Livin’ in New York City Post 28: Meditations, Filmmakers, Rock Stars and My 24th Birthday
During my travels, I visited the Holiday Cocktail Lounge a.k.a. the bar from “Past Lives” which is one of my favorite films of the past few years.
With my 24th birthday having passed, there comes the annual existential talk I have with myself where I contemplate whether I have made the most of my past year. Well, I’m making a music documentary with a band I never even heard of a year ago so I’m going to say yes. I have been searching for more experiences and have come back with plenty of riches. Metaphorically speaking that is. I’m not moving to the Upper West Side anytime soon nor am I changing jobs. I mean, why would I want to give up my free supply of coffee? But as the seasons have actually changed, I have found myself entering full summer mode. I am ready to spend every day outside, taking in as many bizarre sights as this city can give me.
One thing that is as iconic to New York as the skyline, the Yankees and the occasional subway masturbator is Billy Joel’s monthly residency at Madison Square Garden which is sadly coming to an end this summer. I mean, he’s still going to be performing there but it’s probably only going to be a couple of times per year which is understandable given how long this residency has been going on. Some of you may recall that I saw Billy Joel’s residency last June (the original concert date in December 2022 was postponed due to illness) and had a marvelous time. Truly, there is nothing like seeing this man’s live show at the world’s greatest arena surrounded by thousands of ecstatic fans. I knew that I wanted to see him live at least one more time before the residency wrapped and so I made up my mind to see his March show.
This performance would be significant for a couple of reasons. First, it was Billy Joel’s 100th concert in this residency. Second, a couple of surprise guests were rumored to be a part of the show since it was so important. Third, CBS would be capturing the whole show and broadcasting it the following month on network television and Paramount+. If there was any Billy Joel performance to see, this would be it. So, I got myself a cheap seat (although I’m of the opinion that there are hardly any bad seats at Madison Square Garden) and went to the Garden after work, excited to relive the magic of Joel’s songs with a crowd of fellow New Yorkers.
As I waited outside the stadium to be let in, I found myself in line with a couple of Japanese tourists that had flown in all the way from Tokyo to see Billy Joel. We struck up a conversation mainly because they were curious about when the show would end. When I told them that it would be around 11 p.m., they expressed some nervousness about walking back to their hotel so late. When I asked where they were, I was thinking that maybe they were situated below 14th Street or on the Upper West Side and would have suggested that they just take a cab. They were staying a few blocks away. I could hardly contain my laughter. I know newcomers can get intimidated by the city but when you’re only walking a few blocks from Madison Square Garden while surrounded by Billy Joel fans and security personnel, I don’t think you have much to worry about. I told them so and they seemed to be reassured. Before they went inside, they gave me a bow of respect. I flashed them a peace sign back. Two different gestures, same feeling.
When I got inside, I saw that there were bracelets next to everyone's seats. I assumed that it had something to do with the show and put mine on. It turns out that they would be used to make the audience part of the show. The lighting crew commissioned these bracelets to glow certain colors for certain songs to create an even better image for the television cameras. If lights are going to be going off in the audience anyway, whether it’s cell phones or lighters, you might as well lean into it. When the show got started with a beautiful instrumental that would lean into “Miami 2017”, all the feelings of listening to Billy Joel’s albums growing up and then seeing him live last year came flooding back to me. The concert was non-stop fun and, with those bracelets aglow, the communal atmosphere was even more pronounced. It was still as magical as ever seeing Billy Joel playing songs like “The Longest Time”, “New York State of Mind” and “Piano Man” in my city.
True to my assumptions, there were a couple of guests that helped commemorate this historic night in Billy Joel’s lore. The first came before Joel played “Vienna”. Before the band went into it, Jerry Seinfeld came on stage to give a speech detailing how Joel’s music has become such an integral part of New York’s cultural identity. To celebrate the residency's place in Madison Square Garden, Seinfeld gave the cue for the stadium to raise a new banner that will hang alongside the athletic achievements of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. When Joel gave Seinfeld a big hug in appreciation, the comedian said into his microphone “you can die now.” Big laugh from the crowd. However, I for one would have liked to have seen Jerry Seinfeld go into a full stand-up set. “I mean, what’s the deal with Billy Joel? Look at some of those lyrics. ‘I walked through Bedford-Stuy alone?’ That’s not crazy, that’s Tuesday.”
After several rousing numbers, another guest was called to the stage. This time, it was Sting. They first played “Big Man on Mulberry Street” from Joel’s album “The Bridge” before really getting the crowd moving with their version of “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”. If that’s what they could do with just two songs, I feel a bit jealous of the people who will see the pair play a full concert in St. Louis, San Antonio and Las Vegas later this year.
While I’ve seen many great artists in my time as a New Yorker, very few of them have that distinct persona that so naturally fits into this city. When you see Billy Joel in Madison Square Garden, it’s a glimpse into the spirit of this city. The harshness, the optimism and the hustle are all represented in his songs. The music can be down-to-Earth like in “Allentown”, “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” and “Uptown Girl” but can also become downright angelic with influences of jazz, classical music and even opera. Going into that arena and hearing that music is going to change you and I know that this second concert isn’t going to be my last round with the Piano Man.
Seeing Billy Joel wasn’t just a way for me to celebrate his music. It was also a precursor of a very important job that I had created for myself. As much as I have loved my jobs on independent film shoots (I am still available for hire or even for free to work on whatever films need my help), I’m tired of waiting for opportunities to come to me. I’m tired of sending out resumés to places that never respond. So, I made my own opportunity. Ever since I saw Camp Bedford, my favorite local band, first perform in September of 2023, I have been to almost every single show they’ve put on and I’ve become friends with the members of the group. It’s such a joy to walk into whatever bar or venue they’re playing at and just have a beer with them before the show and maybe get up to some mischief afterwards. Their songwriting, musicianship, camaraderie and genuine affection for everyone they come in contact with was more than enough to convince me to make a film about them. So, earlier this year, I approached Camp Bedford with my idea to make a documentary film centered on the band. They agreed.
With this project still ongoing, it’s difficult to say what this film is even about but I have levels of excitement that I haven’t felt since I made my student film while I was a senior at Northern Illinois University. While the band’s spring schedule made shooting interviews difficult, we had the opportunity to jump our first hurdle with the recording of live music. As someone who frequents live music venues, I have seen plenty of instances where the bands playing have enlisted the services of filmmakers but it’s always felt small to me with most of these performances being covered by one or two cameras. This isn’t bad by any means because I’ve seen the results of these shoots and they’re quite good but for a documentary film, I knew that I should get multiple cameras to cover a live performance. This would mean having to hire a few people to operate these cameras alongside me. After all, I want the cameras to be active storytellers with pans, tilts and zooms to enhance the viewer’s perception of the show.
I also needed the right venue. Most of the places Camp Bedford has performed in are bars which is fine but not ideal when you’re making a movie. The space is reduced, movement is harder and sound recording is tougher because you’re dealing with people talking and drinking. On top of that, Camp Bedford is usually part of a bill with other groups so their set time is usually limited to 45 minutes. Again, they can rock the house with that amount of time but I’m a greedy bastard. So, if I could get an even longer time to shoot the band’s performance, I’d take that opportunity. Luckily, all of these necessities would be fulfilled by a crew of filmmakers I knew and the Culture Lab in Long Island City.
