shaking the dirt off my feet

And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house,greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words,shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. Matthew 10:11

I'd like to take this moment to use a bible verse out of context, since in the history of man that's never been done. In the spirit of the apostolic send-out, I'd like to officially shake any dust that accumulated on my feet onto Galaxy Hut in Arlington, VA. For the record, Mr. Galaxy Hut man, I drove an hour and a half around the ill-marked streets of Clarendon trying to find your elusive Wilson Blvd. You're just a tiny little hole in the wall, Mr. Galaxy Hut man, and you didn't even bother to put on your website that the club's 21+
, I had to find that out when I walked up to the door. That's not the worst thing that could happen in the history of mankind, if your interest were really in something other than just trying to save your liabilty vulnerable hindquarters, but unfortunately they weren't.

When the artist playing the venue that night asks for one kid, who turns 21 in two months, to be able to get in on his word- that should be enough. If a twenty year old really was looking to get drunk in an underage fashion, would he really show up at a tiny club in Clarendon were the crowd was primarily made up of people waiting to hear a velvet voiced folk guitarist?


I would have stood at the door, Mr. Galaxy Hut man. I would have worn a neon shirt saying "I'm twenty, don't sell me alcohol!". I would have paid twice the cover to get in the door, and not complained, but obviously on a night where you had plenty of room, you could turn away one kid who just wanted to hear some good music.

But the joke's on you, mr. galaxy hut man, because you lost four customers that evening, and the goodwill and reputation of all four of those people. It's very unlikely that I would have probably gone out of my way to visit the Galaxy Hut in the future, but I'm asked about venues all the time, when people want to visit, and if you had been willing to bend just a tad bit, I would have had nothing but good things to say.

It would be easier for you to convince me of the merits of contracting syphillis and french kissing a snaggle toothed camel than to try and talk me into visiting the Galaxy Hut. When did rock clubs become so bound to rules that they couldn't even respect their higher purpose? It's not like a group of fresh bearded teenagers were trying to talk you into bringing down the grey goose, it was just one kid and his love for music- but that didn't really matter to you.

It's good that not everyone in the world's like you mr. galaxy hut man, in fact the majority of the people really don't even seem to belong to the same species as you.


take mr. andy zipf.






zipf's a pretty talented musician, played with some pretty neat people and opened for some even neater ones.

there was no reason he should go out of his way to try and get an underage kid into a club, especially when he was running late for a start time. there was no reason for him to talk to anyone and everyone who might have a chance of letting that kid into the club, and when all else failed giving free music to the kid and the promise to put him "on the list" for his next show.


there was no reason for him to do it, except his genuine appreciation of people who love music, and his desire to connect with more like minded people.

maybe i'm being an overly sentimental fool, but if you heard the words coming out of my mind and mouth on saturday night, soft sounding sentiments are the least of my worries.


So check Andy Zipf out on these two tracks. more at andyzipf.com

First To Promise
Last to Know


and watch this.




I'll be his one man press crew if i have to.

but there's some people that should just be listened to.
and some places which should be avoided.


_____


crumbs on your baby

on a much happier side note,

Ben Kweller was absolutely phenomenal at the Kennedy Center.

It's difficult to come out and play a free show when half the crowd's absolutely stoked to hear you, and the other half just heard that something was free.

Ben didn't hold anything back though. He played a show which completely rocked.


long hair. striped shirt. tight red pants.

the kid exuded strength and humorous energy. it left me smiling every single infectious second. When he came back out for an encore and tried to do a cartwheel, the crowd rushed the stage.

(at the Kennedy Center)



It's a little different when the security guard looks like your grandmother....

but Penny on the Tracks rocked nevertheless.
and Kweller deserves two thumbs very high up,

(so does the Kennedy Center)

and he deserves more than these few tired lines...

catch him soon.

check out photos here

Ben Kweller at the Kennedy Center
(rice peters)