'twas the Week Before Christmas

I got called in at the last minute to sing some Christmas Carols at the Storrowton Tavern. The final week before the holiday. I hadn't even finished my shopping yet! People were very happy to see us and often sang along with us during our shows. The people I worked with were very good this year, and I was grateful for that!

On my time off work, my girlfriend and I went to see a Jethro Tull tribute band play in Holyoke, and that was a blast! I grew up with two older brothers in the '70s, and they played a lot of Progressive Rock, so I knew most of the songs they played. Sadly, the club is closing at the end of the year, and leaves the town without a live music option. That doesn't take away from how great a night it was. 

Holyoke's loss is ultimately Northampton's gain (as well as Amherst and Eathampton) as the Iron Horse and the Calvin Theater will both be reopening. 2024 looks like a promising year for live music.

Ultimately, I got into the Holiday spirit with the help of the people I love, in the place I've called home for 23 years. My girlfriend took me out for my birthday, and we took in dinner and a movie in Amherst. The students were gone and so the town was oddly peaceful and quiet. One of our first dates was at the Amherst Cinema, and it was a nice 5 year anniversary.

 

Mountain of Sorrow

The Holidays are upon us once again, and I should be happy. 

Truth be told, the last ten years have often been enshrouded in sadness. Now being ten years of holidays without my mom, and now nearly half that time without my dad. Even though my current place should feel like a good one. My mind still knows they are both gone, and it makes the holidays a little bit harder to celebrate.

 

 I recently came across an old band picture from 30 years ago, and was reminded immediately that one of the members had passed away last year. I found out about it after the fact, but we were friends online, and I knew he was going through some health problems. When I saw his name show up, it immediately triggered the same feelings of sorrow I felt for my mother in her final days. Seeing a final picture of him in a hospice situation was more than I could take. 

I woke up the next morning alone on a mountain, and realized I was tired of feeling so uphappy.

When I go on my daily walks, I'm usually spending that time thinking about why I'm so sad, and not about why I should feel happy. Life comes with its share of challenges and setbacks, and it's easy to dwell on matters such as failure and loss. Taking pleasure in positive moments or accomplishments seems trival at best when compared to morbid or tragic memories. The bitter and the sweet should counter each other to balance things out, yet I was raised to only focus on the negatives, whether I could do anything to correct them or not.

And so these feelings never got sorted out, they just followed me around to point out all of the wrong that can't be righted. There's no resolution other than to feel sad, or feel numb... with the latter often served on the rocks. 

My family never talked about anything of real substance growing up. We were left to mostly find our way, answer whatever questions we may have had growing up, and then never asked for anything once we were out of the house. Holidays were usually pleasant, however, as we would spend an afternoon over dinners, exchanging in our usual light-hearted conversations. Once that was gone, a giant void took its place, and never totally went away.

I do realize the last thing they would have wanted would be for any of to hang onto such dark feelings of sadness. They would rather prefer us to remember them fondly, and obviously miss them from time to time. It's long overdue time that I come down from this mountain of sorrow, and try to fully embrace the joy that has been waiting for me all these years.

 

The Coyotes Call

 

We played a rare full band set (well, two songs) at the Shea Theater as a tribute to our friends The Stone Coyotes. 

Amy managed to sing with several of the other acts, and knocked it out of the park. 

After our set, we hung out on the floor and watched our friend The Unband close the show.

Misty Mountain Hop

Another day, another hike.

A light haze was in the air, enshrouding the hills in the distance. 

We dealt with snow just a week earlier

November 1st greeted us like this.

Fortunately these kind of snow events are usually light, and don't last long.

I was right back at it on the backroads, and offroads, tracking the progress of our friend Dave, who was busy setting a record paddling down river in a giant pumpkin! 

Just another day in the Valley.

 

Autumn Remains

A massive cornfield is at one end of the street where I live. They usually plant corn, although one year it was a hayfield. It takes them days to harvest all of the crop, and they still have a ways to go before they are finished.

I assume that most of the corn is used for grain to feed cattle, but also could be used for anything from corn syrup to fuel additives. I don't think any of it is meant to go directly on people's tables, or they would have harvested it all by now. It's been weeks since they were last here.

So I just continue on my fall walks and admire the remaining vibrant colors in the neighborhood, before the next storm strips the first wave of colors bare.

