_Reviews of October 1999

Review of Dance Events During October, 1999

Click on the date that you wish to view

Friday, October 1, 1999
Saturday, October 2, 1999
Sunday, October 3, 1999
Monday, October 4, 1999
Tuesday, October 5, 1999
Wednesday, October 6, 1999
Thursday, October 7, 1999
Friday, October 8, 1999
Saturday, October 9, 1999
Sunday, October 10, 1999
Monday, October 11, 1999
Tuesday, October 12, 1999
Wednesday, October 13, 1999
Thursday, October 14, 1999
Friday, October 15, 1999
Saturday, October 16, 1999
Sunday, October 17, 1999
Monday, October 18, 1999
Tuesday, October 19, 1999
Wednesday, October 20, 1999
Thursday, October 21, 1999
Friday, October 22, 1999
Saturday, October 23, 1999
Sunday, October 24, 1999
Monday, October 25, 1999
Tuesday, October 26, 1999
Wednesday, October 27, 1999
Thursday, October 28, 1999
Friday, October 29, 1999
Saturday, October 30, 1999
Sunday, October 31, 1999

DANCE REVIEWS

Friday October 1, 1999

America

Karen and I checked out America --- it was very unusual! Due to VSO, there were virtually NO experienced Lindy Hoppers in the place --- all pretty much rank beginners. Debra taught several lessons including the standard basic survival swing as well as side-by-side Charleston and introductory Collegiate Shag. The folks in the audience seemed to soak up the knowledge and we spent a considerable amount of time helping the beginners put this information to practice. Arnold Taylor and Mark Judge were on hand to enjoy the fun. Basically, we had the entire Cunningham band to ourselves. This was a whole lot of fun and I think that the beginners -- who were not in the least intimidated --- will be back for more swing.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Saturday October 2, 1999

Whitey's

Since we were not at VSO, Karen and I decided to check out Jumpin Jupiter at Whitey's in Arlington. Some months ago, the band had been really hot over at Poli-Tiki so we thought this would be a good gamble. The venue has a little problem with dancing because when they expanded, they were expressly foirbidden by the zoning commission to advertise "dancing" --- so the unwritten rule is that you go and push aside a few tables and dance, but there is no official dance "floor". This charade has worked somewhat well for really hot bands like Daryl Davis, but tonight, Jumpin Jupiter was just off. They started late, played an indifferent twenty minute set and took a long break. Something was clearly wrong. As I said, they were red hot a Politiki in April. Maybe they will get back on track, so we are not writing them off altogether.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Sunday October 3, 1999

Takoma Street Fair

I had to undertake a non-dance business trip later in the evening, so attendance at The Delegatesat CCB was out of the question. We sort of filled in the afternoon by attending the Steet Fair in Takoma Park. This was a very charming event -- - everything was very nice, clean, and well-organized. However, there is something about Takoma Park that transports (Me, any way) right back to the major excesses of the 1960s. I began my flashback experience almost as soon as I parked the car and turned around to face a grandmotherly type wearing a "Give Peace a Chance" tee shirt. Geez, it was like stepping off the bus at the 1969 Vietnam Moratorium. Lots of gray hair and tie-dyes. There must be a reason why I spend a whole lot of energy keeping the 1940s alive and an equal amount of energy trying to make sure that the 1960s stay dead. I was there for the latter and I know where the bones are buried...

Well, the bands were GREAT. Just after my encounter with the peaceniks, we heard the sweet sounds of the Oklahoma Twisters coming from the bandstand. George Welling et al. put on a very entertaining show and even favored the crowd with Mission to Moscow, which --- as swing fans know --- alludes to our Russian allies during World War Two. However, the song seemed strangely appropriate at the current time in the People's Republic of Takoma Park. OK-- that's sort of a joke --- who am I to overlook their kind hospitality...

The day was so nice that folks got up and danced on the asphalt street. I was pleased to note that one couple had a darned good swing-out, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Mike Dugan and Jenny Manlove. They looked great.

Next up was Robert Lighthouse, the Swedish blues singer who does the dead-shot impression of Robert Johnson. It was a warm, pleasnat day, and I was very happy just to sit back and let the 12 bar blues wash over me. And, Mr. Lighthouse plays them so well!. About halfway through the set, a marvelous blue and yellow parrot --- yes a real bird --- appeared and perched hiself on a folding chair about ten feet away from Mr. Lighthouse. The bird was certainly eye-catching, but --- I swear -- the thing not only swayed to the music, but it also looked like it was lip-sync-ing the words. Needeless to say, the parrot got all the attention. I shall reiterate my sage advice from these pages: "never work with kids or animals.

