Terri Clark loves getting up close with audience
Published: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
By Mike Morsch
Executive Editor
Oh, joy! Two Borsch trademarks: hogging an interview with a minor celeb, and talking about a concert at the Sellersville Theater. Will the intimacy of the venue be discussed, possibly with a "living room" reference?
On her last visit to the Sellersville Theater 1894, Terri Clark was very much aware of the intimacy the theater offers its performers, so much so that it made her worry about her eyebrows.
To paraphrase the creepy General from White Christmas: We have established the fact that the Theater is intimate. Can now discuss something - anything - else about this venue?
“The crowd seemed so much more up close to me,” said Clark, known for such No. 1 hits as “You’re Easy on the Eyes” and “Girls Lie, Too.” “They’re like in your lap. This time, I just need to make sure I pluck my eyebrows so they won’t be able to see the strays.”
You are close to the audience there. I get it.
Proper unruly hair maintenance aside, fans will once again get an up-close- and-personal look at Clark during her already-sold-out stop here for the “Roots & Wings” unplugged acoustic tour at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.
What does "proper unruly hair maintenance" mean? Seriously. What does "proper" apply to? Does "unruly" apply to the maintenance or to the hair?
Although there is new music included, the show will have a similar vibe to the one the Canadian singer-songwriter performed at ST94 in October 2010. It will be just Clark and a handful of guitars onstage, singing and engaging with the crowd that appears to be sitting in her lap.
From Borsch's November 1, 2010 story about said concert: "...show that she hopes is 'like sitting in a living room at a party with someone who has a guitar in her lap.'"
Clark then describes this show, which she says will be even better than her last one (and, presumably, even more intimate).
That’s taking it up to an ever higher level, considering what Clark was dealing with the last time she was in Sellersville. She had lost her mother, Linda, to cancer just six months earlier.
Borsch mentions this in his November 1 2010 article AND his January 4 2011 article, both about the same concert. I'm beginning to wonder if we are going to learn anything about Ms. Clark that we didn't know 1 1/2 years ago.
Clark said with this new CD — her eighth studio album, which includes the song “Smile,” written for her mom and one that she sang in the 2010 show here even before it had been recorded — she took more of a fun and lighthearted approach to making the album.
Watch out, folks - it's the Borsch Dash! Can't figure out a way to smoothly integrate information into your story? Just jam unrelated bits of trivia between a pair of dashes! Make the dashed-off aside longer than the sentence containing it! The beauty of this strategy is that the information doesn't necessarily have to relate to the surrounding narrative. For instance:
"Ms. Clark - who once ran naked through the National Mall - is a big fan of smooth jazz."
JOURNALISM!
Just last week, Clark — already an eight-time Canadian Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year — scored a JUNO Award nomination for “Roots & Wings” for country album of the year. The JUNO Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands.
This is just lazy writing. The sentence could very easily have been written: "Clark, who is already an eight-time Canadian Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, scored a JUNO Award nomination... last week." This is further proof that Borsch never re-reads or edits his articles.
Clark, who has been an independent artist since walking away from her record deal with Sony/BMG in 2008 and doesn’t get much, if any, play time on U.S. radio now, has been able to create buzz for her new music through social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
See? See that? Why couldn't he have done that before? Of course, this particular sentence is already pretty bad without the dashes.
As for the ST94, Clark liked it the last time and said she’s going to like performing there again.
“The show I did there in Sellersville was one of my favorite ones on the last tour and that’s why we’re coming back,” she said. “I find the audience in that part of the country is so engaged in the singer-songwriter vibe. They really appreciate the organic side of things so much.”
From his last article: "...the northeast hillbillies in the crowd — whom Clark suggested could be considered more “sophisticated” than hillbillies in other parts of the country -..."
That doesn’t mean, though, that Clark won’t ever take to the road again with her band, even though she likes the unplugged gigs quite a lot.
“I might start staggering every other year — doing an unplugged tour and then going back and doing a band tour,” she said. “That keeps things fresh for me as well as the fan base. I did the same show for 15 years. That’s the whole reason for doing this [unplugged] tour. But I don’t want the fans to get this show now for the next 15 years. I want to bounce back and forth and keep it fresh for everybody.”
Yeah, that's the end of the article.
I found this fascinating. Except for a few sentences, you could switch the "previews" he wrote in 2010 and 2012 and not be able to tell the difference. Intimate venue, mother's cancer, alone on stage. Tell me, Mr. Borsch: is it satisfying to know that your "craft" has not evolved in the least over these two years?
By the way... if the show is already sold out... this preview seems a tad unnecessary, doesn't it?
Showing posts with label Attending a Concert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Attending a Concert. Show all posts
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Return! ... to a Lame Concert Review
Monday, July 18, 2011
Happy together . . . and forever after
This will be the 3rd (third) piece Borsch has oozed out regarding a single oldies concert he went to.
Before I dive into it, though, I wanted to thank "Anonymous" for asking about my unusual lull in posts. The answer: Borsch has been so boring of late that I couldn't even think of anything to say about his articles. More about this later.
My folks had quite a record collection when I was a kid in 1960s. Much if it was hip for its time — The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Elvis and the like. Mostly though, they seemed to favor music that featured harmonies.
Now I'm no musical scholar, but... doesn't "music that featured harmonies" cover a pretty broad range?
One album I absolutely wore out as a kid was “Insight Out” by The Association. It featured two wonderful songs and big hits — “Windy,” which reached No. 1 in 1967 and “Never My Love,” which climbed to No. 2 that same year.
Boring background details established? Check. Now, I'm sure, we can jump into the gut-busting comedy.
The Association was part of the 2011 Happy Together Tour that stopped at the Keswick Theater last week; I was thrilled to get a chance to hear a band that I so fondly remembered from my youth.
... any second now.
There are three current members of The Association who performed on the “Insight Out” album: Larry Ramos, Russ Giguere and Jim Yester. They are pictured as young men on the album cover.
I had interviewed Larry Ramos to preview the Keswick show and got quite a kick listening to him talk about the music of the 1960s.
See what I mean? This has been the kind of stuff he's produced over the past few weeks. Dull tales about interviewing old musicians. And don't get me wrong, I like The Association - I have "Never My Love" on my iPod. But this is terrible. How could he miss the opportunity for a pun on the name "Yester" - "Seeing Yester Brings Back Memories of Yesteryear," for example?
The copy of “Insight Out” that my folks had is long gone, but I found another original copy of the album at a record store in Chestnut Hill a few weeks before the show. I was hoping to get a chance to meet The Association guys and have them sign my album.
Come on, he can't even say something like, "I really wanted to associate with The Association"? Not even making an attempt anymore!
Fortunately, I got to do just that. But it almost didn’t happen.
Ah - suspense, thy name is Borsch.
I shared the Happy Together concert with Older Daughter, which was lucky for me. She was riding shotgun during the autograph-getting portion after the show. I had already secured the signatures of Giguere and Yester on the album cover when Ramos came out for the meet-and-greet. I was so excited to meet him that I forgot to ask him to sign the album. I’m getting older, too, I guess.
This story loses some of its punch when we already know that he will eventually get the signature. If Borsch made "The 6th Sense," he would have included a little disclaimer at the beginning: "You might think Bruce Willis is still alive during some parts of this movie. However, he's actually a ghost. Now, here's the story!"
“Dad, the album!” said Older Daughter, saving the day. The picture that accompanies this item shows Ramos completing the Association autograph trifecta for me.
My daughter, whose big-deal music group is N’SYNC, was familiar with only a few of the songs from the Happy Together show, which also included appearances by The Buckinghams (“Kind of a Drag”); The Grass Roots (“Midnight Confessions”); Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders (“Kicks”); and The Turtles (“Happy Together”).
Again, I'll refer to how Borsch describes himself on his own Twitter account - "Humor columnist dealing with life's little stupidities." Just be honest, sir. That's all I ask.
In addition to meeting the guys from The Association, we also got to meet Carl Giammarese of the Buckinghams and Howard Kaylan of The Turtles and get their signatures.
When I introduced Kaylan to Older Daughter, he said, “You should thank your father for introducing you to good music.”
Is this the joke? I think this is as close to a joke as we're going to get.
With all due respect to N’SYNC, Kaylan is right. There was some great, great music in the 1960s. Older Daughter and I enjoyed seeing all those talented musicians whose songs have stayed with me all these years.
You might say we were happy together.
Pah! This post began and ended on such a saccharine note I think it gave me diabetes. "Happy together... and forever after" sounds like the tagline of some drippy romantic comedy, not how you'd describe an outing with your adult daughter. And are we to believe that seeing this concert - just like keeping score during that Phillies game - will be one of those moments his daughter will relate to her grandchildren years from now?
Please also note - celebrities signing autographs and taking pictures with fans was a featured theme in this post, although he didn't rave about it as he usually does.
Labels: Keswick Theater, Mike Morsch, Montomgery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, The Association, The Buckinghams, The Turtles
Happy together . . . and forever after
This will be the 3rd (third) piece Borsch has oozed out regarding a single oldies concert he went to.
Before I dive into it, though, I wanted to thank "Anonymous" for asking about my unusual lull in posts. The answer: Borsch has been so boring of late that I couldn't even think of anything to say about his articles. More about this later.
My folks had quite a record collection when I was a kid in 1960s. Much if it was hip for its time — The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Elvis and the like. Mostly though, they seemed to favor music that featured harmonies.
Now I'm no musical scholar, but... doesn't "music that featured harmonies" cover a pretty broad range?
One album I absolutely wore out as a kid was “Insight Out” by The Association. It featured two wonderful songs and big hits — “Windy,” which reached No. 1 in 1967 and “Never My Love,” which climbed to No. 2 that same year.
Boring background details established? Check. Now, I'm sure, we can jump into the gut-busting comedy.
The Association was part of the 2011 Happy Together Tour that stopped at the Keswick Theater last week; I was thrilled to get a chance to hear a band that I so fondly remembered from my youth.
... any second now.
There are three current members of The Association who performed on the “Insight Out” album: Larry Ramos, Russ Giguere and Jim Yester. They are pictured as young men on the album cover.
I had interviewed Larry Ramos to preview the Keswick show and got quite a kick listening to him talk about the music of the 1960s.
See what I mean? This has been the kind of stuff he's produced over the past few weeks. Dull tales about interviewing old musicians. And don't get me wrong, I like The Association - I have "Never My Love" on my iPod. But this is terrible. How could he miss the opportunity for a pun on the name "Yester" - "Seeing Yester Brings Back Memories of Yesteryear," for example?
The copy of “Insight Out” that my folks had is long gone, but I found another original copy of the album at a record store in Chestnut Hill a few weeks before the show. I was hoping to get a chance to meet The Association guys and have them sign my album.
Come on, he can't even say something like, "I really wanted to associate with The Association"? Not even making an attempt anymore!
Fortunately, I got to do just that. But it almost didn’t happen.
Ah - suspense, thy name is Borsch.
I shared the Happy Together concert with Older Daughter, which was lucky for me. She was riding shotgun during the autograph-getting portion after the show. I had already secured the signatures of Giguere and Yester on the album cover when Ramos came out for the meet-and-greet. I was so excited to meet him that I forgot to ask him to sign the album. I’m getting older, too, I guess.
This story loses some of its punch when we already know that he will eventually get the signature. If Borsch made "The 6th Sense," he would have included a little disclaimer at the beginning: "You might think Bruce Willis is still alive during some parts of this movie. However, he's actually a ghost. Now, here's the story!"
“Dad, the album!” said Older Daughter, saving the day. The picture that accompanies this item shows Ramos completing the Association autograph trifecta for me.
My daughter, whose big-deal music group is N’SYNC, was familiar with only a few of the songs from the Happy Together show, which also included appearances by The Buckinghams (“Kind of a Drag”); The Grass Roots (“Midnight Confessions”); Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders (“Kicks”); and The Turtles (“Happy Together”).
Again, I'll refer to how Borsch describes himself on his own Twitter account - "Humor columnist dealing with life's little stupidities." Just be honest, sir. That's all I ask.
In addition to meeting the guys from The Association, we also got to meet Carl Giammarese of the Buckinghams and Howard Kaylan of The Turtles and get their signatures.
When I introduced Kaylan to Older Daughter, he said, “You should thank your father for introducing you to good music.”
Is this the joke? I think this is as close to a joke as we're going to get.
With all due respect to N’SYNC, Kaylan is right. There was some great, great music in the 1960s. Older Daughter and I enjoyed seeing all those talented musicians whose songs have stayed with me all these years.
You might say we were happy together.
Pah! This post began and ended on such a saccharine note I think it gave me diabetes. "Happy together... and forever after" sounds like the tagline of some drippy romantic comedy, not how you'd describe an outing with your adult daughter. And are we to believe that seeing this concert - just like keeping score during that Phillies game - will be one of those moments his daughter will relate to her grandchildren years from now?
Please also note - celebrities signing autographs and taking pictures with fans was a featured theme in this post, although he didn't rave about it as he usually does.
