Beer + Busking?

NYC has a lot of different events created to entertain us.  This week it's restaurant week, where some can get a chance to dine at a favorite restaurant or one we've always wanted to but can't afford with a prix fix menu. This week is also named Beer week.  The kick off is tonight in the grand hall of the grandest train station, Grand Central, in Vanderbilt Hall. (the event is sold out).

I'll be performing with other Music Under New York musicians Salieu Suso (African Kora player) and the crazy fun Xylofolks (performing dressed in costumes like either a Tex Avery cartoon, or a sporting team mascot, take your pick).

I'm not really a beer drinker, but I think with all the micro breweries popping up all over the 5 Boroughs, tonight might be a good night to get me hooked (after I play of course).  I got the gig thanks to brewer and sax player Chris Cuzme.  He'll be there pouring beer from his brewery 508 Gastro Brewery in soho (Greenwich St @ Spring). I'm also interested in tasting The Bronx brewery Gun Hill Brewing (that's where my Mom grew up-oops sorry Mom, not in the brewery, on Gun Hill Rd).

Check out these clips I've made of the Xylofolks and Salieu Suso from my NYCSubwaygril video gallery of artists archives.

NYC Subway Girl films The Xylopholks perform their own special brand of "fuzzy ragtime xylophone" at 34th St.


Kora player Salieu Suso sings a song just for NYC Subway Girl at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal

Air Guitar Cop

Performed at Graybar corridor today at Grand Central station. Easy going gig at this spot, but hot, not insane but hot.  I usually don't like to play when it's too hot and usually that means during the month of August. But I was also enjoying running through my set I'd be playing on Wednesday at Joe's Pub so it was a good practice run.

A family from South Carolina came up to me, young girls with smiley face t-shirts that said Hi on the front and Bye on the back. I made a song up about it and they enjoyed it.  I asked if they would let me film them for my inspiration project.  Their inspiration "Jesus Christ."

Up from the stairwell came 2 kitted out terror squad police officers: helmets, huge guns, flank jackets and all in black.  I'm used to seeing military and police presence in the stations, although I don't like that it is something to get used to. I had just finished singing Willie Nile's song One Guitar "I'm a soldier marching in the army got no gun to shoot, all I got is one guitar…."  and in the middle of my song Question of Desire when the cops came up the stairs, one of them with his serious demeanor actually air guitar-ed his gun! It was  priceless.  I caught him in the act and smiling said "now that's what it should be used for, right?!"

easy ease-in at Grand Central

My return to subway gigs after a long summer break couldn't have been better. I performed in the Graybar corridor at Grand Central Station (it feeds into the main hall) and has a great people watching vantage point.With amazing warm acoustics naturally created by great architecture, I sang with ease and enjoyed what only time off can provide, the ability to hear myself with fresh ears and ideas. I noticed many people taking an "audio" tour of the station. There's a funny juxtaposition of tourists casually looking up at whatever is being pointed out from a voice in their headphones and the racing commuters who always seem to cut their next train close to within seconds.It's truly a dance, albeit clumsy at best.
Read More