The final band that time permitted us to hear was the Krewe of Renegades a sort of zydeco/gospel/funk group. Today, we were favored with Alan and Chris of The Grandsons sitting in as a sort of horn section. This is a good group, especially if you have music and dance interests beyond Swing

All in all, it was a very nice day and many thanks to the folks who organized the street fair.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Monday October 4, 1999

Chevy Chase Ballroom

From: Sue Fedor

Yeah...yeah...quit bugging me.

It's been a while since we've been out. I could list the excuses, but nobody wants to hear em'. Marcus sent us on a subtle guilt trip for not going to VSO...and Monday was their last night before going to Australia.....AUSTRALIA? They're flying COACH, by the way...so imagine them squirming in their tiny seats for a nice 18 hour flight (or however long it takes you to get to Australia...I wouldn't know.)

I had some nice dances with Iver, Cullen, and Mike Reis. Cullen and I discussed New Year's Eve--NO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING YET and Frank Morra and I discussed Thanksgiving--NO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THAT EITHER. Suggestions are welcome.

Mr. Tom Koerner goes under the knife on Thursday. He promises to be dancing to the Jive Aces on Saturday. I just stopped laughing at that ten minutes ago. He's such a card, that Tom. In honor of Herr Koerner's hernia, Debra dusted off her copy of Weird Al Yankovic's Greatest Hits (who knew?) and played "Living with a Hernia" (to the tune of James Brown's "Living in America") and Tom, once again, despite the pain, was able to channel the life force of DISCO BOY. As with any decent disco dancing, fortunately, the girl (in this case, Carolyn) does all the work.

I noticed on the sidelines one Barbara Thompson channeling her own DISCO GIRL. I don't know, Sean...looks like the Hustle Division might be in order next year.

By the way, if Tom Koerner seems to be looking better these days, it's because he had eye surgery! LASIK--it's that laser surgery where they scrape off part of your eye so you can see better. As procedures go, it would have been miserable for most of us, but perfect for Tom, since he can brag about how he could smell his burning eye flesh and actually feel the procedure because they hadn't anesthetized him sufficiently. Let this be a warning. If you can't stand the gore, don't ask Tom about his surgeries. I'm sure he'll ruin many an after-dance dinner over the next few weeks.

/P>

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Tuesday October 5, 1999

Vienna Grille

The very lovely Deborah Brooks joined me in a trip out to Vienna Grille. This was actually just a practice session for us as Deb tries to drag me into the current world of Lindy Hop. Deb has been very kind in assisting with my "re-education" and I greatly appreciate it. However, when Doug played Rockin' Robin, I had a recidivist attack and implored Deb to do the atavistic St. Louis Shag (it fits the song soooo well...)

I was able to stave off the urge to do 1994 Savoy (Round) Lindy until Doug announced that some of the younger dancers had requested a 275 bpm song. Fortunately, Nancy Baird was on hand and with a mixture of fast small Savoy and Balboa, we were able to keep up. Thank you, Nancy. Have you caught your breath yet? (I haven't...)

For much of the evening, Frank Papparozzi entertained the crowd with card tricks --- this was absolutely amazing. Frank will be doing magic at Madam's Organ next week and you ought to go see him. Frank is about the absolute best that I have ever seen.

THis is a good venue --- great floor, good music. You should come out to the Grille on Tuesdays.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Wednesday October 6, 1999

Eric Felten at Felix

Yes, it was another Wednesday at Felix. Let's see, I know that you're tired of hearing about it --- yes, there is no dance floor to speak of and yes the crowd delights in smoking cigars. Yes, there are downsides. Of course, there is the one single over-riding positive point --- the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra. They are simply SUPERB and the other drawbacks are just teeny little annoyances.

Felix and Glen Echo are diametric opposites. The management (and Eric) get a kick out of full vintage regalia. Tonight, Deborah Brooks and I got a very warm welcome. Deb was dressed in a very nice beige 1940s dress with bakelite buttons. She wore a lovely pair of open-toe alligator shoes and a matching burgundy coat and hat set --- tres chic in my book!