For over a year, I’ve been going to events at Culture Lab and have become pretty friendly with the staff. So, when Camp Bedford announced that they would be performing there on their own on March 30, I knew that this was the time to get the footage I would need for the film. This venue had everything I would need and it would allow Camp Bedford to play as long as they wanted. So, after hiring some filmmaking friends to shoot the concert, we all brought our cameras and prepared ourselves for a long shoot. I expected the show to last for about an hour-and-a-half but it actually went on for an hour-and-forty-five minutes and lasted for 20 songs. With a healthy mix of covers and originals, Camp Bedford gave us so much to work with. Out of the five cameras, two were on tripods to get wider shots with room to zoom, two were handheld for more intimate shots and a GoPro was mounted behind the band for a silhouette shot. I was one of the camera operators holding a handheld camera. The whole night was exhilarating as I made my split-second decisions to get the best footage possible but also exhausting. Even though it was only a DSLR, holding that camera rig on my shoulders for nearly two hours really started to wear me down but it was all worth it.
When we wrapped up, I checked with each member of my crew to see if they were good and then approached the band. It was so satisfying to tell the band that we got it in the can and, after editing the footage for the past month, I can tell that this is going to be something good. I have been working on the concert footage to entice potential collaborators and investors and I am very happy with it. So much of this film rests on the band and their incredible work and I’m so thankful that they’ve agreed to go on this adventure with me. I’m also grateful for my three filmmaker comrades that helped me shoot all of this good footage that I’ve been tinkering with.
Camp Bedford, my film crew and I all worked together to get some great footage of the band’s full Culture Lab performance which will be used in a documentary that I’m making about the band.
It’s especially satisfying because I’ve been trying for a while to make something happen in New York. I’ve shopped around ideas, tried to start projects and have tried to come up with scripts to get collaborators attached to but none of them have panned out. But out of these disappointments has come this film. Even before I even walked into Culture Lab to set up my equipment, I knew that this project was going to be something that would move forward and materialize. The day before, I went into Barnes and Noble to look at their Criterion Collection section in their music and film portion of the store. Above the shelves of Blu-Rays and DVDs are a couple of televisions and, on this day, “The Last Waltz” was playing. I took it as a sign from one of the greatest music films ever made by one of my favorite filmmakers that the Camp Bedford documentary was something that I was meant to do and I can’t wait to see where the journey takes me.
After the Camp Bedford shoot, I found myself incredibly exhausted and not just because of the shoot. I had been psyching myself up about filming live music for weeks with all of my efforts being focused on getting new equipment, hiring people to film the show, working with the staff at Culture Lab and making sure that every contingency was planned for. I wanted no stone unturned and I felt my hands-on approach worked. But I needed to unwind. For me, there is no better way than going to the movies. With so many independent theaters existing in New York, I have so many opportunities to see classic movies as well as smaller films that I wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else. I decided to take advantage of this and so I began to plan my Perfect Week. Just as a baseball player can get a perfect game by striking out 27 batters, I would achieve my perfect week through consistency. For seven days, I would go to a theater to see a movie. However, like Pringles or heroin, it’s hard to stop this cycle. I had planned for the continuous movie binge to last a week. It wound up being ten days.
On Easter Sunday, I checked out “The Deer Hunter” at the Metrograph. Out of all the films made about The Vietnam War, the 1978 Best Picture winner is my favorite with epic beauty in the first hour (depicting a wedding and a deer hunt) that is offset by some of the harshest scenes in film history. Watching the infamous Russian roulette sequence in a packed theater was peak tension as every click of an empty chamber triggered a jolt from the audience followed by a momentary sigh of relief that was quickly crushed when another man pressed the gun to his temple. I hadn’t been to the Metrograph since I watched the Oscars there so being in this cozy and pristine theater in the Lower East Side was more than welcome.
The next two days were spent enjoying some of the earliest films of my favorite filmmakers: Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. Based near Prospect Park, the Nitehawk Cinema was showing Spielberg’s first film “Duel” (a made for television film that was so impressive it go a theatrical rerelease) on April 1 and then Scorsese’s second feature “Boxcar Bertha” (which he made for the late Roger Corman) the following day. Despite my deep live and admiration for the pair of New Hollywood movie brats, I had never seen these two films which is strange considering just how much of their work I have consumed. I’ve even seen Marty’s debut film “Who’s That Knocking At My Door” but I hadn’t checked out his sophomore exploitation film with a pre-”Kung Fu” David Carradine.
With both films, I had a very good time. “Duel” is a masterpiece of television suspense, there’s no doubt about that, and it showed the promise of Spielberg who was only 25 when the film was made. On the other hand, I was very surprised by “Boxcar Bertha”. For years I had heard that this was one of Marty’s weakest efforts, a glorified exploitation mess that he made so he could get the technical know-how to do “Mean Streets”. Instead, I saw a pretty compelling film showcasing injustices of Depresssion-era America with the kind of violent and sex-fueled fun that only Roger Corman’s studio could create. It’s like if you combined John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie with pulp novels and also tried to imitate Arthur Penn and Warren Beaty’s success with “Bonnie and Clyde”. It’s not better than the 1967 Best Picture nominee but I think that “Boxcar Bertha deserves more respect than it’s been given, especially among Scorsese fans.
For April 3, the halfway point through the week, I took to the Village East Cinema on Second Avenue to see “Dazed and Confused” which is just one of those films that I will always try to see when a theatrical screening is happening near me. It’s just a good film to watch with a crowd that has, inevitably, been smoking some weed because if Matthew McConaughey and Jason London can get stoned in the film, why not New York? Coincidentally, the screening was occuring during a significant downpour with city officials worried that some of the streets would become flooded. It was in this deluge that I ventured to see the film and it was certainly worth it.
The next day, I decided to go straight to the movies from work so that I could be home at a reasonable hour. I went to the Syndicated Bar to see “Perfect Days”, a film that is quickly becoming a comforting watch for me with beautiful acting, amazing visuals in Tokyo, a cozy human story and a fantastic soundtrack with Otis Redding, Patti Smith, Van Morrsion and others. While nothing from nature or in the theater made this a partocuallry memorable screening, I still got to see one of my favorite films of this year again in a really unique venue.
On April 5, New York was rocked by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake and I was unable to experience it because I was underground on the subway. Coming from a state with little seismic activity, I was envious of all my fellow New Yorkers that were jolted for a couple of minutes. Then I saw the reactions that everyone had and my jealousy evaporated. Whether it was a sincere reaction or for comedic effect, everyone seemed to overreact to the earthquake and it really got under my skin. Why? Because it was a 4.7 earthquake. That’s nothing. I have a roommate that is from California and he was pretty unimpressed with the earthquake. I bet that the day of the earthquake, a bunch of Californians gathered on a street corner, lit up some cigarettes and began to complain about how soft New Yorkers are for their reaction to that small rumble. While plate tectonics probably had something to do with the earthquake, I had a feeling that the earthquake was a warning to New York. A warning that he was upon us. Tommy Wiseau was in New York and the city was not prepared.
For those who don’t know, Tommy Wiseau is a filmmaker who, in 2003, made a film called “The Room” that was critically panned and commercially unsuccessful. It was originally envisioned as a Tennessee Williams-style American drama that would star Wiseau as the sympathetic lead. It failed with “The Room” being maligned for its terrible acting, shoddy direction, many plot holes and unresolved dilemmas and a comical treatment of drama. However, the film’s many oddities came together to make something that is truly unique. “The Room” became a hit on the midnight movie circuit with the rapid growth of a die-hard fanbase. Much like “Rocky Horror” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, the film would become an interractive experience with audience participation but with the ironic enjoyment of a film like “Reefer Madness”.
