Blogging from New York City

(Sorry for the crappy camera phone photo. I was trying to be inconspicuous. It really is a spectacular view.)

There are times when nothing’s as good as going to a hole-in-the-wall club and hearing a band play raw, ruckus rock ‘n’ roll through crappy speakers as you stand squished in a mob of sweaty, dancing fans. Last night wasn’t one of those times.

Watching Calexico play at the Lincoln Center with a dozen or more crack musicians on stage, the venue’s 40’ x 50’ window looking out over Columbus Circle, Central Park, and a column of car lights reflecting off the window like some ghost skyscraper joining the skyline, as keys, strings, drums and horns played crisply through the pristine sound system makes the very idea of crappy club shows seem silly.

Joined by members of Beirut, a singer they met in Spain and a Tuscon public school Mariachi teacher, Joey Burns and his gang of South Border-meets-kitchen-sink gang played a beautiful set, with most members doing double duty on their instruments--playing piano, while wearing an accordian; sitting at the lap steel playing electric; switching between keys and trumpet mid-song. The show was part of the American Songbook series, which has featured acts like Mos Def, Josh Ritter and Broadway soprano Judy Kahn singing the songs of Laura Nyro. Upcoming shows include Sasha Dobson, Jesse Harris and Richard Julian on Feb. 22 and Neko Case on Feb. 23.