Moods Of Norway - Super Duper!

I come from 100% purebred Norwegian descent, which is kind of crazy, especially these days. Especially in Los Angeles. No one here ever believes that my hair is naturally blonde, but it is. I have a Glogg party every Christmas time to share our Viking traditions with my pals of all ethnic backgrounds ... and smash mugs together, pre-Holiday Pillaging.

One of my rocker friends, Nick Maybury, turned me on to a new clothing label last year called Moods Of Norway. Then I was talking with Valerie Hammond (owner of the much missed, Slave, which was the hippest store in Venice), who told me that she was repping a supercool new label that she was all excited about called Moods Of Norway! The world is indeed very small. Knowing I was a Norwegian gal, Valerie invited me to see their showroom downtown, and then head over to their retail store to chat with one of the founders, Stefan Dahlkvist, and hear what they're all about. And what they're all about is "Happy Clothes for Happy People." Sold!


Three young Norwegian guys - Stefan D, Peder Borresen, and Simen Staalnacke - met while attending college in Hawai'i (Weird. I also lived in Hawai'i) in 1999. They came up with the idea that they'd like to tell the tale of Norway through fashion, and create an international lifestyle brand through the 3 Moods of Norway: Street, Casual, and Cocktail. They began the label in 2002 in tiny, glacial Stryn, Norway (where their headquarters is still located, though they've now grown into the biggest label in their country!). They knew not at all what they were doing, but believed in themselves, and the idea that clothing "inspired by Urban Norwegian Everyday Living" would catch on globally. And it certainly has. They've doubled their business every year, recently held a massive fashion show in Oslo that featured models splashing down a watery runway (with the attendees all outfitted in Moods Of Norway wellies), and now have a U.S. Flagship store on fashionable Robertson Boulevard in L.A.


I walked into the store and immediately felt at home. Bright colors and sparkle, mixed with rustic wood cabin. Or exactly the competing sides of me! A big golden tractor greets you at the front of the store, and also serves as their logo. Each (gorgeous) Men's suit is embroidered on the arm with the number of tractors registered in Norway (last count: 234,243) in tribute to the farmers of that beautiful country. The current collection is actually called "Cocktail Farming", so you know that these guys have a great sense of humor, and are having a complete blast creating more fun for their label, and their lives.


Fun like sailing a big pink fishing boat around to rock festivals in Norway. Cruising around L.A. in a bright blue limo. (They're looking for a street legal Tractor too, if you know anyone looking to sell!) Outfitting a slew of Rock Stars, and even Perez Hilton! Hosting live sheep in the shop to give it a homey feel, as they serve up waffles and champagne each Saturday. Throwing up a sign on their back parking spaces saying "Parking for Lefse Lovers Only" (so it was cool that I parked there). Shooting a reality show (from the makers of L.A. Ink) to follow the guys around as they spread the M.O.N. Love around the world.


Stefan told me that their main goal is to make their Grandmothers happy. That love of both family and fun is evident in every aspect of the company. The clothing labels feature actual old photographs of the founders' families, with little grandpas out in farm fields, and families out for a stroll among the fjords. The dressing rooms look like a little wooden cabin, with Norwegian folk art paintings and needlepoint, and Sonja Henie books lying about. The underwear line is called "Grandpa's Disco Wear". Adorably.


Adorable is also an excellent adjective for every single piece of clothing I saw. Long dresses with names like "Tattoo Flower Satin" and "Sunshine Flowers" (I searched. My name MUST be in the lining somewhere on that dreamy chiffon one ...). Fresh kicks called "Super Duper Dancing Shoes", and brightly color-blocked tennies that have seemingly found a fan in Venice's own Harry Perry!


There are exquisitely tailored, satiny suits (20% off until May 17th!) with shorts in a fabric called "Field Flowers", and crazy plaid ones with Norwegian friends as the namesakes. With such bleak times - and palettes - hopefully on the way to being behind us, these clothes are taking back the fun of color and optimism. Just looking at the happy clothes gets you in a better mood(s)!


