MEMPHIS

Hard to believe a venue that starts their shows early and ends withing an hour and well before 11pm on a weeknight. And so Joe’s pub is discovered, though we showed up a half hour into the show. Nevertheless we found seats close to the stage and the place couldn’t have held more than a hundred people. All so soft and cozy and close to Soho and the pool, it’s now the new post-swim live music destination.

I love Stars, but since I discovered Torquil Campbell’s side project with Chris Dumont early last year, I’m more smitten by the moody, delicate pop these guys have crafted. Torquil’s an amazing front man, all gracious and fey. We only got in about five songs but it was worth every penny.

THE SMITH

This morning while getting the two-eggs, cheese and bacon on a bagel at the ham shack, I saw G.E. Smith walk past me heading North on 7th Avenue. If you were sentient, listening to music, and watching MTV during the 80s you could hardly get away from him, though I always remember him in Hall & Oates and that fucking brilliant David Bowie video for “Fashion.” Then he did that long-term stint on SNL for a thousand years. Always thought he was an awesome player, though I have to admit he was looking his age and a little more. but he had all his hair and some cool sneakers on.