The only fly in the ointment was that the late night diners were lingering over coffee and the band could not set up. We were, however, shown to a nice table and we sat politely and waited. Management was very prompt in removing tables just as soon as patrons rose to leave. One waiter even pulled the old parlor trick of yanking the table cloth out from under the plates. This provided a very noticeable hint to the remaining patrons.

Soon, the band began setting up --- about 20 minutes late --- and we decided that it was time to change shoes. This, of course, stimulated the inevitable question "What do you carry in those suitcases...?" This gives the dancers a chance to chat with the crowd, so it is not all bad.

The band led off with One O'Clock Jump and kept the program swinging. After a few songs, we found out that it was the 35th anniversary of one of the couples in the audience, so we got them out dancing. Things went very well for about 45 minutes until a gang of cigar-smoking "Johnny Swingers" made an appearance. One fellow had an annoying habit of stomping his foot and doing dips --- but out of time to the music. (And I thought that we had left Glen Echo behind...) The "foot stomper" was certainly annoying per se, but he took a vast quantity of the small dance floor as well. He appeared to fancy himself a great dancer although I would have been hard pressed to have heard even one of his stomps on the beat...

We solved the problem by simply changing shoes and moving outside onto the sidewalk. Apart from a small hole in the concrete, things were just fine. We attracted a very nice crowd, including some beginner Lindy Hoppers. Since we directed all comers into the bar (at $5 cover), I hope that we succeded in endearing ourselves to management.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Thursday October 7, 1999

The Grandsons at the Cowboy Cafe

This was sort of a non-dance sort of evening, a chance to catch up with the Grandsons and to enjoy some comfort food at the Cowboy Cafe on Columbia Pike. Chris and Alan were certainly in good form. They did all of their standards including my favorite, Have you ever had one of those days? -- I'm having one of those lives. I was also pleased to hear that Go Get my Dinner is still in their repertoire.

There is no cover at the Cowboy Cafe on Thursday, so the boys play for tips. They have an old blender as their tip jar. For some reason that just struck me as a very hip thing... It is definitely worth the trip and a few bucks in the blender just to hear Chris Watling belt out the notes on the Baritone sax (and/or accordion.) Alan always adds a few Johnny Cash numbers (especially Folsom Prison) to give real spice to the evening. The band's version of Sixteen Tons is incomparable --- especially when the bass player does a cadenza with the bow.

Go to the Cowboy Cafe South --- order the comfort food. If you eat meat, order the Elvis Burger. If you don't (like me) order the Turkey Burger. Relax, enjoy yourselves. Dance a few songs in the aisles.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Friday October 8, 1999

New Legacy at APTD

Deborah Brooks and I paid a visit to the new venue for Nancy Baird and Donna Barker's "A Place to Dance". This incarnation is located in the Fairfax Health Club. The room is very spacious and the wood floor is slick and comfortable. The air conditioning is excellent and there is a water fountain nearby (APTD also sells soda and juice). This evening, the festivities were also marked by a small buffet. So, it was a very nice affair.

There was a very nice crowd that seemed to be fairly evenly split between Lindy Hoppers and ECS practitioners. The first band break was highlighted by a vintage fashion show that seemed to generate a whole lot of interest

During the second break, Deb and Iver did a small Balboa demonstration. For the Lindy crowd, it was preaching to the choir, but I think that some of the ECS folks took an interest in Balboa, so hopefully there will be a goodly number of students in the Fall Balboa class.

There was a very nice jam, led off by Luke and Laura. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I want to thank Deborah Brooks for getting me into it once again, and Nancy Baird for going out with me for a little Balboa. The Jam was a whole lot of fun.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Saturday October 9, 1999

Jive Aces at GMU

This was a SWING event. BOY was this ever a Swing event. These guys are just spectacular!

From: Sue Fedor

Boy was I excited. Steve and I haven't been dancing much in DC lately and the Jive Aces were coming and we were gonna go see 'em, see... So I got all sorts of folks together for a nice chicken dinner, see... and Steve ended up getting sick. He was the only one and he was feeling queasy before dinner was finished, so you can't blame it on the food, see... It may have been all the excitement of having people over...or as a friend of ours put it, Steve is allergic to George Mason University...which is probably closer to the truth.