Labels: Keswick Theater, Mike Morsch, Montomgery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, The Association, The Buckinghams, The Turtles
Monday, June 20, 2011
Borsch - Comedy Scholar
Monday, June 20, 2011
The key was not under my brother
I didn’t know this beforehand, but it turns out Billy Gardell’s mom and my mom have something in common: They both seem to not quite grasp the intricacies of hiding a house key under the front door mat.
My first question was, "Who is Billy Gardell?"
Gardell, star of the hit television series “Mike and Molly,” is also a successful stand-up comic, and like most comics, his ability to observe human nature and then turn it into compelling storytelling can be quite entertaining.
Do comics really engage in much "compelling storytelling"? I Googled Mr. Gardell and found the following information about his "hit" show: he stars as "Mike Biggs," an overweight police officer (his name is BIGGS! GET IT???). He meets a woman at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and they become "an unlikely pair" (comedy - and fat jokes - ahoy!).
But watch out - they must confront "comments, jokes and criticism" from Mike's "fast-talking partner." Other characters are a "slim, drug-addicted sister," a "nymphomaniac mother" and "a Senegalese waiter" (foreigners are funny!). This show sounds terrible, and is thus right up Borsch's alley.
So there were plenty of laughs to go around Friday night at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. And the key for comedians is to tell stories that the rest of us can relate to.
Wow, attending a local show at the Keswick! If only it was the Sellersville Theater, the cliche would be complete. I like how he's pontificating about comedy like he teaches a college seminar on it or something.
I didn’t get all the details because I was giggling too much, but one of Gardell’s bits included something about his mom leaving a house key under the front door mat for him, then leaving a note on the front door telling him the key was under the mat.
So at the Dennis Miller show, Borsch didn't laugh as much as he hoped. For comedic genius Billy Gardell, he was laughing so hard he couldn't even hear the jokes.
During the summer of 1978, I had completed my first year of college, which for me meant that I had completed my first year of college partying. By the time that summer rolled around, I wasn’t exactly interested in ending the college party season.
This "all I did at college was party" thing is becoming a prominent Borsch trope. It also makes me wonder how he got this job.
One night I was out with my buddies, doing what 19-year-old guys do, and I didn’t get home until around 2 a.m. I’m not sure why, but my parents had not given me a house key.
Compelling storytelling at its finest here, folks.
I opened the screen door to see a note, in my mother’s handwriting, on the front door, barely illuminated by the street light. It read: “The key is under your brother.”
In my state of heightened unawareness, my first thought was: “Why is my brother on the front porch and why is he sitting on the house key?” Six years my junior, he would have been around 12 or 13 years old and it would have been well past his bedtime.
Imagine a stand-up comic using this material. It would bring down the house, right? Right? The crickets would be chirping so loud you couldn't hear the jokes.
It took me a few moments of controlled confusion to deduce that I did indeed know where the key was.
Wow, "heightened unawareness," "controlled confusion"... he's really trying to sound brainy here.
My brother’s name is . . . Matt.
I often wonder if a burglar who hadn’t been out with his buddies all night would have been able to figure it out. Apparently, my mom didn’t think sober burglars would know my brother’s name.
The end? I know I often complain that Borsch uses one lame joke for an entire post. Does it count when a post literally exists to tell a single, lame joke?
Labels: Billy Gardell, Keswick Theater, Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield
The key was not under my brother
I didn’t know this beforehand, but it turns out Billy Gardell’s mom and my mom have something in common: They both seem to not quite grasp the intricacies of hiding a house key under the front door mat.
My first question was, "Who is Billy Gardell?"
Gardell, star of the hit television series “Mike and Molly,” is also a successful stand-up comic, and like most comics, his ability to observe human nature and then turn it into compelling storytelling can be quite entertaining.
Do comics really engage in much "compelling storytelling"? I Googled Mr. Gardell and found the following information about his "hit" show: he stars as "Mike Biggs," an overweight police officer (his name is BIGGS! GET IT???). He meets a woman at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and they become "an unlikely pair" (comedy - and fat jokes - ahoy!).
But watch out - they must confront "comments, jokes and criticism" from Mike's "fast-talking partner." Other characters are a "slim, drug-addicted sister," a "nymphomaniac mother" and "a Senegalese waiter" (foreigners are funny!). This show sounds terrible, and is thus right up Borsch's alley.
So there were plenty of laughs to go around Friday night at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. And the key for comedians is to tell stories that the rest of us can relate to.
Wow, attending a local show at the Keswick! If only it was the Sellersville Theater, the cliche would be complete. I like how he's pontificating about comedy like he teaches a college seminar on it or something.
I didn’t get all the details because I was giggling too much, but one of Gardell’s bits included something about his mom leaving a house key under the front door mat for him, then leaving a note on the front door telling him the key was under the mat.
So at the Dennis Miller show, Borsch didn't laugh as much as he hoped. For comedic genius Billy Gardell, he was laughing so hard he couldn't even hear the jokes.
During the summer of 1978, I had completed my first year of college, which for me meant that I had completed my first year of college partying. By the time that summer rolled around, I wasn’t exactly interested in ending the college party season.
This "all I did at college was party" thing is becoming a prominent Borsch trope. It also makes me wonder how he got this job.
One night I was out with my buddies, doing what 19-year-old guys do, and I didn’t get home until around 2 a.m. I’m not sure why, but my parents had not given me a house key.
Compelling storytelling at its finest here, folks.
I opened the screen door to see a note, in my mother’s handwriting, on the front door, barely illuminated by the street light. It read: “The key is under your brother.”
In my state of heightened unawareness, my first thought was: “Why is my brother on the front porch and why is he sitting on the house key?” Six years my junior, he would have been around 12 or 13 years old and it would have been well past his bedtime.
Imagine a stand-up comic using this material. It would bring down the house, right? Right? The crickets would be chirping so loud you couldn't hear the jokes.
It took me a few moments of controlled confusion to deduce that I did indeed know where the key was.
Wow, "heightened unawareness," "controlled confusion"... he's really trying to sound brainy here.
My brother’s name is . . . Matt.
I often wonder if a burglar who hadn’t been out with his buddies all night would have been able to figure it out. Apparently, my mom didn’t think sober burglars would know my brother’s name.
The end? I know I often complain that Borsch uses one lame joke for an entire post. Does it count when a post literally exists to tell a single, lame joke?
Labels: Billy Gardell, Keswick Theater, Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Can't Do Enough Fawning
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
'No Ma'am, You're Not Old'
Boy, I'm a bit stumped as to the possible topic here. Could it be about how clueless guys are about the subject of a woman's age? Maybe he called someone "ma'am" and his wife scolds him because it's an "old lady" term?
I judge the level of a party by the host’s willingness to offer cocktail weenies at the hors d’oeuvres table. Using that as a measuring stick, Dan May really knows how to throw a shindig.
We dive right into fresh territory - "cocktail weeines" (which he has covered in-depth before), a.k.a. little hot dogs. Toss in a sprinkling of oft-chronicled musician Dan May and we've got a truly revolutionary topic!
May, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter extraordinaire, had a CD release party last weekend at Plays and Players Theater in the city to promote his fourth CD, “Dying Breed.” It’s yet another brilliant piece of work by Dan and his band mates, who performed several cuts from the album at a show prior to everybody bellying up to the buffet table at the after party.
I'm disgusted for three reasons: (1) Borsch is almost homosexual in his lust for Mr. May, who just produced a liberal-themed music CD - but he had nothing good to say about Dennis Miller, who does some conservative-themed comedy. And Borsch had the gall to say his dislike of Miller was because he doesn't enjoy political material. (2) This is the SECOND article he's squeezed out of this Dan May gala. (3) I hate the phrase "bellying up to."
There are a lot of things to like about Dan — the songwriting, the singing, the sense of humor.
Restrain yourself, sir!
Lead guitarist and vocalist Tom Hampton seems to be cut from the same cloth, and it shows in the music.
What cloth? The cloth of having a lot of things to like about him?
As we were about to take our leave from the party Saturday night, Tom was engaged in a conversation with two other people, and the three of them happened to be blocking the path to our exit. The Blonde Accountant said, “Excuse me” as she made her way past the trio, and Tom countered with, “Sure, ma’am.”
You don't "counter" someone saying "excuse me." Seriously. Especially when the guy just said, "Sure, ma'am." He replied; he rejoined; he answered. Learn the language.
A seemingly innocent enough exchange. But as soon as we were out of earshot, she turned to me and said, “I’m not old enough to be called ma’am. How old does Tom think I am? He’s probably the same age as me.”
Get over yourself. "Ma'am" is a term of respect. I would use "ma'am" on women at the grocery store, and they'd always say something like, "That's what people call my mother." Well guess what - you're all grown up now. I call you "ma'am," you call me "sir."
The reality of it is that I am old and The Blonde Accountant is eight years my junior, which I believe makes it alright for Tom to call me “ma’am” the next time he sees me.
TBA must be a real prize, eh? Marrying an older man is one thing, but marrying an older man who happens to be Mike Morsch? *Shudder*
I would (29) never think of (29) revealing my wife’s age (29) in print and (29) if I did, I would (29) make sure (29) to emphasize that it (29) doesn’t change (29) from year to year.
Ha... ha?
The next day, I went to Dan’s Facebook page and posted the following comment about the party: “I, for one, certainly appreciated that cocktail weenies were included in the after party buffet table. But thanks to Tom Hampton calling my wife ‘ma’am’ I had to hear all . . . the . . . way . . . home that she wasn’t old.”
I'm not one to brag, but please note that I totally called this exact topic by just reading the title.
Dan’s response: “Tom is a southern gentleman, he calls women ‘ma’am.’ Tell The Blonde Accountant she’s still got it going on. In fact, people at the party that saw the two of you together were commenting on how Mike Morsch was robbing the cradle.”
This is really gross. And for the record, I really, really wanted to make a "James Troutman" reference here. But I felt restraint.
Dan is a playful purveyor of hooey, so that’s pretty funny, considering that nobody at that party besides Dan knew who I was.
Well, at least it's as funny as your standard Outta Leftfield
Once again, Tom wasn’t too far behind with his comment: “Mike, if it makes you feel better, I also call Dan ‘ma’am’ more often than not.”
So you remember that joke a few sentences, ago, when Borsch said it was "alright for Tom to call me “ma’am” the next time he sees me"? Yeah. He stole that joke. From Tom.
The Blonde Accountant was having none of what they were peddling. I suggested to Dan and Tom that they only way they could get back into her good graces would be to write her a song. We shall see where that leads, although Dan has already admitted to having trouble rhyming “accountant.”
Both "fountain" and "mountain" are near-rhymes of "accountant." [Editor's Note: On further review, I missed a Borsch typo - "they only way they." Well done, Mr. Executive Editor.]
I would suggest a working title of “No Ma’am, You’re Not Old.”
Labels: Dan May, Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield
I find it interesting that he tags Dan May but not Tom Hampton. We get some pretty good Borsch standards here: fawning over a local celeb, writing about an event he attended, hot dog references, social faux pas made by a man and pointed out by his wife.
'No Ma'am, You're Not Old'
Boy, I'm a bit stumped as to the possible topic here. Could it be about how clueless guys are about the subject of a woman's age? Maybe he called someone "ma'am" and his wife scolds him because it's an "old lady" term?
I judge the level of a party by the host’s willingness to offer cocktail weenies at the hors d’oeuvres table. Using that as a measuring stick, Dan May really knows how to throw a shindig.
We dive right into fresh territory - "cocktail weeines" (which he has covered in-depth before), a.k.a. little hot dogs. Toss in a sprinkling of oft-chronicled musician Dan May and we've got a truly revolutionary topic!
May, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter extraordinaire, had a CD release party last weekend at Plays and Players Theater in the city to promote his fourth CD, “Dying Breed.” It’s yet another brilliant piece of work by Dan and his band mates, who performed several cuts from the album at a show prior to everybody bellying up to the buffet table at the after party.
I'm disgusted for three reasons: (1) Borsch is almost homosexual in his lust for Mr. May, who just produced a liberal-themed music CD - but he had nothing good to say about Dennis Miller, who does some conservative-themed comedy. And Borsch had the gall to say his dislike of Miller was because he doesn't enjoy political material. (2) This is the SECOND article he's squeezed out of this Dan May gala. (3) I hate the phrase "bellying up to."
There are a lot of things to like about Dan — the songwriting, the singing, the sense of humor.
Restrain yourself, sir!
Lead guitarist and vocalist Tom Hampton seems to be cut from the same cloth, and it shows in the music.
What cloth? The cloth of having a lot of things to like about him?
As we were about to take our leave from the party Saturday night, Tom was engaged in a conversation with two other people, and the three of them happened to be blocking the path to our exit. The Blonde Accountant said, “Excuse me” as she made her way past the trio, and Tom countered with, “Sure, ma’am.”
You don't "counter" someone saying "excuse me." Seriously. Especially when the guy just said, "Sure, ma'am." He replied; he rejoined; he answered. Learn the language.
A seemingly innocent enough exchange. But as soon as we were out of earshot, she turned to me and said, “I’m not old enough to be called ma’am. How old does Tom think I am? He’s probably the same age as me.”