In the 20 years since the film’s release, Wiseau has fully embraced this kind of love with him going on the road to make appearances at screenings and to meet fans. He’s even taken to calling “The Room” a black comedy and has stated that it was always his intention to make a comedy. I seriously doubt that but who really knows with Wiseau. Other cast and crew members have also become proud of their work on “The Room” including Greg Sestero, Wiseau’s best friend who starred opposite him in “The Room”, who has since written a compelling book about the making of the film called “The Disaster Artist” which was turned into a Golden Globe award winning film of the same name in 2017 starring James (the film’s director) and Dave Franco as Wiseau and Sestero respectively.
In 2014, my friend Blake Maxwell introduced me to a YouTuber called the Nostalgia Critic, who has spent nearly 20 years reviewing films in a comedic manner. Blake showed me a particular video in which the Nostalgia Critic made fun of “The Room”. Even from the broken up clips that were featured in the video, I knew that this was a truly bizarre film that needed to be witnessed in its entirety. I found the film, watched it and was never the same. I fell in love with just how strange the film was. There’s just nothing like “The Room”. We’ve seen plenty of bad films that have just come and gone. They’re sterile. Dead. Lifeless bloated corpses of cinema that do nothing to advance the art form. “The Room” isn’t that. I wouldn’t even call it a a bad film. Such simple adjectives don’t come close to describing it. It’s just something you can’t categorize, you just have to watch it. So, when I saw that Tommy Wiseau would be attending a screening of “The Room” at the Village East Cinemas along with presenting his new film “Big Shark”, I knew I just had to meet the guy.
I walked into the Village East lobby and saw a massive line at the merch table that would culminate in a meet-and-greet with Tommy Wiseau who was signing personal items, taking photos with fans and even throwing footballs to willing participants. I was very surprised to see just how cheap the merchandise was. Tommy had everything you could think of for sale including Blu-Rays of “The Room”, all kinds of clothing items (including a line of underwear) and other assorted knick-knacks. I was able to get a t-shirt, a pair of socks and a Blu-ray all for $40 which is insane when you consider that Tommy could literally charge anything for this stuff and people would pay for it. It’s nice that he would price things so low. He also autographed stuff for free and was full of energy. Every once in a while, he would let out a “whoop” to keep the crowd excited.
Out of all the people I have ever met, Tommy Wiseau has got be one of the strangest. First of all, very little is even known about the guy including his birthplace, his age and how he even got the $6 million to fund “The Room”. He’s insanely enigmatic and it’s hard to get a read on him through his multiple belts, sunglasses and strong accent. He also was insanely charismatic and generous. You could tell that he was happy to be with the fans and even wished me the best of luck with my dreams as a filmmaker when he was signing my Blu-Ray. The screening of “The Room” was supposed to start at 8 p.m. but it didn’t actually begin until 9 because so many people wanted to meet Tommy and he didn’t want to let anyone down. How sweet is that? When he did a Q&A before the show, he gave very shrouded answers but he did give some strong advice for filmmakers. “Save money, make movie. This is America, greatest country on Earth. You can do it.” This is why his dialog lives forever in the hearts of cult movie fans.
If you’ve never been to a screening of “The Room”, I implore you to check one out. It’s truly insane and I was in a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” shadowcast for four years. The jokes, the shrieks, the plastic spoons flung by the audience (don’t ask) all brought us together in what can only be described as the true definition of a cult movie. If Tommy Wiseau and his films were the basis of a cult, I would have downed ten cups of Kool-Aid. This was all topped by his new opus “Big Shark” that is also a bizarre film but for completely different reasons than “The Room”. I can see some fans not getting into Wiseau’s sophomore feature but I think that, when you accept the film as a different animal, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be found. I should know because the audience I was with absolutely adored this film. We were all cracking jokes, quoting repeated lines from the film and just having a good time. 20 years later and Wiseau still knows how to entertain whether it was intentional or not.
I got to meet the great Tommy Wiseau and I haven’t been the same since, especially since I watched two of his films in a row with a packed audience.
For what was supposed to be the last film in my perfect week, I went from seeing a classic of cult cinema to a new documentary about a real-life New York landmark that had just as much of a cult following as “The Room”. If you spent time in Lower Manhattan during the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, then you probably heard of Kim’s Video. This amazing store had an eclectic collection of all kinds of cinema from the popular features you’d see at the multiplex to bizarre low-budget horror films from Turkey and all other kinds of world cinema. The clientele was also legendary with many Kim’s customers and employees becoming big names like the Coen brothers, Todd Phillips and the Safdie brothers. Like most video stores, Kim’s closed and what happened to the collection was a true odyssey of epic proportions. This odyssey was documented by filmmakers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin and the resulting documentary is an amazing thrillride centered on how much people can truly care about physical media which seems to be dying more and more every day (fuck you Best Buy).
I was able to attend a pretty special screening of the film at the Quad Cinema in the Village that was being put on by Reunion. As a big fan of this collective, I was immediately hooked and was even more excited to see the film when I saw that Youngman Kim, the owner of the famed Kim’s Video, would be at the screening for a Q&A alongside Jacqueline Castel, a former employee turned filmmaker. I was lucky enough to ask Kim a question and I asked a pretty good one where I wanted to know his thoughts on physical media being tossed aside in favor of streaming. He gave a very vivid answer about how much he loved the community that formed at his store around these videos. Nothing is like it. Not only was this answer an inspiring Ted Talk about why physical media still matters but it also got me some pretty good nods of approval from the audience. After the screening, I was able to meet Mr. Kim and Jacqueline Castel. It’s just a good feeling to be surrounded by passionate people that love movies.
Meeting Youngman Kim was a distinct pleasure given all of the good he has done for New York City’s cinematic landscape.
Continuing my perfect week, even though my seven days were already up, I went to Syndicated after work to see “Badlands” and I think I’m running out of ways to describe going to the movies. I mean, I got to watch a Terrence Malik film about a teenage killing spree starring a young Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. No notes. The next screening however was very memorable since it was for a Canadian independent film that I really have enjoyed, “I Like Movies”. At the Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, this film was screened to kick off its American road tour with the writer/director Chandler Levack present alongside other members of the cast and crew. Having seen clips of the film on the various film pages I follow on Instagram, I was hooked on “I Like Movies” before I even saw it. I definitely wanted to check out the screening and Q&A, especially when I saw that Emma Seligman would be hosting it. Like Levack, Seligman is a Canadian filmmaker and her past two films, “Shiva Baby” and “Bottoms”, were remarkable. To be in a room with these two talented directors was an experience that I couldn’t pass up.
Following the film, I hung around and talked to the people involved from some of the actors to the director of photography. I even had a quick interaction with Emma Seligman where I told her how much I loved her films and she was thankful for my fandom. She also complimented my jacket which really made my night. The person who made a film where Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott start a fight club to hook up with cheerleaders liked my sense of style. Eventually, I met up with Lindsay Blair Goeldner, the film’s producer, who introduced me to Chandler Levack and the three of us just had a great ten-minute conversation about the film and how well Levack captured that early 2000s video store nostalgia. That’s a big reason why I love indie films and attending the screenings. Even though their films are truly remarkable and can contend with what comes from the mainstream, there’s still this casual side to the filmmakers. You can spend time with these soon-to-be big names and can just bask in their success which gives you inspiration for your own work. Hanging out with these people shows me that my goal of directing films is more than attainable. This is a world that is ever-expanding, welcoming more artists into the fold. I hope that one day I can make a film that plays at a festival like Sundance where I can meet Emma Seligman and Chandler Levack and just casually say “remember that screening of Chandler’s film back in 2024? That’s where I first met you two.”
