:: mike errico diary ::

:: Thursday, July 22, 2004 ::

Last night in Farmingdale was pretty classic.

The Downtown is a cool place that has pretty big names for being in such a sleepy section of Long Island. Nice stage, hilarious double doors that open out into a big, low space that DEFINITELY was used as a strip joint at some point. The stage must have had a pole run straight down the middle once upon a time. And there I was.

As I started playing my set, I noticed a weird clanking sound coming from stage left. Spoons. Someone playing them. I looked over and saw an older guy - much older - holding a long neck Bud and playing the spoons along to my songs. I always think I've seen everything - when will I learn? I stopped before "Skimming" and asked him if he was professional. He kinda slurred his words and muttered, "Nah. I just come here every night."
"And you play the spoons while bands play here every night?"
"Uh. Yep."
I checked the schedule of coming attractions over the bar. "You know, I see that Flock of Seagulls is coming next week."
 "Yeah?" The name didn't register.
"Are you going to play the spoons with Flock of Seagulls? Because by now I bet they're so angry about playing 'And I ran' every night that they might jump off stage and kill you."
The old man smiled good naturedly. "Nah. They wouldn't do that."
I paused.  "Would you like to come up and play the spoons with me?"
The crowd cheered him on, but he became bashful. I placed my chair and a microphone up next to each other. "The invitation is open."

Half way through "God" he decided to stumble up on stage and sit in the chair. I gave him a solo before the second verse. He took it. I don't know what rhythms he was locking into, but it was vaguely interesting, and more just bizarre. Still, it was nice to have company. He was smiling and concentrating and basically having the time of his life. The crowd cheered him on, and after the song, he stumbled back off stage, but not before telling me, "I like you. You're good. I'm here all the time, I'm going to tell them to have you back. You're great. Thanks a lot."

Hey. Flock of Seagulls might kill him, but I won't.

:: mike 5:47 PM [+] ::

"As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless."


President Abraham Lincoln - November 21, 1864
:: mike 3:00 PM [+] ::

Animal from the Muppet Show, on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5907471755&ssPageName=ADME:B:LC:US:1


Animal from the Muppet Show has been sitting on the left speaker in the studio, and it's now on eBay, to make room for more buttons and knobs --

it'll be sad to see him go. he's the best drummer ever.
:: mike 1:00 PM [+] ::

july 4

coming up... i'm here, working on working...

shows dotting the calendar sparsely

writing about randomness and the feeling of being on the high dive. the pit in the stomach, the expansion of everything. and the dive.
:: mike 9:08 AM [+] ::