May 17th is Norway's National Day. We grew up flying the red, white and blue flag of Norway over our door in Minnesota (where this clothing line will be huge, I'm sure) each year on Syttende Mai, and have never had anything cool to do out here in SoCal for that day of celebrating our heritage. Well, we do this year! The Moods Of Norway store on Robertson is having a big party to celebrate both their U.S. store's 1 Year Anniversary, and the day of Norsk pride. Highlights are to include real snow for cross country skiing on Robertson ("We just call the Snow Guy" - Stefan)!, those live sheep, stylists there to dye peoples' hair blonde, perhaps an appearance by the #1 All time Norwegian band, Aha (Take On Me!), and of course, "Grandmas serving delicious waffles", as the invitation states.


Celebrate the fun spirit of Moods Of Norway on Monday, May 17 (all day long) at the Robertson store ... And every day that you put on a piece of their uplifting apparel.


SKOL!!!


Retail:

Moods Of Norway
113 S. Robertson Blvd. (by Kitson)
Los Angeles. CA. 90048
310.271.7172


Wholesale Contact:

Valerie Hammond
Connected Showroom
Cooper Building
Downtown L.A.
310.463.7184

The (Venice) Beaches Of Agnes

My eyes have been attracted to the word "Beach" ever since the days when I'd put my finger to the page and have to sound it out. Because of this, the wonderful film The Beaches Of Agnes (Les Plages d'Agnes) wound up in my Netflix queue, and I just watched it. I was so charmed and moved by it, I just wanted to get up and create something magical immediately after it was over.


Agnes Varda is often called the "Grandmother of the French New Wave" in cinematic discussions. She was the partner and muse of Jacques Demy (The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg), and a was/is a force in her own right as a film director, photographer, installation artist and magnificent character.

You need to be in a pretty reflective, high-arty mood, preferably by yourself, to really soak up the meanings and poetry of this whimsical, honest, creative, gracious memoir of a film, as narrated onscreen (in French sub-titles, so you need to be in the mood for that too. Matt.) by Mme. Varda herself.


From the opening scenes with assistants placing mirrors all over a Belgian beach for Varda to literally reflect into, on through to the belly of a Whale scene (I don't want to wreck it for you), to the achingly exquisite scene of little boys who had appeared in a Varda film decades earlier (she is 80 while telling you her story in 2008), all grown up into graying men, riding a bike-mounted screen playing their film through the streets of the same town it was shot in. Magic.

I kept thinking how much my late Cinema Arts professor back in college (Go Auggies!), John Mitchell, would have adored this film. He may have even made a house out of the film strips and sat inside it to watch the movement, as Varda does at one point, literally living within cinema.


At one point in the lovingly told look back, Varda is standing on a pier that I felt immediately in my own heart. Then she's on the beach that I also felt attached to, even in close-up. Soon enough, it said "Venice" in the dialogue. I knew it all along. When you watch it and recognize the wide swath of sand we all know and treasure, and the absolute love felt while Agnes is there with her friends, it makes the stories and feelings expressed by Varda all the more personal and identifiable.

I loved every single frame of this gift of a film, given back from a life well lived. It is an inspiration in every way; creatively - certainly, but also as a reminder to cherish those people and moments in our lives WHILE you are living them. As Varda says to close her wonderful tale, "Je suis vivant, et je me souviens"...

I am alive, and I remember.

Venice Garden Tour, Derby Day & Pow WOW!

What a delightful, deluxe weekend!

This past Saturday was The Venice Garden and Home Tour to benefit the Las Doradas Children's Center who do great work with low-income, at-risk kids right here in Venice. The day was sheer perfection for such an outing, as the sun was shining bright in a cloudless sky, with just a hint of breeze to keep you refreshed. It's an annual tradition for my gang of gals to put on bright frocks and look at all the beauty the gardens of our town contain. This day almost always begins in the Queen's Box (like at the Ascot Races) of my friend Jenny's place. As it is also Kentucky Derby Day each year, you'll usually find us enjoying champagne to start the day in a celebratory fashion.