Wrapping up the perfect ten day week, I went to see Dev Patel’s directorial debut “Monkey Man” at the AMC theater on 19th Street. Thus concluded my massive movie binge that truly wiped me out. I know that it’s not really that exhausting considering I spent the majority of my time sitting down and staring at a screen but the mental toll of watching and analyzing that many movies with the added pressures of Q&As, meet-and-greets and trying to express your enthusiasm to other filmmakers without coming across as over-eager should not be overlooked. If there’s one thing to take away from this period, it’s that New York City is an endless trove of cinema where you are never short of interesting things to watch.
This image was one of several that I snapped along The High Line in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.
Later that week, following a screening of “Civil War”, I decided to take a walk on the High Line. It had been a year since I walked the tracks, the last time was after my encounter with Steven Spielberg at the Whitney, and it was still as lovely as ever, especially with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Following my walk along the former elevated train tracks, I found myself at the Little Island in the Hudson River, an artificially made island teeming with paths and gardens as well as an amphitheater. To be honest, the island wasn’t really what interested me. The reason why I went there was because Pier 54, where the island is, was where the survivors of the Titanic disaster were dropped off. Since I had been to a phenomenal Titanic exhibit and also watched a theatrical rerelease of James Cameron’s “Titanic” in New York, I figured this was the next logical step. Despite everyone having a good time at the pier, I still felt that solemn feeling that comes from knowing that, over 100 years ago, 700 uncertain survivors were setting foot on land after one of the most terrifying maritime disasters.
Along with my devotion to the Camp Bedford documentary, I have been continuing to support local music including one group that is currently on their first European tour, Gut Puppy. Comprised of real-life partners Nancy McArthur and Oli Remembers, the best way to describe this folk duo is to imagine when Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan sang “500 Miles” in “Inside Llewyn Davis”. That’s the kind of feel and chemistry that I’m talking about. I had gone to their Upper West Side fundraiser, in support of their European tour, a few months ago and was determined to see their last show on American soil at the LIC Bar in Long Island City.
While the show was fantastic, I was disappointed that there were no dogs in attendance. When Nancy and Oli were advertising the show, they made a special mention that the LIC Bar was a dog friendly venue and I guess they were hoping that people would bring their canines to the show. That didn’t happen. I was promised dogs and there were no dogs. There was good music but no dogs. What will it take to get people to bring their dogs to things? I love dogs and can’t have one in my apartment so I’ve become pretty envious of places where dogs are just everywhere. In spite of this shortcoming, the show was a very enjoyable, laid-back time that I enjoyed and I sincerely wish Gut Puppy well as they make their way through Europe.
Even with no dogs, it was still a good time to see Gut Puppy’s final American show before they went to tour Europe this summer.
In New York, certain holidays have a greater sense of clout compared to the rest of the country. New Year’s Eve and Christmas are fairly obvious and Pride Month is just this massive celebration since the modern gay rights movement was started in this city but 4/20 is also a significant time to be in New York City. Since marijuana has been legal in the city since 2021, every April 20th has been a massive celebration of the drug. The only tragedy is that some still can’t seem to shake the conditioning that the Nixon and Reagan administrations imposed upon them where they equated pot to heroin which is completely ridiculous. One drug makes it seem like “The Wizard of Oz” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” go perfectly together (which they do) and the other killed Phillip Seymour Hoffman. There’s a difference.
So how would I celebrate 4/20? Well, I decided to go to the Music Inn on Fourth Street for a pretty rocking party. I had occasionally gone to the store to buy guitar strings or browse for records and so I knew that they had open mics every week and other live music events. I just had never gone for reasons I don’t even have. But when I saw that the Inn was hosting multiple acts in their basement for something called a “Hazy Hoedown”, I just couldn’t resist. With no idea what was going to happen, I went to the Inn and instantly felt this sense of comforting attachment. I made friends, of various ages, in no time and even got to reconnect with Jeff Slatnick now that I was out of my Bob Dylan garb. Within the first ten minutes of being there, some guy told me that I looked like Ray Manzarek of The Doors. Not only is he one of my favorite keys players in rock, but he was played by Kyle MacLachlan in Oliver Stone’s biopic so that was all I needed to feel like I belonged.
When you’re in the Music Inn, it’s like going back in time. The top floor has shelves of records along with guitar accessories and all kinds of string instruments hanging from the ceiling. Guitars, mandolins, sitars, ukuleles and all manner of world instruments that are all waiting to be played. In the basement, there were even more world instruments as well as pieces of percussion but the whole space had been rearranged to accommodate the audience that would be brewing for the show.
Before the show had even started, the stoop of the Inn was already buzzing with activity. People were playing instruments, swapping stories, drinking beers purchased from the liquor store next door and, of course, there were plenty of joints being passed around. I even saw one of the musicians taking a hit of weed off of a pipe that looked like it belonged to Gandalf the Grey. That man was definitely living his best life.
When the show got started, it was this incredible mix of rock-and-roll, folk, country and other assorted music with all of us just piled together. We were all dressed in outfits that would have been quite contemporary to the summer of 1967 and were just living in the true spirit of community. With the event having a BYOB policy, someone would come down with a six-pack of beer every 15 minutes and we’d just pass them around to whoever wanted one. In between sets, there would be a 15 minute smoke break outside and we would be gawked at by the tourists who could have sworn that Greenwich Village had become too posh for this kind of crowd. There’s a 1975 album called “The Basement Tapes” which is composed of some of the songs Bob Dylan and The Band cooked up in Woodstock in the late 60s. That was the atmosphere we were all working in.
As the time passed, the music got louder and more energized until we were all dancing past midnight. We moved until 1 or 2 in the morning, waltzing and shuffling and thrashing. Despite the close quarters, we were all still very mindful of everyone’s space and wanted all of our neighbors to have a good time. To be in the Music Inn is to experience human spirit in its purest form and all for just $5 a pop. There’s not a ton of pageantry and not much polish either. Just a bunch of cool people playing cool music. With an open mic every Thursday from 7:30 to midnight, I have been back multiple times and each time has been just as wild.
With a diverse group of artists and performers, The Music Inn is where it’s at. All of that bohemian energy that we associate with the Greenwich Village of the 1960s is alive in this basement.
Later on that week, I went to the Metrograph to see “Dazed and Confused” for the second time that month. If you’re wondering why I would pay to see the same film twice in a theater when I own it on Blu-Ray, there’s a logical answer. This version that was being shown was a 35mm print from the film’s original release. Not a digital version of the film. This was the original with grain in the print and cigarette burns to indicate the projectionist to switch reels. How could I pass this up? When I arrived, the auditorium had a noticeable aroma of pot but, in all fairness, the showing was at 4:20 p.m. This theater knew exactly what they were doing when they assigned showtimes.