Get over yourself. "Ma'am" is a term of respect. I would use "ma'am" on women at the grocery store, and they'd always say something like, "That's what people call my mother." Well guess what - you're all grown up now. I call you "ma'am," you call me "sir."
The reality of it is that I am old and The Blonde Accountant is eight years my junior, which I believe makes it alright for Tom to call me “ma’am” the next time he sees me.
TBA must be a real prize, eh? Marrying an older man is one thing, but marrying an older man who happens to be Mike Morsch? *Shudder*
I would (29) never think of (29) revealing my wife’s age (29) in print and (29) if I did, I would (29) make sure (29) to emphasize that it (29) doesn’t change (29) from year to year.
Ha... ha?
The next day, I went to Dan’s Facebook page and posted the following comment about the party: “I, for one, certainly appreciated that cocktail weenies were included in the after party buffet table. But thanks to Tom Hampton calling my wife ‘ma’am’ I had to hear all . . . the . . . way . . . home that she wasn’t old.”
I'm not one to brag, but please note that I totally called this exact topic by just reading the title.
Dan’s response: “Tom is a southern gentleman, he calls women ‘ma’am.’ Tell The Blonde Accountant she’s still got it going on. In fact, people at the party that saw the two of you together were commenting on how Mike Morsch was robbing the cradle.”
This is really gross. And for the record, I really, really wanted to make a "James Troutman" reference here. But I felt restraint.
Dan is a playful purveyor of hooey, so that’s pretty funny, considering that nobody at that party besides Dan knew who I was.
Well, at least it's as funny as your standard Outta Leftfield
Once again, Tom wasn’t too far behind with his comment: “Mike, if it makes you feel better, I also call Dan ‘ma’am’ more often than not.”
So you remember that joke a few sentences, ago, when Borsch said it was "alright for Tom to call me “ma’am” the next time he sees me"? Yeah. He stole that joke. From Tom.
The Blonde Accountant was having none of what they were peddling. I suggested to Dan and Tom that they only way they could get back into her good graces would be to write her a song. We shall see where that leads, although Dan has already admitted to having trouble rhyming “accountant.”
Both "fountain" and "mountain" are near-rhymes of "accountant." [Editor's Note: On further review, I missed a Borsch typo - "they only way they." Well done, Mr. Executive Editor.]
I would suggest a working title of “No Ma’am, You’re Not Old.”
Labels: Dan May, Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield
I find it interesting that he tags Dan May but not Tom Hampton. We get some pretty good Borsch standards here: fawning over a local celeb, writing about an event he attended, hot dog references, social faux pas made by a man and pointed out by his wife.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Compare and Contrast
Dan May’s a ‘Dying Breed’ but very much alive and well: Latest CD recorded in Spring House.
John Conahan to open show at Plays & Players.
Published: Tuesday, May 10, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Executive Editor
We've already had a column about Dan May, but I guess you can never get too much of a good thing. As this isn't a true "Outta Leftfield," I'm going to skip around to the best material.
Dan May’s new CD “Dying Breed” features the song “Paradise,” which turns out to be something a little different from what the title suggests.
He says one thing but means another? GENIUS!
The lyrics of the song feature things like America’s addiction to corn syrup, the manipulation practiced by pharmaceutical companies, global warming, plastic surgery, the use of the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-treating drug Ritalin and swipes at Fox News, Facebook, the banking industry and bailout and even the Catholic Church.
Aw, man! If he had just thrown in a stab at Sara Palin he'd have just about every liberal cliche in the book! Please note: Borsch will have nothing but praise for May (despite his heavily political material). Contrast this with his reaction to Dennis Miller's more right-wing approach.
Some description of paradise, huh?
“There’s a real connecting thread from song to song,” said May, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter, about his fourth full CD, recorded at MorningStar Studios in Spring House. “It’s a look back at the good old days that maybe weren’t as good as we thought they were.
How original.
An Americana-folk-tinged troubadour whose soft voice and thought-provoking lyrics have graced the region for the past several years, May said he continues to evolve and grow as a singer and songwriter and that “Dying Breed” is evidence of that.
Better be careful there, sir - all that drooling you're doing might short out your keyboard! So no remarks about how you didn't like May's newer music because it's so political? No asides about his height?
The original plan included premiering the video at the CD release party, but it isn’t completed yet. Those attending the soiree, however, will get an idea of what the finished product will look like as a “making of the video” short movie will be playing on a loop on a flat-screen television throughout the evening and after-party.
So the after-party doesn't take place during "the evening"?
May said he chose Plays and Players Theatre as the venue for the CD release party because he prefers theater shows as opposed to clubs and coffeehouses.
“The audience comes in with higher expectations and the experience is better in general,” said May, who had his last CD release party at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he had graduated from opera training. “It’s a beautiful old theater [Plays and Players] and it’s in a very cool section of the city, right off Rittenhouse Square.”
I included this section to emphasize what a clumsy writer Borsch is. The [Plays and Players] is only necessary because of how awkward and convoluted the structure of his sentence is. What I find strange is that Borsch probably added those brackets to try and clarify his point - instead of re-writing it to eliminate the confusion altogether.
May, who has used studio musicians on some of his past CDs but used his regular band members on “Dying Breed,” anticipates that his already established fan base will like this album.
What does the fact that he's not using studio musicians have to do with the rest of that paragraph? Really, can you slip these little asides in anywhere you please? "May, who drips hot candle wax on his genitals to achieve satisfaction, thinks the release party will be a hit."
“I call this one organic and Americana, which are words I throw out there when I don’t know what I’m talking about,” he quipped. “Americana to me, it’s not country and it’s not folk but it has those influences. It’s that kind of American sound with a touch of folk.
... But I thought it wasn't folk. Didn't he just say that in the previous sentence? It's not folk, but it has a touch of folk.
Fort Washington resident John Conahan, who teaches music at Wissahickon High School, will open for May at the CD release party. Known for his audience interaction, Conahan’s award-winning songs have been featured on television, in film and promotional campaigns as well on syndicated radio programs. He is a regular at the Tin Angel, the World Café Live, the Living Room, the National Underground, Rockwood Music Hall and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.
BOOM. The end.
John Conahan to open show at Plays & Players.
Published: Tuesday, May 10, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Executive Editor
We've already had a column about Dan May, but I guess you can never get too much of a good thing. As this isn't a true "Outta Leftfield," I'm going to skip around to the best material.
Dan May’s new CD “Dying Breed” features the song “Paradise,” which turns out to be something a little different from what the title suggests.
He says one thing but means another? GENIUS!
The lyrics of the song feature things like America’s addiction to corn syrup, the manipulation practiced by pharmaceutical companies, global warming, plastic surgery, the use of the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-treating drug Ritalin and swipes at Fox News, Facebook, the banking industry and bailout and even the Catholic Church.
Aw, man! If he had just thrown in a stab at Sara Palin he'd have just about every liberal cliche in the book! Please note: Borsch will have nothing but praise for May (despite his heavily political material). Contrast this with his reaction to Dennis Miller's more right-wing approach.
Some description of paradise, huh?
“There’s a real connecting thread from song to song,” said May, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter, about his fourth full CD, recorded at MorningStar Studios in Spring House. “It’s a look back at the good old days that maybe weren’t as good as we thought they were.
How original.
An Americana-folk-tinged troubadour whose soft voice and thought-provoking lyrics have graced the region for the past several years, May said he continues to evolve and grow as a singer and songwriter and that “Dying Breed” is evidence of that.
Better be careful there, sir - all that drooling you're doing might short out your keyboard! So no remarks about how you didn't like May's newer music because it's so political? No asides about his height?
The original plan included premiering the video at the CD release party, but it isn’t completed yet. Those attending the soiree, however, will get an idea of what the finished product will look like as a “making of the video” short movie will be playing on a loop on a flat-screen television throughout the evening and after-party.
So the after-party doesn't take place during "the evening"?
May said he chose Plays and Players Theatre as the venue for the CD release party because he prefers theater shows as opposed to clubs and coffeehouses.
“The audience comes in with higher expectations and the experience is better in general,” said May, who had his last CD release party at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he had graduated from opera training. “It’s a beautiful old theater [Plays and Players] and it’s in a very cool section of the city, right off Rittenhouse Square.”
I included this section to emphasize what a clumsy writer Borsch is. The [Plays and Players] is only necessary because of how awkward and convoluted the structure of his sentence is. What I find strange is that Borsch probably added those brackets to try and clarify his point - instead of re-writing it to eliminate the confusion altogether.
May, who has used studio musicians on some of his past CDs but used his regular band members on “Dying Breed,” anticipates that his already established fan base will like this album.
What does the fact that he's not using studio musicians have to do with the rest of that paragraph? Really, can you slip these little asides in anywhere you please? "May, who drips hot candle wax on his genitals to achieve satisfaction, thinks the release party will be a hit."
“I call this one organic and Americana, which are words I throw out there when I don’t know what I’m talking about,” he quipped. “Americana to me, it’s not country and it’s not folk but it has those influences. It’s that kind of American sound with a touch of folk.
... But I thought it wasn't folk. Didn't he just say that in the previous sentence? It's not folk, but it has a touch of folk.
Fort Washington resident John Conahan, who teaches music at Wissahickon High School, will open for May at the CD release party. Known for his audience interaction, Conahan’s award-winning songs have been featured on television, in film and promotional campaigns as well on syndicated radio programs. He is a regular at the Tin Angel, the World Café Live, the Living Room, the National Underground, Rockwood Music Hall and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.
BOOM. The end.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Yet Another Pre-Concert Interview
From Twitter:
Gov. Corbett's budget drawns mixed reaction locally.
"Drawns" - coming soon to any dictionary near you!
Storyteller Rodney Crowell to perform in Sellersville
Published: Tuesday, March 08, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Executive Editor
Well, it's not a country music concert, but... will Mr. Crowell describe the venue as "like being in someone's living room"? Will he refer to how intimate it is, and how you can relate more one-on-one with the audience?
Some of the highlights:
Rodney Crowell has always told stories with his songs. Now, he’s traveling the country telling stories about his storytelling, using both images and songs.
... What the hell does this even mean?
It evokes vivid memories of his childhood — of having volatile parents... beatings from his father... and how, through it all, he came to learn about love and forgiveness, all told with a gentle humor.
Got that? Volatile parents, abusive father, told with humor. Later:
His father... was a small town honky-tonk performer who always seemed on the brink of violence at home... Through it all though, Crowell tells his story with a humor not usually reserved for such domestic turmoil.
Got that? Abusive father, told with humor. I think we get it. We also learn that Mr. Crowell loves saying the word "narrative."
“Big metaphors work in songs. Whereas in trying to sustain a narrative, big metaphors betray the narrative because it becomes performance as opposed to narrative,” he said.
“The actual writer/audience relationship is very intimate. It’s really one-on-one. You entertain with what you manage to invoke in the audience’s mind. And to me, that’s a canvas I get to paint on with this one-man thing.”
In all fairness, I can't say that he's referring specifically to Sellserville when he says this.
Gov. Corbett's budget drawns mixed reaction locally.
"Drawns" - coming soon to any dictionary near you!
Storyteller Rodney Crowell to perform in Sellersville
Published: Tuesday, March 08, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Executive Editor
Well, it's not a country music concert, but... will Mr. Crowell describe the venue as "like being in someone's living room"? Will he refer to how intimate it is, and how you can relate more one-on-one with the audience?
Some of the highlights:
Rodney Crowell has always told stories with his songs. Now, he’s traveling the country telling stories about his storytelling, using both images and songs.
... What the hell does this even mean?
It evokes vivid memories of his childhood — of having volatile parents... beatings from his father... and how, through it all, he came to learn about love and forgiveness, all told with a gentle humor.
Got that? Volatile parents, abusive father, told with humor. Later:
His father... was a small town honky-tonk performer who always seemed on the brink of violence at home... Through it all though, Crowell tells his story with a humor not usually reserved for such domestic turmoil.
Got that? Abusive father, told with humor. I think we get it. We also learn that Mr. Crowell loves saying the word "narrative."
“Big metaphors work in songs. Whereas in trying to sustain a narrative, big metaphors betray the narrative because it becomes performance as opposed to narrative,” he said.
“The actual writer/audience relationship is very intimate. It’s really one-on-one. You entertain with what you manage to invoke in the audience’s mind. And to me, that’s a canvas I get to paint on with this one-man thing.”
In all fairness, I can't say that he's referring specifically to Sellserville when he says this.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
In-Depth Concert Review
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Mutlu, surprise guest, rock WCL
If Mutlu is one person, that should be "rocks"; if it's more than one person, that should be "guests."
One of the many pleasures of the vibrant Philadelphia music scene is that occasionally there are some surprises. Such was the case Friday night at World Café Live.
Woah woah woah - don't you mean "at the Sellersville Theater"?
Among our favorite Philly musicians is singer-songwriter Mutlu (www.myspace.com/mutlusounds). The next generation of Philly soul, Mutlu has an absolutely wonderful voice. The Blonde Accountant and I first saw him a few years ago opening for Daryl Hall at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. He’s opened for John Oates at the Sellersville Theater and he’s done several gigs opening for Hall & Oates across the county as well as headlined his own shows at several local venues.
