, and I wish him the best in his new home in Portland. The music scene in Portland is about to get a whole lot better.

The Baseball Project and The Minus 5 at Crystal Ballroom, 9-23-25 Concert Review

The Baseball Project (photo by Tim Doherty)

The Baseball Project and The Minus 5 are currently touring together, a fantastic double bill, which they are describing as a doubleheader. This makes perfect sense, for in addition to being a wonderfully playful reference to a baseball term, the lineup of both bands for this tour is the same. While both bands normally share a few musicians, this time around all five members of The Baseball Project are The Minus 5 too. The bands brought this incredible doubleheader action to the Boston area last night, while the Red Sox are fighting for a playoff spot. That playoff spot looks like the second or third wild card. Having more than one wild card is absurd - can you imagine a professional poker game with three wild cards? - but for folks in Boston, it's important for the team to have a chance, however ridiculous the way in may be. And so there was that great September baseball energy in the city. What better atmosphere for The Baseball Project to play in?

photo by Tim Doherty

Leading off the night was The Minus 5, a band celebrating the release of its phenomenal new album, Oar On, Penelope!, and now including, on the album if not on the tour, Debbi Peterson (whom you know from The Bangles) as a member. For those who aren't familiar with the band, it was started by Scott McCaughey (of The Young Fresh Fellows and also known for his work with R.E.M.), along with Peter Buck (of R.E.M.), both of whom are also members of The Baseball Project. And though the players last night were the same as in The Baseball Project, there was a different batting order for this set, with Peter Buck on bass, positioned stage left, while Mike Mills was on keyboard, stage right. At 8:09 p.m., Scott led the band onto the stage, sporting a Minus 5 "Oar On" T-shirt. "We're going to sing eleven songs not about baseball," he told the crowd, promising a good rock set and saying that after that it would be all baseball for the rest of the night. The Minus 5 then got right into it with "Words & Birds," the lead track from the new album, and followed it with another song from Oar On, "The Garden Of Arden." "Here's an old song," Scott said, and the band launched into "You Don't Mean It" from the album Let The War Against Music Begin. That was followed by an excellent and energetic rendition of "Falling Like Jets," another song from the new album.

photo by Tim Doherty

Josh Kantor had been spotted in the crowd before the show, and he now joined the band on stage, playing accordion. He's been playing with some fantastic artists. Last fall, he did a short tour with Jon Langford and Sally Timms of The Mekons. Of course, Boston baseball fans know him as the organist at Fenway Park. And we love him for his work in Jim's Big Ego, Jim Infantino's band. And though he lives in Boston, he grew up in Athens, Georgia (you know, the place where R.E.M. came from), and has been connected with The Baseball Project for a while. The first song he joined them on was a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "Out Of My Mind," a good choice for these strange days. That was followed by "I Don't Want To Hate Anyone," a particularly good track from the new album, with Peter leading the band into it on bass, and Steve Wynn delivering some excellent stuff on guitar. Josh then left the stage, and Casey Neill joined the band on guitar and backing vocals for the rest of the set.

photo by Tim Doherty

From the band's 2006 self-titled album, they played "Twilight Distillery." mentioning that this was the first time they'd played the song on this tour. The song featured some really strong vocal work, and at the end, Scott gleefully exclaimed, "Sweet!" Indeed! It was certainly one of the set's highlights, and it was followed by another highlight, "Let The Rope Hold, Cassie Lee," a song from the new album. While introducing the song, Scott mentioned how the new album features a pretty girl on the front cover and a pretty dog on the back cover. "Don't get them confused," Mike joked. This was an incredibly fun rendition, with Steve at the edge of the stage rocking the guitar, and Scott jumping around. They followed that with a cover of "She Cracked" by The Modern Lovers, a band that is of course held in particularly high regard in Boston. The band delivered a really good take on that song. That was followed by "In The Ground," a song that was included on the Dungeon Golds disc. They then wrapped up the set with a great rendition of Neil Young's "Hitchhiker," a song that The Minus 5 recorded for Calling Cortez. It was a great rock and roll set, just as Scott had promised at the beginning. The set ended at 8:49 p.m.