One thing I’ve been wanting to explore more is photography. After all, my main trade is film which is just 24 photos per second so why not focus on the single image? With the protests at Columbia University in support of the Palestinian people amidst the bombing of Gaza by Israel, I felt that I should go down there to take photos and document the protests. I had grown to admire the cause of these students as well as the incredible coverage of the protests by Columbia University’s student media like The Daily Spectator and WKCR. Mark my words, these journalists should get a Pacemaker award.
When I arrived, I found that I couldn’t get in since the school had locked down the campus to only allow students and faculty inside. So, I went down to 72nd Street where I spent the next few hours at Strawberry Fields in Central Park. If I couldn’t physically support the students, I could send them all of my energy from 40 blocks away as I sang Beatles songs and took some good photos of the musicians playing. One moment I particularly liked was when this little girl approached a guitar player in between songs and asked to sing a song that she just made up on the spot. So here’s this little girl singing a new song with a guitar backing her up and it was pretty good. For a six-year-old, those were some pretty solid lyrics and they were met with applause from the Central Park West crowd. Only in New York.
That night, I went to Citi Field to see the St. Louis Cardinals play the New York Mets. I hadn’t been to see a baseball game in New York and I hadn’t even attended an MLB game since I saw the 2022 Cardinals Opening Day game where Albert Pujols returned to play his last season. This was a hole that I needed to fill. Having been to Citi Field to see Dead & Company last year, I already knew that I was going to like the stadium. The game itself was a pretty fun time, especially since the Cardinals won. When I went to get a hot dog, I was the subject of a few jokes from Mets fans who wanted to know why a fan of the visiting team was being served first. They were all made in good fun and there were no hard feelings. When you’re in a city that is so passionate about their sports teams, you have to know how to take a few jokes made at your expense. What more could I possibly need than a good ballgame, a cold beer and some hot dogs.
As I have written before, I absolutely love the Talking Heads concert film “Stop Making Sense”. The energy of the music and the film is incredibly infectious and I cannot express my gratitude enough to A24 for revamping the entire film and releasing it into theaters. While the film is now available to stream and you can even get a physical copy on A24’s website, there was a significant period of time where the only way you could see the film was in a theater. Towards the end of April, when I saw that the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn was having a late night screening of “Stop Making Sense”, I felt that it was only necessary for me to dust off my oversized suit and see the film for the sixth time in a theater.
When you’re short of good music, Strawberry Fields is always a safe bet with musicians playing the music of The Beatles and John Lennon.
Like all of the other screenings, there was a lot of good energy in the packed theater and I was waiting for people to get up and start dancing in front of the screen like at some of the other screenings I had been to. Song after song went by and no one was getting up. So, after too much anticipation, I made the first move when the song “This Must Be The Place” was being performed. I got up alongside the screen and started to dance like David Byrne. After a minute, someone in a Talking Heads t-shirt joined me. Then a couple more joined us. Before the song was over, a dozen fans had congregated and we were all dancing for the remainder of the film with the rest of the audience being visibly delighted by our antics. If you ever want to know why I spend so much time in movie theaters, this is it.
But there are some days where I don’t plan anything out. I might have an early morning errand in Manhattan or something I want to check out and then I just let the rest of the day happen. One day, as I was in Manhattan, I realized that I was pretty close to Madison Square Park near the Flatiron Building which is where a scene from “Past Lives”, one of my favorite films of last year, was shot. It also hit me that there were several locations from the film in the Village so, I decided to spend my afternoon finding them. If you’ve never seen “Past Lives”, I think you’re less of a person. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way though. I just think that there’s a part of you that is missing until you see that beautiful film.
Not only was Madison Square Park a necessary stop, but I also found the street where Greta Lee’s character lives and where a poignant final scene occurs. Walking those same steps that Lee took was exceptionally cathartic for me and brought back all of those memories of seeing the film for the first time a year ago. Even more incredible was that I got to go have a drink at the Holiday Cocktail Lounge, a bar on First Avenue and St. Marks Place, which was the setting for a pretty powerful scene involving the film’s three main characters. When I talked to the bartender, he told me that he was there when they shot the film and that it took production a whole week to get all of the shots they needed which makes sense when you consider the amount of shots and for how long the scene runs. As much as I like to visit the filmmaking locations of some pretty old and iconic films, it’s also wonderful to take in the places of recent films that are sure to become classics. The chances that the location will be in its same condition certainly increase.
During my travels to the “Past Lives” locations, I came across a Pro-Palestenian protest at NYU. With the massive wave of encampments and demonstrations at universities, I think I need to make my position on the Israel-Hamas war pretty clear. I am horrified by the attack Hamas committed on October 7, 2023 and I am saddened by the deaths of the 1,200 Isrealis and I want the hostages returned. I also am vehemently opposed to what the Israeli government has done in retaliation with the ongoing extermination of the Palestinian people disguised as war. It is possible to feel empathy for both Israelis and Palestinians and, above all else, wanting for there to be a ceasefire. With the civilian death count in Gaza being over 34,000 and much of those deaths being women and children, I just have one question for those who are comfortable turning a blind eye towards Israel's military crimes. How do you sleep at night? How can you be comfortable with 34,000 deaths?
While I have made my position on this quite clear and have tried to spread good information regarding the humanitarian crisis, I haven’t been to as many physical protests as I would like. So, when I got a flier advertising a protest outside of City Hall on May Day, I went there with my camera to document the protest. The protest and subsequent march from City Hall to Washington Square Park was nothing short of remarkable. Hundreds, thousands came to support the plight of the Palestinians and the entire sight was very moving. Students, workers, activists, musicians and union members all came together on the day celebrating the modern working class to channel their voice to protest what our government has been complicit in. You could feel the anger and the frustration but there was also a lot of love. You felt safe in this place and with all of these people united in the cause of peace. I took many, many pictures and I hope that they will, along with other great images others have taken of these protests, be important in the documenting of this movement. I also hope that this cry for peace is one that will be answered sooner rather than later.
I captured many powerful images of a Pro-Palestinian protest that showed the overall peaceful message of this movement.
For the past six months, I haven’t been the only filmmaker living in my apartment. My roommate Donny also is a skilled writer, director and cinematographer and has recently been on a festival kick with his short mockumentary film “Chirped”. While some of these festivals have been across the country like in Seattle, “Chirped” was selected to be screened as part of the Lower East Side Film Festival so of course I was going to go and show my support. With so many events occurring at the Festival that I wanted to see, I wound up getting a full all-access pass which included attending a social mixer for filmmakers with free drinks and plenty of access to oysters, a combination that Donny and I were in full support of. In between beers and sucking back half shells with a squeeze of lemon and cocktail sauce, we got to meet some pretty interesting filmmakers and it gave the festival a bit more of a personal feeling to it. We weren't just there to see films but to support fellow artists and give their films an audience.
Without giving too much away about “Chirped”, it was a fantastic short and the audience thought so too. The afterparty was staggering and it was good to be surrounded by so many talented, up-and-coming filmmakers. Later in the festival, I was able to see a 25th anniversary rerelease of “But I’m A Cheerleader” whose cult status has only grown since I saw the film last June at the Village East, which was showing the film for pride month. By coincidence, I was now seeing the same film in the same theater but with a much larger audience which made the experience all the more fun. Not only did I see the film because I wanted to make the most out of my festival pass but also because my friend Pat Irwin did the music for the film and I love the contributions he made to its camp and quirky atmosphere.
