Yesterday evening, after returning from a quick visit to the grocery store, my neighbor Amy, who was outside raking leaves told me about a fund-raising event at a local pub beginning in a half hour and asked me if I’d like to ride along with her. I was reluctant to go — mostly because Dean was making a nice dinner and because True Blood was on TV Sunday nights, but I had not gotten out all week, except for book group on Tuesday, so I quickly changed clothes, put on some make-up and went to Amy’s house.

I’d met the first performer and master of ceremonies, coordinator for the DC area of GoGirlsMusic — an international group for indie female musicians — at a neighborhood gathering. She either lives in my neighborhood or the next one over. I’d not heard of any of the others, but it was nice to sit, sipping cider and watching some amazing female singer-songwriters.

Near the end of the evening, after a large group left a young woman in a black leather jacket and white neck scarf sat down in front of us. I imagined she was there to hear the music, but before long the MC was introducing her as Ruut — someone whose CD she played for months.

I can see why — Ruut blew me away. Her singing style is similar to Sarah McLachlan — the way her voice changes notes in the middle of syllables and the piano background. After she sang three songs I talked to her a bit — she said that her influences were Tori Amos and Andrew Lloyd Webber and her parents who were professional classical muscians. Amy bought me a cd (I’d paid for her drink — I think I got the better deal) that Ruut signed.

Here’s a YouTube video of Ruut’s song Nothing is Right. Watch it. It’s fun.

Dan Bern says it all for me –

(Note, there are several curse words said in the video, so it is not safe for work nor young children)

At least Clare and I have not been booed. Yet. We’ve got one more college to visit.

Doug needs our help again. Here’s his latest endeavor. Doug’s explanation from his email under video. Please consider voting for Doug. He’s not only a really talented singer-songwriter and hairstylist, he’s also an amazing person and wonderful friend.

Go here: http://www.doyoushadeseq.com/stories/voting/615/3v3/ and vote for Doug’s video. Unfortunately, you need to register — and I guess they expect only stylists to be voting, but I was able to register without giving a name of a salon.

Even if you don’t vote, check out the video. It’s fun and catchy.

I removed the video from this post because it played automatically, and as cute as the video is, it is annoying when a video / music auto plays on a web page.

Hello My Friends!

For those of you still following my escapades, here’s some good news… I’ve entered another national contest, this time with an original song and home made music video, and I’m in the final five.

The details… Salon Central is a Redken color salon. Every year Redken holds a contest to promote their Shades EQ line of color, a product I have happily worked with for many years. This year’s contest task was to make a short (1 minute or less) video (low tech “YouTube” style) telling your story of how Shades EQ has positively impacted your work and career. The title of the contest is “Do You Shades EQ?”. I wrote and recorded a song, using the contest name as the hook. Then I shot a video of myself lip-synching to the recording. Finally, I mixed the video with the recorded music and SHAZAAM, we’re in the finals! Redken has selected the 5 finalists, but it’s up to YOU to determine the winners (the top 2 videos). So many of you were such an enormous help in last year’s Chock-full-o’Nuts contest, this time will be MUCH simpler, I promise!! You can only vote ONCE, period, in this contest. The voting period is August 1-31.

The 2 winners will go to NYC in October to be featured in a photo for a national ad campaign that will run next January. But winner or not, this has been fun, and I think you will be very amused by my little video. You can view and vote at www.doyoushadeseq.com and, as always, great thanks and appreciation for your help, from myself and Salon Central!

Gratefully,
Doug

Dan Bern made his annual stop in the area last night. This time he played at Jammin’ Java in Vienna — probably my favorite place to see him — it’s intimate and the sound is great. He played a good mix of old and new stuff, and did a lot of chit-chatting in between songs. He seemed in great spirits as well. Pretty much a perfect show.

The audience was attentive and appreciative, if somewhat sparse. I didn’t recognize anyone — either all the folks I knew who used to go to Dan’s shows have moved to other artists or states — or I didn’t look closely enough.

Paul Kuhn played his cellocaster to accompony Dan for all of the songs and 1/3 of the way through the show, Holly Montgomery joined Dan and Paul on stage to sing along with some “oldies”.

Dan mentioned winning a new guitar in an egg-eating contest and claimed to be drinking zrii and vodka. He started singing one of his earlier songs a second time, but caught it before he got too far. He forgot the words to a couple of songs as well.  But he seemed to have a good time.

This is one of my favorites: Walking Through Glass

Here’s one of his most famous: Marilyn

 
My only complaint? No encore. I’m used to him coming back at least once to sing more — but the audience just got up and left when he said “Goodbye and thanks for coming.” Was it because it was a Sunday night and we had work the next day? Was it because the audience felt like it had enough? I can’t figure it out. I don’t blame the band — I blame the audience. I sat and clapped while people got up and left, then I got embarrassed and left too.
 

Utah Phillips has passed away. I found out through the Dan Bern email list and am saddened more than I expected. Perhaps I’d hoped to, one day, see this legend in concert.

I own one CD of his, — the one he and Ani DiFranco did together and perhaps a bootleg as well.

He just seemed so gentle, so kind. And he was only 73. So many more years to live.