photo by Tim Doherty

At 9:12 p.m., the band was back on stage, now as The Baseball Project, with Peter Buck on guitar, stage right, and Mike Mills on bass, stage left. Scott no longer had on his Minus 5 shirt, and was now sporting a striped shirt. There was no introduction, the band immediately ripping into the first number, "1976." the lead track from the band's Volume 2: High And Inside. For those who might not yet be aware of this band, it is made up of serious baseball fans, and all of the material they perform and record is related to baseball. All of it. And it's fantastic. For example, that first song "1976" is about a player named Mark Fidrych, who was a rookie in 1976, the lyrics likening him to Peter Frampton, whose Frampton Comes Alive album came out that year. This song featured Steve Wynn on lead vocals, and Peter Buck on twelve-string guitar. That player, by the way, was born in Massachusetts, so a good choice to lead off this Boston show. Mike then asked the lighting technician to kill the white lights on the stage. Any other color is fine, he said. Two seconds later the stage had more blue on it. From a song about Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, they went to a song about Hank Aaron, "They Don't Know Henry," with Scott McCaughey on lead vocals, and Steve and Mike sharing a vocal microphone for the backing vocals.

photo by Tim Doherty

Peter switched to a six-string guitar for the title track to the band's most recent album, Grand Salami Time, Scott on lead vocals for this one too. It's a fun song with a great energy, just what you'd expect for its subject. That was the first of several songs the band played from the latest album, following it with "Uncle Charlie," a song about the curve ball. Steve Wynn, who sings lead on this one, joked about how there have been many great songs written about the curve ball, such as "Bridge Over Troubled Curve Balls." Steve then introduced "The Yips" as "a song all about fucking up." It's one of my favorites from the album, and they followed it with another of that disc's standout tracks, "Stuff." Mike introduced it by talking about going to spring training and learning that seventy-five to eighty percent of pitchers put stuff on the ball. I love the darker vibe of this song. Some people in the audience cheered after the line about Vaseline. 

photo by Tim Doherty

"Here's a song about a guy you might know," Steve said, introducing "Ted Fucking Williams." My brother and I had been in the front row at the beginning of the set, but the sound wasn't great there. It was mostly guitar, with the vocals suffering by comparison. So we had moved a bit farther back after the first four songs, and I ended up behind a guy wearing a Ted Williams jersey. I figured he'd go nuts for that song, but I guess he was a bit more reserved than we were. Still, the audience was singing along. How could you refrain from singing, or shouting, along to this one, especially in Massachusetts? This song was a whole hell of a lot of fun. And speaking of Boston baseball, Josh Kantor then joined the band on accordion for the next couple of songs, first updating the crowd on the scores of the Red Sox and Yankees games. Fittingly, the next song was "Box Scores," with Scott on lead vocals, and Peter back on the twelve-string. Josh got a chance to lead for a moment. I just love that they have a song dedicated to box scores, something we'd study as kids, taking as much information as we could and imagining the games from the night before based on that information. After that song, Steve called Josh the "Cal Ripken of organists," since Josh hadn't missed a game. That song was followed by "Twilight Of My Career," which has its own Boston connection, being about Roger Clemens, though focusing on his career after leaving the Red Sox. Josh then left the stage, and right about then Peter told his band mates, "It's twelve-string from here on out." There was some issue with his other guitar.

photo by Tim Doherty

The band then returned to material from Grand Salami Time, delivering a great rendition of "New Oh In Town," a song about Shohei Ohtani and one that is a lot of fun to sing along with, and following it with "Journeyman," a song written by Steve Wynn and Peter Buck. It's kind of a sad song, with lines like "Always keep my bags packed/Never get too close to anyone," but I was dancing to it anyway. It was that kind of night, when the energy and the joy kept our bodies moving, kept us smiling. This band creates a fun atmosphere, especially when delivering songs like "From Nails To Thumbtacks" and "Disco Demolition." The first of those two is about Lenny Dykstra, who had been on the Mets in the 1986 World Series, a series that haunted Boston until 2004. It's a great rock and roll number, even including a section of vocals and drums. I've always had a weakness for such things. Linda Pitmon's drumming is so damn good ("Yo, Pitmon!"), and then during "Disco Demolition," she was also blowing the whistle. That song is about a specific game and a promotional gimmick that went all sorts of wrong. That game, the first of what was scheduled to be a doubleheader on July 12, 1979, and everything that resulted, can be viewed online, and I recommend checking it out. Peter was back on the six-string for this song, but soon went back to the twelve-string.