I ended up going with one of the chicken eaters, Ron Haron. It was turning out more and more to be like the night from hell. There was a crash on the beltway just east of the Legion Bridge and the backup was starting around the exit to Glen Echo. Ron thought he could make it to the exit and get off at Clara Barton Parkway. I fumbled through his radio dial (he never listens to the radio in his car) to find WTOP. Knowing that they have "traffic on the eights" (yes, I listen to the radio---ALOT) I knew we would be getting a report in the next minute. I had to interrupt Ron's story of HIS hernia (now I know three of my contemporaries who have had hernias...) to find out that there was yet ANOTHER accident even further east of the bridge and in the next few minutes they'd be landing the Medivac. When that landed, they'd have to close the beltway. We high-tailed it off and took the River Road exit, thus adding about 30 minutes on our trip. I switched over to Rob Bamberger, who, by the way, played "Christopher Columbus" in honor of the holiday. CHRIS: I NEED THE LYRICS TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS! I think it would be a good one to sing to the cat.

But you wanted a review of the Jive Aces. Well, others can tell you about the floor show. They ham it up on stage...the trombonist slides across the floor, the pianist plays while they swing his keyboard back and forth, the trumpeter and the trombonist duke it out on the floor, blah, blah blah...The trumpeter can play and dance with a woman at the same time...yadda, yadda...

But the band is good. The music is pretty fast, but it does swing. The arrangements are tight, the drummer is consistent and the trumpeter is amazing--especially when he sings Calloway, which is truly his forte, if you ask me.

On a personal note, the high point of the evening was dancing with Jim Kranyak, who usually gets into an endless conversation with my husband about videos. With Steve not there, we ran out of things to talk about and ended up dancing! The jam was awsome with everyone fresh from their VSO victories. Steve and Carla were incredible and Tricia and Thomas did some of the strongest and smoothest dancing I've seen from them in quite a while. As I watched along the sidelines (and I did a lot of that since my steady partner was home sick...) I noticed one match up I would never had made in a million years: Anne Bailey and Misha Ackerman. She's very energetic and athletic. And he's been on an endless improvisation kick lately. She's right on his wavelength, apparently, and it was fun to watch them play off each other. I also finally got to see this Marty dude that everyone keeps talking about. He's a cutie patootie and pretty smooth too. I don't get out much, these days and I'm hearing everything second hand from our basement tenant, Steve Bailey, so it's my first chance to put faces to names.

As usual, the newly varnished floor made the Bleyer rubber sole act like suction cups. Those of us in the know wore swede or chrome leather bottomed shoes. Those of us in the know also wore industrial strength insoles too. The floor is laid on concrete and is extremely hard. Klienpeter had his shoes sitting in a pile of powder to make the slicker, but that can also create a hazzard. Dancers should always bring shoes with more than one type of sole.

It was good to see Trish Manetti and Bill Lehman (resident Jitterbuzz record reviewer), who I haven't seen in quite a while. Driving home with Bill and Trish, we did some catching up and I admired his car CD collection, conveniently stored behind the sun visor. Wouldn't they warp there?

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Sunday October 10, 1999

Jive Aces at America

There is never too much of a good thing! Two nights in a row were just fine with me!

From: Sue Fedor

Steve's second favorite place after the Multi-Purpose Room at George Mason is America at Tysons Corner. But I dragged him out anyway to see at least the first set of the Jive Aces. Boy, those guys play fast tunes. Dancing four in a row nearly finished us geezers off for good. Then I ran into a vision... a rather tall vision from my recent past. DR. DAN!!!!! These days, I see him on eBay more than I see him on the dance floor. We had a wonderful dance (I'm still swooning) and I learned a new maneuver on the dance floor--kids, don't try this yourselves--leave this to the professionals: When you want to clear the way for a move, simply put your arms out (it helps if they're long, like Dr. Dan's) and lightly touch the backs (or behinds) of the folks dancing around you. They automatically dance away from the offending outstretched hand and the space is clear. Or else, they're glaring back at you. Either way, they're not crowding you. I think only Dr. Dan can get away with this, but it cracked me up. I've probably just given away his secret weapon and he won't be able to dance again in public for a while and I won't see him again for another few months. Sorry.

