Smokin’ J’s Flood Fest

Posted on October 30, 2011 by tom

So, I had the pleasure of playing at another Irene-flood-related benefit show this weekend. What a treat!

 

There were some terrific folks there; many of them already pals of mine. It was a treat to share a night and the stage with them. Rocky Roberts (Neil Young’s guitar tech for, like, a hundred years; on his way to London to tour with My Morning Jacket the next morning but he stayed on to do this show) and his band (all pals of mine); The Lonesome Brothers (more pals); Kim and Sharon (ditto); Clayton and Aaron (duh); Dave Wolinsky (I’ve seen him once or twice); and Chip Wilson (never even heard of him).

Let’s talk about this Chip Wilson guy. OMG! The man’s got chops. I mean real Tommy Emmanuel chops. Crazy unbelievable, can’t-even-begin-to-follow-along while staring at his left hand trying to figure out what he’s doing. With a little bit of drool probably coming out of the side of my mouth because I’m so enraptured by the music coming out of this guy and his guitar. Gotta seek out CDs and performances.

Also, he came up special from New Orleans to do this show. He’s originally from Vermont, “played his first paying gig in Manchester, VT forty years ago,” he said. Moved to New Orleans for the music. Got flooded out of New Orleans during Katrina. Moved back and was so impressed about how many New Englander musicians made the trip down to do flood-relief benefits that he had to return the favor. No money, no fame, no nuthin’. Just a good guy doing his thing to help out. How great is that?! Plus, did I mention the guy can play?

It was a treat and honor to be part of the show at Smokin’ J’s. So much fun; they raised some serious money to help the folks at Twice Blessed (who will in turn help the folks of Wilmington); there was a great turnout for a great cause. Anyway, thanks for having me and most of all, thanks for coming out and supporting the good people of Wilmington.

PS. I have very fond memories of Wilmington: it’s the home my favorite childhood ski area. Carinthia, now part of the Mt. Snow conglomerate, was a small, family-owned place with a couple of t-bars when I was a kid. With the best french fries ever. I remember the long car rides up from central Massachusetts, listening to my father sing Gilbert and Sullivan medleys and the day we showed up for opening day and my father was outraged (outraged, I tell you) that a single adult day pass had gone up to $6.00. I understand that skiing has gotten a little more expensive since then. I haven’t been keeping up so much since I ran out of ACLs when I was 18. Anyway…

Related show

  • Artist: Tom Woodbury
  • Date: Friday, October 28th 2011
  • Time: 6:00pm
  • City: Tom Woodbury in Wilmington, VT
  • Venue: SMOKIN’ J’S FLOOD FEST @ Smokin’ J’s Real Memphis Bar-B-Q
  • Address: 167 N. Rt. 100
  • Venue phone: 802-464-0085
  • Country: US
  • Admission: $10 suggested donation
  • Notes: This is a benefit show to raise money to help out after the flooding left behind in Wilmington after Hurricane Irene stopped by for a devastating visit.



    I’m truly pleased and proud to be a part of this, to have another opportunity to help out. C’mon by and help us help the folks who need it. It’ll be a really great night!
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A Good Old-Fashioned Bar-Raising!

Posted on September 29, 2011 by tom

Two pieces in the local paper about Saturday’s benefit show featuring “Evelyn Harris of Sweet Honey in the Rock, Tom Woodbury, and others” (if I do say so myself…) to raise money to help Flat Street get back on its feet. This is a good thing and I’m pleased and proud to be a part of it.

’Bar Raiser’ benefit aids Flat Street Brew Pub and Raising her voice — and a bar.

Related show

  • Artist: Tom Woodbury
  • Date: Saturday, October 1st 2011
  • Time: 6:00pm
  • City: Tom Woodbury in Brattleboro, VT
  • Venue: The Bar Raising: A Fundraiser for Flat Street Brew Pub @ The River Garden
  • Address: 153 Main Street
  • Country: US
  • Admission: $20 suggested donation
  • Age restrictions: All Ages
  • Notes: If you aren’t aware – Flat Street Brew Pub and Tap Room in Brattleboro, Vermont was completely destroyed by Hurricane Irene in the ensuing flood. So we are coming back!
    We are thrilled to let you know that we are moving forward with re-opening the BREW PUB! It will be an adventure and you are in on it. We hope to raise some of the $50,000 it will take to get the pub open again for your pleasure. Won’t you join us? We will have beer, wine, martinis, an auction, and live music featuring Evelyn Harris, formerly of Sweet Honey in the Rock, accompanied by our beloved regular, Hugh Keelan on piano. You know you miss Flat Street – be there!

