Pop Culture Detritus

August 29, 2005

Being quite unemployed now, I don't have that many things to do. My calendar is only slightly less depressing than my bank statements. But I have to choose today between drafting my fantasy football team or supporting my friends, The Walk Ons, who are playing the Mercury Lounge for the first time.

I'm going to the show.

After all, I managed to win the league playoffs in our last fantasy hockey season by completely ignoring the second half of the season, falling into last place, and then starting to pay attention.

The new Bosch album, Buy One, Get One is almost ready to go. The tracks are mastered and the cover art is done. Four songs are up on the site.

On Friday, I caught Ted Leo + Pharmacists at the South Street Seaport. That was a great night to be outside for a concert. Leo puts on a good show, but I'm not sure if he transcends the "interesting enough to see for free" category. Here's a Flickr photoset from the show. Openers Tigers and Monkeys were, in some ways, more interesting, with a more unique sound. They may be worth checking out again.

Some jazz shows of interest coming up include:

• Ron Carter Quartet + Jeff "Tain" Watts Quartet, Blue Note, Aug. 30-Sep. 4


• David Binney w/ "Welcome to Life" Group (Blade, Potter, Rogers, Taborn, Colley), 55 Bar, Sept. 9-11.


• James Carter Organ Trio, Blue Note Sept. 13-18

CMJ is happening September 14-18. Though, with no badge this year, not much seems all that interesting beyond perennial AndrewRaff.com favorites such as the Cobble Hillbillies and The Bamboo Kids.

I'm still debating whether or not to go to the Future of Music Policy Summit in DC on 9/11-13, what with having to pay for the conference and travel. True, the Chinatown bus costs next to nothing, but with no income, I wonder if it is worthwhile.