Saturday, January 14, 2012

Cash'd Out : Men In Black


Cash'd Out is
Doug (v),
Kevin (g),
Ryan (b) and
George (d)

Doug is a really cool cat. He doesn't do an impression of Cash, he puts out a very realistic attitude similar in nature to the great American singer/songwriter. Doug told me that Cash wrote over 500 songs and probably more like 1000!


Here's the backstory:

In 1954 Johnny Cash met Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant in Memphis.


By 1955, The band presesented themselves as Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two with Grant on upright bass, and Perkins on electric guitar.

In 1960, drummer W.S. Holland joined the group, which was then renamed The Tennessee Three.*




Cut to 2012, Santa Monica, California - With a steady rockin', hard drinkin' crew of authentic guitar  pickers downing shots of whiskey and many bottles of beer, Cash'd Out kept the dance floor filled and the bartenders busy.

Kevin played an authentic vintage Fender Esquire - which is a beautiful thing - employing dazzling displays of peg twisting while soloing for that ultimate twang. The band even brought along their own "June Carter" who joined in on a handful of duets including "Jackson" which is my all-time faves, due in large part to it's opening line "We got married in a fever / Hotter than a pepper sprout".**
A simple yet genius metaphor.
 George on drums. Not camera shy.

Ryan, the upright dude mounting the double bass. 
Always a cool move.

Kevin picked out those beautiful minimalist solos just like Luther Perkins. The bassist - Ryan - played his upright beauty with steady aplomb. Tighter than a sea anemone when provoked by a jabbing ginger, George, the drummer and Ryan sync-ed up from start to finish.


The album The Real... Johnny Cash (Columbia)... a 3 cd set subtitled "The Ultimate Johnny Cash Collection", recently found it's way into my car stereo.  Love him or hate him, Johnny Cash is a national treasure and this collection makes it abundantly clear.




Special thanks to Mindy for getting me on the dance floor


*source : wikipedia.org
**as the story goes, in the early eighties, Scottish singer/songwriter Paddy Macaloon named his band Prefab Sprout, claiming he "misheard" this line. Paddy's a cheeky one, though so I don't believe it 100%.

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Toledo Show : Thirsty!!

Hungry for love, but thirsty for water - that was tonight's un-official theme, and evidently both Toledo and dancer Molly D'amour were parched as hell. Crystal Geyser is the official water of The Toledo Show and Harvelle's. Come have a bottle or a beer or one of the specialty cocktails.
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The Toledo Show goes off every Sunday night for the last 10 years at Harvelle's in Santa Monica - 1432 4th St. between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd. They also play at the Harvelle's in Long Beach every Thursday.


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Sunday, January 8, 2012

Harvelles Long Beach : Chumbuckets Are Go!!


Capt Jeffs' Musical Chumbuckets play every Sunday night at Harvelle's in downtown Long Beach. Their eclectic approach and bluegrass-y line-up allow for some fun; a good-time musical evening. Shrouded in Harvelle's speakeasy atmosphere, the club is below street level, just under a fine ale house called The Congregation and provides the right atmosphere for such a unique group.

The club itself [official website] is located at 201 E. Broadway, LB, CA 90802. Subscribe to our [Facebook page] and our [Twitter feed], and of course keep reading this blog!!

2012 will be a big year for Harvelle's!!

The Toledo Show : 1 Night 2 Photos

Every Sunday night in Santa Monica (Thursday in Long Beach), The Toledo Show is an institution. Running for 10 years, this film noir cabaret has garnered fans worldwide due to it's impossibly funky dirty jazz, beautiful dancing "dames", and the leader of the pack, Toledo Diamond - a front man's front man who is so captivating that women swoon at his feet.

Wholly original and ripe for repeated attendances, The Toledo Show is beyond the description my humble adjectives can depict. Come check it out. [Toledo Show Website]

This is Dame Mindy and fan/friend of the show Miss Heather hanging out in-between sets.