Toledo Show : Mad, BadAnd Dangerous To Know

It's a Sunday night at Harvelle's and that means only one thing!

The awesomely delicious burlesque funk performers collectively known as the Toledo Show are taking over!! From 9:30 til close, The Toledo Show have been bringing their patented blend of bump 'n' grind funk with the gritty storytelling of front man/lead singer Toledo Diamond.

Allison (violin) and Sebastian (trumpet)

Toledo Diamond is a legend.

He is easily the hardest working man in show business. He is definitely one of the most entertaining. And you know what? I think I'm underselling it here.

Brian Allen (bass)

Brew (keys)

Toledo is mesmerizing.

Sober as a statue, his only vice being his steady stream of Erik™ cigars, he ringmasters one of the funkiest musical experiences I've ever been privy to witness. Tight as a snare drum, this group, which ranges in numbers from 4 - 15 (+) features singers, horn players, rappers, keyboardists, one of the greatest bass players ever(!) - basically, everything you would need if you were going into funky battle.

Shamari (vocals)

This has been going on for the better part of a decade at Harvelle's, and the rabid fans and Toledo Show every-week regulars are almost as much a part of the show as what's going on onstage. Especially for the un-indoctrinated, there's a bit of a cultural learning curve; The Toledo Show's funk exists at almost lethal levels and seems at it's best, when mixed with much sweat from dancing and perhaps a cocktail (or two)* from Mika or John behind the bar.

Women have been known to swoon at Toledo's aura, and men have become instantly smitten by the waaaay too-sexy dancing girls known as The Dames (not pictured here).

Walter Davis (saxophone)

Besides the music though, witnessing the clothes, the sound, the lights, the dancing girls, the aerialists, the Toledo fans, the sexy women in the front, the cats, the dames; the whole dirty deal.... will leave you glad you decided to step out on a Sunday night.

It's a scene man.

You gotta check it out!

(There's CDs for sale behind the bar if you want a souvenir)

*never drink and drive!!

Big Blog shout-outs to Mr. Toledo Diamond, Brian Allen, Walter Davis, Leigh (aerialist) and

The Dames : Erin, Mindy, Ashley, Leah & Molly.

Happy belated birthday to Jackie O'Neill!

Special thanks always to David and Cevin and the

Harvelle's Sunday cast & crew - John, Mika, Melinda, Emily, Stan & Ernesto.

Howdy to Kasey, Amanda and Baby Blues Bar-B-Q

The Toledo Show : Family's Running Deep

This is Toledo Diamond

This is Jessie Payo

That's Tom McNalley backing up Toledo

Walter Davis with unknown Dame

Like some kind of Ambien™ hazed Bootsy Collins nightmare-on-wax, The Toledo Show peeled itself back - like a royal purple onion - revealing family, friends and funk; spectacularly - Harvelle's darling Jessie Payo reuniting with Mr Toledo Diamond himself front and center; familiarly - the return of the forever vocals of Rachel Lynn to So Cal; and funkily - the knock-down drag-out rhythm section of Brian Allen on bass plus (any and all drummers including Asa Watkins &) Punky!! (also of note: the appearance onstage of SoulFunk vet, guitarist Tom McNalley).

Toledo and Jessie reunited

That's Rachel Lynn

(Come check her out solo on Wednesday night before House Of Vibe)

The Toledo Show : This IS Santa Monica, Bitch

Sunday night.... The Toledo Show...

You know where you are, you're gonna dance and drink and hang out and it's the funky erotic cabaret madness full of burlesque dancing, heavy bass lines and over-the-top horns.

Toledo Diamond - the man with the plan

Asa on the skins, Brian Allen on bass

Toledo Diamond

Anthony Brewster on keys

Dame Erin goes downtown

Dame Erin

Toledo makes a point!

Brian Allen and Brew

Toledo in the driver's seat

Dame Ashley

Monday night: Kirk Fletcher returns with Funkalottapuss

All pix taken at Harvelle's live with the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone

Kirk Fletcher : Back In The Saddle

I have not seen Mr Kirk Fletcher around these parts in a couple of months.

While he has a weekly residency, he took a couple of weeks off- he had guitar baadasss Josh Smith filling in for him while he did some road gigs - and for some

collection of reasons - Memorial Day, out-of-town, whatever, i havent been around.