With bubbles still dissipating on our tongues, we all grabbed our bikes and headed off to the Children's Center to get our wristbands. (The one slight blemish to our stellar day - the ladies working the check-in table - and the phones prior to the event - really need to brush up on their social graces ... utterly charmless. Oh, and no water bottle gift bags this year - stinge.) Biking is the way to go on this day (and every day, of course. NO MORE OIL! ... but I digress ...), as homes are spread out around the neighborhood, and you want to just zoom about freely.


There is so much to see and talk about that you should really go yourselves next year, but I'll give you a glimpse into it all. One main observation I had was that the color palette was pretty drab and modernist for the most part, which make the colorful gardens LEAP to my mind now as the highlights.


A lot of the gravel and bamboo yards got kinda old to look at after a while, for me, anyway. Whatever you like, the day was IDEAL to contemplate your own garden daydreams.


The gardens that actually GREW something in them, be it flowers or produce, were by far my favorites. The yellow and red chards were so bright they looked fake ...


... and were so tempting they made Lari curl up next to them, Vamp style.


The little googly eyed cartoon vegetable markers at one of our favorites were darling, and so were the welcoming owners.


There were even cool little chickens living at one place, and the white one with a punk hair-do was clearly the star of that backyard.


One house had a couple girls on the steps saying, "Don't miss the 19th Century Opium Den", which we did not miss.


That same house had a back house with a balcony that recalled the Garden District of New Orleans. Beautiful, and transporting. My dear friend Mike's house was on the Tour this year, which elated me as I've always bragged about his backyard, "Bali". We took a little break next to his Hot Tub (Time Machine).


I had a bounty offered for whomever found me the best Hibiscus to wear in my hair, and Lari won herself a pie with a giant red one. (And a bonus ala mode for the yellow one!).



After doing one chunk of the walking map, it was time to take our customary lunch/Derby/Mint Julep break at Hal's. It felt a bit lame to be inside on such a stunner of a day, but the "Most exciting two minutes in Sports" was enjoyed by all ... but especially by us and the Bobby Brown party (No, not The World's Greatest Wino, Bobby Brown. The Singer one.). He looks healthy and great, by the way. What a turnaround. Cool, funny, nice guy, as were his lady friend and baby. (Whitney might be the troublemaker after all). Our horses didn't win, but who cares, we did - just by having such a glorious day already. And all for a great cause!


After the race, we dashed around to try to see as much as we could before the Tour homes closed.


There's never enough time to see it all - especially the way Hal's pours the Juleps.


A quick zip home to change into warmer togs and climb back onto the bikes to head down to Dockweiler Beach for a Birthday/Bon Voyage Pow Wow for my pal, Nathan. We arrived just in time to catch a shimmering golden sunset, enjoyed around the bonfire as our friends played music ... and applied war paint.


As we waited for the Green Flash (nope), I looked around and once again realized what in life is most important - Friends. Music. Good Food. Fun. Nature. Beauty. Love. Yeah, Man.


The sun set, and the indigo evening turned chilly, but as we pedaled back to Venice, we were entirely warm ... from the inside out.


Gratitude.


*Photos by Jennifer Everhart, Paulgronner.com, Lari Lang and Me.

The Grunion ... Crawl

Last Friday night was the Grunion Run ... a phenomenon that can only be seen in Southern California and Baja. The Venice Oceanarium hosts the evening, with oceanographic experts there to inform the gathered voyeurs (as the Grunion Run is really the grunion fish washing up on the sand to lay - and have fertilized - their eggs). This is the true Sex On The Beach - and fittingly, Danny's Deli was offering those exact shots for $4 on Friday night, getting in the spirit. Funny.


I've been in years where I've not seen one silvery grunion. I've been years where it was as if the beach itself were writhing about, as thousands and thousands of the fish washed up, lit by neon blue phosphorescence (that was for sure the best year). I went on Friday night and believe I saw a grand total of about 5 little Grunion ... but I'm told there were scads more later on. I threw in the towel about 1:30 a.m., as I had a big day coming up the next day, and have seen the aforementioned bajillions of them before.