This evening, they stuck to their jump blues repetoire, focusing on Louie Prima songs. The sax man falls just a bit short on the energy level for those tunes and although the lead singer is good, he doesn't have quite the color in his voice on the Prima songs as he does when he sings the older stuff. But as the night wears on, his voice warms up and improves. It must be hard to switch from singing to playing trumpet. I could never figure out how Louie did it...Prima or Armstrong.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Monday October 11, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Tuesday October 12, 1999

Vienna Grille

From: Elizabeth Engel

Thanks to Elizabeth Magin for again organizing an "old timers" night at the Vienna Tap Room. There was a great crowd with an even mix of leaders and followers. Gator played lots of fun tunes. It was Sweet Sue the bartender's last night, and we forced a line up dance and cake on her. I screwed up my courage and asked Luke White to dance, had a great time, and my nerves didn't even make me forget how to dance. It was good to see some folks I haven't seen in a while (I'm not sure if it's been that I haven't been around, that they haven't been around, or that we've been dancing at different venues). Unfortunately, Jim wasn't able to dance too much as he was coming down with a cold, but at least he let us stay until the very last number. Since he's been working at home lately, he could get a little extra sleep on Wednesday. I unfortunately had to go to work at the normal time and spent the day trying to stay awake. Which is one of the reasons I'm glad the old timers nights are once a month. I'm too old for all these late nights!

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Wednesday October 13, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Thursday October 13, 1999

Bill Kirchen at the Sunset Grille

Since I was sidelined with a badly sprained ankle, the only optio was a "Listen Only" place. And, what could be better than Bill Kirchen's guitar virtuosity at the Sunset Grille. This evening, Bill's program was drawn very heavily from Merle Haggard --- a real treat if you can't dance!

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Friday October 15, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Saturday October 16, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Sunday October 17, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Monday October 18, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Tuesday October 19, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Wednesday October 20, 1999

Rockin Bones at Glen Echo

After ten days with no dancing, I said "Ankle, Schmankle, I'm going to see Rockin' Bones!" So, off to Glen Echo with a special heavy duty ankle brace. Actually, things worked out very well. The Bones were just spectacular. This was a very upbeat end to Marc and Ellen's Wednesday night series. You really ought to go see Rockin Bones wherever they play!!!

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Thursday October 21, 1999

RKO at Timpanos

Stretching my luck, I ventured off to Timpano's for the once- a-month gig with RKO. The event was very nice --- lots of Lindy Hoppers showed up and everyone seemed to be fairly tolerant about my limited repertoire. Fortunately, my sprain did not interfere with the Shim Sham.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Friday October 22, 1999

America

I pushed my luck and headed out to America for the TCO weekly gig. The band was great and in introduced a new song called "Red Light" (originally done by Anita O'Day). The place was well attended, but not crowded. Everything was going great guns and then disaster struck. Alas, I had to beat a hasty retreat before the Shim Sham.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Saturday October 23, 1999

From: Chris Bamberger
The Wedding Cakewalk
By Chris and Rob Bamberger

Rob and I met Tricia Reneau and Thomas Iveson through mutual friends a few years ago. They love the swing era as much as we do, and they kindly introduced me to the Lindy scene and were among my earliest teachers.

So we were honored to attend their wedding October 23, 1999. It took place in Stafford, Virginia in the historic Aquia Episcopal Church. We drove up a curving drive toward a stately 18th-century church with a backdrop of woods and grey autumn sky. Gathering were relatives from England, Scotland, Oklahoma, and other locales; neighbors and friends from Tricia's former Washington residence; Fidgety Feet performers; DC Dance Collective instructors; and many other familiar dance faces.

We had glimpsed Mr. Iveson looking debonair and devil-may-care in the doorway of the carriage house for some earlier photographs. He wore white tie and tails, and even an opera hat. As he and his groomsmen reappeared hatless inside the church, he looked anything but blase as he waited for his bride.

Some of the guests mentioned that Tricia had especially hoped it would not rain, and only a few minutes before the ceremony was to begin, the sun broke through and streamed cinematically through the windows (of which there were many to all sides and heights) of the church. But when Tricia first appeared, the congregation gasped. The sun was now a distant second in radiance. Tricia wore a stunning vintage dress of soft golden satin, with a sweetheart neckline and slight bustle. In her blonde hair rested a tiny gold tiara carved with sparkling flowers. From it flowed a trailing veil of gold sheer.

The ceremony was conducted by two eloquent clergymen and accompanied by hymns and songs from a tenor soloist whose voice resonated from the choir loft above. There was one change in Tricia's expression that caught the attention of many, when the traditional marriage counsel from scripture was cited to the effect that she must be obedient to her husband. Save for this very fleeting double take, the bride and her groom looked happier than they appear even when they win dance competitions.