*Whew*. What relief! We couldn't hear about a concert, even one not held at the Sellersville Theater, without mentioning the Sellersville Theater! So when not opening for washed-up gentlemen named "Hall" and "Oates," Mutlu performs at bars on the weekends.
Currently, Mutlu both opens and sings backup for another Philly singer-songwriter, Amos Lee (www.amoslee.com), whose newest album, “Mission Bell,” recently hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
If Borsch advertised this as "a poorly-written blog about concerts I've attended and celebrities I've seen in public," I'd stop. Honestly. But he's not even trying to live up to his "humor" claims here.
Mutlu was the headliner Friday at World Café Live, another of the many great venues in our area. Openers included Deep River and Kuf Knotz.
Toward the end of Mutlu’s set, a special guest walked up on stage to join in, and it was none other than Amos Lee, who hung for a few songs. The crowd was already amped for Mutlu, and the unexpected appearance by Amos only heightened the concert experience.
This is probably the only time in my life I will hear the phrase "amped for Mutlu." I'm tempted to ask who the hell Amos Lee is, but I'm not cool and hip like Borsch, I guess.
Check out his video of the event: two minutes of the performance. Twenty-five seconds of Amos. Then the best part: a crooked Batman-villain-lair-esque shot of the venue's neon sign, and an awkward zoom that cuts off part of the sign. Fade out. Prominent "Video by Mike Morsch" credit.
It was a great evening of music in a great city for music. Growing up in the Midwest, we just didn’t have these types of entertainment options in Peoria.
"Come to Philadelphia: We Have Better Music than Peoria." How many times has this guy said something akin to "a great artist in a great venue" to describe an event like this?
Labels: Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Mutlu, Outta Leftfield, World Cafe Live
Mutlu, surprise guest, rock WCL
If Mutlu is one person, that should be "rocks"; if it's more than one person, that should be "guests."
One of the many pleasures of the vibrant Philadelphia music scene is that occasionally there are some surprises. Such was the case Friday night at World Café Live.
Woah woah woah - don't you mean "at the Sellersville Theater"?
Among our favorite Philly musicians is singer-songwriter Mutlu (www.myspace.com/mutlusounds). The next generation of Philly soul, Mutlu has an absolutely wonderful voice. The Blonde Accountant and I first saw him a few years ago opening for Daryl Hall at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. He’s opened for John Oates at the Sellersville Theater and he’s done several gigs opening for Hall & Oates across the county as well as headlined his own shows at several local venues.
*Whew*. What relief! We couldn't hear about a concert, even one not held at the Sellersville Theater, without mentioning the Sellersville Theater! So when not opening for washed-up gentlemen named "Hall" and "Oates," Mutlu performs at bars on the weekends.
Currently, Mutlu both opens and sings backup for another Philly singer-songwriter, Amos Lee (www.amoslee.com), whose newest album, “Mission Bell,” recently hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
If Borsch advertised this as "a poorly-written blog about concerts I've attended and celebrities I've seen in public," I'd stop. Honestly. But he's not even trying to live up to his "humor" claims here.
Mutlu was the headliner Friday at World Café Live, another of the many great venues in our area. Openers included Deep River and Kuf Knotz.
Toward the end of Mutlu’s set, a special guest walked up on stage to join in, and it was none other than Amos Lee, who hung for a few songs. The crowd was already amped for Mutlu, and the unexpected appearance by Amos only heightened the concert experience.
This is probably the only time in my life I will hear the phrase "amped for Mutlu." I'm tempted to ask who the hell Amos Lee is, but I'm not cool and hip like Borsch, I guess.
Check out his video of the event: two minutes of the performance. Twenty-five seconds of Amos. Then the best part: a crooked Batman-villain-lair-esque shot of the venue's neon sign, and an awkward zoom that cuts off part of the sign. Fade out. Prominent "Video by Mike Morsch" credit.
It was a great evening of music in a great city for music. Growing up in the Midwest, we just didn’t have these types of entertainment options in Peoria.
"Come to Philadelphia: We Have Better Music than Peoria." How many times has this guy said something akin to "a great artist in a great venue" to describe an event like this?
Labels: Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Mutlu, Outta Leftfield, World Cafe Live
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Yet Another Sellersville Show
Diffie takes New Found Road to bluegrass
Published: Tuesday, February 22, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Executive editor
The Twitter preview of this article revealed that Diffie will be performing at the Sellersville Theater, of all places! Shock! Gasp! Will he compare the show to being in someone's living room and praise the intimacy of the venue?
Most of the article is a summary of Diffie's music career. The real meat comes here, toward the end:
This is Diffie’s first appearance at the Sellersville Theater and he’s looking forward to playing at the venue, which has hosted many county music performers over the years.
“To me, these kinds of shows can turn out to be some of the best times we have when we’re singing,” said Diffie. “It’s kind of like being in someone’s living room. You feel like you can relate to people more and kind of talk to people individually.”
You gotta be kidding me. Either the country stars Borsch interviews are a spectacularly unimaginative lot, or he's fabricating their comments.
Published: Tuesday, February 22, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Executive editor
The Twitter preview of this article revealed that Diffie will be performing at the Sellersville Theater, of all places! Shock! Gasp! Will he compare the show to being in someone's living room and praise the intimacy of the venue?
Most of the article is a summary of Diffie's music career. The real meat comes here, toward the end:
This is Diffie’s first appearance at the Sellersville Theater and he’s looking forward to playing at the venue, which has hosted many county music performers over the years.
“To me, these kinds of shows can turn out to be some of the best times we have when we’re singing,” said Diffie. “It’s kind of like being in someone’s living room. You feel like you can relate to people more and kind of talk to people individually.”
You gotta be kidding me. Either the country stars Borsch interviews are a spectacularly unimaginative lot, or he's fabricating their comments.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
2010 - A Year of Lameness in Review
@chrisvisco1 Re: Article on you: Whose the man? Tuesday, January 04, 2011 9:55:04 PM via web in reply to chrisvisco1
Unless this is a joke, that should be "who's the man."
Outta Leftfield: The most interesting interviews of 2010
Published: Tuesday, January 04, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Seeing the title of this article, one might suppose that this is sort of a "Top Ten" list of all the minor celebs and local musicians to whom Morsch has spoken. But seeing the LENGTH of this article, it's obvious that this is practically everyone to whom Morsch has spoken. Not unusual for a man who can't think of a bad thing to say about anyone (except Palin).
On the phone, Olivia Newton-John sounds just like she did in the classic film “Grease.” Joziah Longo, frontman for the band Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, has a distinctive look and a personality to match. Pete Rose sometimes says one thing during a conversation, but appears to mean something entirely different.
I love that Pete Rose thing - like Morsch is such an ace interviewer he can see into his very soul.
Those are just some of the tidbits of information that didn’t make it into the stories about these people when they visited our area last year. Here is a look at some of the memorable interviews of 2010:
Oh, if only we had gotten that "says something, appears to mean something else" tidbit sooner!
William Quigley and Roger Apollon — These two guys got together — Quigley as owner of the Sellersville Theater 1894 and Apollon as frontman for the band Bigger Thomas, whose parents are both Haitian — and put on a benefit concert to aid relief efforts for the people of Haiti devastated by a January earthquake.
Sellersville Theater! How about a "Most Over-Used Column Topics" post, Morsch?
Several area bands donated their time, and the ST94 staff worked the Sunday evening benefit for free. When the final tallying was done, the effort raised $12,000 for the International Red Cross.
Quigley, Apollon, all those involved and those who attended really came together as a community for a good cause.
So why exactly was this a great interview?
Jane Seymour — Ms. Seymour was back in the area in February exhibiting her art at Wentworth Gallery in the King of Prussia Mall and was more than willing to talk about it.
A celeb willing to promote herself. Imagine that.
It was pretty much the same interview and story as the one I wrote last year when she appeared at the gallery. But one of the founding principles of good journalism is . . . to never pass up an opportunity to interview the really good looking Hollywood stars when they come to our area.
By the way, at age 59, Ms. Seymour looks fabulous, has impeccable taste in clothing and in person is a tiny woman, much smaller than I had expected.
At least Morsch admits that he writes the same crap over and over.
Dr. Ronald Mallett — A renowned physicist, Dr. Mallett was at the Penn State Abington campus to give a lecture about his work with time travel.
It was more physics than it was “Back to the Future” science fiction, but it was interesting and informative, and Dr. Mallett was a good interview.
Care to elaborate on that? No? Cool.
Apparently filmmaker and director Spike Lee is making a movie about Mallett’s childhood desire to build a time machine and travel back in time to warn his father of an impending fatal heart attack. I was hoping to at least make enough of an impression on Dr. Mallett that he would put in a good word with Lee to see if I could get a cameo in the film. As a cynical reporter, of course.
If there's a bumbling retard in Lee's film, we'll know who provided the inspiration.
Ricky Skaggs — Bluegrass isn’t my thing, but there is no denying that country superstar Skaggs is at the forefront these days of making sure this type of music is appreciated and not forgotten.
So basically, "I hate it, but he keeps doing it."
During an interview to preview his February appearance at the Sellersville Theater 1894, the Kentucky-born Skaggs referred to himself as and “old fud.”
I’m not sure what an old fud is in Kentucky, but here in Pennsylvania, it’s likely followed by, “I want you to be vewy, vewy quiet . . . I’m hunting wabbits.”
Elmer Fudd - apparently one of history's famous Pennsylvanians.
Brian Seltzer — The Elkins Park native was named the new play-by-play voice of the Reading Phillies in February.
The cool thing about his story was that his first exposure to a live sporting event was Game 6 of the 1993 National League Championship Series between the Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.
WOW! That's not cool.
In Seltzer’s party that day was a teacher from Myers Elementary School named . . . Mike Schmidt, who still teaches at the school and shares a name with a certain Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman.
WOW! Still not cool.
Nearly 17 years after that day in Veterans Stadium, Seltzer got the job with the Reading Phillies.
As for all the coincidences in that story, I’ll defer to the late Hall of Fame broadcaster Rich Asburn: “Hard to believe, Harry.”
Ha! Are you kidding me? The current Reading Phillies' announcer once attended to a Phillies game and knew a guy with the same name as a Philly player.
Olivia Newton-John — Remember the scene in “Grease” when the John Travolta character unexpectedly sees the Olivia Newton-John character for the first time at Rydell High School? He exclaims, “Sandy?”
That’s what I wanted to say when my office phone rang and the voice on the other end said, “Hello, this is Olivia.”
I grew up on Olivia Newton-John’s music. And when “Grease” came out in 1979, I was 20 years old. I can assure you that I thought then that Ms. Newton-John did more for black stretch pants than anybody has ever done in the history of black stretch pants. (Further viewing of the movie reveals the pants may actually have been Spandex, but whatever they were made of, Olivia Newton-John looked pretty humma-humma in them.)
Disgusting.
She was in the area to do a benefit concert at West Chester University. I got a real kick out of talking to her. During our conversion, I even mentioned how fabulous she looked in those black leather (Spandex) pants, tastefully of course. I’m sure it wasn’t the first time she had heard that, but she giggled at the reference.
I made Olivia Newton-John giggle. That’s just too cool.
I would imagine it was more of a gag than a giggle.
Kathleen Turner — Another one of my favorites from the 1980s, Ms. Turner was in Philadelphia to star in the one-woman stage production of the life of newspaper columnist Molly Ivins.
If you remember Ms. Turner in the 1981 film “Body Heat,’ you know she was hot, hot, hot. Smokin’. Sultry. Sexy. Quite woo-hooable indeed.
We've already had three instances of Morsch lusting after the women he's interviewing. It's even making me uncomfortable.
And that voice. When I mentioned her unique voice during the interview, she said, “Well, it’s not really a girly voice now, is it?”
No ma’am it’s not, but it’s still, well . . . ahem. Is it getting warm in here or is it just me?
Sick!
Candace Bushnell — The “Sex in the City” author was at Penn State Abington for a discussion and book signing. Those of you who are fans of the HBO show and later movies will know that Ms. Bushnell’s alter ego Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) loves shoes.
And Ms. Bushnell did not disappoint the Penn State Abington crowd with her shoe selection: sparkly, pink, peep-toed six-inch stiletto heels by Christian Louboutin.
At the time I wrote: “They were more pink than ruby, but I’m pretty sure if Ms. Bushnell would have clicked those substantial heels together three times, we would have ended up somewhere in Kansas.”
Why don't you just re-print the entire article? It would be easier than coming up with new material, as you've obviously discovered.
And I’m still not sure who Christian Louboutin is. My guess is that he’s not from Kansas.
There were a few "guy with strange name" jokes in the original column as well.
Jo Dee Messina — Ms. Messina was making a return engagement to the Keswick Theater when I spoke with her in March.
The last time she was at the Keswick, in December 2008, she was in a hissing match with her record label, which wouldn’t release any of her new music. And she wasn’t shy about expressing her considerable displeasure with the record label to a reporter.