Never mind how many you really wind up seeing, it's just kind of great to walk out across the sand and see flashlights flitting about, and entire families - Gramps and toddlers alike - out there past midnight, for the sole purpose of seeing a natural amazement. People talking and learning from each other, ooh-ing and aah-ing over one single fish when that's all there was. Cracking the usual orgy jokes. Sharing a snap off the flask to warm up (I heard. I'd never ever have an open container myself on the beach!). Getting to know stranger neighbors, there to partake in an annual community event that is so crazy, some even think it's just a myth, and give up too early every year.


There was a guy fire dancing down there this time, and it added a whole element of tribal mystery to the proceedings, which we dug. The Moon was two days past full, so the beach was all silvery blue, offering the appropriately hued welcome mat to the libidinous little sardine-like fish. All of it was so pretty, the dawdling grunion soon became secondary to the cheerful fellowship that also naturally occurs when you're all interested in something together.


Much like a meteor shower or an eclipse, your patience is necessary to witness the Grunion Run, but your mind will always be blown when you're there at the right time. It's a good reminder that nature persists, however much we interfere with it. We are so small, and our tenure so fleeting on this planet, in the whole scope of things. I like to check in with that feeling as often as possible, so that I can continue to be dazzled by and appreciative of my time slot here.

There are a couple of chances to witness this mass coupling each Spring/Summer. And once you do, you really won't ever forget it. Go Grunion!!


*PEG photos!

First Fry-days ... The Food Truck Invasion

So ... we all need to have a little chat. How do you feel about the Mobile Food Vendor trucks that swarm into Venice each First Friday (and lots of other days too, just not as many)? In talking to store owners, neighbors, FF revelers, and friends, there appears to be many mixed feelings about them. It's an issue that's getting pretty heated, so we need to address it and come up with positive solutions, instead of just freaking out about it.

First Fridays started as a way to drum up business when the economy started its downturn. It worked. Gone are the free wine and loud music for the locals days, but that jump start did the trick, and now you can barely move at the beginning of each month, as crowded as it is.

With the increased popularity of that night each month, word got out among food truck operators (beginning with the Kogi one, that currently has 61,729 Followers on Twitter!) and where there's a buck to be made ... They will come. With them came a slew of issues of which each could - and should - be its own separate item on the Neighborhood Council agenda: Trash. Parking. Safety. Etc. Etc.


There are pros and cons of the Food Truck epidemic. They offer affordable food - pro. They leave nowhere for anyone to park on First Fridays - con. They bring new customers to Abbot Kinney - pro. Those new customers throw their trash on the ground (or in my bike basket) - con. They create a Carnival atmosphere - pro AND con.

One business owner says they hurt their business ... customers can't park or get past the line of people waiting for their "gourmet" taco to get inside, and they want to punch the rude truck worker out. Another says it's been great for business, and they give the truck a "Bathroom Letter" to use their restroom facilities.

(*In calls and emails to our Councilmember Rosendahl, Venice Officer Skinner, the LA County Health Inspectors, and City Hall, it appears that there is only ONE regulation at the moment - that is the Trucks must be parked within 200 feet of a bathroom facility for the workers in the truck to use if they're going to be parked over one hour, and have a letter from the permanent business offering the use of their bathroom. That's it.)

The Health Department Inspector I spoke to said that with 14,000 registered vehicles to keep up with (never mind the as many as 28,000 ones operating illegally), it's hard to strictly regulate them all (especially in a State that's pretty much broke). 8 Trucks were shut down for Health violations at the March First Friday, and there is no Rating System for food trucks (yet), so the Bathroom Letter is really the only weapon those opposed to them have to brandish.

I have no problem with the old time-y Mexican food trucks, like the great Taco one that is usually around Lincoln and Rose. Those have been a big and important part of L.A. culture for years, and whatever regulations or crackdowns are to be implemented to keep the peace, I hope those original ones can somehow be Grandfathered out of the loop, so they can stay in business. It's the flashy (some corporate) new ones that we're talking about here.