A dinner dance followed at a spacious colonial hall on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia. After a dance lesson given by Christy Etcher and Marty Lau, guests welcomed the wedding party and lauded the bride and groom with cheers as they danced to "Begin the Beguine" played by the Bill Eliot Trio. Tricia and her dad then took the floor to dance to "Tenderly," and were soon joined by several couples at Mr. Reneau's urging. After we were seated, the best man Christopher Livesy led a toast to the newlyweds in which he remarked upon Thomas' clarity, commitment and love, and the lady who returns it with ardor. Christopher alluded metaphorically to the "seam of gold" that Thomas had tapped.

Rob sported a new tux, underscoring the specialness of this occasion for which he pre-taped his program; and thanks to Deb Brooks, I had a black lace and tulle formal gown for this event. It was the first time I had ever tried dancing in a truly Ginger-ish dress, and it went OK, but I probably would have danced even more in a short skirt. But it was fun to get decked out like a movie star. The evening sped by with a yummy buffet, an exciting jam, and a killer-diller demonstration of Tricia's choreography for the award-winning Fidgety Feet troupe. In a lengthy dance-off, I was not the only one who danced with both groom and bride.

The Ivesons planned their departure for Hawaii on Monday, so they were there to the very end of the party. As we said our good-byes, Meridith Byrne, the newest member of Fidgety Feet, assured Tricia that they would come back with a cup from ALHC. Her dance director told her that she'd be calling from Hawaii to find out how it went! Even in love, a truly fidgety foot never rests...

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Sunday October 24, 1999

The Vault

From: Cherri Harris

As a spur of the moment thing I went to The Vault in downtown Baltimore on Sunday. It was pretty nice; the crowd was friendly, and a mix of beginners with a few more advanced dancers. The room was pretty dark and it is a bar, after all, but the floor is wood, it is very big, and John and Samanta play a really nice selection of music; music you don't hear all the time that is very dancible. They do a beginner drop-in 6-count lesson from 8:30 - 9, and then what they call an intermediate lesson at 10 where they teach one or two more advanced moves. I left at around 11, but I understand it goes until 12. If you are in the neighborhood, it is definitely worth the $3. Just a note; the neighborhood changes very fast (it is only a few blocks from the Inner Harbor, but you wouldn't necessarily know it). Make sure and park in the parking lot next door.

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Monday October 25, 1999

Letter From Glynis

From: Glynis Irwin

Well Frank, it's been weird.

It looks like I'll be on "Win Ben Stein's Money". Yup. Laurie sent my name in as a contestant and they called. I did a little phone interview/test and went to the studio last night for further testing and to play a mock game. It seems I have the right combination of perkiness and knowledge. I'll be taping some time in December, January or February - they'll call me with booking information (!) two weeks before the actual taping. So who knows exactly when all this will be happening. I doubt I'll win anything, but it should be fun(ny).

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Tuesday October 26, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Wednesday October 27, 1999

We have no Reviews for this Date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Thursday October 28, 1999

Bill Kirchen at the Sunset Grille

Due to my sprained ankle, I decided on one more night of just "sitting" prior to the monster Halloween weekend. This being Thursday, it meant visiting Bill Kirchen at the Sunset Grille --- my absolute fave non-dance event

Jack O'Dell was away on his honeymoon, so it meant that the Too Much Fun trio was drmmerless. This evening, Bill brought along Akira Otsuka, a special treat. Those of you (like me) who might be tempted to say "Who?" will (like me) betray your ignorance of the contemporary Bluegrass scene. Most of our erudite readers (unlike me) will recognize Akira as one of the world's preemininet Mandolin players.

Hence, the evening featured Akira on Mandolin, Bill on acoustic Martin Guitar and Johnny Castle on stand-up bass. The trio did a lot of the familiar Too Much Fun songs including Seeds and Stems, Truck Drivin' Man, and Mama Hated Diesels. On the other hand, there was a whole lot of high-quality bluegrass that sounded really fantastic in the small confines of the Grille.

A most rewarding evening, especially for a $2 cover!

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Friday October 29, 1999

Rockin Bones at APTD, TCO at America

Deborah Brooks and I paid a visit to see the fabulous Rockin Bones at Nancy Baird and Donna Barker's "A Place to Dance". To review, the venue is the Fairfax Health Club, a very spacious room with a slick and comfortable wood floor. The air conditioning is excellent and there is a water fountain nearby (APTD also sells soda and juice).

