Sweethook/Baby Daddy - R Bar 1/21/11 New York City

Sweethook played a solid set at the R Bar and so did Baby Daddy who gracefully supported us. I came to the realization of the comfort zone of which I am drumming in since my gigs have been so plentiful this month, a comfort zone that can slip away all too easily if I stop playing regularly. Nice crowd came down to support us and I thank Michael (Baby Daddy) for letting me use his Cymbals.



Scott got stuck getting to the gig, Fortunately it was right in front of the bar.



Baby Daddy at the R Bar.



Sweethook as taken with a Mobile Device in year 2011.

Sweethook - P & G Bar 12/30/10 New York City

P & G is 2,700 square feet, grand piano, a fireplace, pool tables, dart board, 4 bartenders, 2 porters, Wi-Fi....come on what does this place not have?

SWEETHOOK!!!!

- from our Facebook invite



It was great fun to play a return engagement at the P & G and I did get my Original Sin Pear Cider after all (4 Pints)

Sweethook - The Black Swan 11/20/10 Tivoli, New York

From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tivoli.

This was one of those gigs when you know that you're not in Kansas anymore. From what I could surmise Tivoli is a quaint little berg which is mostly a college town and while the allure of Antiquing was in the air there was also, whilst driving, long patches of foreboding dark highway shadowed by gloomy overhanging trees and dark foliage and by jove I even saw a spritely deer at the side of the road. En Route Jazelyn avoided the secret trap door at Joey's Deli when we took a detour for some gasoline (and to ask if we could use their phone) and Our Road Manager Claudia got us in and out of town in one piece quaint or otherwise.

The Black Swan Bar is a charming establishment who took care of us (Drinks on the house) and appear to be one of the only places in town (if not the only one) who sponsor Live Music. By our second set the crowd became terrifically lively which fueled the flames of the bands prowess on their instruments and elevated us to another level. Songs debuted by this lineup at the gig were "Pig in a Poke" "Low Rider" and Doctor Steve regaled us with his vocals on "Big Boss Man" and "Swinging Doors".



CB Drums make a passable product, the Cymbals are usable and the Rack Tom sounded O.K. The Floor Tom could use a better head and the Bass Drum can certainly use some muffling (as opposed to zero) in this particular drumkit's case.



Chimichanga y Pollo care of the Santa Fe Restaurant down the block on the other side of town.



The stage as shot from the backyard. Glass of Porter anterior of the glass, Broken Drumsticks posterior of the glass. Incidentally I havent broken a pair of Drumsticks in years and upon being asked on this very eve and answering as such I proceeded to Break A Drumstick!!! albeit an old one.



Quality lodgings at the Quality Inn, We did boy/girl rooms so I spent my night with Joe, Scott, Stephen and Matt.

Soap,Conditioner,Lotion and Shower Caps by Choice Hotels and after a sweaty gig, Sicilian Mummifications, many Newcastle Brown Ales and my incessant snoring Boy did we need it !!!



DISCO FRIES for Breakfast at the Eveready diner.

Sweethook - P & G Bar 11/12/10 New York City

Who Knew ? What a Cool watering hole on the ritzy side of town and below sidewalk level to boot. I enjoyed (3) Original Sin Pear Cider's and we all enjoyed the venue and impressive sound in the brick room to the right where the live Music is performed. I thought my DW Snare Drum would sound Sweet(hook) in this room and it certainly did, Fat and Airy like an Obese English Muffin. We are all very pleased that we were invited back for a later slot (this one was 6-8 p.m.) but in December we are slated for 8-10 which can hopefully only mean 10-12 in Le future.









Trying to Get AHEAD. No stage is complete without one and the P & G has one.

Sweethook - Wicked Willy's 11/10/10 New York City

From my point of view this was a completely laid back, overly confident and self assured show which might be why my drumstick went "flying" out of my hand during our first number to be astutely returned by the sound technician right behind me and why I made a sloppy fill during our last song. All in all a success and Jazelyn sang Happy Birthday to me from the bandstand. This gig saw the return of our song (not the band) "Midnight Oil" and the premiere of. Later in the evening some guy offered to buy my birthday crown for twenty dollars and after asking Jamie (whose father the crown belonged to) what she thought the dollar crown was sold for Big Profits and went towards a Delicious Mexican meal at Panchito's on McDougal street.

