BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!

Damn, I'm hung over!  After eight years of trying to drink that administration pretty, I can finally stop! Last night was a tremendous celebration of out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new; not only were we there to welcome a new President, we also welcomed a new restaurant.  Blues & Greens officially opened last night, and the raves are loud.  And Dan looks really cute in his chef-wear.  Congratulations, Dan!  I heard a lot about the salmon.  I know what I'm having Friday night. 

BARACK'S COMING!!!!  Oh wait, I got confused.  BOB'S COMING!!!  Yes, we officially celebrate Blues & Greens this Friday and Saturday with SRBM, PSOTO, GBOBD (Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, Prodigal Son of the Outlook, Great Broads on Blues Deity).   On Friday night, Lionel Young (more on him in a minute) is joining Bob and the Delta Sonics for the evening, and rumor has it Michaela Rae will be sitting in with the boys.  Michaela Rae has played with Bob before: Blues From the Top, on both the main and side stages, and at only 13, she's an amazing pro.   Bob also wrote about her (and other rising young blues stars) last week in a piece he wrote for BluesWax, titled "Young Blues."  BOB'S COMING!

Sunday, Lionel and Mark return for their Blues Jam.  We've missed you guys!  Try the salmon.  I'll see you there. 

The November calendar is stellar, so check it out.  We're closing our Blues month on the 29^th with 2008 IBC Solo/Duo winner Lionel Young, and…wait for it…IT'S HIS INTRODUCTORY CD RELEASE PARTY FOR Beautiful Day, a CD which will immediately become a favorite.  Trust me.  We are very lucky Lionel chose to initiate this CD with us (well, that and I threatened him with a sucking chest wound if he didn't), so join me in celebrating all of Lionel's successes.  This has truly been Two Thousand and Great for him. Now back off buddy, I've got Two Thousand and Mine!  I'm going to Memphis! 

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It isn't a big secret that Lionel and I are friends (actually, he's madly in love with me, but then who isn't?), which should make this awkward for me.  But no, not at all.  Here goes: In late September, Lionel met with Dan and me to play the new CD for us.  The three of us sat in Dan's office listening to a magical, wonderful, beautiful record, and about midway through, I turned to Lionel and said, "I don't know how you can sit there.  I can't even be in the same room with anyone reading my writing without wanting to set myself on fire."  He looked at me, smiled, and said, "I'm looking around for some matches."  No need, Lionel, as you know Dan and I both LOVE this album.  And so will the rest of the planet once they hear it.

Because Lionel was booked on The Legendary Pacific Blues Cruise in early October, he was unable to join us at the Boulder Theater for the big Obama Bash.  However, he insisted on contributing, and bless his multi-talented heart, although the CD wasn't packaged and ready to drop yet, he had two copies rushed for the silent auction.  They raised $100.  Ok, here's the part Lionel doesn't know:  I bought them both.  There's a reason for that, and it's called competitiveness.  He dropped them by my place a few days before the event telling me, "These are the first two copies."  I told him that I received the first Colorado copy of Jason Ricci and New Blood's Rocket Number 9, and now I wanted these.  So, I bought 'em. Thanks again, Lionel.  It's a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful record and I'm thrilled to have two.  The first two (see, I told you I'm competitive.  I have the first two, and you don't!)!   And that I was able to contribute to the Obama campaign makes them all the sweeter.  I'm going to loan a copy to Chick and have him review it next week.  I'm not terribly great at that; all I can say is, I LOVE IT!  Congratulations, again Lionel.  Now stop stalking me.  You can't afford me.  Call me if the CD's a commercial hit. We'll then revisit the stalking issue. 

Ok seriously, he doesn't really stalk me.  Now, it's MEMO time:
 

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