But I'm here and he's back with a team of benevolent virtuosos including Bobby Tsukomoto on bass, Gary Ferguson on drums and Mark Shark on guitar.

Also sitting in - Rob Bacon on guitar, Brian Allen on bass, and Sam Meek on the guitar.

Kirk Fletcher brings the heat every Monday night. Only at Harvelle's.


- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic™ photo app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Toledo Show Pix

A few photos of The Toledo Show in Santa Monica.




Walter Davis on saxophone.

Asa Watkins on the drums.

Dame Erin seduced by the soprano sax.


Asa and Brian Allen on bass.

"T" Plays It Cool.

Toledo : You talkin' to me?

The Toledo Show
Every Sunday night at Harvelle's


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Where's Captain Kirk?

Indeed, even as the marquee says Kirk Fletcher, the band was without their leader. The rest of the dudes are here; Luke Miller on keys, Bobby Tsukomoto on bass, Paulie Cerra on sax and vocals and of course, legendary drummer James Gadson (google him).




The house is packed tonight with Harvelle's royalty. Sir Harry Bowen is owning the dancefloor, while Miss Willie Brown's Amanda and Kasey, along
with guitar hero Sam Meek and bassist Brian Allen are here to support their bandmate Luke.Toledo Diamond is at the bar chillin, and on his way out, as I was coming in, was Toledo Show bassist Spoonie.


Josh Smith is standing in for Kirk tonight and he's rocking it.



Also sitting in is the incredible bassist Travis Carlton (again, google).

Toledo (above)

Amanda (above)

Closing the first set with the theme from Sanford and Son, they helped this poor scribe to have a less unpleasant "first Monday" of the new decade.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Jessie's Grill : Harvelle's Weekend Round-Up

Jessie Payo's natural whiskey soaked vocal quality is ridiculously soulful, exuding hapiness and hippiness, and alternately delivering beautiful controlled moving ballads to king rockers (including ones by influential artists such as Black Crowes, Betty Davis and Bill Withers). Johnny Stachela slings his axe with rock 'n' roll force that brings modern blues rock guitar to new heights. Sitting in towards the end of the night, Amanda Watkins of Miss Willie Brown did what she does best, and brought it like a rock star!!

Thursday brought out local super group Grillin' Bunnyz. The Venice based quintet features Brian Allen on bass, Kris Hawkins on guitar, Luke Miller on keys and the dynamic Emily on vocals. They traversed the funk songbook, including the best of Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan with a heap of Aretha and a sprinkle of Marvin Gaye and Funkadelic

Halloween @ Harvelle's : Haunted, Drunken & Sassy

Halloween was a three day long event. It was a month ago, but I've finally edited the photos. Presented here - Halloween at Harvelle's, including the Sassy Minx, Miss Willie Brown, the Toledo Show and the Back To The Future Time Machine.

Toledo Show Images

The long running Toledo Show is every Sunday night at Harvelle's. This soul-funk burlesque cabaret stars the charismatic Toledo Diamond as ring leader to the Dames, the band and the emotions of the audience.

Kirk Fletcher's Blues Gang

Kirk Fletcher's gang of blues musicians including drummer James Gadson came full force and kicked the week off for me. Drinking Blue Moon and O.J. the funk was all around. Here's a few pix of the night.

Miss Willie Brown :OH NO YOU DIDN"T!!!?!?!

Hell Yeah!!

Miss Willie Brown is something to see. Amanda (rt) and Kasey (lft) - the two front women of the band - are hash-slingin', boot-wearing, queens of the rodeo - IF the rodeo was held on Venice beach. And just like a lil' bit of sand in your country, these women do things musically that you wouldn't expect. Their country-western music rocks, swings, swoons, soothes and makes you feel proud to be an American, - and implicitly - they know how to have a party.

For a good time on a Thursday night, come hang out in a dark bar that's not "corporate" or "expensive" or "empty"; Miss Willie Brown will be here so stop on by, and say "howdy".

Labor Of Love : The Toledo Show

Labor Day eve and where am I?

Celebrating at the Toledo Show!

Summer's practically over, but you wouldn't know by the heat inside Harvelle's this past Sunday night. Sweaty as H-E-L-L, the brave crowd endured and rocked so hard that they almost broke my neck!

Dame Ashley

Malik

Crowd

Toledo, Sebastian, Brew

Asa on drums, Toledo

Roc

Walter

Sebastian and Brew

Toledo Diamond

Shamari

Brian