Each baseball fan has at least one player that he or she fervently believes should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. For Mike Mills, that player is Dale Murphy, and that's what the song "To The Veterans Committee" is about. Have the people on the committee not heard this song yet? Come on, guys! The song has convinced me he deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame. Steve then told the Boston crowd that he thought it was time to sing about a Yankee. That was, predictably and understandably, met with some jeers from the crowd, but all in good fun. The song, "Monument Park," is about Bernie Williams. Even for those of us who hate the Yankees, it's pretty difficult to hate Bernie Williams. Same goes for a guy like Scott Brosius. They don't deserve any hatred. Save that for pricks like Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez. Linda then counted off "Past Time," a song that featured a great scream from Scott. They wrapped up the set with "¡Hola America!" which featured some excellent stuff from Linda on drums.

Moments later the band was back on stage for the encore. "Thank you, Boston," Mike said to the crowd. He then said they saw the new Spinal Tap movie, and found it disturbing, joking how weird it is for people to get old and still play in bands. They started the encore with "Ichiro Goes To The Moon," a wonderful song from Volume 2: High And Inside. Steve Wynn then mentioned that The Dream Syndicate will be coming to town in December. (And I learned they'll be in Los Angeles in November, so I need to get a ticket for that one.) Josh Kantor joined the band for "Harvey Haddix," which was perhaps the most fun song of the entire night. Josh exited the stage, and Scott announced: "This is our last song. I hope you like it. It's a great one." That song, "The All Or Nothings," is a great hard-rocking number from Grand Salami Time, a delicious way to wrap things up. The show ended at 10:36 p.m., but the night was not quite over, for the band soon came out to chat with folks and sign records and CDs and whatever else people might have bought or brought.

The Minus 5 Set List

1. Words & Birds
2. The Garden Of Arden
3. You Don't Mean It
4. Falling Like Jets
5. Out Of My Mind
6. I Don't Want To Hate Anyone
7. Twilight Distillery
8. Let The Rope Hold, Cassie Lee
9. She Cracked
10. In The Ground
11. Hitchhiker

The Baseball Project Set List

1. 1976
2. They Don't Know Henry
3. Grand Salami Time
4. Uncle Charlie
5. The Yips
6. Stuff
7. Ted Fucking Williams
8. Box Scores
9. Twilight Of My Career
10. New Oh In Town
    
11. Journeyman
12. From Nails To Thumbtacks
13. Disco Demolition
14. To The Veterans Committee
15. Monument Park
16. Past Time
17. ¡Hola America!

Encore

1. Ichiro Goes To The Moon
2. Harvey Haddix
3. The All Or Nothings

Crystal Ballroom is located at 55 Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts (attached to the Somerville Theatre).

The Kerry Kearney Band: "The Kerry Kearney Band" (2025) CD Review

Kerry Kearney is a celebrated guitar player and songwriter working in the blues realm. He's received several awards for his playing over the years, and now has a new album out. It's a self-titled release by The Kerry Kearney Band, and it features a mix of covers and original material. The band is made up of Kerry Kearney on electric guitar, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Jack Licitra on keyboards; Gerry Sorrentino on bass; Mario Staiano on drums; and Nydia "Liberty" Mata on congas and percussion. They are joined on this album by Mark Mancini on keyboards, Bill Lifford on harmonica, Camryn Quinlan on vocals, and Jeff Naimoli on percussion.

