By the time we got to Woodstock... they fell asleep.

We somewhat re-located to the Woodstock area 3 1/2 years ago. We still have a crash pad in Brooklyn is what I mean by somewhat. I love coming back from a tour with the ability to drive the van in to my driveway and walk into my house and go to sleep. Sometimes the worst part of a tour is coming home to NYC exhausted, load in gear upstairs, and THEN go find parking, anyone that has done this will agree... it sucks!

I have looked for gigs to play in the Hudson Valley area to mixed results. My favorite was playing with Junior Brown @ The Bearsville Theater. He even came back to our house for a bit after the show. Many people would think that Woodstock would have great gigs to offer, occasionally but not often. It is a town of baby boomers, rock stars and wannabe rock stars that generally don't go out to shows unless it is a band connected to the 69 festival in some way (Even Jefferson Starship sans Grace Slick does well). There are also some pure music lovers and great people here, but they can be hard to find. Woodstock apparently is 65% second homes, so a lot of folks get up here and understandably just want to enjoy their home. The most popular (and only) regular show in town is Karaoke, where it can at least be about themselves for a while.

It is a beautiful place filled with far too many people wanting to tell you about the time they smoked pot with Jimi Hendrix (it'd be great if they were actual stories, more often... that is the WHOLE story). Yes, the local bar I drop into, they still refer to me (at 43) as the young guy.


Daria (me wife) and I were lucky enough to meet some of the best friends we could ever ask for right here in town. We met Jason Bowman, one of the Jack Grace Band drummers within the first few weeks of moving here. Jason's band, Five Points Band, a family band and all involved are those friends. Magic still happens up here. It just isn't floating all over as it had in say 1966. You have to find it hiding around corners and behind very quaint closed doors.

A "Sailing" Accident

Sometimes the most interesting times with guests are the morning caffeination sessions after a spirited evening. There are stories to recount with a reasonably refreshed brain, and often a creative spirit easy enough to grab out the air. This Saturday morning seemed to have that right Autumnal morning feel. The night before, with my wife Daria on bass, Walter on trombone and Jason on drums, we played a Jack Grace Band show to college kids until some ungodly hour. Walter's spirited sister in law, Ariel, had come along for the show as well and on the ride home, Christopher Cross's song, "Sailing", had peeked it's head into some drunken debate on schmaltz.

Walter and Ariel stayed over, so whilst folks were in the kitchen the next morning, I thought I would find the song on youtube and crank it up on the stereo. This inspired my thespian roots to clear an area and perform an interpretive dance to the number, expressing what I believed to be Cross's and the song's producers innermost feelings via high kicks, twists and swirls.

A few minutes of this seemed plenty, but when I stopped, I was encouraged to continue, although a bit winded, I launched into part two, complete with a dance with the couch. I lifted my leg onto the couch in full throttle expression and felt something shoot through my left calf.

I wanted to keep the amusing vibe but it became clear that I had injured myself. So I stopped and we began planning a trip to pick up Walter's wife, Leslie across the Hudson from Bearsville. I realized that I now had a limp and could not really walk right. Daria, Walter and Ariel realized that I had officially injured myself dancing to Christopher Cross, and this seemed to at least triple everyone's amusement at the situation.

We picked up Leslie at the train and headed to a few gatherings in Tivoli, NY. Folks asked me why I was limping, my wife suggested I tell them it was a "Sailing" accident. This worked except it became clear that the full real story would come out each time because we all laughed when the "Sailing" accident was mentioned. Ariel and Walter took pity and found me a stick to use for a cane. I named it Michael and we had a few drinks and headed back to the house with Michael Cane.

We invited The Bowmans over to join us for a bonfire, Jason (on drums from last night) his wife Acacia and son Mackie. They saw my limp, and when told the story, (being true rock n roll purists ) replied, "it serves you right". Now, Jason hates Billy Joel more than anything, Ole BJ is truly his kryptonite. So I occasionally will start a Billy Joel song on the bandstand without him knowing what I am doing, just to piss him off, his annoyance makes me laugh. But it is a real anger that if pushed too far, would definitely lead to Jason walking off stage. Let's just say Jason finds this Yacht Rock justice at its best.

Fortunately for me, two days later I seem to be back to walking reasonably well. I've learned my lesson.
...I will stretch next time.