The Ponkiesblog

Brad Einhorn's Kings County Strings (the band, not the store) did a nice show at Jalopy last night, mixing up traditional tunes and medleys with some solid bluegrass and some nice covers including their version of "Help!" Orrin Starr opened with some really nice work on banjo, mandolin and guitar, along with Bill Christopherson on fiddle and Russell Scholl on guitar.

More photos on the site.

Grey Fox alternated blazing heat and suffocating humidity with ferocious thunderstorms, but the combination did yield a beautiful bonus on Saturday afternoon.

I like the new location; the stage is still on a hillside, but the climb up is nothing like it was on the Rothvoss farm, and the camping area is entirely flat, and it's bordered by a pretty little creek. This meant more room for campers and vendors, less stress, and a vendor midway that was actually pleasant to stroll.

Too much music to talk about in detail, of course; the weekend was dominated for me by Uncle Earl, who played on the main stage and tore the dance pavilion up several times, and Tim O'Brien, who did a solo set, a set with Hot Rize, and then rocked the dance pavilion well into the early hours of Sunday morning.

Lots more photos on the site!

So, it's hot and sticky, but hey, it's cooler than it was on the Walsh
Farm this weekend, and you have more shelter from the rain. And you
can even get some sleep! So there's no excuse not to be out seeing
some music.

There will ba a jam at sunnys this saturday 7/26/08 at 9PM 253 conover st 718 625 8211 www.sunnysredhook.com
Kate and Tone and friends will play at sunnys 7/25/08 at 10PM see the last newsletter or the blog www.ponkiesburg.com/blog for much more information. Smokey hormel continues his wednesday nite western roundup residency.
Brenda tells me that folks looking for more information about the sacred heart scene in NY should check www.brooklynsing.vocis.com or to www.folkmusicny.org the latter is the site for the new york pinewoods folk music club. Ken could you please add these 2 addresses to the link list? The john pinamonte band is at rodeo bar www.rodeobar.com 7/23/08 10PM free.
Lou Giampetruzzi passed 2 years ago. l, along with many others, miss him and his guiding presence. It was lous encouragement and fortitude ( despite near perfect pitch lou allowed me to sit behind him at brazen head and sing, it was his encouragement that led to the jam at sunnys) that brought about my continued involvement with the ponkiesburg jam scene. Thank you Lou. Kate has helped set up a special fund for ailing musicians in his honor, ken has more information on the blog www.ponkiesburg.com/blog There will be benefit shows and such please support this, Lou was special to many,many people.
The slow jam at paddy reillys continues every 2nd and 4th monday of the month, next on 7/28/08 at 7pm http://banjo.meetup.com/56/calendar/8357623 Ken would you please put this on the link list also? The jam at jalopy is now on mondays at 9:30pm. The cashank at buttermilk will be 7/31 and 8/28 at 9pm, thursdays.Blue harvest is at the parkside lounge 7/28/08 and the 11 st bar 9/10/08.
Clarence Ferrari and his wife Kimberly are expecting a little Ferrari in december, congratulations

My first missive to blog im so excited ooh, wow, hoo-eee, ok im over it. People are talking or at least they should be. The babylon arts council presents the 6th annual babylon bluegrass festiva in copiague at tanner park saturday 9/16/08 rain or shine 10 bucks 631 587 3696. Lots of stuff and good folks, bring a lawnchair.
The five deadly venoms are at the living room every tuesday in july at 9:30, and every tuesday in august at 10:30 www.myspace.com/thefivedeadlyvenoms or www.livingroomnyc.com There is a band a sunnys this friday 7/18 could be hogzilla check at www.sunnysredhook.com and kate and tone and friends are definitely playing on friday 7/25 10pm and ther will be a jam saturday 7/19 and 7/26 as usual. Look for dock oscar thursdays at freddys backroom and the continuing adventures of the kings county opry www.kingscountyopry.com .
James reams and the barnstormers will be playing in conjuction with the " grand central partnerships 'celebrate summer in midtown' look,listen and lunch " series on friday 7/18 at noon:30 pm 3rd ave at 40th street, www.grandcentralpartnership.org/what_we_do/promote_summer_concerts.asp some people need to practice acronyms. The weekly jam at jalopy www.jalopy.biz is now on momdays at 9:30 pm .
Sue batkin of paddy reillys 2nd and 4th monday of the month slow jam for advanced beginner and intermediate players does NOT wish to announce the formation of a new band that is NOT tentatively entitled as " just practicing" and will DEFINTELY NOT be looking for gigs in or about january, and you certainly didnt hear that from me gsmojo@aol.com. The havens on the other hand are gigging www.myspace.com/thehavensbrooklyn catch them at th teneleven bar on 8/2/08 and at the lakeside lounge on 9/14.
Lilith beitchman offers for culturization at the white rabbit lounge www.whiterabbitnyc.com on tuesday 7/15/08 6-10 PM the mortals theater lnuckleball fund raiser for the upcoming production of "knuckleball " by william whitehurst at the soho playhouse www.fringenyc.org 20 bucks,meet and greet, cashbar and lots of painless ways to separate you from your money, live music,and its a for a good cause.
Castners auction in branchville nj is looking for a bluegrass type band (they are kinda musically illiterate but nice folks) to do something sometime in august and/or september on either saturday or sunday during the day. They dont know how much to spend or much specific yet but they are definitly interested maybe one of you hotshot booking type people could get in touch with dayson engels (that is spelled correctly) at dayson@castners.com, they want a quality band just need a good sales talk.