New Life for Edith Piaf

One fateful Friday (this last one), a dear friend of mine held a very important fundraiser for the homeless. This fundraiser was held at an art gallery. Upon exploring the space, I came across an interactive exhibit surely commenting on the demise of physical audio storage media, in which obserers were meant to pick a record from a large stack to smash with a hammer. I nervously went through the stack, coming across fantastic records such as Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and a couple of Edith Piaf records. Speaking with a woman who donated a number of her albums to the artist for the exhibit, she sighed and said that none of them were worth anything, but if I was dying for one and actually had a player, I could take one. Edith's sound, I thought, was absolutely made for the warmth of a record player. I put the other good albums on the bottom f the stack in hopes that those in attendance would not get that far, and then I snuck Edith out in a friend's friend's vinyl-sized bag, and took her out with me for the night. We went to the wonderful James Vincent McMorrow show at Bowery Ballroom, then out dancing, then home.

Tonight I hooked up the player my brother left for me. I've never set up a player in my life, but was determined to have an evening with my new friend. Oh, the beauty that is this evening! To think that this lovely album was on it's way to never be heard again! Now that I'm finally experiencig it, I'm devastated that other albums met their end that night. I should have done more...Smuggled more! But I'm so satisfied that this album can go on to do that which it was meant for: to bring pleasure and comfort and utmost coziness to the ears of others throughout time. She will last as long as her grooves can hold, and let me tell you...there is no sign of an end for this lady!

Lucky Across the Seas

 
New Zealand, Australia, and Europe have it good these next few months.  With the exception of the popular US music festivals, many of my favorite musicians are touring overseas.  Hey Sufjan, Mumford, Stith, Tallest Man, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, etcetera etcetera etcetera: how about hitting NYC again?  I guarantee you good crowds!