Sweethook - R Bar 10/20/10 New York City

Sweethook played a nice tight forty minute set at the R Bar as part of the CMJ Music Festival and it was Great on a very personal level to see my peers Franklin and John the Bass Player in attendance at this gig.

Stephen (who blows a mean harp) and myself had some pre-gig Dumplings (P.G.D.) at the Congee joint across the way (hinthint) of which thrice pork filled morsels are pictured directly below and they were very yummy too.



The R Bar at 218 Bowery is a kinetic and living space for the arts, drunks, meanies and just plain hipsters who like a little sake in their stride as the "Congee Kitchen" is just LIGHT ACLOSS STLEET!!!.

TO The R Bar - Thanks for the drink ticket (performers fee) allowing us to play your venue and help make you sound cool and Also Special thanks for letting Jamie charge her cellphone if ya know what I mean.












Sunday 10/17/10 Band Meeting at the Pub (Pre-Grub)

Sweethook - Fontana's 8/4/10 Chinatown, New York City

A nice return engagement at Fontana's, We performed "Cuckold Hen" Live and discovered that Carlsberg Beer on tap was nowhere as near as refreshing as Blue Moon.

Sweethook - EMS Picnic 2010 7/25/10 - Cunningham Park,The Queens

Performing outdoors is always very different and in this case became a treat after some questionable weather passed us by. We arrived at the EMS picnic under looming clouds that promptly burst into rain giving the terrain a Spielberg Apocalypse atmosphere but waited out the short summer storm and proceeded to set up our equipment right there in the dirt under a picnic tent. Thanks to the power generator hundreds of feet away for the juice and to the crowd of onlookers for appreciating our particular brand of Banjo Rock.



You probably had to be there and be me but it Really warmed my heart to return from getting a bite to eat at the 2010 EMS picnic where my band was performing only to find my drums commandeered by some of the children in attendance. (Youtube)

Sweethook - R Bar 6/26/10 Chinatown, New York

Sweethook - CD Release Party 5/13/10 Fontana's Bar,New York City

A plethora of well wishers came down to show us their well wishing at Fontana's bar on the edge of Chinatown in Downtown Manhattan. The band played very well and we even ran ahead of schedule for the first time allowing us a Rocking version of "Hit The Ground Running" to end our set, I also made the right hand drumming adjustment to the "Singer-friendly/Drummer-Friendly" version of said song on this evening. Abuelito the MAN himself attended the show but I was not made aware of this until he was exiting.

I appreciated all of the drinks offered me and enjoyed some Manic dancing with a WHO fan or two upstairs, A little later in the evening and they were blaring the KINKS upstairs at the bar as well. Chinatown Won Ton soup was purchased to top the evening off but it was Too Soggy.

Sweethook - Photo Shoot/Brooklyn Bridge Downtown 4/5 Platform 4/12/10 New York City

KUDOS Go out to Matt Shanley our fearless percussionist for standing behind the "Do Not Stand Behind" line on the Downtown 4 platform to get that shot just right.

Sweethook - Fat Baby 3/12/10 New York City

A Cool DJ, An Obnoxious Security staff, A Freshman (yet polite) Sound Technician and HAPPY HOUR Drinks (half price for the musicians performing) are what make up the experience of Fat Baby. The band played well but I have no understanding of these venues that keep the "Live" music hidden away in a separate room when there is No Additional charge for said room which would at least make sense on a revenue level if there was an Additional charge (redundancies Abound).

Keep the bands on the main floor and if you would rather go listen to records/CDs/MP3s that you have heard a Gazillion times then stay at home, save money and play the phonograph/CD player/Ipod (F*ck Zune and other inferior MP3 products) or go to the "separate room" where the normal "Best Of" people prefer to be and squander your peso's feeding it to the jukebox. Commercial Taste Rules This Globe.

Gosh the color of this BLOG has changed.

Im trying to Quit Smoking, LEAVE ME ALONE !!!



There was Not a Whole Lot in This Silver Van Street Vendored Gyro. I have had much nicer and plumper ones for less Dinero (this was $5.00 which is probably the going rate around town these days) but the Hot Sauce Definitely Delivers, I didnt ask for extra or even give the universal sign of "Pour It On" so this was just a liberal amount. SIZZLE

Very Clever as it disguises the unknown "Lamb" within, Gyro ll is certainly superior.

Extra Lettuce ??? I Didnt ask for Extra Lettuce.