Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Late May, 09

D nuggs,

What is it with sports in Denver? Guess you gotta love a team called Nuggets with a star player named Melo. Mile high madness is upon us yet again. Come check out the fifth game of the semi-finals this Wednesday night (5/27) on the big screen with the Clamdaddys providing the soundtrack.

And Friday night, we've got a jazz band called Baseless Accusations as soundtrack to game six. Then after the game, around 9:30pm, we're gonna dance hard to Irie Still to celebrate the win. If you've never heard Irie Still they are a super fun high energy African Reggae Band. We'll have 2 for 1 Red Stripes on special all night to toast the Nuggets best season ever. And you gotta check out the awesome poster Matt Dougherty just put together for this night at myspace.com/d_note

Sunday night, if there is a seventh game, we'll have it on it on during salsa too. And note to salseros: our floors have been fixed expressly for your dancing ease. Come give the new and improved floor a spin.

Thursday night, no basketball game, but I bet the Geeks Who Drink will sneak a few nuggets in the trivia quiz. After the trivia at 9pm Jade Day from Austin Texas is playing a special gig. $5.

Saturday day we have a belly dance swap from 1-5pm. Along with shopping there will be events, discussions, mini workshops and fashion shows. Always fun with Phoenix. See full schedule for event here.

Saturday night we have a very special show put together by our old friends, the strange angry lounge band The Inactivists. A little background. Scot Livingston, the lead singer of the Inactivists, met his fiancee, Michelle, at the D Note. Therefore they are having their wedding reception at the D Note, with a full night of twisted music provided by many guests including My Mourning Sickness and Yerkish. You are all invited to the madness and love. We're proud to be a part of it. $5.

Bounce,

Chauncy D

Extra Credit: Robert Frost continues to be a surprise. His poems are so common in their popularity, it's easy to forget how uncommonly good they are. Here's a beaut we came across in Harold Bloom's anthology "The Best Poems of The English Language". The last four lines just keep unfolding...


The Oven Bird

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers,
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

mid to late May, 09

D file,

This is being written at the bar at the D Note Tuesday night, May 19. The bar is a distracting place to write. The staff is too funny. It is tempting to write down all the wild stuff the staff is saying. Let's tune in: "...weird dreams that apparently have these crazy meanings and I've been reading a lot into them and my dreams are all like 'you're an idiot!'" See what we mean? You just can't put a limit on that kind of self examination.

Tonight, Wednesday May 20th, we have a special Clamdaddy Jam Birthday Celebration for Matthew DeGraff, the man behind the woman behind the man behind the child behind the D Note itself. Bring some love for Matthew. After the Clamdaddys there will be a special guest, a grandiloquent band from L.A. called Within The Eddy. Check them out.

Have you seen the new art by Sarah Bergman? People seem to really like it. It's selling like fancy cakes. She's having her opening party and bringing in some great music after Trivia this Thursday night at 8:30pm. Come meet her. She's a delight. The dudes from Sound Rabbit, one of the most underrated bands around, will play and then the everlicious DJ Japadapta will be spinning tunes. Free.

Friday night we have a lovely show with Wendy Woo backed by the beautiful Robin Hoch on violin and vocal, 8pm, then the intriguing Calvin Locklear will play his tropical jungle take on Italian pop at 10pm. $8.

Saturday we have an emergency meeting of the beer club at 2pm.

When they had the Bob Dylan allstar birthday parties the last few years in Denver we were always jealous. It was one of the few nights we'd rather be elsewhere than the D Note. But guess what? This year we'll be there. Because it's at the D Note! We are Dylan freaks (a few of us anyway) and this is a great way to pay tribute. Here's a partial list of players, ANNA ZIMMERLI, BRADLEY WEAVER, BRIAN ADAMS (Magnolia Row), CHELLA NEGRO, CHRIS KUTENSKY, DAVE HALCHAK, DAN TREANOR, DANIELLA KATZIR (Magnolia Row), DEWEY PAUL, DON LANGEBERG (Milky Hayes Project), DWIGHT MARK, EDDIE WESSELHOFF, ERIC McLENNAN (Milky Hayes Project), FLITZ ALAN (Zebra Junction), ISAIAH (Rock-A-Phonics), JACK HADLEY, JEB MARTIN, JOHN BUNDY, JOHN BUNTING, JOHN McKAY, MICAH LUNDY (Zebra Junction), MICHAEL MONETTI, MIKE STUDENY, PAUL MURIN (Magnolia Row), R.C. GRIFFIN, JR., RICKY POSADAS, SARAH QUARLES, Seneca (from Ireland), SHASTA BACA, STEVE KNOPPER (Milky Hayes Project), TIM STEELE, & WILLIAM BROWNING (Magnolia Row).

