Montreal Part Deux
Saturday, May 31, 2008

Don't mess.

I did another acoustic show in Montreal last night at an excellent downtown brew pub called Brutopia . I opened for the band Playing With Diana.

When I played "When She's Wasted" my cadre of friends, about ten strong, sang along and their voices outpowered the house sound system. Made me feel like a rock star.

My last tune was Old Crow's "Tell It," and I asked Tom Holl to play guitar so I could blow harp. I taught him the tune onstage and dude played it so well he got the chicks dancing up by the stage.

Vive le Quebec libre!

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11th Street Bar & Montreal
Friday, May 30, 2008

Melody Allegra on fiddle, Butch on mandolin, Nate on guitar and Domenick on lapsteel.

It was the New Heathens Salvation Army band at the 11th Street Bar on Wednesday night, anchored by the amazing fiddle playing and beautiful singing of Ms. Melody Allegra (how's that for a musical name?)

I asked Melody, who I'd met a few weeks earlier while playing a solo gig for the King's County Opry at Freddy's Backroom in Brooklyn , if she'd do a gig with the New Heathens. Melody is an incredible natural musician and mercy, she threw DOWN busting out pretty fiddle licks and wonderful harmony vocals.


With the lovely & talented Melody Allegra

The guitarmen, Butch & Dom opened up their full bag of tricks. Butch strummed a mandolin, Domenick teased licks from his lapsteel all night and I even played a wooden train whistle.

Hopped a train to Montreal early the next morning (and early mornings come HARD after an 11th Street gig) and played a 45-minute solo acoustic set at a really cool venue called The Pound . The Pound is a beautiful, huge former warehouse turned into a music venue and art space by a few friendly dudes who live on the balcony above the stage. It was like the best parts of Williamsburg, only with national health care.


At The Pound in Montreal, CA

I ran down a bunch of tunes off Heathens Like Me, plus a few new one's I'm working on. Later, my friend Tom Holl joined me onstage to sing Warren Zevon's "Carmelita." Tom's brother John Holl, a friend, colleague and stalwart New Heathens booster, is celebrating his bachelor party in Montreal this weekend.


With Tom Holl, in Montreal, singing "Carmelita." Photo credit: John Holl

Now, point me to the poutine (it means disco fries!)

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Solo Acoustic in Boston With One Lone Car
Monday, May 12, 2008

Andy, from One Lone Car

My buddy Andy, from the St. Louis Band One Lone Car , who are on tour with the Gin Blossoms called me up on Saturday and asked if I'd like to come to Boston to open up for them at the Cafe Midway the following night.

Would I LIKE to ride five hours on a bus, play by myself to a near-empty bar on Mother's Day, drink rotgut whiskey, forage potato chip crumbs for dinner, and sleep on a hotel floor in a room stuffed with five other dudes? Hell yeah I would!

Here's what Andy wrote on One Lone Car's blog about the night:

"What a time we had in Boston. Last night we played a great club called The Midway. Our good friend Nate Schweber, of NYC's New Heathens fame, joined us on the bill. He took a bus from NYC, made it just in time to play, partied hard with us, and then slept in his leather jacket. Now that is the description of a true rocker. We all could learn a lot from him."


Study on, boys!

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11th Street, the place to be!
Friday, May 9, 2008

Butch, Nate

Played a fun one at the 11th Street Bar on Wednesday night. The band did a bunch of instrument swapping, Butch played some mandolin, and we tossed out some tunes we haven't played in a long time. Some great friends came out and joined us, our friend Drina Seay even sang with us, and the evening just felt good.

The 11th Street Bar is like our downstairs den. It's a good spot. Expect to see the New Heathens (or a Few Heathens) playing there regularly, tossing out new tunes and having a good time.

Thanks to our friend Dan Herman, host of Radio Crystal Blue , a sweet internet radio show, for coming out and taking these pictures!


Brandy

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