Iron & Wine at the Loft at City Winery this past Thursday.

Bought a pass for the Mosswood Meltdown, making for a first ever visit to the San Francisco Bay Area, all spurned on by the return of the Dirtbombs. Really have lost all desire to post on platforms with this format but any excuse to put Dirtbombs in the search engines is a good one.

Ahh my favorite time of year. When all the podcasts I listen to (“excessive” is an understated description of the quantity) take holiday breaks and I can catch up on all the music and also do my yearly introspective and reflective music review. In no particular rhyme or reason, favorites of 2025:

This year’s edition of the only good holiday songs ever made.

Guy at the show last night talking his gal pal’s ear off, saying he knows all the songs by heart so he doesn’t have to concentrate on the show (?)… then after the band does banter in their thick Kiwi accents, and mention they’re from Auckland, he goes “See, I told you they were from Scotland”.

The Beths at Brooklyn Paramount last night.

The Hold Steady at Brooklyn Bowl last night.

The Army, The Navy at Irving Plaza last night.

The guitarist who played the songs that formed my love of music.

Annual affirmation I am my own damn spotify.

It was my late mother that taught me the meaning of Thanksgiving: grudging obligation.

Aw man, just heard this yesterday and was thinking how fantastic is his music. A giant. youtu.be/zjU8L6go1VA?...

Very delayed - Thundercat (with Remi Wolf) at Brooklyn Paramount on October 25.

Iggy Pop inducting the White Stripes into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame… 😊

For the first time ever, the past and present Brooklyn baseball teams won their respective titles in the same year. youtu.be/r-7Ac2LVVYU?...

Went to my favorite bar’s last night of business last night. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoK6...

Lebowski on TCM makes me feel old in a very good way.

Bar that’s closing down fixes the bathroom door two years after it broke if only to make the last few days go better.

🥃 to Pierre Robert. You helped create the soundtrack to the 4 years I lived in Philadelphia and I never forgot it. Irreplaceable class act.

The irony of dressing like this guy and saying I’m going as an adult for Halloween is that I’m fairly immature for 44 and I refuse to grow up in almost any way as a conscious life choice because I reject everything we were taught growing up about what it means to be mature… except how to dress.

Had no idea, coincidentally have played the song two or three times this week and used it in an IG story. Had been awhile since I last listened to it. Arguably favorite song of the 90’s (one hit wonder?). There’s really no point to this post but hey Spacehog In The Meantime talk so why not.

Oh shit

By this logic, for my own personal chart that exists in my head, “This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads would have to surrender its two year run not only on the chart but at number 1 this whole time. Please welcome the new number 1 song: “Born in the USA (electric Nebraska session demo)”…

Continuing to try stand up (at least for a little while longer)

I thought we were going to get paid…?

Watched the Lilith Fair documentary, was getting wistful for the era, thinking about how it was my first proper concert…then the moment happens where Sarah Mclachlan does the thing to Chrissie Hynde and well that certainly didn’t happen at the one I went to!

It’s a cover (of Hello and that original is just as great too). In one single recording, this dude made the whole bullshit worth it. Good on you Ace. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXee...

And ‘Lo in the last 24 hours I’ve learned orange wine has become a thing. And so when people line up at the bar to confirm they all want orange wine and then order it at the bar, we are taken back to ORANGE WHIP in the Blues Brothers movie and suddenly for a fleeting moment the world is ok.

Completely beloved punk musician elder uses social media almost daily to post updates on records, tours, etc and it’s all fine stuff but each post comes with up close face selfie and they’re always pensive and it has nothing to do with the content and I’m not sure why it always has to be this way.

Something to do with Fredo Corleone but not really.

Did not realize who the current Italy ⚽️ manager is until just now. Finally. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJHU...

Heartbreaking: Neo-soul legends Angie Stone and D’Angelo both passed away in 2025, just 7 months apart. Stone died in March at 63. D’Angelo died today at 51. They shared a son together. An entire generation’s soundtrack, gone. Rest in power to both 🕊️💔

Listened to Maron’s last episode. Damn. A perfect opportunity for someone to ask Obama about Fleabag and it didn’t happen. Ah well.

Great picture.

Be on the lookout on the festival circuit and bookmark for watching wherever and however you can, the lovely film Apostasy Blues.

Elsewhere, the Popeyes social media account is sending love to the PBS social media account and for personal reasons not needed to be explained, this has me on the verge of joyous tears.

I heard this song for the first time ever on Monday and I have played it every day since www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1It... Zapp - Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)

I just learned that a martini that comes with a sidecar of prosecco is called a pornstar. Ok. The (older) women who just ordered martinis later asked where was the Prosecco. They thought that was EVERY martini. So now I don’t feel as bad for my alcoholic ignorance. Cheers 🍸 🥂

I think about how H.G. Wells met Orson Welles and Orson Welles met Kermit the Frog.

Jazz Emu at the Bell House in Brooklyn on Sunday.

David Byrne at Radio City Music Hall in New York tonight.

The Beaches at Webster Hall in New York last night.

Last cocktail in New Orleans this round - the City Limits at Chapter IV (the Chase family does everything right).

Lost Bayou Ramblers at The Rabbit Hole in New Orleans last night.

Zigaboo Modeliste and his funk revue at Tipitina’s in New Orleans on Friday.

At Seaworthy

Tipsy at the zoo? Tipsy at the zoo

New Orleans in cocktails yesterday

New Orleans visit begins with a tart little number at Buffa’s (rye, lime, blackberry)

Good to know seeing a certain comedian in the wild (whose name rhymes with Shmulaney) that he babbles to himself in public the way I do.