New York - The Parkside Lounge - September 22, 2007 - Gig Diary

We had an excellent New York City experience on Saturday. School for the Dead and Sitting Next To Brian played at The Parkside Lounge. Also on the bill was The Campbell Apartment, our friend Ari Vais' new band. He's the one who put this show together and had us down there. Thanks, Ari.

Brian, Tony, and I used to be in the band Humbert with Ari and it's always fun to hear his new combos. That's not only because his songs are so great and he's an engaging performer but it's always a kick to hear how new band-mates interpret and play old Humbert songs. "Hey, that guy is playing my bass line!" I beamed as Dan, the bassist, rocked his way through "Stuck".

The New York experience was just right. We left early and were able to have a nice leisurely ride in. There were none of the usual concerns of getting stuck in traffic and missing the show - I've been there done that. In the car were Brian, Max, Jason Bourgeois, and I. The ride down was traffic free, unless you count a folded up throw rug in the passing lane to be traffic.

We stopped off first at a used and vintage clothing store in Williamsburg. I can't remember the name right now. Beacon's Den? Deacon Blues? The Mekons? It was pretty good. Brian got an armload of treasures.

Then we ate in an outside courtyard of a thriving little Williamsburg restaurant/pub. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining. Classic NYC.

We only got lost in the car for about five minutes, and when we found the Parkside, we somehow managed to get a parking spot just around the corner. No driving around and around in unfamiliar streets with taxi cabs honking all over us, no schlepping our guitars and cymbals and accouterments down sidewalk after sidewalk.

The Parkside is a really great relaxing casual place, with a nice listening room in the back, with a just-right sized stage and a pretty good sound system, a welcomely laid back sound person, shiny red tinsel on the wall, and drums and amps all provided.

Inside we met our old friend, and past band mate of Brian's and mine, Adam Greenberg. He hasn't changed much and I felt like I had just spoken with him last week instead of however many years ago. Then Ari Vais burst onto the scene and we set up for the evening of music. I already mentioned the Campbell Apartment show. Ari's new songs are better than ever. Check out their myspace, dude.

School for the Dead played as a three piece and it was really fun. The room was just about full and the audience was very attentive and appreciative. Laughing and weeping at all the right moments. The newer songs still felt fresh and exciting and we added some new angles to some oldies - a nice sparse version of "1,000 Times" for example.

Sitting Next To Brian played as a three piece also. This was a first and it was surprisingly effective. The songs were tight and dynamic and felt very solid and purposeful.

We met a few new friends, gave a "New You" CD to a couple strangers on the street who said they didn't hear us but they saw us on the TV over the bar, and we saw a few old friends as well - Dan from Astrojet plays bass in The Campbell Apartment and Ashley Grella who played cello with us in the Rosenbach Company came out for the show.

We left immediately after the concert and Brian's dark green mystery machine sailed through the late-night, early-morning expressways of New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. There was some sleeping in the back seat and Brian's Ipod was belting out "Easy Lover" by Phil Collins and that other guy. Got home at four, just in time to go to sleep.