Repeal Day At The Townhouse!

Yesterday, December 5th, marked the 80th anniversary of the ending of Prohibition, and The Townhouse/Del Monte Speakeasy celebrated in high style. What a blast!

Proprietors Louie and Netty Ryan hosted the party, which featured a pig roast meal upstairs- FREE to ALL! - courtesy of Oscar's Cerveteca.

They blew through two whole pigs (and a spread of delicious sides, all set up on the pool table) before the lecture downstairs was even through.

Yes, the lecture. A standing room only crowd (of a much greyer demographic than usually packs in, with lots of mountain men chapeaux, suspenders and ironic mustaches) filled the downstairs Del Monte Speakeasy to listen to cocktail historian, Richard Foss, hold court about the history and good times had with liquor over the centuries.

It was very informative and entertaining, made even more so by the fact that the staff was delivering theme drinks that corresponded to the slide show throughout the talk. We were greeted with a glass of a whiskey-based Repeal Day Punch (delicious). That led to the Pisco something, the French 75 and The Last Word. I couldn't always hear the stories behind everything, because I had squeezed in right by the bar where the tenders were shaking up all those cocktails. It kind of added to the experience, actually.

By the end of the lecture, people were feeling pretty good. When the last slide proclaimed "Prohibition OVER!", it was met with rowdy cheers, while the fact that Foss told us there was still a Prohibition Party (that received like 536 votes in 2012!) was shot down with jeers. I mean, really. If you'd like to know even more, there is a Museum of the American Cocktail! Good stuff.

After some mingling, it was back upstairs for a good old fashioned Old Fashioned. Brad Kay played era-appropriate jazz downstairs, while the upstairs bar got more and more crowded as drinks were 1933 priced at $1 from 10 - 11 pm. (As were coffees next door at Menotti's). Yowza.

Many thanks once again to the Ryans and the entire staff of The Townhouse/Del Monte Speakeasy for a stroll back through time, done up beautifully and generously for our whole town to enjoy. As Mr. Foss said at the end of his program, "Come back. This place is always this fun!" True story ... then AND now.

Animal House - A Venice Landmark

Animal House has been decking out Venetians for so long that owner, Ronny Kleyweg, can't remember exactly when he opened. "The '70s? The early 80s? I'm not that good at the math." Me neither, but I DO know that I've loved every time I've ever stepped through the door at 66 Windward Avenue, and it has been many.

Kleyweg's family came over on a boat from Holland in 1959, straight to Culver City (where his neighbor was Jeff Ho). A teenaged Kleyweg got a job working at Aardvark's Venice location, which he managed for 10 years. This stint taught him all the ropes of managing a vintage clothing business, and he opened his first shop of his own called A-Zoo ("Because Venice is a zoo") in the spot that is now Venice Originals. The current Animal House space used to be an ice cream manufacturing place, and when the owner tired of that, he sold it to Kleyweg, and Animal House has been there ever since ... over 30 years now.

Back in the 1970s, it was all about roller skating and skateboarding in Venice (see, SOME things never change!). Kleyweg and his friends, Daryl Hazen and Jeff Rosenberg, used to host big skate bashes, attended by all the celebrities of the day - Brooke Shields, Scott Baio, Patrick Swayze, etc... - and it was all about afros and spandex. Rosenberg had the idea to put the polyurethane wheels from skateboards on to roller skates, and then it all just blew up. Stores like Cheap Skates, and the United Skates of America kept everyone rolling, and Kleyweg even appeared in a movie called, Skatetown USA  that showed off those disco times in Venice. (I'm urging him to screen it at the shop - stay tuned!)

Animal House has always been at the center of the action, a bedrock of the Windward neighborhood and must-stop year after year for loyal tourists that have found treasures there on their previous visits to Venice. Animal House is known world-wide for the remarkable selection of vintage pieces, rare and collectible, from concert tees to original Pucci dresses and Aloha shirts that sell for thousands of dollars. The biggest international customers are the Japanese, who will line up once a month, 40 deep sometimes, waiting for the doors to open, so eager are they to snap up the Americana items they love so much (especially vintage Levis). Kleyweg has already done a lot of the treasure hunting for you, so that when you go through the racks of things, they've already been edited to be just the very coolest pieces.