This screening was also pretty exciting because Jamie Babbit, the film’s director, was in attendance for a Q&A. It was great to see her give her insight into the film and let us know all of the challenges this queer teen film faced. For instance, the MPAA continuously wanted to rate the film NC-17 because of its explicit content. However, when you compare it to other teen films of the time, especially “American Pie”, it’s clear that this film should only be a tame R. The MPAA’s prejudice towards the LGBTQ+ community was undeniable. Fortunately, the film was able to be released with an R rating and it has found its audience. When the floor was opened up to audience questions, I was prepared to ask her about Pat’s music but she beat me to the punch, praising his work on the film, calling him an “amazing New York legend” and “a rockstar” and gushing over his other work with groups like The Raybeats and The B-52s. It was a well-earned shoutout and it shows just how collaborative and generous Babbit is as a director and a person.
Along with satisfying my love for supporting other filmmakers, I have continued to embrace all of the options I have for good live music. Of course I’ve been checking out my favorite local bands and attending open mics at the Music Inn but I also have been seeing some true legends in concert. One of them was the great Neil Young. As soon as I saw that he was going to be playing at Forest Hills Stadium with his band Crazy Horse, I had to get some tickets. As a massive fan of The Band and their concert film “The Last Waltz”, I have been trying to see as many of the musicians connected to that film as possible, which is sadly a short list. Many of them, including four members of The Band, have died and others have retired. However, I still have been able to see legends like Mavis Staples and Bob Dylan and I hope to add other names, like Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton, to the list one day. But I had a big name on my mind with Neil Young and I got myself a pretty cheap but good seat nonetheless.
I had already been to Forest Hills last year to see Willie Nelson and his Outlaw Country show so I knew the kind of vibe that would be greeting me. I was surrounded by old hippies and new fans who all were excited to see one of the great singer/songwriters of the past 60 years live. From the moment he and the band struck up their first song, “Cortez the Killer”, I was hooked. It was a mesmerizing show that proved Neil Young is still a great performer. Other songs like “The Losing End”, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” and “Heart of Gold” brought me chills as I heard them live. At one point, the sound system was cutting out but Neil Young remained professional and just joked around with the situation. It certainly didn’t stop him from giving us an amazing encore with “Rockin’ in the Free World”.
Between seeing legends like Neil Young and going to see other local acts, I thought about making my own contributions to this. While I don’t consider myself much of a musician, I do play a bit of guitar so it’s not too much to learn a couple of songs. When I was talking to Duff, a musician that plays at the Inn, he put it so well when he encouraged me to perform at the open mic. “You just learn a couple of songs and play them in seven minutes. If it goes well, great. If not, there’s next week.” So, I decided to learn a song and play it. It went much better than I could have imagined. My first ever live performance was a smash and it all came together pretty quickly without much thought.
First, the song. I decided to do “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” for a few reasons. First, the music was simple with the song being made up of just four chords: G, C, D and Am. Since Bob Dylan isn’t the greatest singer on a technical level, I thought I could do well enough vocally and the chorus is well known so I could always count on audience engagement. While the song isn’t very long, I decided to beef it up by adding the two verses from the studio version of the song with the two completely different verses from when Bob Dylan performed the song on his Rolling Thunder Revue tour. I would make the song twice as long and I could just perform that. But I thought that the performance could use something theatrical. So, I took a bandana and decided that I would spin a yarn about a condemned man singing this as his final song. I would put the bandana on my head and do the song blindfolded which isn’t as hard as it sounds. I’ve been playing the guitar off-and-on for five years (imagine how good I’d be if I got actual lessons) and I could make the transition between these basic chords pretty easily.
So, with the song and theatrics all figured out and memorized, I decided that I was ready and made a post on my Instagram about my upcoming performance in case any friends wanted to show up. Instead, I got a message from my friend Alex who asked if I wanted her to sing back-up. Being a novice musician at best, I definitely would love to have a talented singer/songwriter like Alex alongside me and I told her so. The day of the open mic, having paid my admission fee and gotten an 11 p.m. time slot, Alex and I did a bit of rehearsing when Charles, a violinist who frequently helps with the open mics, asked if I wanted his skills in the set just ten minutes before I was to perform. I figured that I was the least talented person on the stage so why not have his incredible skills? It would certainly improve the sound. At 11 p.m. we took to the stage where I told my quick story and put on the blindfold with many of the onlookers wondering if I was serious in playing the song with no sight. I was and the entire set was marvelous. From Charles’ instincts on the fiddle to Alex and her fantastic voice on the chorus, we were really connecting with the audience. After the final verse, I couldn’t take it anymore and pulled down my blindfold before launching into the chorus which drove the crowd wild. We did the chorus a few more times with everyone singing along and I left that stage a very happy man. I was even told a few times “there’s no way that was your first performance”. Well, it was. Maybe I’ll do more. Maybe I’ll finally get guitar lessons and try to get good at this. Who knows.
Alongside their work as Camp Bedford, the members of the band have their individual achievements and passions. Kailey Prior is also a wonderful solo musician, Roxanne Quilty operates a nonprofit organization for the conservation of bat habitats and Mariela Flor Olivo has ventured into stage acting with her performance in “The One With Violets In Her Lap”, a play that depicts the life of the poet Sappho (as much as is known anyway) with a heavy lean into the world of Greek mythology. Earlier in the year, I had been to a Sapphic poetry event to raise money for this play’s production and I was elated to be in attendance at last, especially since I knew some of the people involved with the play, including Mariela who would be playing the leading role and also composed the play’s music. How cool is that? I know the star of an off-Broadway New York play and a damn good play at that.
Even if you know nothing about Sappho and her legacy as a poet/queer icon, the play was this incredible portrait of her life and its hardships while also celebrating her words. And I was in the front row watching it all unfold. I knew that Mariela was a wonderful musician and storyteller but I had no idea she could act. I mean, wow. Her performance, alongside a stacked cast, was unbelievable and I was so fortunate to have been able to see it on opening night.
Following the play, I went to the afterparty with the cast and crew with its ritual of handshakes and well-earned congratulations. I never get tired of events like this where I just get to meet great artists and be a part of their world. The afterparty was also marred by a champagne bottle that just refused to open. Ten of us all tried to open this thing and it wouldn’t budge. At one point, I was on the ground, holding the base of the bottle, while some of the actors were pulling the cork. Eventually, Mariella got a corkscrew and attacked from the side, scraping and piercing like a Civil War medic until she pried it out and there was much rejoicing. I’m sure our screaming must have seemed over-the-top to an onlooker but that Goddamn bottle just wouldn’t open. Eventually, we had to leave the theater so the staff could go home but this gave way to the after-afterparty where we found a couple of bars. Compared to the bachelorette parties and finance bros that were in there, I’m sure these decadent theater people must have stood out and that was kind of the point. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my years in the arts, theater kids know how to party. It reminded me of a line Billy Crudup had in “Almost Famous” where he said “it’s the circus, everybody’s trying not to go home.” That pretty much sums it up for me. As much as I need to go home and get rest, I’m having such a good time with people that leaving seems unbearable. But that’s eventually what happens. Plus, there’s nothing that cements friendship like riding the late-night R train and holding hands with your friends when you’ve all been drinking. It was a subdued way to end a fun night.