This time around, though, some of those differences appeared to have been resolved and Ms. Messina was tickled to be getting some new music to her fans.
This is like a horrible, never-ending deja vu nightmare.
In both interviews I’ve done with her, I have found her to be brutally honest with her answers and her relationship — or lack of one — with her record company.
Jo Dee can be aptly described as “feisty.” And she’s got a wonderfully feisty laugh on the other end of the telephone.
I don't want to know what Morsch was doing on his end of the telephone.
Joziah Longo — The frontman for the band Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Longo is one interesting character. And that’s one great name for a band.
The story of how he came up with that name of the band is interesting enough, as I detailed in the story at the time, but add it to what he described as the “trippiness” of his music, and it was clear to see why the band has been described as “hillbilly Pink Floyd.”
One minor quibble - what makes these the "top" interviews of the year? I was expecting some kind of raking system, or a bit of explanation at the very least.
I was at the band’s show at the Sellersville Theater at the beginning of May, and the Slambovians delivered the goods.
Marilyn Hanold — A special guest at this year’s Three Stooges Fan Club convention in Fort Washington, Hanold was in the 1957 Stooges film “Space Ship Sappy” with the boys.
My God - if we can get a "spilling mustard" joke and a Hall and Oates reference in here, we really WILL have a "top Morsch cliches" article.
But also on her resume: She was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in June 1959; she starred in the 1965 cult classic “Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster,” which some critics have called the worst movie ever made; she appeared in a two-part episode as Liberace’s henchwoman in the campy television series “Batman” in 1966, which became the show’s highest-rated episode during its run; and she dated Elvis Presley in the 1950s.
She said Elvis got a huge kick about the fact that she had appeared in a Three Stooges short film. How could I not want to talk to somebody with that background? At seventysomething years of age, she’s still a head-turner.
Lusting after a 70-something-year-old woman - the Blonde Accountant must have headaches an awful lot, huh?
Kathy Mattea — The best interviews are the ones that end up being conversations, like two people sitting at a kitchen table chatting about life. Of course, when it comes to talking with a reporter, the interview subject will determine just how much of a kitchen table chat that will be.
What? I will pay $5 for someone to tell me what the hell that paragraph means.
Ms. Mattea — one of country music’s big females stars — is down to earth and easy to talk to, intelligent and articulate. Her stage presence and easiness with the crowd seemed perfectly suited for a venue like the Sellersville Theater.
And she spent a lot of time greeting fans after the show, which always impresses me.
No freakin' kidding. He mentions that in every article. IT'S WHAT THEY DO. Get over it. It's like being impressed when a politician shakes your hand. And that's the second Sellersville Theater reference we've had.
Mary Chapin Carpenter — Sticking with the intelligent and articulate conversation theme, Ms. Carpenter was much the same as Ms. Mattea, an easy telephone conversation, although I did botch her name a bit and she called me on it.
I referred to her as “Mary” in my greeting to her, which she promptly corrected. “My first name is Mary Chapin,” she said.
So she's a total bitch, is that what you're saying?
She was back on tour for the first time since recovering from a health scare that nearly took her life a few years ago, and was happy to be back on the road.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to see her August performance at the Keswick Theater in Glenside.
Any day that Morsch actually misses a local concert is one worth noting.
Ashley Gbemudu — The Wyndmoor teen, a recent graduate of Springfield Township High School, was selected to win the “Young Heroes Award” from the National Liberty Museum for being an outstanding role model in her school and community.
Ashley wants to get an undergraduate degree in nursing from Drexel University and then attend medical school, with the ultimate goal of being a pediatric oncologist.
It’s wonderful to talk with talented and ambitious young people who are recognized for their hard work.
I hope Morsch advised her to take time to greet her fans - truly the hallmark of any great person.
Paul Thorn — Not that it was a bad interview, but there was nothing unusual or special about my talk with Americana singer-songwriter Thorn. He did, however, provide what I thought was the greatest stage exit at the end of his show at the Sellersville Theater in August.
I'm thinking Morsch should re-name his column "Outta Sellersville Theater." It would more accurately reflect what he writes about.
Certainly, it was one of those moments where one had to be there to appreciate it. And the emotion and feeling loses something when put into words.
But during the encore song “That’s Life,” Thorn exited off the front of the stage while the band continued to play, hugging and shaking hands with the fans. He continued that through the crowd, up the aisle and into the lobby of the theater, where he stayed to greet fans.
It was the coolest stage exit I had ever seen.
This literally made me laugh. THAT was the coolest stage exit? The guy walked through the crowd and stood in the lobby?
Esai Morales — The popular actor — known for his roles in the 1987 film “La Bamba” as Ritchie Valens’ brother and as Lt. Tony Rodriguez from 2001-2004 on the acclaimed ABC series “NYPD Blue” — was at Penn State Abington in September as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.
As the time, he was on baby watch as he was expecting the birth of his first child at any moment back in Los Angeles. We talked a lot about impending fatherhood, and it was fun to listen to a first-time dad-to-be talk about the range of emotions he was feeling.
"The popular actor" - I'd never heard of this guy before.
Morales charmed the Penn State students and staff, and the baby didn’t arrive until he got back to Los Angeles.
Pete Rose — No matter what opinion one has of Rose as a person or if he belongs in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, there’s no denying he is a legend. And how many legends does one get to talk to?
I talked to "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino once. So I've got Morsch tied.
Rose was in Philly in October for the premiere of a new documentary on his playing days. The Hall of Fame debate will always be a part of every story on Pete, and he didn’t dodge those questions.
In one 20-minute conversation though, it occurred to me that although Pete likes to talk, he sometimes has trouble articulating his thoughts.
After reading more than a year of your column, sir, I'd direct you to the old proverb about living in a glass house. How dare this stooge accuse someone of not being able to express himself?!?
For example, he told a story about the impact he had on the Phillies 1980 championship team. The story centered on respect the players had for him — coming from those great Cincinnati Reds teams of the mid-1970s — and for each other in the clubhouse and on the field.
Given the context of the conversion and its tone, it could have sounded to some like Pete was actually being arrogant — a claim made often about Pete — and disrespectful to teammates like Greg Luzinski, Bob Boone and Larry Bowa.
I don't think "has trouble articulating" and "being arrogant" are the same thing.
That wasn’t the case at all. It’s just that he had trouble articulating those thoughts in their proper context. Consequently, I had trouble translating the story into the proper context for readers, so I was unable to effectively use the anecdote in my story.
Shut. Up. How many interviews has Pete Rose done? And not just with mediocre local reporters, but big-time national guys? Thousands? Is Morsch really prepared to say that the failure to put "thoughts in their proper context" was Rose's and not his own? What a colossal douche.
A Pittsburgh Pirates fan as a kid, I wasn’t too fond of Pete because he played for the Cincinnati Reds, and the two teams had a pretty good rivalry in the 1970s.
But I shared with him that I still have all my Pete Rose baseball cards from that era, including seven Rose cards from the 1971 set, the year the Pirates won the World Series.
I'm sure nobody has ever told Pete Rose that they actually own one of his baseball cards. And I'm sure Morsch has never told US that he liked the Pirates as a kid. Now, of course, he likes the Phillies. Front-runner.
Terri Clark — The country singer was still emotional about losing her mother to cancer in April when she brought her “Unplugged and Alone” tour to the Sellersville Theater in October. As I had lost my dad to cancer in 2006, we talked at length about those feelings.
Yet ANOTHER Sellersville interview makes the "top" list! Is anyone surprised?
The Sellersville show was filled with Clark’s emotion and she offered those attending an up-close look at those feelings. It made for a highly personal show between artist and audience, something you don’t see very often from the cheap seats.
No new material here. Didn't Morsch promise some kind of interesting new tidbits?
Bill Leahy — The La Salle High School lacrosse coach was inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame in November.
I never played lacrosse and have only seen one lacrosse match in my life. When I went to the school to interview him for the story, the guy made such a good impression on me that I immediately wanted to pick up a stick, go back to high school, and play on his team, which might have been challenging because the stick I would have picked up would have been a baseball bat.
That is not funny and makes no sense.
I don’t think baseball bats are allowed during lacrosse games, but coach Leahy probably would have figured out a way for me to make it work.
He’s just that good of a coach. But he appears to be an even better human being. And what more can we ask out of those we entrust with our most precious commodity — our children?
The end. Seriously. Not even a little wrap-up paragraph. Other than being the perfect showcase for how lame, repetitive and clueless Morsch's columns are, what's the point of this column? It's not a "top ten." It's not even a "behind the scenes." It's more like a "I don't have a topic and the column is due tomorrow."
Unless this is a joke, that should be "who's the man."
Outta Leftfield: The most interesting interviews of 2010
Published: Tuesday, January 04, 2011
By Mike Morsch
Seeing the title of this article, one might suppose that this is sort of a "Top Ten" list of all the minor celebs and local musicians to whom Morsch has spoken. But seeing the LENGTH of this article, it's obvious that this is practically everyone to whom Morsch has spoken. Not unusual for a man who can't think of a bad thing to say about anyone (except Palin).
On the phone, Olivia Newton-John sounds just like she did in the classic film “Grease.” Joziah Longo, frontman for the band Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, has a distinctive look and a personality to match. Pete Rose sometimes says one thing during a conversation, but appears to mean something entirely different.
I love that Pete Rose thing - like Morsch is such an ace interviewer he can see into his very soul.
Those are just some of the tidbits of information that didn’t make it into the stories about these people when they visited our area last year. Here is a look at some of the memorable interviews of 2010:
Oh, if only we had gotten that "says something, appears to mean something else" tidbit sooner!
William Quigley and Roger Apollon — These two guys got together — Quigley as owner of the Sellersville Theater 1894 and Apollon as frontman for the band Bigger Thomas, whose parents are both Haitian — and put on a benefit concert to aid relief efforts for the people of Haiti devastated by a January earthquake.
Sellersville Theater! How about a "Most Over-Used Column Topics" post, Morsch?
Several area bands donated their time, and the ST94 staff worked the Sunday evening benefit for free. When the final tallying was done, the effort raised $12,000 for the International Red Cross.
Quigley, Apollon, all those involved and those who attended really came together as a community for a good cause.
So why exactly was this a great interview?
Jane Seymour — Ms. Seymour was back in the area in February exhibiting her art at Wentworth Gallery in the King of Prussia Mall and was more than willing to talk about it.
A celeb willing to promote herself. Imagine that.
It was pretty much the same interview and story as the one I wrote last year when she appeared at the gallery. But one of the founding principles of good journalism is . . . to never pass up an opportunity to interview the really good looking Hollywood stars when they come to our area.
By the way, at age 59, Ms. Seymour looks fabulous, has impeccable taste in clothing and in person is a tiny woman, much smaller than I had expected.
At least Morsch admits that he writes the same crap over and over.
Dr. Ronald Mallett — A renowned physicist, Dr. Mallett was at the Penn State Abington campus to give a lecture about his work with time travel.
It was more physics than it was “Back to the Future” science fiction, but it was interesting and informative, and Dr. Mallett was a good interview.
Care to elaborate on that? No? Cool.
Apparently filmmaker and director Spike Lee is making a movie about Mallett’s childhood desire to build a time machine and travel back in time to warn his father of an impending fatal heart attack. I was hoping to at least make enough of an impression on Dr. Mallett that he would put in a good word with Lee to see if I could get a cameo in the film. As a cynical reporter, of course.
If there's a bumbling retard in Lee's film, we'll know who provided the inspiration.
Ricky Skaggs — Bluegrass isn’t my thing, but there is no denying that country superstar Skaggs is at the forefront these days of making sure this type of music is appreciated and not forgotten.
So basically, "I hate it, but he keeps doing it."
During an interview to preview his February appearance at the Sellersville Theater 1894, the Kentucky-born Skaggs referred to himself as and “old fud.”
I’m not sure what an old fud is in Kentucky, but here in Pennsylvania, it’s likely followed by, “I want you to be vewy, vewy quiet . . . I’m hunting wabbits.”
Elmer Fudd - apparently one of history's famous Pennsylvanians.
Brian Seltzer — The Elkins Park native was named the new play-by-play voice of the Reading Phillies in February.
The cool thing about his story was that his first exposure to a live sporting event was Game 6 of the 1993 National League Championship Series between the Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.
WOW! That's not cool.
In Seltzer’s party that day was a teacher from Myers Elementary School named . . . Mike Schmidt, who still teaches at the school and shares a name with a certain Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman.
WOW! Still not cool.
Nearly 17 years after that day in Veterans Stadium, Seltzer got the job with the Reading Phillies.
As for all the coincidences in that story, I’ll defer to the late Hall of Fame broadcaster Rich Asburn: “Hard to believe, Harry.”
Ha! Are you kidding me? The current Reading Phillies' announcer once attended to a Phillies game and knew a guy with the same name as a Philly player.
Olivia Newton-John — Remember the scene in “Grease” when the John Travolta character unexpectedly sees the Olivia Newton-John character for the first time at Rydell High School? He exclaims, “Sandy?”
That’s what I wanted to say when my office phone rang and the voice on the other end said, “Hello, this is Olivia.”