It's not just clothing either. Animal House is a great place to find vintage skateboards, books, bags, jewelry, art,  ... all of it contributing to the laid back beach vibe felt inside the shop, and right outside the door just steps away from the sand, sun and show that is the Venice Boardwalk. The shop has expanded from vintage only to carrying new lines as well. Clark's Shoes, Havianas, Splendid, Diesel, Goorin Hats, Hanky Panky, Vans ... all compete in the contest of when was cooler, then or now? It's ALL cool, if you ask me.

That's pretty much Kleyweg's attitude about Venice too. It's ALL cool. When I asked him about how much things have been changing around town, he shrugged and said, "It's change, it's fine," in the easy-going way that has made him such a valued member of the neighborhood for so long. His two sons grew up coming to the store with Dad, and would stand on step-stools to help ring customers up. The merchants on Windward are friends. Kleyweg and his dear friend, Louie Ryan (Townhouse, Menotti's) and Danny Samakow and James Evans (James Beach, Danny's Deli, The Canal Club) are leading the charge for a Windward Revival, coming together and organizing FUN for the community. I saw Ryan and Kleyweg out on ladders hanging up Christmas lights along the arches the other day, out of their own pockets, out of their own time, because it's just more fun. Animal House has always thrown great parties, just for still more fun (the next one is December 13th, a holiday jam with live music from Tom Freund).

In talking about how much HAS changed, Kleyweg mentioned that often people are relieved when they visit Venice again, and find that Animal House is still here after all these years. "Money does talk, so it's important for people to remember what they love about Venice when deals are being made. Some people don't get it. WE care." Yes, we do.

With the rich and famous (Johnny Depp, Brian Setzer, Gwen Stefani, etc etc...) frequenting Venice, the locals are still Kleyweg's favorite customers, creating friends and relationships that have stood the test of time. Gone now are his old favorite restaurants, the Meatless Mess Hall - a vegetarian spot on the Boardwalk that Kleyweg would take all his first dates to, and the Pelican's Catch - a seafood place where The Barnyard is now. He misses them, you can tell (especially the spinach nut burger at the Meatless Mess Hall). What remains is what made Kleyweg love it here in the first place, "The Beach vibe and the girls everywhere!" True enough, and as he added with a knowing smile, "I think it's going to stay special here for a long time."

It will if we can keep people like Kleyweg around. He still loves going to work every day. He loves the hunt for classic vintage finds. He loves how every day is different, and it's all ever-changing. He loves "hanging out with Louie," and seeing what's new around town. Most of all, he loves "the EXPERIENCE of Venice."

After showing me some excellent photos of himself in his own afro and spandex, and the various incarnations of the facade of the building, Kleyweg and I were standing in front of the shop in the sunshine, talking about the changes through the years. A friend of Kleyweg's passed by and said, "Whatever version of Animal House it is, it's always a landmark." There in the shadow of the Venice sign, standing next to one of the historic Windward columns, with people waving as they rode by on their bikes, that fact was never more true. Thank you, Animal House, for being there for Venice all these years ... and many more!

The Free Venice Beachhead Turns 45!

The Free Venice Beachhead turned 45 years old, and Venice celebrated last night. One of the last remaining free presses in the country, we try to tell the best stories, news and events of our beloved town every month. The entire thing is run on donations, and all the Collective staff are volunteers. It's a lot of hard work, and very behind the scenes, so it was fun to meet readers and neighbors at the party last night at Beyond Baroque, and make our world a little smaller.

People mingled in the lobby, drinking wine, eating snacks (all donated - thank you!) and catching up on the current events around town.

It was a packed house, and many in attendance had contributed to the Beachhead in some way during its existence. Juan was there with probably his best hat ever.

We had a merch table stocked with t-shirts, posters, magnets, and even phone covers! People were encouraged to donate or become sustainers of the paper, as every month it's a wondrous thing to come up with enough to print 10,000 copies for our readers.

After much fellowship and chatting (which continued in the lobby even during the program - that's where the wine was ...), it was time for music and poetry. 

The Venice Street Legends played a few Johhny Cash tunes with Kathy Leonardo and got toes tapping. Then Roger Houston, Hillary Kaye, Tina Catalina Corcoran, Krista Schwimmer and Pegarty Long all read poems about The Beachhead and special times they've had in Venice. It was surprisingly emotional, as I realized how very many people feel the same way I do about this wonderful place we live, and how much we all want to keep it special.