Some of my friends love the new trucks. Many of them abhor them. I personally feel like I do about Chain businesses ... they don't really seem to fit in Venice. It bothered me to see a Pizza slice truck parked a half block away from Abbot's Pizza Co., who have served up their delicious slices for years and years. It irked me to see a guy in a wheelchair not able to navigate the narrow sidewalk because of the line swarming in front of one of the trucks. It concerns me that with all the trucks parked on the street, it's difficult to see around them to cross an already sketchy crosswalk at Palms. It bugged me to return to my bike to see the basket filled with trash from the 11 (!) Food Trucks parked in The Brig parking lot across the street last First Friday. But these are all things that can be addressed and dealt with. Right? Especially if they do indeed increase business for our local merchants whom we love. But DO they? I've heard many locals say that they now avoid First Friday because it's turned into such a madhouse of Food Trucks and "Bridge and Tunnelers". What do YOU think? There's another First Friday right around the corner ... observe and report!


The Food Trucks will be an agenda item at the next Neighborhood Council meeting, so attend and make yourselves heard. Communicate openly about your concerns with the Food Truck Vendors themselves. Write to the Beachhead (and become a Sustainer while you're at it!) to offer your own creative solutions. But above all, please continue to support your LOCAL businesses, who made Abbot Kinney into a destination in the first place.

Word.

Keep Smiling!

The day broke bright and sunny today, and all we could do on the morning walk along the seashore was breathe it all in deeply, and smile.

The Lifeguard towers from Venice to Santa Monica have all been painted bright Easter egg colors, preparing for a very cool community art project called Portraits Of Hope. They've only gotten as far as the ramps and railings as yet, but it's already beyond cheerful, and yeah, hopeful too.

We take a little break when we reach the Santa Monica Pier every morning, have a stretch, drink some water, duck the wind, and again, breathe and smile. You can't help it.


This morning we were having our chill moment when a City truck came barreling up and stopped right next to the Tower we were sitting on (a purple one) - that does say KEEP OFF on it, but we never heed that instruction. We were wondering if we were going to get told to scram or what by the big, tough looking guy who got out of the truck. We said, "Good Morning," and he handed Jenny a business card, and got back in the truck and drove off.

The card said "Keep Smiling". How great is it that that was the guy's sole mission, just to hand off this card to us, wordlessly. The little story on it was kind of Hallmark fromage, but the idea and the incident were enough to indeed keep the already wide smiles on our face.



Good morning, Venice!

The People's Republic of Venice Welcomes Back The Nightwatchman!

It's been a while since The Nightwatchman (Tom Morello) last liberated Venice. In fact, Venice was the site of some of his earliest liberating. We used to have Friday nights at Abbot's Habit that my brother, Paul, booked, called The Habit Night. Tom and I were friends, so when he was working out his new solo acoustic project, The Nightwatchman, back in 2005, he offered to play at The Habit for Paul and I's birthday jam. It was a packed house of riled up Venetians at the height of the sickening, unpopular Iraq War. It was sweaty and heartfelt and kickass. Really, there's some great footage. There was another Habit jam starring The Nightwatchman in early 2006, and then that ball really got rolling, the venues got bigger ... and so did the country's problems.

Last night saw The Nightwatchman return to Venice, for a show benefiting Afghanistan Veterans Against The War (and IVAW) at The Stronghold. The Same. Long. Awful. War. Gone were the backing instruments of coffee grinders and latte foamers, but back were the sweat, heart and ass kicking. Harder than ever.


Tom Freund opened up the night with some of his choice musical selections: "Copper Moon", "Truly Mellow", and, appropriately for the night, his Beatles cover of "Revolution", with his bass standing up alongside him. So was the crowd, singing along heartily at the very start of the night. He's playing tonight at The Stronghold too (Go Tom!) so get on over there. His talent runs deep, and it's always a complete treat to behold.