I grew up on Olivia Newton-John’s music. And when “Grease” came out in 1979, I was 20 years old. I can assure you that I thought then that Ms. Newton-John did more for black stretch pants than anybody has ever done in the history of black stretch pants. (Further viewing of the movie reveals the pants may actually have been Spandex, but whatever they were made of, Olivia Newton-John looked pretty humma-humma in them.)
Disgusting.
She was in the area to do a benefit concert at West Chester University. I got a real kick out of talking to her. During our conversion, I even mentioned how fabulous she looked in those black leather (Spandex) pants, tastefully of course. I’m sure it wasn’t the first time she had heard that, but she giggled at the reference.
I made Olivia Newton-John giggle. That’s just too cool.
I would imagine it was more of a gag than a giggle.
Kathleen Turner — Another one of my favorites from the 1980s, Ms. Turner was in Philadelphia to star in the one-woman stage production of the life of newspaper columnist Molly Ivins.
If you remember Ms. Turner in the 1981 film “Body Heat,’ you know she was hot, hot, hot. Smokin’. Sultry. Sexy. Quite woo-hooable indeed.
We've already had three instances of Morsch lusting after the women he's interviewing. It's even making me uncomfortable.
And that voice. When I mentioned her unique voice during the interview, she said, “Well, it’s not really a girly voice now, is it?”
No ma’am it’s not, but it’s still, well . . . ahem. Is it getting warm in here or is it just me?
Sick!
Candace Bushnell — The “Sex in the City” author was at Penn State Abington for a discussion and book signing. Those of you who are fans of the HBO show and later movies will know that Ms. Bushnell’s alter ego Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) loves shoes.
And Ms. Bushnell did not disappoint the Penn State Abington crowd with her shoe selection: sparkly, pink, peep-toed six-inch stiletto heels by Christian Louboutin.
At the time I wrote: “They were more pink than ruby, but I’m pretty sure if Ms. Bushnell would have clicked those substantial heels together three times, we would have ended up somewhere in Kansas.”
Why don't you just re-print the entire article? It would be easier than coming up with new material, as you've obviously discovered.
And I’m still not sure who Christian Louboutin is. My guess is that he’s not from Kansas.
There were a few "guy with strange name" jokes in the original column as well.
Jo Dee Messina — Ms. Messina was making a return engagement to the Keswick Theater when I spoke with her in March.
The last time she was at the Keswick, in December 2008, she was in a hissing match with her record label, which wouldn’t release any of her new music. And she wasn’t shy about expressing her considerable displeasure with the record label to a reporter.
This time around, though, some of those differences appeared to have been resolved and Ms. Messina was tickled to be getting some new music to her fans.
This is like a horrible, never-ending deja vu nightmare.
In both interviews I’ve done with her, I have found her to be brutally honest with her answers and her relationship — or lack of one — with her record company.
Jo Dee can be aptly described as “feisty.” And she’s got a wonderfully feisty laugh on the other end of the telephone.
I don't want to know what Morsch was doing on his end of the telephone.
Joziah Longo — The frontman for the band Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Longo is one interesting character. And that’s one great name for a band.
The story of how he came up with that name of the band is interesting enough, as I detailed in the story at the time, but add it to what he described as the “trippiness” of his music, and it was clear to see why the band has been described as “hillbilly Pink Floyd.”
One minor quibble - what makes these the "top" interviews of the year? I was expecting some kind of raking system, or a bit of explanation at the very least.
I was at the band’s show at the Sellersville Theater at the beginning of May, and the Slambovians delivered the goods.
Marilyn Hanold — A special guest at this year’s Three Stooges Fan Club convention in Fort Washington, Hanold was in the 1957 Stooges film “Space Ship Sappy” with the boys.
My God - if we can get a "spilling mustard" joke and a Hall and Oates reference in here, we really WILL have a "top Morsch cliches" article.
But also on her resume: She was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in June 1959; she starred in the 1965 cult classic “Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster,” which some critics have called the worst movie ever made; she appeared in a two-part episode as Liberace’s henchwoman in the campy television series “Batman” in 1966, which became the show’s highest-rated episode during its run; and she dated Elvis Presley in the 1950s.
She said Elvis got a huge kick about the fact that she had appeared in a Three Stooges short film. How could I not want to talk to somebody with that background? At seventysomething years of age, she’s still a head-turner.
Lusting after a 70-something-year-old woman - the Blonde Accountant must have headaches an awful lot, huh?
Kathy Mattea — The best interviews are the ones that end up being conversations, like two people sitting at a kitchen table chatting about life. Of course, when it comes to talking with a reporter, the interview subject will determine just how much of a kitchen table chat that will be.
What? I will pay $5 for someone to tell me what the hell that paragraph means.
Ms. Mattea — one of country music’s big females stars — is down to earth and easy to talk to, intelligent and articulate. Her stage presence and easiness with the crowd seemed perfectly suited for a venue like the Sellersville Theater.
And she spent a lot of time greeting fans after the show, which always impresses me.
No freakin' kidding. He mentions that in every article. IT'S WHAT THEY DO. Get over it. It's like being impressed when a politician shakes your hand. And that's the second Sellersville Theater reference we've had.
Mary Chapin Carpenter — Sticking with the intelligent and articulate conversation theme, Ms. Carpenter was much the same as Ms. Mattea, an easy telephone conversation, although I did botch her name a bit and she called me on it.
I referred to her as “Mary” in my greeting to her, which she promptly corrected. “My first name is Mary Chapin,” she said.
So she's a total bitch, is that what you're saying?
She was back on tour for the first time since recovering from a health scare that nearly took her life a few years ago, and was happy to be back on the road.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to see her August performance at the Keswick Theater in Glenside.
Any day that Morsch actually misses a local concert is one worth noting.
Ashley Gbemudu — The Wyndmoor teen, a recent graduate of Springfield Township High School, was selected to win the “Young Heroes Award” from the National Liberty Museum for being an outstanding role model in her school and community.
Ashley wants to get an undergraduate degree in nursing from Drexel University and then attend medical school, with the ultimate goal of being a pediatric oncologist.
It’s wonderful to talk with talented and ambitious young people who are recognized for their hard work.
I hope Morsch advised her to take time to greet her fans - truly the hallmark of any great person.
Paul Thorn — Not that it was a bad interview, but there was nothing unusual or special about my talk with Americana singer-songwriter Thorn. He did, however, provide what I thought was the greatest stage exit at the end of his show at the Sellersville Theater in August.
I'm thinking Morsch should re-name his column "Outta Sellersville Theater." It would more accurately reflect what he writes about.
Certainly, it was one of those moments where one had to be there to appreciate it. And the emotion and feeling loses something when put into words.
But during the encore song “That’s Life,” Thorn exited off the front of the stage while the band continued to play, hugging and shaking hands with the fans. He continued that through the crowd, up the aisle and into the lobby of the theater, where he stayed to greet fans.
It was the coolest stage exit I had ever seen.
This literally made me laugh. THAT was the coolest stage exit? The guy walked through the crowd and stood in the lobby?
Esai Morales — The popular actor — known for his roles in the 1987 film “La Bamba” as Ritchie Valens’ brother and as Lt. Tony Rodriguez from 2001-2004 on the acclaimed ABC series “NYPD Blue” — was at Penn State Abington in September as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.
As the time, he was on baby watch as he was expecting the birth of his first child at any moment back in Los Angeles. We talked a lot about impending fatherhood, and it was fun to listen to a first-time dad-to-be talk about the range of emotions he was feeling.
"The popular actor" - I'd never heard of this guy before.
Morales charmed the Penn State students and staff, and the baby didn’t arrive until he got back to Los Angeles.
Pete Rose — No matter what opinion one has of Rose as a person or if he belongs in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, there’s no denying he is a legend. And how many legends does one get to talk to?
I talked to "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino once. So I've got Morsch tied.
Rose was in Philly in October for the premiere of a new documentary on his playing days. The Hall of Fame debate will always be a part of every story on Pete, and he didn’t dodge those questions.
In one 20-minute conversation though, it occurred to me that although Pete likes to talk, he sometimes has trouble articulating his thoughts.
After reading more than a year of your column, sir, I'd direct you to the old proverb about living in a glass house. How dare this stooge accuse someone of not being able to express himself?!?
For example, he told a story about the impact he had on the Phillies 1980 championship team. The story centered on respect the players had for him — coming from those great Cincinnati Reds teams of the mid-1970s — and for each other in the clubhouse and on the field.
Given the context of the conversion and its tone, it could have sounded to some like Pete was actually being arrogant — a claim made often about Pete — and disrespectful to teammates like Greg Luzinski, Bob Boone and Larry Bowa.
I don't think "has trouble articulating" and "being arrogant" are the same thing.
That wasn’t the case at all. It’s just that he had trouble articulating those thoughts in their proper context. Consequently, I had trouble translating the story into the proper context for readers, so I was unable to effectively use the anecdote in my story.
Shut. Up. How many interviews has Pete Rose done? And not just with mediocre local reporters, but big-time national guys? Thousands? Is Morsch really prepared to say that the failure to put "thoughts in their proper context" was Rose's and not his own? What a colossal douche.
A Pittsburgh Pirates fan as a kid, I wasn’t too fond of Pete because he played for the Cincinnati Reds, and the two teams had a pretty good rivalry in the 1970s.
But I shared with him that I still have all my Pete Rose baseball cards from that era, including seven Rose cards from the 1971 set, the year the Pirates won the World Series.
I'm sure nobody has ever told Pete Rose that they actually own one of his baseball cards. And I'm sure Morsch has never told US that he liked the Pirates as a kid. Now, of course, he likes the Phillies. Front-runner.
Terri Clark — The country singer was still emotional about losing her mother to cancer in April when she brought her “Unplugged and Alone” tour to the Sellersville Theater in October. As I had lost my dad to cancer in 2006, we talked at length about those feelings.
Yet ANOTHER Sellersville interview makes the "top" list! Is anyone surprised?
The Sellersville show was filled with Clark’s emotion and she offered those attending an up-close look at those feelings. It made for a highly personal show between artist and audience, something you don’t see very often from the cheap seats.
No new material here. Didn't Morsch promise some kind of interesting new tidbits?
Bill Leahy — The La Salle High School lacrosse coach was inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame in November.
I never played lacrosse and have only seen one lacrosse match in my life. When I went to the school to interview him for the story, the guy made such a good impression on me that I immediately wanted to pick up a stick, go back to high school, and play on his team, which might have been challenging because the stick I would have picked up would have been a baseball bat.
That is not funny and makes no sense.
I don’t think baseball bats are allowed during lacrosse games, but coach Leahy probably would have figured out a way for me to make it work.
He’s just that good of a coach. But he appears to be an even better human being. And what more can we ask out of those we entrust with our most precious commodity — our children?
The end. Seriously. Not even a little wrap-up paragraph. Other than being the perfect showcase for how lame, repetitive and clueless Morsch's columns are, what's the point of this column? It's not a "top ten." It's not even a "behind the scenes." It's more like a "I don't have a topic and the column is due tomorrow."
Monday, December 6, 2010
Seeing a Concert? What?
Monday, December 6, 2010
It's May in December
Dan May
Couldn't he have gone one tiny step further and entitled the post "It's May in Dancember"? That would have been even more funny.
doesn’t mind working on his birthday. So there he was Saturday night at the sold-out PSALM Salon on his 52nd birthday doing what he loves best — singing and performing.
Ah, it's been at least a month since Morsch blogged about attending a local concert! Today is the gift that keeps on giving. [Editor's note: It's been even longer! He hasn't seen one since October 28.]
The non-profit Philadelphia Society for Art, Literature and Music is the brainchild of Jamey Reilly, PSALM chairman. Essentially, he and wife Suyun have turned their living room into a 60-seat entertainment venue for music, dance, comedy, performance art and literary readings, reminiscent of the old-world salons of Europe. (www.psalmsalon.com)
Shamless Promotion Alert? Anyone? No? Okay then.
The Blonde Accountant and I have been there a few times — to see our favorite Philly singer-songwriter Dan May — and it’s truly a unique experience. In fact, if it was my house, I’d take the concept a step further. I’d get a big recliner and call it “Mike’s Chair” in which I could sit and watch all the wonderful performers who grace the stage.
So in this amazing fantasy, Morsch hosts Dan May concerts in his home and sits in his own chair. He truly has a vivid imagination.
We have been Dan Fans (www.myspace.com/danmaycd) for a while now.
Shameless Promotion Alert, surely! No? Alright.
And we’re PSALM Salon fans as well. For us to be able to see talented artists in a comfortable and intimate setting makes for an ideal date night, although I’d still opt for the recliner option if Jamey offered it, and I would encourage him to do so, but only for me, of course.
Explain to me again how this man has found not one but TWO women who will say "I do." If you have time, you can explain how he can jam so many commas into a single sentence.
There was even a birthday cake for Dan, which he shared with all those in attendance during the intermission and after the show. That’s another unique aspect of the PSALM — getting to spend time with the artists one-on-one.
Since we've reached the last paragraph of this "post," I think it's fair to assume that he isn't going to review the show or relate an entertaining tale. No, he's just advertising for concerts that this guy holds in his living room.