After a brief intermission, we had more fantastic poets share their talent and thoughts on their muse, Venice.  Ronald McKinley spoke of how his daughter contacted him after 15 years after reading a poem of his in our online edition. Karl Abrams and Mary Getlein read their always excellent works. Mary always just kills me with her heartfelt thoughts and gigantic heart. She even spoke-sang one of her poems, which I'd never seen her do. She dedicated one to Suzy Williams, who was about to play. It was beautiful. ALL the poems were beautiful.

Jim Smith brought along the very first copy of the Beachhead from 1968 - only four pages, but full of spirit. He read a poem he wrote in honor of the 45th year and we have to get it published as soon as we can. It was epic.

After all that depth and emotion (and humor!), it was time to cut loose and celebrate. Suzy Williams (backed up by Eric Ahlberg, Sam Clay and Steve Weisberg) tore it up (in her "I'm a Venice Beachhead shirt - get yours!), and even dedicated a song to ME, which gave me a lump in my throat. You write your stories but you never really know if people like them, or even read them, once they're out there, so it's always so gratifying to have someone say they mean something to them. Bless her.

By the last of Suzy's songs, the whole place was up and dancing.

 
We were celebrating freedom, celebrating the paper, but most of all, celebrating our Venice. 

Pegarty Long read a poem by her late twin sister, Philomene Long, the former Poet Laureate of Venice. I think it pretty much says it all ...

Venice, city conceived in imagination for imagination
With body intact -the canals, the welcoming houses
The people came. It happened - the magic -- unexplainable
Venice becoming the city imagined
A city like no other city on earth
Its community of Venetians giving her a soul
Bright. Transcendent. The soul of Venice
A gift, which cannot be bought nor stolen
This is the gift out right, freely given
To those open to receive it; for those who listen

But Venice transcendent still needs a body
It can be, has been, wounded
It can die; live on only in history

So we here today, as with previous Venetians
Welcome all as neighbor, loving freely
At the same time preserve and protect our radiant city
With magic and practicality
And with the hope of a pale green egg-almost iridescent
In a Venice afternoon light
That resolve passed on from those that have gone before us
For them as for ourselves, and for those that will follow
Will walk upon our footsteps into the next century
That the light of Venice not be extinguished
Nor diminished, nor simply be maintained.
But that light burn, burn, burn into a boundless luminosity!

-- Philomene Long

It's like Mary Getlein wrote in our current issue: "That is what's really great about Venice - people read your poems." Please support YOUR local paper in any way you can. Volunteer, donate, support financially, submit articles and poems. It is there for everyone. Happy 45th to our Free Venice Beachhead! Here's to many, many more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
 

- Gilbert Keith Chesterton

How true is that? This has been an intense year for so many people. I've had the highest highs and the lowest lows, and everything in between ... but when we take the time to reflect about it all, the fact is, we're all such fortunate, blessed people to even take another breath every day. Add all the beauty, kindness, wonder, adventure and JOY that is possible in every moment and the only feeling that makes sense is gratitude. And gratitude is our glory, a sage guru beach woman said to me one day, out of the blue. I've never forgotten it, and try to carry that truth in my heart every day.

HAPPY Thanksgiving to you and yours ... I'm thankful for each and every one of you.

A Classic Night at The Mint - The Tom Freund (Chris Joyner and Lacey Cowden) CD Release Show

Whoa. Last night was one for the books at The Mint in Los Angeles. It's fun when you're friends with everyone on the bill, and last night's acts are some of my dearest. The occasion was the (east side) cd release of Tom Freund's The Stronghold Sessions double live album, and also the (east side) debut of Sister Lacey Cowden. PLUS Chris Joyner. We were gonna tie. one. ON.

After some catch up time with a slew of mutual friends, Lacey kicked off the show, saying "This will be on my ep coming out in January, so hold on to your nipples!" She bewitched the room with one of her tunes that will stick in your head for days - like it's given me insomnia before - "Shotgun Lovin'". Cowden grew up in New Orleans and Hawai'i with some Santa Cruz in there too, so she's a wholly original mix of southern fire and mellow artistry (she's a beautiful visual artist too).  When she dedicated the next one to her "Sugar nipples, Brian" (ha!) you could sense the room quieting down to catch every note of "Walking Song". By the time she laid "Honey" on us, the room was hers.