Longtime comrades of The Nightwatchman, Jason Heath & The Greedy Souls, were up next to help set the tone of the night with their excellent tunes of pondering anarchy. "Anarchist Girl" has always been my favorite of theirs, (and perhaps a theme song of mine at times), and it reminds me every time I hear it of when Jason Heath told me that if things got crazy with tear gas or whatnot when we were both raging against the Republican Convention in Minnesota (2008), that I should soak a bandana in vinegar to combat the fumes. Good information! (We didn't have to use it, but still). They played "Truth Rag", "Flower In The Sun" (another lovely fave), and the rueful "God's Name In Vain" from their great album, The Vain Hope Of Horse. Jason Federici played the accordion movingly, and Ysanne Spevack joined in beautifully on the fiddle. As I told them, their music makes me want to travel. Escape. Reflect. Appreciate. Rock.


Wayne Kramer (yes, of the MCmofo5!) joined JHATGS for "Anarchist Girl", and then stayed up there for his own set. He is a great friend and co-Freedom Fighter of The Nightwatchman's, and he and I met on the 2008 Justice Tour. (He was the one that first told me I needed to get to the ER when I got bit by a crazy post-Katrina spider in New Orleans. I will always remember how I should've listened to Wayne Kramer right off the bat). It was great to see him again, and especially to hear one of my faves of his anew, "Something's Broken In The Promised Land". Featuring such biting lines as "The whole state of Michigan just signed up for welfare", and "The dream is sold out in the Promised Land", Wayne lets you know this is not music for Easy Listening. You'd better think, and you'd better bristle at injustice if you're going to get Wayne Kramer ... and everyone got it last night in Venice, California.

Wayne launched a new organization, along with Billy Bragg, at SXSW called Jail Guitar Doors that is working to rehabilitate prison inmates through music. Wayne did time himself in 1978 and The Clash wrote a song ("Jail Guitar Doors") about it, hence the name Billy Bragg chose when he started the initiative to honor Joe Strummer's life. Wayne told last night's assembled about it all and said "Send us money. Guitars ain't free y'know. Something happens when they pick up that guitar, and they're not gifts. They're a challenge - to use as a way to cope, and to not go back to the Pen." I think we can all get behind that. So please do. "Bad Seed" was next, in honor of those "bad seeds" they're working with. "Hollywood Boulevard" spoke the great line, "tough thumbs in your belt" that I loved. Wayne is a real poet, and makes you feel wiser after just one listen. He dedicated the next one to his lovely wife, Margaret, "who didn't show up tonight." "Let It Be Me" was an incredibly dear love song that made you feel the true depth between them. He wrapped it up with a jangly acoustic guitar version of "Redemption Song", which everyone sang along, and seemed to truly feel.

Wayne introduced his dear friend, Mr. Morello, who sprang onto the stage saying, "I'm The Nightwatchman, and it begins tonight!" And so began the song called, "It Begins Tonight", with Tom on his trusty "Whatever It Takes" acoustic guitar, and banging along with himself on his stomp box. Shouting that let you know everyone was on board followed that, which led right into "Flesh Shapes The Day". Tom really knows how to throw down as a showman, and the crowd was all the way into it all the entire time, yelling especially for the "Si Se Puede!" line.


"Maximum Firepower" has always been a rile-er of the masses, and it was no different last night. "The Nightwatchman giveth and taketh away" was as true as a lyric as it was for the volume. One minute the entire place would erupt in deafening applause, the next it was what it must sound like when you're deaf. Silence. "If you take one step towards Freedom, it'll take two steps towards you." Inspirational as ever, Tom sings the truths we all need to hear. And act on. "The Dogs Of Tijuana" was dedicated to Wayne Kramer, with its Mexican guitar melodies and "Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah" chorus, and warning that "Every dog has its day, and tonight we're coming home!" (That made me smile that I was at a sweet rock show a mere two blocks from home!)