I would encourage you to explore Dan’s music and the PSALM Salon. It’s certainly a place where you can have your cake . . . and eat it, too.
Unless it doesn't happen to be Dan May's birthday. Then you don't get any cake.
Labels: Dan May, Mike Morsch, Montomgery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, PSALM Salon
It's May in December
Dan May
Couldn't he have gone one tiny step further and entitled the post "It's May in Dancember"? That would have been even more funny.
doesn’t mind working on his birthday. So there he was Saturday night at the sold-out PSALM Salon on his 52nd birthday doing what he loves best — singing and performing.
Ah, it's been at least a month since Morsch blogged about attending a local concert! Today is the gift that keeps on giving. [Editor's note: It's been even longer! He hasn't seen one since October 28.]
The non-profit Philadelphia Society for Art, Literature and Music is the brainchild of Jamey Reilly, PSALM chairman. Essentially, he and wife Suyun have turned their living room into a 60-seat entertainment venue for music, dance, comedy, performance art and literary readings, reminiscent of the old-world salons of Europe. (www.psalmsalon.com)
Shamless Promotion Alert? Anyone? No? Okay then.
The Blonde Accountant and I have been there a few times — to see our favorite Philly singer-songwriter Dan May — and it’s truly a unique experience. In fact, if it was my house, I’d take the concept a step further. I’d get a big recliner and call it “Mike’s Chair” in which I could sit and watch all the wonderful performers who grace the stage.
So in this amazing fantasy, Morsch hosts Dan May concerts in his home and sits in his own chair. He truly has a vivid imagination.
We have been Dan Fans (www.myspace.com/danmaycd) for a while now.
Shameless Promotion Alert, surely! No? Alright.
And we’re PSALM Salon fans as well. For us to be able to see talented artists in a comfortable and intimate setting makes for an ideal date night, although I’d still opt for the recliner option if Jamey offered it, and I would encourage him to do so, but only for me, of course.
Explain to me again how this man has found not one but TWO women who will say "I do." If you have time, you can explain how he can jam so many commas into a single sentence.
There was even a birthday cake for Dan, which he shared with all those in attendance during the intermission and after the show. That’s another unique aspect of the PSALM — getting to spend time with the artists one-on-one.
Since we've reached the last paragraph of this "post," I think it's fair to assume that he isn't going to review the show or relate an entertaining tale. No, he's just advertising for concerts that this guy holds in his living room.
I would encourage you to explore Dan’s music and the PSALM Salon. It’s certainly a place where you can have your cake . . . and eat it, too.
Unless it doesn't happen to be Dan May's birthday. Then you don't get any cake.
Labels: Dan May, Mike Morsch, Montomgery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, PSALM Salon
Monday, November 1, 2010
Surprise! Morsch Sees a Show in Sellersville
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Terri Clark: Unplugged emotion
"Morsch goes to a concert" post. Not even a question.
Terri Clark isn’t the first singer-songwriter to tour unplugged and alone. But she certainly executed the concept to near perfection Wednesday evening at the Sellersville Theater.
Another variation on his oft-used "This event is always great, and tonight's event was no exception" lead-off sentence.
Accompanied onstage by five guitars, only four of which she played during the nearly two-hour gig,
I'd be interested to know what the fifth one was for, then. But we'll probably never find out.
the Canadian-born country music star has designed a show that she hopes is “like sitting in a living room at a party with someone who has a guitar in her lap.”
There was another show that Morsch attended where the performer wanted to "come into your living room" or some such. I'm taking bets on whether Morsch, at the end of the article, will declare that she accomplishes her stated objective. [Editor's Note: It was my Wednesday, July 21 entry. Singer/songwriter Kathy Mattea: “people feel like they’ve been sitting in somebody’s living room...”]
In that regard, Clark accomplished that in spades.
Wow, I hope you got your bets in early. Nice double "that."
It’s a return to her roots, when she played at Tootsies Orchid Lounge in Nashville for tips more than two decades ago.
Did Morsch travel to Nashville? Did Ms. Clark accept tips?
What took it to the next level this time was the way she really laid herself bare to the audience, talking at length and with emotion between songs, especially about her mother Linda, who died in April after a battle with cancer.
He has said this about every other acoustic performer he has seen. A smarter man might conclude that it's a tactic used by live performers to engage the audience. He seems to conclude that it's each person's innate, mystical power.
The hootin’ and hollerin’ early in the show from the northeast hillbillies in the crowd — whom Clark suggested could be considered more “sophisticated” than hillbillies in other parts of the country — gave way to stone cold silence midway through the show as Clark detailed her mother’s illness and the impact it has had on her, both personally and musically.
Northeast hillbillies? Does that mean, like, hillbillies from Easton PA? Or is he referring to people from the northeastern area of the United States who like to act like hillbillies?
Concert tickets aren’t cheap these days, given our current economic climate.
That damn Sarah Palin! It's all her fault!
Certainly folks expect to be entertained for their money, and that’s nothing new. But everybody has lost a loved one, and when the person on stage opens up and shares that experience, people can relate. We feel like we know the person on the cover of the CD.
One problem - you have to GO TO THE SHOW to see the person "open up on stage." So should people have purchased tickets and gambled that there would be some kind of deep emotional connection established? There seems to be no logical progression from "tough economy" to "relating to losing a loved one."
The particularly poignant moment came when Clark talked about being at her mother’s hospital bedside and starting to cry. Awakened by her daughter’s tears, Linda comforted Terri with words that had to do with always being able to smile.
I hope she didn't Glenn Beck it, complete with quivering voice and fake radio tears.
After her mother’s death, Clark took those words and turned it into a song, which she performed for the enthralled ST94 crowd.
Well what a surprise! Morsch sees a concert at the Sellersville Theater. I'm going to have to go back and completely re-work my labels some day. So many new cliches are always emerging.
She hasn’t yet recorded the song, but it played big in Sellersville, as I suspect it has at other stops in the tour.
You know what they say - "As Sellersville PA goes, so goes the nation."
Meet-and-greets with people before the show, signing autographs for fans after the show — and in between laying out your heart and soul to a group of strangers who have paid to see you perform — it’s the total experience for an artist and the fans.
Woah, meeting with fans! Signing autographs! Was she gracious and nice? Did she pose for pictures perhaps? What a rarity among celebrities! [Editor's Note: Regarding Kathy Mattea, Morsch said she "was warm and engaging during the show, and friendly and kind to those who waited in line to meet her after the show."]
Someday Terri Clark will go back to full band concerts with all the bells and whistles. But at this point in her career, the “Unplugged and Alone” tour appears to be Clark’s way of not only dealing with her career changes and challenges but her personal loss as well.
I just realized that not even an attempt at a joke has been made so far.
It’s the right artist doing the right show at the right time. What more can be asked?
Regarding the Kathy Mattea concert: Maybe it was just the right artist in the right place on the right night. I know what more can be asked - THAT YOU DON'T RECYCLE THE SAME MATERIAL.
Labels: Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, Terri Clark
I guess I understand why he labels himself and the title of his blog in every single post (he's dumb and doesn't understand labels). But why "Montgomery Newspapers"? Now get this - actual reader comments not made by me!
Reader Cindy Lou says: "You really describe the experience of these intimate shows very well." She doesn't appear sarcastic about it, either. I'm guessing Cindy Lou is not one of the world's great geniuses.
She also asks: "How many artists these days meet with each and every fan after a show?" Um, only every single one that Morsch has seen, madam.
Terri Clark: Unplugged emotion
"Morsch goes to a concert" post. Not even a question.
Terri Clark isn’t the first singer-songwriter to tour unplugged and alone. But she certainly executed the concept to near perfection Wednesday evening at the Sellersville Theater.
Another variation on his oft-used "This event is always great, and tonight's event was no exception" lead-off sentence.
Accompanied onstage by five guitars, only four of which she played during the nearly two-hour gig,
I'd be interested to know what the fifth one was for, then. But we'll probably never find out.
the Canadian-born country music star has designed a show that she hopes is “like sitting in a living room at a party with someone who has a guitar in her lap.”
There was another show that Morsch attended where the performer wanted to "come into your living room" or some such. I'm taking bets on whether Morsch, at the end of the article, will declare that she accomplishes her stated objective. [Editor's Note: It was my Wednesday, July 21 entry. Singer/songwriter Kathy Mattea: “people feel like they’ve been sitting in somebody’s living room...”]
In that regard, Clark accomplished that in spades.
Wow, I hope you got your bets in early. Nice double "that."
It’s a return to her roots, when she played at Tootsies Orchid Lounge in Nashville for tips more than two decades ago.
Did Morsch travel to Nashville? Did Ms. Clark accept tips?
What took it to the next level this time was the way she really laid herself bare to the audience, talking at length and with emotion between songs, especially about her mother Linda, who died in April after a battle with cancer.
He has said this about every other acoustic performer he has seen. A smarter man might conclude that it's a tactic used by live performers to engage the audience. He seems to conclude that it's each person's innate, mystical power.
The hootin’ and hollerin’ early in the show from the northeast hillbillies in the crowd — whom Clark suggested could be considered more “sophisticated” than hillbillies in other parts of the country — gave way to stone cold silence midway through the show as Clark detailed her mother’s illness and the impact it has had on her, both personally and musically.
Northeast hillbillies? Does that mean, like, hillbillies from Easton PA? Or is he referring to people from the northeastern area of the United States who like to act like hillbillies?
Concert tickets aren’t cheap these days, given our current economic climate.
That damn Sarah Palin! It's all her fault!
Certainly folks expect to be entertained for their money, and that’s nothing new. But everybody has lost a loved one, and when the person on stage opens up and shares that experience, people can relate. We feel like we know the person on the cover of the CD.
One problem - you have to GO TO THE SHOW to see the person "open up on stage." So should people have purchased tickets and gambled that there would be some kind of deep emotional connection established? There seems to be no logical progression from "tough economy" to "relating to losing a loved one."
The particularly poignant moment came when Clark talked about being at her mother’s hospital bedside and starting to cry. Awakened by her daughter’s tears, Linda comforted Terri with words that had to do with always being able to smile.
I hope she didn't Glenn Beck it, complete with quivering voice and fake radio tears.
After her mother’s death, Clark took those words and turned it into a song, which she performed for the enthralled ST94 crowd.
Well what a surprise! Morsch sees a concert at the Sellersville Theater. I'm going to have to go back and completely re-work my labels some day. So many new cliches are always emerging.
She hasn’t yet recorded the song, but it played big in Sellersville, as I suspect it has at other stops in the tour.
You know what they say - "As Sellersville PA goes, so goes the nation."
Meet-and-greets with people before the show, signing autographs for fans after the show — and in between laying out your heart and soul to a group of strangers who have paid to see you perform — it’s the total experience for an artist and the fans.
Woah, meeting with fans! Signing autographs! Was she gracious and nice? Did she pose for pictures perhaps? What a rarity among celebrities! [Editor's Note: Regarding Kathy Mattea, Morsch said she "was warm and engaging during the show, and friendly and kind to those who waited in line to meet her after the show."]
Someday Terri Clark will go back to full band concerts with all the bells and whistles. But at this point in her career, the “Unplugged and Alone” tour appears to be Clark’s way of not only dealing with her career changes and challenges but her personal loss as well.
I just realized that not even an attempt at a joke has been made so far.
It’s the right artist doing the right show at the right time. What more can be asked?
Regarding the Kathy Mattea concert: Maybe it was just the right artist in the right place on the right night. I know what more can be asked - THAT YOU DON'T RECYCLE THE SAME MATERIAL.
Labels: Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, Terri Clark
I guess I understand why he labels himself and the title of his blog in every single post (he's dumb and doesn't understand labels). But why "Montgomery Newspapers"? Now get this - actual reader comments not made by me!
Reader Cindy Lou says: "You really describe the experience of these intimate shows very well." She doesn't appear sarcastic about it, either. I'm guessing Cindy Lou is not one of the world's great geniuses.
She also asks: "How many artists these days meet with each and every fan after a show?" Um, only every single one that Morsch has seen, madam.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Surprise! Morsch Writes about a Concert
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A G-string problem on stage
Oh boy. Of course the "G string" in this case is part of a musical instrument. But given Morsch's love of underpants, he's going to play this predictable pun for all it's worth.
A handful of songs into her set Friday night, country music star Kathy Mattea informed the Sellersville Theater crowd that she had broken her G-string.
Morsch had previously published one of his famous "interviews" with Mattea, but it was too dry and tasteless to even be mentioned here. So this is obviously an attempt by Morsch to squeeze a little more precious material out of his encounter with a very minor celebrity.
Hey, whatever happened to this being a "humor" column?
My first thought was that I had missed some onstage gymnastics by Ms. Mattea that would have caused such a wardrobe malfunction.
Let's explore all the problems with the concept of this post, shall we?
1.) I guessed the "joke" that seems to form the premise of this entire article based on the title alone.
2.) Older folks (who probably comprise 99% of Morsch's audience) might not know that a G-string is an article of clothing and will miss the "joke" entirely.