 

String Attachment Styles

                                                       

I've been playing guitar for a long time. Self taught and a detailed listener to the more influential guitarists of my childhood. Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, John Fogarty. Although I idolized players like Eddie Van Halen, The Edge and Stevie Ray Vaughan, they came along after the Rock bug had already bitten me as a child. Still, they were all huge inspirations as well.

Back in the mid 1980s, a high school friend of mine had a guitar laying around that he did not play. It was a 1960s Fender Jazzmaster. I became instantly fascinated with the instrument, and borrowed it from him for a month of so. It was very useful for playing the Blues and Rock & Roll, and I liked it more than a Stratocaster at that point. My friend contacted me and asked for it back, returning the '72 Fender Telecaster I briefly swapped with him. I had never played one since then.

I had been doing some research over the years about more recent models, and there are a ton of them out there to choose from. You have the Fender American standard, the Vintera series, the Player series, the Classic Player series, the Modern Player series, the Blacktop series, the Affinity series, the Classic Vibe series, the J Mascis series... and the 40th Anniversary Series. I went witth the 40th, because it reminded me the most of my friend's faded and dull looking '60s Fender. Both guitars have a ton of quirks (all of which I adore) although there's obviously a difference between a brand new Squier and a 60 year old Fender. I'm sure the electronics will need replacing, but those are easy and affordable upgrades expected if you intend to put these instuments to daily use. It only took me a few days and a new set of strings to make it feel like the one I played nearly 40 years ago!

Life on Mars (and in Boston)

We visited the Boston Museum of Science over the weekend, to watch The David Bowie Experience at the Planetarium. Not sure the last time I was here... possibly never? But I was looking for something that would be similar to seeing U2 at Sphere, but not costing $400 a ticket and taking 3 days travel to do it. This cost $10 a ticket, plus parking. We took a 2 hour drive on a foggy cool and damp afternoon on Route 2, with a tropical system to both our east and west.

Afterwards, all we had to do was walk over the canal bridge and around the corner to the Royal Sonesta Hotel, where we had dinner, and took pictures of the Boston skyline on a tropical early October evening. Welcome to New England.

I've been visiting Boston for 40 years, and have witnessed many changes. It's still the State I live in, and the Capitol city. Not as many clubs as I remember, but still plenty of culture, and the physical nature of the city has been somewhat altered by the tunnel and the development on either sides of where the highway overpasses used to cast giant shadows on the North End.

 

Fall Feels

 Went to Treehouse Brewing Company to see Dinosaur JR this week. They brought their pre-Grunge Power Trio noise, along with a whole lot of Marshall products. I could have heard them from our house, but seeing them was the plan all along. The show was postponed a week, but the band still rocks with an energy more fitting for much younger musicians. They defy age, and any other limitations one might imagine a band of 40 years having.

It has been a wonderful summer of shows, and now that Fall is here, new memories are being created.

The Savage Brothers Band brought the 9th Annual Tom Savage Quarter Note Foindation Fundraiser to South Windsor where we made some noise of our own.

Rain has washed out my show for this evening, but there's always another show. October is filled with Weddings, clubs and Private Parties, but I also try and take the time to let the sights of the Valley sink in and sooth my soul whenever I feel the need to slow down.

 

Big Shots

Last week I returned to play at the Eastern States Exposition (otherwise known as The Big E). I've lost track of how many times I've played it now. Several times at least.

I had a few hours before I was to play, so I got some food at one of the nearby, not too crowded vendors. Everything seems to be deep fried, over overloaded in saturated fat. I'm all set with that. So I go for healthier options, wherever I can find them. I also ran into some good friends and musicians I've played with in the past. Always a joy!

In between sets, I went upstais in the Connecticut Building and took a picture through the large windows. Another beautiful sunny day with lots of people enjoying the sights, sounds... and smells of The Big E.

 

Bringing It All Back Home

My band played a show in West Hartford for the first time in several years. Much has happened in between performances. The house I grew up in got sold, for one thing. 

I drove by it, and it looks much the same as it did when I lived there decades ago.

My show was at the Noah Webster House Museum, and I had not seen the place since I was in Grade School. It looks much the same as well.

We were set up outside for a craft beer festival. It was blazing hot out, but we were covered, and kept refreshed with an assortment of Lagers, Pilsners and Ales.

Shortly after or set was over, the rain started coming down. We managed to load out and hit the road before it started to really come down. Another successful event! I managed to talk to a few people who went to the same High School, and we chatted about various teachers. It was a grounding experience, and reminded me, I had it pretty good growing up. It's a little over an hour away, and everything looks about the same in my old former neighborhood, which I find comforting,