"Sweet Lord Jesus! Let's go walking through Hell right now! Let's do this shit!" was Lacey's reaction to all the applause, which kind of fired the room up to noisy again as folks felt the rowdy - and by now, their whiskey. The Devil doesn't want me 'cause he knows I'd give him Hell. Badass. She ended with her gorgeously touching, "Southern Boy", but not really, because the whole room shouted "One more!" No one louder than me. "Well, I'd do anything for CJ (Mahalo!), this one's for Matt Ellis, it's his favorite." (Ellis is producing Cowden's debut ep. I've heard snippets. It's fantastic.)

Godspeed me out of this town ... feet don't fail me now ... I love Lacey's lyrics equally as much as her voice and playing. She is a treasure, and the by now larger and louder crowd let her know it. It was a mad impressive first real show, and in the words of Tom Freund, "She crushed it." High praise.

Chris Joyner (the original CJ)  played a stellar set that was a complete blast to watch, because he's always so good, but because the antics of guitarist Tim Young playing along were so animated you had to just stare. It was fun to watch Joyner watching Young with a big, rad smile - both of them getting it. Joyner said they were all new songs, so I don't know any of the names of them - but now I have his cd so I will soon! My friend, Liz Singer summed up his jams thusly: "It's rhythmic enlightenment with sexually charged lyrics." Bam.

By now everyone was extra fired up, and when Tom Freund took the stage (with the awesome Michael Jerome Moore on drums, Gabe Noel on bass, and Joyner back on keys - Tom was on literally everything else ... guitar, mandolin, stand up bass, a shoe - just kidding), the party was ON. (So you'll have to forgive my less than thorough set list). It was a complete jam of musicians' musicians, playing at the top of their game and completely grooving off of each other. After blazing through "Not In The Business Of Knowing" and "Wounded Surfer Boy" (a total Venice jam - where Tom also lives - with lines like He's the Mayor of the neighborhood, he rides around on a skateboard ... Freund had to stop to say, "I have such a good band that they make me better. Everyone should have this band, but they can't." SO good.

"Ghost In This Town" was total excellence and I wrote next to it in my book, "Everyone is going crazy!" But I knew nothing about crazy yet. Right as I was watching and saying to a friend, "You know who I love to watch play - Gabe Noel," a guy that you could tell was INTO it said about Noel, "That is some deep motherfucking shit right there." He told me I needed to move to hear the bass better. I did, and he was right. DEEP.

Ladies Heather Donovan and Suzan Postel backed up Freund singing the lovely and sad, "Why, Wyoming?" and I was reminded of a friend saying about Freund, "Most musicians in this town aren't qualified to carry his instrument cases." Seriously. "Digs" backed that up even more.

Tom is doing a Pledge campaign to help fund his next album (in progress and sounds CLASSIC) and said, "If I don't mention this, CJ will kill me," (I've been helping him with it, and it would just be a maiming, not a kill) and gave this little  - and true - speech:

"Angel Eyes" says You make it possible to do the things I do ... so please go here and chip in on the future fun. Thank you!

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/tomfreund

*(Because you better believe THAT cd release party is going to go even crrrrrazier.)

The beautiful face and voice of C.C. White appeared and she and Freund WAILED on "Come Together" and Joni Mitchell's "A Case Of You".  Bliss. Which only grew when Ben Harper (two days after his astounding Disney Hall show) came on up to join his old friend for "Collapsible Plans" (also the name of the album Harper produced for Freund). "This is the kind of shit that happens at The Mint!", said Freund truly. After playing together for so long, these guys have it DOWN. Watching and hearing them harmonize together, my heart felt full. We'll kiss in the puddle of the sky ... Sugar don't get no sweeter than this .... Nope.

The roof of the poor Mint blew off when the whole gang (+ and Steve Postel and Marvin Etzioni) threw it down for The Who's "Let My Love Open The Door"! Between C.C. elevating every note played, and Ben and Tom singing their lungs out and the band totally dialed in ... just YIKES.

I don't know how they brought the vibe down immediately for the silence that met their stunning "Copper Moon", but they did it like magicians. It was so pretty I want to time travel back to that moment right now ....

OK, I'm back. And so was Freund to play one more, his all-time great "Francie" that features his blistering mandolin solo that builds until his hands are one big blur. Which the night was also becoming by this point.

