Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I'm not the next McG yet, but he had to start somewhere too

Last Friday night James played another open mic night for the Brooklyn Guitar School at Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn.  Once again I served as his videographer, roadie, and sole groupie. 

He opened his set with "Academy Fight Song" by Mission From Burma:



Next up was his latest original song from the guitar school's songwriting class, entitled "Don't Ask Me Now:"



Having been subjected to a Big Star playlist on a road trip to DC a few years ago, I knew James would either sing a Big Star song or pay tribute to the late Alex Chilton in some way.  He went with "Alex Chilton" by The Replacements.



As he came off the stage I held onto his guitar for a few moments while he found his case.  Later, when another band, the creatively named "The Jailhouse Cocks," needed a spare cable, James lent them one and asked me to collect it when they were done as he had to leave.  It's all part of the job of being a hanger-on for an up-and-coming singer/songwriter.  It also meant I got to stick around to hear The Jailhouse Cocks as well as Postacockalypse and Satan's Scrotum (though I think their real name was The Professionals, and they were a kick-ass ZZ Top cover band).  It was that kind of night at Hank's.

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