    And for our friends who can’t join us but want to help there’s a DONATE button on our store site: http://store.flatstreet.net/
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“TABLE 10” available at The Futon Company in Worcester

Posted on September 25, 2011 by tom

If you’re in Worcester, MA, you can now pick up your very own copy of TABLE 10 at The Futon Company on Highland Street. Thanks to Greg and Beth!

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Irene

Posted on August 28, 2011 by tom

My town is going to be sad again. Hurricane Irene stopped by for a visit and left us with some flooding. It’s still raining, so it ain’t over and the fat lady hasn’t sung yet. But I wanted to share this with y’all.

My town is going to be sad again. And we will gather and rally and fix and uplift.

You remember the fire not so long ago. Since then we’ve had some violence that really shook us. And now we’re flooded.

My town is going to be sad again. And we will gather and rally and fix and uplift. Because that’s how we roll.

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Apparently, it’s me

Posted on August 23, 2011 by tom

So, I had two interesting conversations about my left arm this week. Y’know, the one with the nerve damage and messed-up muscles that hurt when I play the guitar or do the dishes.

First I was talking with my massage therapist and we were wondering about some particular muscles in my left forearm. Without really thinking about it, I showed her the position my left arm and hand are in while I’m playing guitar and a look of horror passed over her face. She saw my thumb position and it all suddenly made sense to her. Those particular forearm muscles are completely engaged in order to put the thumb in that position. So, she kinda said, “Um duh, Tom. You’re doing this to yourself.” And she pointed out that the thumb is the most recent evolutionary part of the human body, so it’s a particularly nasty thing to be using incorrectly.

The next day I walked into my local guitar store with my forearm all wrapped up in tape and Icy/Hot stuff (just like Shaq wears!). My local guitar guru/god asked about the injury and then I asked if I could be pitting the frets of my guitars a little more quickly than expected by maybe squeezing the neck too hard. He looked at me and said, “So you walk in here injured with tired, strained, painful forearm muscles with painful shredded nerves and you think maybe you’re squeezing the guitar neck too hard? Duh! Oh, and your therapist probably said the same thing, didn’t she?” So I’m killing my arm and my guitars.

So, I guess there are two lessons here: 1. Yes, apparently it’s me and 2. Stop strangling the guitar while you’re playing! Less is more. Think of the Alexander Technique tenet about using only the appropriate amount of effort necessary for a particular activity and not more.

Last night I played at Metropolis from 8:00 – 1:30 with a couple of breaks. Tons of fun. I did manage to relax my left hand some of the time. Not all night, but it’s a start. I’ll work on it.

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Metropolis Pics

Posted on August 16, 2011 by tom

Some pics from Metropolis. Johanna was out schmoozing and sharing cupcakes and she still managed to find time to take some great pictures How does she do it…?

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Facebook Messaging and Me (and You)

Posted on June 13, 2011 by tom

So, you’d think that a facebook “page” could send a message to everyone who “likes” the “page.” Well, you’d be wrong. But don’t feel bad; I’m pretty sure it’s them, not you. The logical Plan B would be for the “admin” of the “page” to be able to send a message to everyone who “likes” the “page.” Again, you’d be wrong. And again, I think it’s them, not you.

I ran into trouble when I tried to implement Plan C. I (the “admin”) started sending individual messages to everyone who “likes” my “page.” I was just getting started when an angry red window popped up, telling me that I was behaving inappropriately and potentially bothering people. Something, something, something, block your account, something, to avoid disruption, something, something, must slow down immediately, something …

All this is by way of letting you know that if you’re a facebooker who “likes” my “page,” I’m trying to “message” you with something cool. I hope I’ll figure out the pace that will let me get to you all without forever losing my facebook privileges.