What a great time. Performers, partiers, and The Mint alike simply killed it. Good job, everybody! WELL worth the trip east of Lincoln. Thank you, MUSIC - for being the reason for it all.

Mr. Harper's Opus - Ben Harper Plays The Walt Disney Concert Hall

In the final show of Ben Harper's fall solo acoustic tour, he single handedly brought down the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. One guy. A whole bunch of instruments. A completely rapt (and totally diverse, from race to age to gender) audience. You know it's going to be good when there's a standing ovation just because someone walks on stage.

That Disney stage creates kind of an in-the-round experience, as they fill the seats behind the stage as well, and all the seats seem to be good. People chatted about how many times they'd seen Ben Harper play, what they hoped he would play, if they'd heard his latest album with Charlie Musselwhite, if they'd seen him skate ... as genteel chamber music played and the seats slowly filled with lagging Angelenos.

Then the lights went out, and Harper came out to a thunderous ovation before one note had been played. Ever gracious, he accepted the love with wide waves, then sat down and picked up a banjo. All got quiet quick and WE LOVE YOU, BEN! Harper played a beautiful new instrumental, "The Long Road Home." The way the rolling notes of the banjo filled the acoustically perfect hall let us know this was going to be one night to remember. And that Ben has SKILLS.

"I was just talking with a friend and realized that this is the 20th anniversary of this next song. He asked me what I was going to do for that, and I said, 'I'm going to play it at Walt Disney Hall!" Loud cheers for that, of course, and "I was just sitting on a porch in Echo Park and out it tumbled." And out tumbled, "Welcome To The Cruel World" played on Harper's trademark Weissenborn guitar. Beautifully. It cannot be overstated how GOOD his instruments and voice sounded in this building ... like they were made for each other.

"People have to respect something in order to listen to it, which is the problem the government is having ... Government shut-downs?! When you have 20 million people without health care charging the White House, then you're really going to have a government shut-down!" Shades of the activist Harper were on display I LOVE YOU, BEN! as he lit into "Excuse Me, Mr." on his electric Fender, playing his pedals to strong effect in that space. That led into a story about meeting Lou Reed when they both played Carnegie Hall. Reed liked Ben's guitar so much that night that Harper sent it to him in the mail the following week. "If you want a New Yorker to not trust you, try to give them something!" Reed reciprocated and sent one of his own guitars back to Harper, of which a friend said, "Man, that looks dangerous.... This is for Lou." Lou got "Fight Outta You" - and so did we. He left it open for people to sing along at the end, which no one really did - except for the guy right next to me. Horribly, and off-key, and to every song. *Note to all: People are there to hear the artist they love play the songs they love - not your shower singing. Unless it's a sing-along, please never do that. Thanks.

Droves of people swarmed in during the applause, prompting Harper to remark, "I tried to make it by 7:30 on a Monday once in Los Angeles," making people laugh, but also noting the interruption. (There was Clipper game traffic, but still.) "Roses From My Friends", "Another Lonely Day", and "Diamonds On The Inside" were all played on acoustic guitar, all classics with the lovely ending flourishes that he puts on songs, and a humble wave in thanks.

BEN, I LOVE YOU! As Harper acknowledged yet another distracting, attention-needing shout-out, he said, "I love you too. As I've gotten older, the yells have gotten lower in octave ... which I think has followed the upward mobility of gay rights. In '94, you should've seen my black ass singing 'Mama's Got A Girlfriend' in Virgin Records. Now it's all 'I love the gays'. Yes, I'm Black. I'm a mixed bag, a mutt .... but once you've been racially-profiled and harassed by the cops enough, the 20th time, they pull you over and say, 'Mr. Harper, here's your Black Card." That became a story about how bookers would want to put him on bills with the Bad Brains or Living Color ... "You'd be amazed what Black people listen to ... I went to a P.E. show and it was all white folks!" That P.E. show became a riot with midgets running after them ... "Why is everyone running from midgets? Midgets will kick your ass ... You never see 'em coming!" This story never quite came in for a landing because Harper cracked himself up, and then said, "The talking bit I don't quite have down."

Harper said the highest honor is when his music is used in church, as many people have used his songs in their weddings, funerals, births, etc, though he said it can be a little daunting "When you say something at 20 that you may never say better." The tone quickly turned to romantic as he played a lovely acoustic "Forever". MY GIRLFRIEND AND I LOVE YOU, BEN!!