But with all of the excitement and fun adventures and different experiences being thrown my way, I have felt that I have been lacking a way to hone myself. I need my mind to be clearer so that I can focus on what I came to New York for in the first place. I am here to make my own films and to contribute in any way I can to the arts in this city. But I find myself distracted. This is why, after much deliberation, I have learned Transcendental Meditation. First brought to the Western World from India by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the idea of Transcendental Meditation is to repeat a sound to yourself and focus solely on that and your breathing for 20 minutes twice a day. Through this sound, also called a mantra, you can transcend deeper and deeper into yourself as your body and your mind slow down and you reach a place that is pure calm and consciousness. Through this activity, stress is released and this causes the body and the mind to act back up which makes for a cycle of achieving calm while releasing stress. That’s the simplified version anyway.
I had been curious about Transcendental Meditation ever since I read David Lynch’s book “Catching the Big Fish” where, at certain points in the book, he talks about the benefits that TM has given him and they’re not unfounded. Research has shown that people who consistently practice TM are better at handling stress, have clearer thinking, better sleep, get better grades and are more focused than before they started practicing. David Lynch has even started a foundation to get TM into schools, prisons, veterans support groups and other places where it’s needed. With so much positivity behind the movement, I signed up for lessons from the worldwide TM organization.
While I won’t give too much away since this was a pretty personal journey (I’m never telling anyone what my mantra is), I will say what generally occurs when you first take these courses. My first class was a one-on-one lesson with my instructor where I brought three green apples (to represent The Beatles, who were among the first high profile students of the Maharishi), flowers and a white handkerchief for a small ceremony where my teacher gave thanks to Guru Dev (who first taught TM to the Maharishi). I was then given my mantra and guided through my first meditation where I was delighted to find out just how effortless it all was and not just for me either. Anyone can meditate this way and achieve this feeling.
After my first meditation, I took a page out of David Lynch’s book and went to have a burger, fries and a chocolate shake (at Shake Shack since Bob’s Big Boy can only be found in Los Angeles) before going home. I was given one of my flowers, one of my apples and my handkerchief to take home. I pressed the flower in a heavy book, I put the handkerchief aside and snapped a photo of the apple with my Nikon. When a month has passed, I will take the flower, print the photo and frame both with the handkerchief as a testament to TM and the benefits that I’ve already felt from practicing twice a day. I went to my turntable, put on the album “Let It Be” and sat in silence as I listened to “Across The Universe” and ate my apple. It was one of the sweetest fruits I ever ate.
The next three days consisted of group meditation with my instructor as he gave us lessons in how meditation works and it’s right around this point that some of you might be wondering if this is a cult because that’s exactly what my mom asked me when I told her about it. Well, as someone who is Christian, I would say that Christianity is more of a cult than Transcendental Meditation on the grounds that Christianity, other religions and cults all operate on belief with the distinction being whether the leaders of these organizations are using their teachings sincerely or for nefarious purposes. That isn’t the case with TM. This isn’t a put down on religion but it’s to show that practicing TM is something universal that goes beyond belief. There is no belief in whether or not TM works. It does and it’s been proven on a neurological and psychological level. TM isn’t a philosophy, it’s just a tool. Asking whether or not practicing TM is a cult is like asking that to people who use hammers or work with engines. However, practicing TM can be viewed as a religious experience because if you consider the idea that God exists in all of us and since the goal of TM is to dive deep within your own self, you could view TM as a means to reach God from within. All I know is that I have been feeling exceptional ever since I started and I intend to keep practicing TM for a very long time.
Aside from Neil Young, I was able to scratch another name off of my Last Waltz list with Ronnie Wood, who performed with The Band and their ensemble of buddies for the final song “I Shall Be Released”. But there was a catch. The only way I could see Ronnie
Wood was if I saw him play as part of a band. You might have heard of them. They call themselves The Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones were definitely on my list of must see concerts because of just how energetic they are. I mean, Mick Jagger is still running around like he did in his twenties and he’s 80 years old. I’ve loved the Stones for a very long time and, with the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, it was clear that I probably should see them soon just in case. I mean, out of all the core Rolling Stones, who would have guessed that Charlie Watts would have been the first to go? Although, I personally believe that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood have all been dead for about 10 years but there’s just so much leftover blow from the 80s in their systems that it’s what’s been keeping them going.
Before the Stones even took the stage, I was hyped when I saw who the opening act was: Jon Batiste. As a big fan of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”, I saw Batiste plenty as the bandleader and musical director of the show before he left in 2022 and I have continued to be a fan well into the present with him winning an Oscar for Best Original Score for “Soul” and and five Grammys for his album “We Are”. His whole set varied in style with R&B, blues, gospel and jazz being dominant. At one point, he played “The Star Spangled Banner” and did for that on the jazz piano what Jimi Hendrix did on the electric guitar. He went off on different tangents, incorporated other melodies and made it his own. It was a very good way to start the concert and I had this pack of ingrates talking behind me the entire time.
I’m just going to lay down a piece of advice. If you are a person who feels the need to consistently talk during an opening act because it’s not the people you signed up to see, stop going to concerts. Period. Fortunately, I was able to tune out their conversation and focus on the music but it’s just rude to have such greatness performing and you not even acknowledging it. Even if you don’t know who Jon Batiste is, you have to think about it this way: The Rolling Stones approached this guy and said “we want you to open for us.” Don’t you think that it’s best to listen to what he has to play? But maybe these guys behind me were talking about something really important. So, I tuned in momentarily and I heard one of them talking about the film “Dumb and Dumber To” and I immediately tuned back out. Listen people, whether you’re at a concert or a movie, if you feel the need to talk, you need to understand that nothing you say will ever be as interesting as what is going on in front of you. If you were more interesting than Jon Batiste, you’d be on the stage but you’re not. You’re one of the many people who, as Talking Heads would say, talk a lot but you’re not saying anything. Plus, you really shouldn’t be acting in a way that makes me draw comparisons between my present situation and a song called “Psycho Killer”. If I start talking in French, better run, run, run, run, run, run, run away.
After Jon Batiste’s mind blowing performance and some time to get the sound equipment ready, The Stones were on at last and they were pure rock-and-roll magic. Jagger still has the moves, apparently because he travels with a track and exercises a lot to stay in shape. This is according to Pat Irwin who traveled with The Rolling Stones when the B-52’s were their opening act so I think this is solid information. Ronnie and Keith’s guitar weaving was phenomenal and you couldn’t help but get up and move which most of us did. They went through a lot of their great hits like “Tumbling Dice”, “Honky Tonk Women” and “Start Me Up” and I was also pleased to hear them play three songs from their new album “Hackney Diamonds” which I regard highly in the Stones’ catalog. At one point, the band revealed a surprise song that wasn’t part of the usual set list which the fans had voted for and I was beyond thrilled when I saw that the chosen song was “Wild Horses” which is my favorite song by the band. As much as I love the hard-hitting rock songs, my favorite Stones tunes are their ballads and “Wild Horses” hits deep.
The concert was a good time but it only cemented something that I’ve noticed whenever I go to public venues like concerts or movie theaters. It may not be a popular notion but it’s the truth. Baby Boomers are the absolute worst with their cell phones and how they obnoxiously use them. I’m not saying that my generation isn’t bad with us practically live streaming every concert we go to on Instagram but at least we’re not scrolling through FaceBook while some of the greatest music of all time is being played right in front of us. Oh yeah, that happened. There was this one boomer couple in front of me that was glued to their phones during the entirety of when Keith Richards took over lead vocals. I would have kicked them out right then and there for something like that. How can you call yourself a Rolling Stones fan if you don't even have respect for Keith? You’re just hoping that he dies on stage so you can say “told ya so” and post about it to your other boomer friends while you reminisce about how great the 60s and 70s were by taking credit for all the cool things you didn’t do (I guarantee you many of these boomers who love hippie culture weren’t actually living it at the time) and without acknowledging the many faults of that time. Not that any of this behavior ruined the concert for me, in fact it’s one of the best I've ever been to. I was on my feet the whole time with other righteous concert attendees as we moved to the sweet sounds of rock. That’s how good this music is. If you play it loud enough, it drowns out all that is wrong.