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Ten Things, PDX Edition

Posted on May 8, 2011 by tom

Ten Things I Learned in Portland, Oregon

  1. Those dams Woody Guthrie sang about are out this way.
  2. You can get just about anywhere armed with a bus pass and a basic understanding of three bus routes.
  3. I like artichokes more than I think I do but I’m still not crazy about kalamata olives.
  4. The hot chicks do all wear glasses like the song says. Even the road-construction-crew chicks.
  5. The musicians out here aren’t exactly hung up on the whole punctuality thing either.
  6. The subway trains run right up on the streets in the daylight, showing no fear of the sun or of being seen in public.
  7. They don’t call it “Downtown.” They call it “City Center.”
  8. It’s cool to be able to wake to sunshine, drive up a mountain in a blinding snowstorm where they recommend tire chains, drive back to sunshine, then head off to the ocean (with sandy beach and everything) all inside of 24 hours.
  9. My pronunciation of “printer,” when talking about computer peripherals (“prinner”), is a Pacific Northwest thing. Probably an artifact of so much tech coming from there.
  10. I still like traveling with my wife.
  11. Bonus Seattle Thing: I thought the Space Needle would be a lot taller.

For those of you who’ve forgotten, here’s the Ten Things, Santa Fe Edition:

  1. I like planes that seat more than 18 people.
  2. I like more oxygen than they have there.
  3. Albuquerque is 19 exits North-South and 17 exits East-West.
  4. The Spanish owned the Philippines in the 1500′s.
  5. It’s not the corkscrew, it’s the foil cutter blade that upsets Homeland Security.
  6. AngelFire Water really works.
  7. I like hot mineral bath soaks, wraps, and massages better than you’d think.
  8. When you change your flight plans, it’s probably best to let the airline know about it.
  9. Red or Green? Both, please.
  10. I like traveling with my wife.
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Brattleboro Fire Relief Fund Update

Posted on May 2, 2011 by tom

Remember how I left TABLE 10 on sale at CD Baby so we could raise some money for the recent fire in Brattleboro?

Well, I’m in Portland, OR. I get an email from the nice folks at CD Baby telling me that the warehouse has run out of TABLE 10 and would I please send them six more. I find a post office and send them six of the ten I have with me. I get an email the next day, thanking me for the six. I get another email the day after that, telling me that they’ve run out again and would I please send them ten more.

So, thankyouthankyouthankyou. Apparently, folks are buying TABLE 10, which means the fire relief fund will be getting 100% of what you spend: my cut, cdbaby’s cut, shipping, whatever, and we can all feel good about ourselves. Plus, you get to listen to some tunes which are, if I may be so bold, not too bad.

If you’re in Brattleboro this weekend, check out the benefit show on Saturday, May 7, noon-midnight. It’s for a great cause and there are people working really hard to make it wonderful. Because that’s how we roll in Bratt!

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My Town is Sad

Posted on April 20, 2011 by tom

A couple of days ago a major historic landmark in my town burned. This was a six-alarm fire that dispossessed almost 60 people and businesses right downtown on Main Street. So, my town is sad. My town is also resilient. Being the great community that we are, the big benefit show is already in the works. Saturday May 7. Y’all should go. It will be a terrific show, but more importantly, it will benefit a good cause and it will be a piece of community, which is so important at times like these.

I’ll be in Portland, OR that day, looking for an open mic or a gig so I can send a shout-out (did I really just say that?) to the folks back home.

I’m leaving the CD (and downloads) on sale at cdbaby.com and I will give 100% of the proceeds to the benefit fund, when there is one. That’s 100% of what you spend: my cut, cdbaby’s cut, shipping, whatever. Please, this is an even better reason to buy my CD than last month’s “birthday sale.” And I’ll probably throw in the “birthday sale” proceeds as well.

My alter-ego, Woodbury Solutions, has already started talking with folks about donating some computer gear and config to WVEW 107.7 FM, one of the businesses that’s now homeless.

So, you buy or download the CD, I give the money to the good cause, we all get to feel good about ourselves. Who’s in?

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