"You didn't come here for a course on racial relations, did you? (Yes, maybe we did.) Race is a smokescreen for the truth, which is we're all free to hate each other equally. (laughs, but I prefer love.) If they realize who they let in here and kick us out, we'll all meet on the court house steps and finish up over there." Had that happened, we all would have followed, happily. Anywhere, really.

These prominent gigs were not as easy to come by in 1994 and Harper told a story about being fed by friends at Toi on Sunset, "Toi kept us ALIVE!", living on sugar cookies, and playing with a hat out at Venice Beach (somehow I doubt that one ...) and being late for a gig at The Mint. They got rear-ended at a stoplight on the way, and because he was the car in front and had to make the gig, he hit the gas and got out of there. "Bounced!" They arrived at The Mint just in time to hear the last song by Mazzy Star, "Fade Into You". He then sat at the piano and played that gorgeous song for us. Bless him.

The Weissenborn returned for an instrumental medley that showed just exactly what the Disney Hall can do.  "Mutt/All My Heart Can Take" were so resonant, so powerful, so just HOLY SHIT is he good, that when Harper slapped the strings with authority to end it, the crowd just erupted. I still have chills now writing about it. That was about to go right into the opening chords of the life-saving "Lifeline" when HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEN! was bellowed (a month late) by a woman named Shawna (whose birthday is in December, we're all happy to know). Harper kindly returned the "Happy Birthday" and had an usher hand her his slide as a gift, and turned his chair to play to the back for her, with the condition that she return and have a similar conversation with Gustavo Dudamel (The L.A. Philharmonic conductor) during HIS show. Ha!

"After this long, all the shitheads are gone, and we all mean it," said Harper by means of introducing his next one on acoustic guitar, "Don't Give Up On Me Now." Judging from this night, he has absolutely nothing to worry about there. "You know, the laws are changing, there's a shifting of the tide, and I'd like to think I had something to do with helping certain laws become more liberal." He was on tour with reggae great (and one of my favorites) Damian Marley ("He's got his Black Card!") and Marley said, "(unintelligible rasta patois impression)" so I got my Jamaican interpreter and he said, 'Are you saying LIKE my fire or LIGHT my fire?" Harper smiled and said, "You know it's both!" and stood up walking around the entire stage singing "Burn One Down" to a delighted, totally on-board crowd that stood and cheered like crazy at the last chord, which ended the first set.

People stood and cheered until Harper returned and sat down saying, "2,500 of my closest friends!" He adjusted things and said, "Muddy Waters. John Lee Hooker. GNARLS BARKLEY!! began the shouting of names, but Harper's point was that "If they hadn't played with him yet, they KNEW him and wanted to play with him," to invite his most recent album's collaborator, Mr. Charlie Musselwhite out to join him!

Musselwhite sat down and opened his suitcase of harmonicas, Harper strapped on his Fender, and they proceeded to deliver us the real deal BLUES. "I'm In, I'm Out, And I'm Gone" showed how much these two coalesce their musicality together. "He came along and re-coded my genetics," was how Harper put it. They play off of each other seamlessly. "Don't Look Twice" had Harper switching to a jangly-stringed acoustic and together they completely FILLED the space with such amazing sound that at its end, Harper remarked, "I always wondered what it would sound like to be INSIDE a guitar. Now I know." I had been having the same thought before he said it. You were inside of and surrounded by every bent note.

"You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend)" was soulful, mournful, legit blues, and then they played one "slated for Charlie and I's second record," LOVE YOU, CHARLIE! called "I Trust You To Dig My Grave". It's clear that these masters of their craft are having a total ball playing together, and it's extremely infectious as people clapped along and shouted like they were in a blues bar and not a symphony hall. Music this good will do that. Charlie and Ben left the stage to another standing ovation, richly earned.

Harper rewarded the fans with another encore, by sitting right down at the upright piano and playing a new one, "I'm Trying Not To Fall In Love With You".  This is a dramatic one, with lots of thundering chords and excellent as ever lyrics. "This is just a game of (there was a pause so someone had to yell FOOLS! - Thanks.) Everyone knows about his guitar prowess, but it was a surprise to many that he throws down such piano chops as well (And would probably tear up a bassoon or a washboard or ANYthing else too. Being raised in a folk music store will do that). Harper's voice was as soaring as the high ceilings and when he slapped the piano keys at song's end, you couldn't hear yourself even think how good it was, the applause was so deafening.

