"It sure been a hard, hard winter My feet been draggin' 'cross the ground And I hope it's gonna be a long, hot summer And the light of love will be burnin' bright" Jagger/Richards

Have You Heard---

This week in history: March 20

In 44BC, In Rome, Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Senate floor by his colleagues. “Beware, the Ides of March”

Birthdays: 

Hal Linden 83, Ursula Andress 78, Phil Lesh 74, Mike Love 73, Jerry Jeff Walker 72, Sly Stone 71, John Sebastian 70, Ry Cooder 67, Nancy Wilson 69, Carl Palmer 64, Holly Hunter 56, Eva Longoria 39

Local notables celebrating birthdays this week: Mike Towey and Arthur Beauchesne. I know d’ose guys. Happy Birthday Cap’ts    

Today’s Weather in St John USVI, 85 degrees and sunny. It’s a heat wave. It’s been 82 and sunny there for months.

“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.” Doug Larson

“An optimist is the human personification of spring.”

Susan J. Bissonette

A special shout out to my lovely wife, Pam on this, our 5th anniversary. Yep, we were married on the first day of spring at the crack of dawn, at Fort Sewell, Marblehead.

Here we go---   

Brodies Seaport  

Friday – Gumbo Diablo 9PM

Saturday – Local 148 9PM 

SUNDAY/FUNDAY - Special guests – Julie Dougherty and Woody 4:30PM

Grapevine

Thursday - Julie Dougherty is hosting open mic. 7PM

Gulu Gulu

Thursday – Pitch Black Ribbons 8PM

Friday – Jim Hobbs and the Fully Celebrated Orchestra 8PM 

Saturday – Black Dog Brother 9PM

Monday - Bobby Spellman Jazz Quartet 9PM

Howling Wolf

Friday – Joe Mack 10PM

Saturday – Joel Larue Smith 10PM

Sunday - Steve Spungin 10PM

In a Pigs Eye

Thursday - Lydia Harrell 9PM

Friday – Blues Jam 4:15, The Dejas with Eric Reardon 9PM

Saturday – The Erinn (2N) Brown Band 9PM

Sunday – Miles Ahead 8PM

Monday – Open Mic 9PM

Wednesday – Britannica Acoustic Duo 9PM

O’Neill’s

Sunday – Irish Session 4PM

Opus, O_Underground

Thursday – DUBBEST REGGAE 9PM

Friday – Unplugged with UNIVERSAL TRANSIT 9PM

Saturday – DEAD BEAT 9PM

Wednesday – The Dejas Mix 9PM

Rockafellas

Friday – Envy 9PM

Saturday – Fighting Friday 9PM

Vic’s Boathouse

Saturday – MSF Band 9PM

The Village Tavern

Friday - Close2Home 9PM

Saturday – Ditto 4PM, Irish Drinking Band 8PM

Last week---

I did get out for the jam at the Pig last Friday. What a fookin crowd. I think a bunch of thick mics got dropped off and started celebrating early for the Monday holiday.

After, it was on to Brodies for The Transister. Always a fun band but don’t show with your snow boots on. You need dancing shoes.

I got tied up with a pre-season boating strategy session out at Browns Island in Marblehead, Saturday and that prevented me from getting out Saturday night. Yeah, John Jameson was at the meeting.

But---SUNDAY/FUNDAY, the most fun show in town, week after week. Last week featured Mr. Nick, tearing it up on harmonica and vocals.

And after that, there was a very special show going on at In a Pig’s Eye. The perfect pairing, in Diana Blue and Rick “King” Russell Duo. I was sitting with a friend who mentioned how well they played the room. They were loud enough to hear every note but not so loud so you couldn’t talk. Am I getting old? Great show guys. Hope to see you back soon.

My picks in the coming week:

Here is an unusual but very cool happening for you. Big Ol Dirty Bucket is playing a special show, I think in the atrium at the PEM tonight, Thursday, from 6-9PM. There are some other very cool things happening with that show. Free for Salem Residents, $10 all others. But they are collecting donations too. Check it out here: 

Explore Salem's creative scene as local arts groups "take over" the museum. Big Ol' Dirty Bucket provides live music with local musician Qwill creating an audio journey in between sets, Beverly High School's AP art students exhibit their work, PEM's ArtLink participants lead art-making experiences. Engage in a Hula Art Collaborative that will be featured at Salem Arts Festival in June, see a Spice Painting Demonstration, and go on a Photo Safari Spice tour with Social Palates and Salem Food Tours

AND!! there will be a We_are_salem projection wall!

Offered in collaboration with Salem Arts Festival and Social Palates.

Also on Thursday, starting around 9 at OPUS Underground, it’s DUBBEST REGGAE

Friday, the jam down the pig happens tonight and every Friday night. Always a great show but if you don’t get there early, you’re standing. But that’s ok cus you can’t dance while you’re sitting, can you?

More great music Friday at Brodies Seaport with Gumbo Diablo bringing some much needed Zydeco to Salem, just in time to get some peeps ready for their NOLA tour. You know who I’m talking to.

Joe Mack is at Howling Wolf Friday night. Show starts at 10. If you haven’t heard Joe, here’s a chance to see one of the North Shore’s best guitars. Joe plays several locations but has a regular jam at Celly’s on Rt 107 in Lynn every Sunday night.

Julie Dougherty is on double duty this week. She and Woody are this week’s special guests at Brodies for Sunday/Funday, then on Tuesday, she’s hosting the new, open mic at Grapevine, at 7PM

Next Wednesday, it’s The Britannica Acoustic Duo at In a Pig’s Eye. You’ve been putting up with us blathering Irish for the past few weeks. Let’s hear what the Brits have to say.

This list was put together with much help from STANSLIST. See his site here:  http://www.stanslist.com  Thanks Stan. 

Please excuse any incorrect spelling and omissions. But sometimes I make up words too, CORDWANGERS!!!

Go out and listen to some great LIVE music in the wonderful, strange, historic and hip town of Salem, Massachusenutts.

And tip your bartenders and servers.  

And always check with the venue as times and schedules change. (and I sometimes Feck up)