Roots Review 2

4/14/2006
Thanks to everyone who braved the road construction last night to make our 2nd American Roots Open Mic a rousing success.

I love having these parties and not having to mess up my own living room, but like Nick says - this is my living room - and it's yours, too.

Tremendous effort last night from the dedicated bluesman and live music supporter Duane Chez. He does a lot from behind the scenes for American Roots and on the stage as well as he played his ass off last night. He supplied all of the stage gear AND brought the coolest friends with him including, my brother from another mother, Mike Caruso from the Doughboys.

Because of the repaving of Main Street we all had to park in a lot across the street from The Rail - you would think not too big of an inconvenience right? But the guys unloading the equipment truck had to carry each piece across a street being repaved! Dodging trucks and tractors and guys shoveling molten asphalt at their feet... You get the picture. A noble and determined effort.

Thanks Duane Chez. You are the man - and you played like one last night, too.

We kicked off with a solo from Paul Ransom, Virginia Beach - then Duane Chez on guitar and vocals, and friends featuring Mike Caruso on bass, Jake jar el (Noo Dogs) on drums, Snakeman Runyan on harmonica and vocals, and the one and only Johnny Charles, who absolutely blew everybody away with his awesome guitar playing! My man was ON!


There were great performances by Jim Popik and Jeff Page from Ten Foot Tall Band with Walter Foot (Bardaji Group) on drums and "Big Boy" Kenny Nerbek (Filthy Rich & the Poor Boys) on Bass with Kevin Tracy from Hilltop studios sitting in on keys.

Ten Foot Tall Band is opening for Marshall Tucker at Starland Ballroom in a couple of weeks and have agreed to return next week with a pair of tickets for us to give away to one of next week's lucky ticket holder.

Remember there is NO Cover charge at American Roots, but we encourage donations of "any denomination" to help pay the guest host band for bringing their gear, sharing it with everyone and playing for free. So when you come down to the station, please drop a little something at the door, in the big white jar marked "Donations" and Jessica will give you a ticket that can win you some cool stuff a little later on.

Last night we gave away a $30 dinner and drinks gift certificate for The Rail and a bunch of cool T Shirts. Last week, two pair of Joe Satriani tickets, next week, Marshal Tucker with Ten Feet Tall tickets and other cool stuff.

I'm going to have to fly, here. I have a million things to do yet before rockin' the Bull tonight with the Noo Dogs (and friends) in Piscataway. See nastyned.com for details.

Let me mention the tremendous contribution by Michael Krizan with Bob Bernard and Snakeman Runyan (there's D wayne looking over Snakeman's head) and others who rocked with a sort of Hot Sauce reunion,


Gus Bardaji with Todd Lanka on bass and Walter Foot on drums, joined by Kevin Tracy on keys.






Mark and Kate Weber for there great duet. Eric and Jason from Odus Driftwood who performed as a duo (their mandolin player couldn't make it but promises to do so in the near future.)

Then a big jam at the end with everybody from Duane Chez and friends including JR Bradfield and a little blowin' and shoutin' from me.

Thanks again to Ed Pampani (our official Am Rts photog) and Eddie Ray from Computown for the cool pics.

And there are lots of them! Go to the photo gallery Eddie put together on www.nastyned.com

Click on the photo of the Rail it will take you into the gallery. Chances are, if you were there, you are in the gallery. Last week, too.

But you better hurry before I have Eddie remove the picture of me looking like I was convulsing while standing - I promise I was having a good time.

Again, all of you folks were so cool for coming out and helping American Roots work in a big way again. Thank you.

Keepin' it real.

Ned

PS - See you at the Bull tonight!