INTO THE COLORS! came a request (that I don't recall being taken) from the balcony. "You wouldn't holler 'Mahler's 9th!' at Dudamel ... Let's respect the venue." Yes, let's. Instead, Harper played a lilting, folky-sounding version of "Steal My Kisses". He must have missed a note that I didn't hear, because he said, "Man, this is an unforgiving place." - meaning the acoustics, not the fans, who would forgive anything at this point.

Next came a special treat as Harper invited his Mother, Ellen, out to join him. They are working on an album together to come out THANK YOU, MOM! on Mother's Day next year, called "Childhood Home". They sat next to each other, she on acoustic, he on lap steel, to play a homesick for simpler times song called "City Of Dreams", written by his Mom. Simply lovely.

"This next song I've wanted to write my whole life, and I think I finally did," said Harper about the next one, "Born To Love You". Mother and Son harmonized so beautifully, as she sat behind him at the piano, singing and watching her child play. I have a lump in my throat and my eyes are welling now just at the memory of how heart-wrenchingly special it was.

 I had a health scare with my own Mother earlier this year, and listening to this song about the love between a Mother and child being sung together by such angelic voices meant - BORN - to sing together, it was just so touching. I was a melted puddle of love. And I was not alone. YOU DID GOOD, MOM! She sure did. She and Ben hugged and she left the stage with a gracious wave.

Harper remained to play LOVE YOU, BEN! "Walk Away", his crusher of a break-up song, that he made quieter and quieter at its end to illustrate the walking away out that door. So good. Then we got the beautiful "Amen, Omen", a clear crowd favorite (that the guy next to me knew just about every third word to) and BEST SHOW EVER! save for the yells, it was quiet enough for him to sing away from the mic.

"I want to go real slow. It's never slow enough when it's something you hold dear." PLAY ALL NIGHT! "Then I'm the guy that plays all night." I'LL BUY YOU A BEER! "I WILL play for beer." SKATE LIFE! "I will do Lazers, yes." I LIKE YOUR GUITAR! "Thank you for that." It died down just long enough for Harper to say, "You play all your life to get to exactly where you're standing. Thank you all from my heart. I don't want it to end." No one did. Especially not when he began the distinctive opening chords to "Hallelujah". I'm of the school that thought after Jeff Buckley covered Leonard Cohen's majestic classic, no one should ever even try again. Until last night. Harper makes it his own with the Weissenborn chords echoing all over the hall until I was all choked up again. You could hear a HAIR drop in there, so caught up in it was everyone. Soaring held high notes that made the joint erupt in appreciative yells, it was heart-swelling. Glorious, and the sound in there made it all the more Heavenly. There couldn't be a more apt title for a song - Hallelujah! OK, NOW no one should ever do it again. Another massive standing ovation, more than earned.

On a lighter note, Harper picked up a ukulele and strolled the stage un-miked, serenading each and every corner of the venue with "Suzy Blue". The line where he sings Misery loves a symphony... got a laugh (but don't be at all surprised when he DOES perform a symphony in there. He will.), and everyone clapped along, with the buoyancy that comes with knowing you wouldn't rather be anywhere else, and everyone in there feels the same way. THANK YOU, BROTHER!

After effusive thanks to the audience and his road crew, and shout outs to Stoner Park skater friends, and apologizing for it being a work night, but not wanting it to be over just yet, KEEP US UP ALL NIGHT! Harper sat down to play a sublime acoustic version of "Power Of The Gospel". Powerful, for sure. It was silent (for once) as the audience sat in recognition of the extreme talent and power of MUSIC - to bring us together. To heal. To bless. To rejoice! "Amazing" is real over-used these days, but somehow it's about the only word that fits. "What do you do, retire after a gig like this?!" an equally amazed Harper wondered as he said his thanks, waved and left the stage, with everyone wanting much more. Let us hope he never does retire. The world needs this music. I can't think of really anyone else who so fully embraces all kinds of musical genres with such ease, comfort and soulful grace and gives it to us with all he's got, every time.

Now that I'm home and thinking about it all and so happy to have been there to share that glorious evening, I can say what had spontaneously burst out of so many people that couldn't contain it last night ... LOVE YOU, BEN!

Thank you, Ben, on behalf of everyone who has been blessed to be a witness of your full of wonder music.