"Thank you! It's always nice to play The Peoples' Republic Of Venice! Full of Hippies and Liberal Activists ... and you have the Beach!" Yes. Yes we do, Tom. And you're clearly welcome back anytime. He dedicated the next one to the Soldiers of IVAW (whom we really got to know on that epic Justice Tour, visiting the horror show of the Walter Reed Hospital - you really should re-read that article here - it was enough to make ANYONE a Hippie Liberal Activist), the beneficiaries of the evening. "When The Tigers Broke Free" was Tom's adaptation of the Pink Floyd song, and made you feel the pain of a child looking back on the death of his Father. More than poignant when you think of the many, many pointless deaths that have happened during this awful war. It's time to end it. We've lost too, too much already. There is no winning for any side of it anymore. Just ending it, and mourning the incredible damage it's done to us all.

Which leads us to the acoustic version of Rage's "Guerilla Radio" - always a crowd favorite, one that Tom hopes will be played when the day finally comes "When War Criminals of ALL administrations are brought to trial and convicted." Huge applause for that, extra so since the night was in honor of those AVAW/IVAW members. "There is nothing more courageous than a Soldier willing to stand up against an unjust War". "ALL HELL CAN'T STOP US NOW!!" was yelled by everyone, not just the super fan guys that sat down front and sang along to absolutely every syllable. Cute.


A special guest called Serj Tankian (System Of A Down) joined Tom for their sublime duet, "Lazarus On Down". It features gorgeous deluxe guitar from Tom, and otherworldly vocals by Serj, who was in the best voice I've ever heard him. Hauntingly quiet in there, these two founders of Axis Of Justice brought the house down. Almost literally, so eruptive it was after the last note died out.


Tom is also producing a band out of Brooklyn called Outernational. Great guys, and they're cut from the same cloth, to be sure. They joined Tom for their call to arms called "Fighting Song". Accordian and trumpet added to the mix, and gave it a Gogol Bordello-y feel, encouraging folks to quickly learn the chorus and sing along for the fight. "All of the People, all across the World, they want something more!" Absolutely they do. And a good start to the more was the "World Premiere" of The Nightwatchman's brand new tune, "Stray Bullet", which Tom sang for Tomas Young, another friend from the IVAW whom we met after he was paralyzed by said stray bullet pretty much immediately after arriving in Iraq. You simply cannot hear his story and be supportive of ANY War, any longer (if you ever were). See Body Of War and you'll understand what I'm saying. Some plaintive Outernational trumpet drove it all home.




There was a moment for tuning during which Tom encouraged people to scream their lungs out, which they did. He then said, "This is a future Classic ... so Stand Up! If you believe in fighting against Injustice ... against Immoral Wars ... then get on stage and sing along with The Nightwatchman! Get up here!"



So as many people as the little Stronghold stage would hold crammed up there to belt it out along with Tom to "Worldwide Rebel Song"! It was easy to learn the "Worldwide Rebel Song, sing it loud, all night long!" verse and sing we all did. It was a little "We Are The World", only way, way cooler than that lame one they just re-did. I cracked up at one point when Tom stopped the proceedings to get someone to fix the microphone stand for him ... "I cannot have a microphone stand that's leaning to the right!" No more cool hipsters were present at The Stronghold by now, as every single person in there seemed to have now joined the Superfan ranks, with huge smiles and rambunctious singing overtaking any thought of posturing ... "Here we come!"


As with every Nightwatchman show, there is more to it than simply rocking it out together. It tends to stay with you long after the stamp on your wrist fades away. Because you can see how music really does affect true change in the world, not just in the uplift of your mood, but in the tone of your thoughts. Enough people singing the song out loud as one - rebelliously - and then walking the walk (or the Picket Line ... or the Peace March ... ) IS the force of change necessary for anything positive to ever actually HAPPEN.


As The Nightwatchman closed the evening down with his customary, "Take it easy, but take it!", I hope that Venice - and everywhere else lucky enough to host a throw down like this - will indeed take it ... to heart.




*You can see more pictures that rule at www.PaulGronner.com