Hope to see you there,

D illin'

Extra Credit: Some say Bob Dylan is our greatest living poet. And in terms of lives affected that may just be true. So let us get warmed up for the weekend with a birthday poem for Matthew by Mr. Dylan himself...

Forever Young

May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of change shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung.
May you stay forever young.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

mid May, 09

D bombs,

In a dream last night we were all at a rave festival at a park in Europe, dancing. We look up and there's a kid dancing in the sky above us with very fancy footwork. He's throwing down green plants that make a kind of moving canvas on the clouds above us. He rearranges the plants with his feet and then kicks the plants out of the way when he is done and throws down more, all very fast and to the beat. It is astonishing. We have no idea how the effect is done, but it's cool. Then we go into a shoe store and there is another kid dancing on what seems like the top of the store, as if the ceiling were made of glass, and he is throwing down plants with a slightly different style than the one outside. It must be some new kind of art form. Afterward the kid comes out to answer questions. We ask him how its done and he says it is just a real time projection. Of course! Brilliant. But we're left wondering how they were able to project onto the sky outside. Can they do that these days? But now a mob have swarmed this kid so we don't get to ask. We do take note of his awesome headgear though. On top of his cap there is a white dome made up of thousands of sides. And this kid has taken a pen and made killer designs in the sides by shading them so that the white dome on his head has become a high work of art. Not sure if we can recreate that dream in anything but words.

But this dream is a go. This Friday night we have Oakhurst back in the house at 9:30pm. This band is getting bigger by the minute it seems, already legends of the Denver scene and we're lucky to have them. Super fun boot stomping bluegrass rock to get your ya yas out to. Opening is The John McKay Band at 8:00pm. $10. Playing dinner time is our friend Mike Fitzmaurice, a genius on solo stand up bass, 5:30pm.

Saturday night we have a CD release party for Mestizo. This band has a percussive, but melodic sound. They've been playing the D Note for a few years and finally have a CD so come out to support. Also playing will be our good friend Melissa Ivey at 7:30pm and My Friend Tom at 10:30pm.

Saturday day at 4pm we have a fantastic new installment of the Music Train Family Concert Series with Edna Culig, world renowned Bandurria player, and friends performing traditional Filipino dance and music. Bring the kids out for a unique cultural experience. $7 adults, $3 kids.

And Thursday, May 14 (tonight if you get this today) we have Trivia with Geeks Who Drink at 6:30pm and then Lila Bloom and The E Project Band at 8:30pm. These two theatric bands are part of a cool scene in Denver. Check them out. $5.

Always,

D day

Extra credit: A poem Adam DeGraff wrote after a stay in Lerici, Italy. Lerici is also known as the Bay of Poets because Shelley, Keats and Byron all stayed and wrote there. Their poems are better, but Adam's is shorter.

Bay of Poets

I had a licorice in Lerici
I had to spit it out
It was way too bitter
But I appreciate that
About the Italians
They like it bitter
They like it really bitter

Oh my god, try an espresso
Try it without any cream
Try it without any sugar
It's so bitter
It's so bitter
And I admire that

But I cannot drink that stuff straight
No!
I like a little cream
Yes!
I like a little sugar
I like it sweet
And I like it mild
Like a little child

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

early to mid May, 09

D ploy,

Ahoy. We recently read that there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe, and around 100 billion stars in each galaxy, including our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Our sun is just one fairly mediocre star at the edge of it. As is the macrocosm, so is the microcosm: It is estimated that there are approximately 100 billion cells in the human brain which contain an infinite number of possible connections between them. In view of all of that infinite vastness we still sometimes get stuck. Let us open the possibilities.

Speaking of possibilities, this Thursday we have a fantastic psychedelic rock band called The Pinkoes playing after trivia at 9pm. Check out their far out sound and the trippy poster for this show on their myspace. Playing with The Pinkoes is another uber cool band called Junk Drawer. $5.

Friday at 7pm we have a CD release for our friend Trinity Demask. Trinity's got a lovely alt country sound and we're excited to hear her new CD. It will undoubtedly be soothingly beautiful. At 9pm we have the indie rock band Schofield back in the house and at 10:30 Greenfoot is back to rock us out. $5 all night.