Plus, as great as the Stones were, credit must be given to Chanel Haynes on backing vocals who sang lead alongside Mick Jagger for “Gimme Shelter”. God damn those pipes were amazing! Not only were those iconic vocals fully realized but she also made the encore a phenomenal spectacle. Before The Stones played their usual final song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, they played a song from “Hackney Diamonds” called “Sweet Songs of Heaven” where Jagger sang with Lady Gaga on the studio track. Who could follow up Lady Gaga and her marvelous voice? Chanel Haynes. It was a killer end to a killer show and a good way to usher things into my birthday weekend.
For my birthday, my parents flew out to New York to spend the weekend with me.
Yes, the rumors were true. On May 27, I turned 24-years-old and, since my birthday fell on Memorial Day, my parents flew out for the long holiday weekend to celebrate. Since I would be working every day, with the exception of my birthday, we had a pretty good arrangement with my parents being able to do some tours and exploration when I was working and all three of us being able to go out during the night. When they first arrived, I met my parents at the Washington Square Hotel, where we would be staying, and took them to The White Horse Tavern, the second oldest bar in the city where I had gone dressed as Bob Dylan last Halloween. Given its place in Greenwich Village, the incredible food and drinks and the sheer number of great writers who have frequented the establishment (Dylan Thomas, James Baldwin, Bob Dylan and Patti Smith), I thought it was a good choice.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by a stoop on Perry Street where Carrie Bradshaw’s home from “Sex and the City” could be found. As an avid fan of the show, films and sequel series, my mom was pretty happy to see this famous stoop in person. Later in the trip, she got a pair of shoes from Sarah Jessica Parker’s nearby store because of course she did. You visit the stoop, you get the shoes.
The next two nights were primarily spent looking at local music, specifically at Camp Bedford. Since I’m working on a film concerning this band, have become friends with the members and have enjoyed being a part of this local music scene, I really wanted my parents to see a show. On Saturday, we went to Arlene’s grocery where Roxanne and Kailey performed a stripped back set of their songs since Mariela was still participating in the final weekend of “The One With Violets In Her Lap”. Even when they were missing one of their vocalists and guitarists, the band still sounded great with a good set of original songs and a pretty kick ass cover of Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova” sung with Hayley Siano. This was followed by a set by Gemma Laurence and a full band that included lap steel guitars and banjos, which certainly appealed to my family’s country roots, before we called it a night.
The next night, we went right back to the same part of the Lower East Side to see Kailey Prior’s solo performance at the Rockland Music Hall in celebration of her new EP “Stranger”. Not only was the set great, but my parents and I also got to hear Hayley Siano’s solo work. In addition, both Roxanne and Mariela were in attendance which meant that my parents got to meet all three members of Camp Bedford at the same time. The band even got me a red velvet cupcake for my birthday. I truly do not deserve these people. Plus, that goddamn cupcake was fucking delicious. The cake was full, the icing was rich and I’m still tasting it a week later. How is that possible? I want to find the chef that made the cupcake, kidnap them and hold them hostage like Kathy Bates in “Misery” where they’ll make me red velvet cupcakes under penalty of me breaking their legs with a sledgehammer. It’s that good.
Full of surprises, the members of Camp Bedford got me the most delicious cupcake for my birthday which was just so damn good. They know how to make a person feel wonderful.
In typical Midwestern fashion, we arrived at Kailey's show very early and it was just us in the bar along with the bartender and a musician named Zack Ludlow playing his heart out on stage with both good originals and outstanding covers of Van Morrison and Otis Redding. Along with Zack’s parents, we were the only ones there but we gave him plenty of applause and made sure that he knew how much we liked the music. That really is the life of a hustling artist in this city. Sometimes you’re playing to a packed house, other times you’re lucky if it’s just a few people having drinks.
On my birthday, we all got up reasonably early, checked our luggage at the front desk and went to the iconic Café Reggio for breakfast. With beautiful architecture and this elegant yet homely sense to it, it was very appealing, especially since my mom saw a photo that showed Sophia Loren having coffee in the same spot we were sitting. Mom was also pretty pleased to read an informational card on the table that said that Lousia May Alcott lived in the brownstone across the street from the café, writing “Little Women” a short distance from where we were drinking coffee. We followed up the rich breakfast with a walking tour through The Village, making stops at The Music Inn, Three Lives & Company and the “Friends” apartment building on Bedford Street. After a while spent chatting in the hotel lobby, my parents and I went our separate ways right as it started to rain with my parents bound for the airport and I for my apartment. Between seeing The Rolling Stones, working all weekend and spending that much time with my parents, I needed to rest for a while. So, I went home and collapsed for a few hours as I waited out the storm. I then got back up and prepared to head back out. There was no way I was staying in on my birthday.
Wearing a white button-up shirt and a brown suede jacket (which I felt made me look a bit like Hemingway in 1920s Paris), I went to the Village East Theater to see “On The Town” with Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin as three sailors seeking fun on their one day of shore leave in New York City. While the film itself is pretty good (a definite precursor to the magic that “An American in Paris” and “Singin’ in the Rain” would bring), my main reason for watching it was the first five minutes which show the three men visiting actual New York landmarks and being filmed on location. This was unheard of during Hollywood’s Golden Age since the studio backlots always were used much more than real locations. These shots are incredible and that song “New York, New York” (the one that goes “New York, New York, it’s a wonderful town,” not “I want to be a part of it, New York, New York”) is just so damn catchy.
Following the film, I went walking through the Village when I thought to myself “it’s my birthday, I’m alone and I’m dressed like Hemingway. I’m going to get a nice meal.” After all, I had a pretty good weekend with my family, so why shouldn’t I end it on a high note? So, I went to the Minetta Tavern on MacDougal Street for some French food. When I was seated at the bar, I began to read Hemingway’s Paris memoir “A Movable Feast” when I got to talking with the barkeep and two couples, one on either side of me, who were each using the Minetta to cap off a fun day with one couple having moved into a new apartment and the other having just gotten “married” at the Museum of Sex. So we all just talked for the next hour or so while I was eating a steak and drinking pinot noir with the conversation ranging from music to film to philosophy. It must have been the combination of pinot and the amazing atmosphere of the Minetta because I felt so free there. The restaurant also encourages patrons to use their cell phones as little as possible so that was a bonus to an already amazing birthday dinner.
So now I’m 24 and I can honestly say that the past year was the best I’ve ever had as was the one before it. I got my first jobs in independent film, performed live music for the first time, studied Transcendental Meditation, saw some of my favorite musicians and filmmakers, continued to expand my knowledge of film and I met the amazing people of Camp Bedford who I’m now making a documentary with. If the first week I’ve had as a 24-year-old man is any indication, it’s that I’m sure to say that this was the best year of my life in 51 weeks.
Dressed like Ernest Hemingway, I went to Minutia Tavern to put a wrap on my birthday weekend.