The album opens with a good blues cover, "All Your Love," the Otis Rush song. Right away it contains some strong guitar work to set the mood. This track also features a good vocal performance. "Before I met you, baby/Didn't know what I was missing." Oh yes, I think that's the way it is for a lot of us. Until we meet that one special person, we thought love was a certain thing. And that was fine, until we found out what it could be. In the middle of this track, there is a great lead on guitar. And then toward the end, suddenly there is a cool lead on harmonica. Kerry Kearney follows that with an original number, "Harder To Breathe," which also features some excellent guitar work right at the beginning. There is also some nice stuff on keys beneath that soaring guitar. Camryn Quinlan takes lead vocal duties on this one. She also co-wrote the song, with Kerry Kearney and Jack Licitra. "Minute by minute, hour by hour/Your love is slipping away from me," she sings, and grabs us immediately. That first line has power behind it, and the second has a more intimate, softer sound. She grabs us, then makes us totally feel for her, all in the span of two lines. "They say love can make you crazy/But I've already lost my mind," she sings, and the guitar responds, perhaps trying to help. And then check out that cool lead on keys. This track is certainly one of the album's highlights. And in the second half, the guitar is let loose. Wonderful.

"Walk Right Out The Door" is another original composition. This one announces itself as a fun tune, a bluesy boogie to get you moving, with some heavier moments too. "I've got new numbers/I've got a new face/I've got a new everything/I've been making space/Since I walked right out the door." This track also contains some good, mean harmonica work. "Everything is right/Since I walked right out the door." The door I want to walk out is the political one. I want to leave all that behind, never look back, never hear another political speech, never see another politician. That's followed by a cover of Warren Zevon's "Rub Me Raw," a song from the 2003 album The Wind. "Well, I know these blues are going to rub me raw/Every single cure seems to be against the law." These guys deliver a seriously good rendition, and are clearly having a good time with it. There is, of course, some inherent humor to this song, and you can hear it in the vocal delivery here at certain moments. Plus, this track features some great stuff on guitar.

"Voodoo Ways" is an original number written by Kerry Kearney and Jack Licitra, and it's another fun one. "A drumbeat and rhythm that feels so right/An owl calling out from a nearby tree/There's something in these swamps, it's an energy." Oh yes, there is some kind of great energy to this music too, along with that rhythm that feels so right. That guitar is eager to get us going, casting its own wild spell on us. This is a song that urges us to drop our troubles, and join the party out in the wild, which of course has great appeal. And speaking of good rhythms, "Bobbique Romp" opens with a delicious beat. It isn't long before the other instruments join in, and then things begin to feel like a party, all right. The harmonica confirms it.  And that lead on keys is absolutely delightful. Everything seems to tell us that life can be great, so long as it has a good rhythm going. This is an instrumentl track, apart from a few calls of "Yeah" in the second half.

Last year, Uncovering Dylan Volume 4 was released, that album containing a good rendition of "Meet Me In The Morning" by Kerry Kearney & The Kings Of Psychedelta. On this album, he delivers that song too. This track features some really cool work on both keys and guitar. Then we're more in folk territory with "West Of The Ashley," an original tune. There is a wonderfully cheerful vibe to this instrumental number. Part of that is due to the presence of mandolin. This ends up being another of my personal favorites. "Off To The Jubilee," as its title suggests, is another fun track. Here is a taste of the lyrics: "Put on that lipstick now, baby/Yeah, we're going to the jubilee/There'll be rambling and gambling/We won't be home 'til two or three." There is a great thumping rhythm, and I'm digging that bass line. Plus, there is a playfulness to the vocal performance. And, as if there were any doubt, there is also some great stuff on guitar. This is yet another of the disc's highlights, and it is over too soon. The album wraps up with "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag." But, no, it's not the one you're thinking of. This is an original number, featuring some excellent stuff on guitar and a wonderful vocal performance by Camryn Quinlan, who tells us "Santa took back all the presents we had/Santa took back all the presents we had." It's a track to add to your holiday play list this year.

CD Track List

1. All Your Love
2. Harder To Breathe
3. Walk Right Out The Door
4. Rub Me Raw
5. Voodoo Ways
6. Bobbique Romp
7. Meet Me In The Morning
8. West Of The Ashley
9. Off To The Jubilee
10. Santa's Got A Brand New Bag

The Kerry Kearney Band was released on June 20, 2025 on Paradiddle Records.