3.) Younger folks probably never read this thing at all.
Therefore... who could possibly find this amusing?
Of course, Mattea had broken the G-string on her guitar. I knew that. Really.
Ho ho.
During an interview to preview the show, Mattea had told me that it was her responsibility to make “people feel like they’ve been sitting in somebody’s living room and that they’ve been lost in these songs all evening.”
This has become a sad pattern for the towering icon of hilarity known as Michael Morsch: recycle old material, prefaced by a joke in the opening paragraph to maintain the "humor column" facade. Can he really be happy with producing stuff like this?
By the way, the quote from Mattea above is lifted from his already-published interview. Morsch was obviously one of those kids who re-used school essays year to year.
And that’s exactly what the audience got from Kathy Mattea in her return to Sellersville. The Grammy Award-winning singer was warm and engaging during the show, and friendly and kind to those who waited in line to meet her after the show.
Morsch says basically this same thing about every celebrity he meets. "Gee, they were friendly to people after the show!" Does he know that, as a journalist, there is no law that requires him to find a nice thing to say about everyone and everything?
I’ve been to dozens of shows over the years at ST94, but Mattea is very well suited for this venue, and it for her. It’s not that the other performers and entertainers I’ve seen there haven’t been suited for the ST94, it’s just I can’t remember a more comfortable and natural feel to a show.
Once again MM proves my point. I really enjoy watching him stumble all over himself trying to compliment everyone.
Maybe it’s because ST94 is my favorite local venue. Maybe it’s because Kathy Mattea’s music speaks to me on a different level. Maybe it was just the right artist in the right place on the right night.
I'm actually surprised he didn't try to slip in a nice thing about every other venue he's ever attended. "ST94 is my favorite venue... not that the others are bad! But I like ST94 better, although I also like all the others equally as much!"
Whatever the case, it strengthened by belief that the fine arts, music in particular, can be an important and vital part of life and that we should support it at the local level.
"...strengthened BY belief"? Nice editing, editor.
All of a sudden he's a cultural crusader? Maybe he should write his congressman. Also, why waste two paragraphs trying to decide why you enjoyed a concert when your answer is, essentially, "Whatever"?
And I went home feeling like I was sitting in someone’s living room getting lost in those songs all evening.
Well I'll be damned - isn't that just what Ms. Mattea said? She accomplished her goal! Positively heartwarming. That wraps everything up so neatly.
Labels: Kathy Mattea, Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, Sellersville Theater 1894
A G-string problem on stage
Oh boy. Of course the "G string" in this case is part of a musical instrument. But given Morsch's love of underpants, he's going to play this predictable pun for all it's worth.
A handful of songs into her set Friday night, country music star Kathy Mattea informed the Sellersville Theater crowd that she had broken her G-string.
Morsch had previously published one of his famous "interviews" with Mattea, but it was too dry and tasteless to even be mentioned here. So this is obviously an attempt by Morsch to squeeze a little more precious material out of his encounter with a very minor celebrity.
Hey, whatever happened to this being a "humor" column?
My first thought was that I had missed some onstage gymnastics by Ms. Mattea that would have caused such a wardrobe malfunction.
Let's explore all the problems with the concept of this post, shall we?
1.) I guessed the "joke" that seems to form the premise of this entire article based on the title alone.
2.) Older folks (who probably comprise 99% of Morsch's audience) might not know that a G-string is an article of clothing and will miss the "joke" entirely.
3.) Younger folks probably never read this thing at all.
Therefore... who could possibly find this amusing?
Of course, Mattea had broken the G-string on her guitar. I knew that. Really.
Ho ho.
During an interview to preview the show, Mattea had told me that it was her responsibility to make “people feel like they’ve been sitting in somebody’s living room and that they’ve been lost in these songs all evening.”
This has become a sad pattern for the towering icon of hilarity known as Michael Morsch: recycle old material, prefaced by a joke in the opening paragraph to maintain the "humor column" facade. Can he really be happy with producing stuff like this?
By the way, the quote from Mattea above is lifted from his already-published interview. Morsch was obviously one of those kids who re-used school essays year to year.
And that’s exactly what the audience got from Kathy Mattea in her return to Sellersville. The Grammy Award-winning singer was warm and engaging during the show, and friendly and kind to those who waited in line to meet her after the show.
Morsch says basically this same thing about every celebrity he meets. "Gee, they were friendly to people after the show!" Does he know that, as a journalist, there is no law that requires him to find a nice thing to say about everyone and everything?
I’ve been to dozens of shows over the years at ST94, but Mattea is very well suited for this venue, and it for her. It’s not that the other performers and entertainers I’ve seen there haven’t been suited for the ST94, it’s just I can’t remember a more comfortable and natural feel to a show.
Once again MM proves my point. I really enjoy watching him stumble all over himself trying to compliment everyone.
Maybe it’s because ST94 is my favorite local venue. Maybe it’s because Kathy Mattea’s music speaks to me on a different level. Maybe it was just the right artist in the right place on the right night.
I'm actually surprised he didn't try to slip in a nice thing about every other venue he's ever attended. "ST94 is my favorite venue... not that the others are bad! But I like ST94 better, although I also like all the others equally as much!"
Whatever the case, it strengthened by belief that the fine arts, music in particular, can be an important and vital part of life and that we should support it at the local level.
"...strengthened BY belief"? Nice editing, editor.
All of a sudden he's a cultural crusader? Maybe he should write his congressman. Also, why waste two paragraphs trying to decide why you enjoyed a concert when your answer is, essentially, "Whatever"?
And I went home feeling like I was sitting in someone’s living room getting lost in those songs all evening.
Well I'll be damned - isn't that just what Ms. Mattea said? She accomplished her goal! Positively heartwarming. That wraps everything up so neatly.
Labels: Kathy Mattea, Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, Sellersville Theater 1894
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
A Rare Two-fer
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Meat and music in Perkasie
There's nothing that brightens up a Tuesday morning like a fresh Outta Leftfield blog post, especially when it has a title like this one. "Meat and Music in Perkasie" harkens back to the classic "A Night Out in Ambler" post - meaning the exciting tale of Morsch going somewhere (and doing something) totally mundane.
Got a chance to go to Perkasie Olde Towne’s “Hot Ribs, Cool Music” event Saturday. Unfortunately, we got there too late to sample the ribs or the pies. Frankly, given my fondness for both ribs and pie, that’s bad weekend planning on our part and an adjustment will have to be made to rectify that before next year’s event.
An adjustment... like getting there earlier?
The festival is built around two favorite pastimes: music and food.
You just said that.
It features ribs-grilling and pie-baking competitions,
You basically just said that, too.
a pie-eating contest and several music performers, including Zydeco-A-Go-Go, Dirk Quinn, Mike Greer & Co. and the Pennridge High School and South Middle School Jazz bands.
Wow, middle school jazz bands! Truly the peak of musical excellence. After stating the name of the event as "Hot Ribs, Cool Music," Morsch has now told us three times that the event features ribs and music.
Despite the steaminess of the day, there was a bit of a cool breeze blowing through the big tent as we enjoyed the music of Zydeco-A-Go-Go.
What does this even mean? "Despite the fact that it was hot, it was pretty cool."
I like any band that features a squeezebox and a guy who plays a metal washboard strapped to his chest with spoons, and Zydeco-A-Go-Go has both.
Was there a guy playing the gutbucket? Or a guy blowing on a jug of moonshine whiskey?
If there was a consolation to missing the ribs and pies, it’s that I didn’t spill any ribs or pie on my shirt. Next year, I’ll plan better and take another shirt along.
Hey, you know what never gets old? That hilarious "I spill things on myself" bit!
Labels: " Outta Leftfield, Mike Morsch, Montomgery Newspapers, Perkasie Olde Towne
So we label "Perkasie Olde Towne"... but not any of the bands and not "Hot Ribs, Cool Music."
Topps promotion is top-notch
And just for good measure - probably since the first post was like 50 words long - we get a second entry! Does everybody remember Morsch's absolutely loathesome "memories of baseball cards" article? Check the March Inta Rightfield archives, under "Morsch Tells Vague Story(ies)".
The Topps Company, longtime maker of baseball cards, has decided to feature one of my past columns in its “Topps Million Card Giveaway” promotion. I am both humbled and honored.
Don't be too honored - this only means that someone at Topps is a total dumbass. And don't be humbled - you're not nearly talented enough.
The column was from earlier this year and centered on a father-son-baseball-baseball cards theme.
Did it? As I remember it was unfocused, rambling, and contained two separate stories without any clarification on which one was the "special memory" the column was supposed to be about. And how sloppy does "father-son-baseball-baseball cards" look? This man writes for a living. Does that seem right to you?
The piece included some very personal and wonderful memories about my father and the collecting of baseball cards when I was a kid.
It also included some meaningless story about the local baseball team and where they went for drinks after a game.
Topps figured out a way to bring baseball-card collecting into the digital world with this promotion. It has reinvigorated my interest in baseball cards — something I never really lost through the years anyway
I call a foul on this. How can it "reinvigorate" something you "never lost"? He is also very mysterious about the nature of the promotion... for once, a little more detail would actually help.
— and I now get to share the hobby with my stepson. It’s heartening to watch the joy he gets from collecting and trading his cards.
I "collected" baseball cards for like a year, before I realized they were just little squares of cheap cardboard that you couldn't play with.
You can read the column here: http://bit.ly/aaazFf
Don't read it. Trust me.
Labels: Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, Topps Company
Meat and music in Perkasie
There's nothing that brightens up a Tuesday morning like a fresh Outta Leftfield blog post, especially when it has a title like this one. "Meat and Music in Perkasie" harkens back to the classic "A Night Out in Ambler" post - meaning the exciting tale of Morsch going somewhere (and doing something) totally mundane.
Got a chance to go to Perkasie Olde Towne’s “Hot Ribs, Cool Music” event Saturday. Unfortunately, we got there too late to sample the ribs or the pies. Frankly, given my fondness for both ribs and pie, that’s bad weekend planning on our part and an adjustment will have to be made to rectify that before next year’s event.
An adjustment... like getting there earlier?
The festival is built around two favorite pastimes: music and food.
You just said that.
It features ribs-grilling and pie-baking competitions,
You basically just said that, too.
a pie-eating contest and several music performers, including Zydeco-A-Go-Go, Dirk Quinn, Mike Greer & Co. and the Pennridge High School and South Middle School Jazz bands.
Wow, middle school jazz bands! Truly the peak of musical excellence. After stating the name of the event as "Hot Ribs, Cool Music," Morsch has now told us three times that the event features ribs and music.
Despite the steaminess of the day, there was a bit of a cool breeze blowing through the big tent as we enjoyed the music of Zydeco-A-Go-Go.
What does this even mean? "Despite the fact that it was hot, it was pretty cool."
I like any band that features a squeezebox and a guy who plays a metal washboard strapped to his chest with spoons, and Zydeco-A-Go-Go has both.
Was there a guy playing the gutbucket? Or a guy blowing on a jug of moonshine whiskey?
If there was a consolation to missing the ribs and pies, it’s that I didn’t spill any ribs or pie on my shirt. Next year, I’ll plan better and take another shirt along.
Hey, you know what never gets old? That hilarious "I spill things on myself" bit!
Labels: " Outta Leftfield, Mike Morsch, Montomgery Newspapers, Perkasie Olde Towne
So we label "Perkasie Olde Towne"... but not any of the bands and not "Hot Ribs, Cool Music."
Topps promotion is top-notch
And just for good measure - probably since the first post was like 50 words long - we get a second entry! Does everybody remember Morsch's absolutely loathesome "memories of baseball cards" article? Check the March Inta Rightfield archives, under "Morsch Tells Vague Story(ies)".
The Topps Company, longtime maker of baseball cards, has decided to feature one of my past columns in its “Topps Million Card Giveaway” promotion. I am both humbled and honored.
Don't be too honored - this only means that someone at Topps is a total dumbass. And don't be humbled - you're not nearly talented enough.
The column was from earlier this year and centered on a father-son-baseball-baseball cards theme.
Did it? As I remember it was unfocused, rambling, and contained two separate stories without any clarification on which one was the "special memory" the column was supposed to be about. And how sloppy does "father-son-baseball-baseball cards" look? This man writes for a living. Does that seem right to you?
The piece included some very personal and wonderful memories about my father and the collecting of baseball cards when I was a kid.
It also included some meaningless story about the local baseball team and where they went for drinks after a game.
Topps figured out a way to bring baseball-card collecting into the digital world with this promotion. It has reinvigorated my interest in baseball cards — something I never really lost through the years anyway
I call a foul on this. How can it "reinvigorate" something you "never lost"? He is also very mysterious about the nature of the promotion... for once, a little more detail would actually help.
— and I now get to share the hobby with my stepson. It’s heartening to watch the joy he gets from collecting and trading his cards.
I "collected" baseball cards for like a year, before I realized they were just little squares of cheap cardboard that you couldn't play with.
You can read the column here: http://bit.ly/aaazFf
Don't read it. Trust me.
Labels: Mike Morsch, Montgomery Newspapers, Outta Leftfield, Topps Company
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