Saturday at 1pm and 5pm we have shows by The Denver School Of Rock. This is their second show at the D Note. The first one featured all songs of The Who and it was great. This one is all funk and reggae which and will be a blast. $8.

At 8:30pm on Saturday we have the return of The Jagtones, playing the best of dance music from past. Always fun. $7.

The Clamdaddys are putting out a call to blues singers for the Wednesday night jam. If you got the blues in you waiting to get belted out now's the time. Still the best free night of live music in Colorado IOHO.

Finally, we have a shiny new website created by Sean Wolter. Check it out.

Look, master,

D plane D plane!

Extra Credit: Joe Brainard is one of our favorite painters ever. But he was also an interesting poet. Here's a small piece of one his simple classics.

PEOPLE OF THE WORLD: RELAX!

If you want to be a movie star go to Hollywood
If you want to be a dancer dance right now
Or it will be too late
And you will be unhappy

Be a dancer if you want to be a dancer
Do not be afraid
Some of the best people I know are dancers

People of the world: RELAX!

Put on a clean white shirt and RELAX
Do not be afraid
Some of the best people I know are afraid

Do not be afraid of death
It will not hurt you

People of the World: RELAX!

The world is yours
Here, take it

early May, 09

D posits,

Remember that old saying, "That'll happen when pigs fly."? Well, it has happened. Now we can all finally say that swine flu. Ba dum dum. Sorry, probably still too early for swine flu jokes.

Lots of good stuff this weekend. Friday we have a flamenco performance by the dance troupe Polkadot, with Steve Mullins leading the musicians. It is always a thrill to watch great flamenco dancers with great flamenco musicians, especially this far from Spain. Hope you can make it out. Check out the great review of their last show at the D Note here. Starts at 6:30pm, $15. If you call the D Note you can get advanced tickets for $12 (303-463-6683)

At 8:30pm Friday we have a band called Ironwood Rain, with a Jack Johnsonish vibe, and at 10pm we have a new 8 piece funk/hip hop band called Archetype. $7.

Saturday night we have a benefit for KidStar with The Denver School of Rock (5pm), Wild Mountain Honey (6pm), The Duke Street Kings (7:15pm) and The Lost Canyon Band (9:30pm). This show will raise money to bring the KidStar Radio Network to Denver schools and youth centers. This non-profit educational organization creates online radio stations in middle schools and youth clubs and teaches kids to run them - the kids do everything. $10.

If you get this in time and want to come out to hear some sweet local bands, we have Frokus and Ephesus playing after GWD Trivia starting at 6:30pm

Around the clock,

D tocks

Extra Credit: Speaking of swine, here's a nice poem by the great Roald Dahl.

The Pig

In England once there lived a big
And wonderfully clever pig.
To everybody it was plain
That Piggy had a massive brain.
He worked out sums inside his head,
There was no book he hadn't read.
He knew what made an airplane fly,
He knew how engines worked and why.
He knew all this, but in the end
One question drove him round the bend:
He simply couldn't puzzle out
What LIFE was really all about.
What was the reason for his birth?
Why was he placed upon this earth?
His giant brain went round and round.
Alas, no answer could be found.
Till suddenly one wondrous night.
All in a flash he saw the light.
He jumped up like a ballet dancer
And yelled, "By gum, I've got the answer!"
"They want my bacon slice by slice
"To sell at a tremendous price!
"They want my tender juicy chops
"To put in all the butcher's shops!
"They want my pork to make a roast
"And that's the part'll cost the most!
"They want my sausages in strings!
"They even want my chitterlings!
"The butcher's shop! The carving knife!
"That is the reason for my life!"
Such thoughts as these are not designed
To give a pig great piece of mind.
Next morning, in comes Farmer Bland,
A pail of pigswill in his hand,
And piggy with a mighty roar,
Bashes the farmer to the floor…
Now comes the rather grizzly bit
So let's not make too much of it,
Except that you must understand
That Piggy did eat Farmer Bland,
He ate him up from head to toe,
Chewing the pieces nice and slow.
It took an hour to reach the feet,
Because there was so much to eat,
And when he finished, Pig, of course,
Felt absolutely no remorse.
Slowly he scratched his brainy head
And with a little smile he said,
"I had a fairly powerful hunch
"That he might have me for his lunch.
"And so, because I feared the worst,
"I thought I'd better eat him first."