The Bones were red Hot! (I love these guys --- they always play a great gig! The guys have a gigantic repertoire and they play lots of three minute songs which mean lots of opportunity to change partners. And, of course, they played Peg O' My Heart which is my favorite grope'n'grind song. Great show, the Bones.

From APTD, we set out for America and the Tom Cunningham Orchestra. As usual, the band was in great form --- we were glad to see Brent Sessions back on Tenor Sax. ALHC had drained away some of the regular stellar talent, but the jam was still hot. Cameron and Carolyn put on a great shag display --- and even with the "Second String" filling up the remaining spots, the jam was first class! (The secnod tier at America is better than the first tier anywhere else in the country!.) This was a great evening!

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Saturday October 30, 1999

Blue Moon Big Band at Glen Echo

What can I say -- the Blue Moon Big Band was just spectacular. Playing to a fairly large (but not sold out) Halloween crowd, the band truly had something for everyone. Good strong rhythms for the beginners and subtle but complex arrangements for the dancers to play with. The band put a good face on the phrase "Moderate Tempos" that gets bandied around a lot these days. This was a very pleasant experience! The temperature was reasonable inside the ballroom and there was a great mix of people. I am becoming a very big fan of the Blue Moon Big Band. A wonderful show!!! I certainly hope that the Swing Dance Committee has the wisdom to hire this band again real soon!

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

Sunday October 31, 1999

We have no Reviews for this date

Go back and check out another day
Go back to the Home Page
Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

October, 1999 Reviews
	Hi Lindy Hoppers!!! Moving on with 1999
	Counter for the Entire Site (not just this page..) website counter Review of Dance Events During October, 1999 Click on the date that you wish to view Friday, October 1, 1999 Saturday, October 2, 1999 Sunday, October 3, 1999 Monday, October 4, 1999 Tuesday, October 5, 1999 Wednesday, October 6, 1999 Thursday, October 7, 1999 Friday, October 8, 1999 Saturday, October 9, 1999 Sunday, October 10, 1999 Monday, October 11, 1999 Tuesday, October 12, 1999 Wednesday, October 13, 1999 Thursday, October 14, 1999 Friday, October 15, 1999 Saturday, October 16, 1999 Sunday, October 17, 1999 Monday, October 18, 1999 Tuesday, October 19, 1999 Wednesday, October 20, 1999 Thursday, October 21, 1999 Friday, October 22, 1999 Saturday, October 23, 1999 Sunday, October 24, 1999 Monday, October 25, 1999 Tuesday, October 26, 1999 Wednesday, October 27, 1999 Thursday, October 28, 1999 Friday, October 29, 1999 Saturday, October 30, 1999 Sunday, October 31, 1999 DANCE REVIEWS Friday October 1, 1999 America Karen and I checked out America --- it was very unusual! Due to VSO, there were virtually NO experienced Lindy Hoppers in the place --- all pretty much rank beginners. Debra taught several lessons including the standard basic survival swing as well as side-by-side Charleston and introductory Collegiate Shag. The folks in the audience seemed to soak up the knowledge and we spent a considerable amount of time helping the beginners put this information to practice. Arnold Taylor and Mark Judge were on hand to enjoy the fun. Basically, we had the entire Cunningham band to ourselves. This was a whole lot of fun and I think that the beginners -- who were not in the least intimidated --- will be back for more swing. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Saturday October 2, 1999 Whitey's Since we were not at VSO, Karen and I decided to check out Jumpin Jupiter at Whitey's in Arlington. Some months ago, the band had been really hot over at Poli-Tiki so we thought this would be a good gamble. The venue has a little problem with dancing because when they expanded, they were expressly foirbidden by the zoning commission to advertise "dancing" --- so the unwritten rule is that you go and push aside a few tables and dance, but there is no official dance "floor". This charade has worked somewhat well for really hot bands like Daryl Davis, but tonight, Jumpin Jupiter was just off. They started late, played an indifferent twenty minute set and took a long break. Something was clearly wrong. As I said, they were red hot a Politiki in April. Maybe they will get back on track, so we are not writing them off altogether. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Sunday October 3, 1999 Takoma Street Fair I had to undertake a non-dance business trip later in the evening, so attendance at The Delegatesat CCB was out of the question. We sort of filled in the afternoon by attending the Steet Fair in Takoma Park. This was a very charming event -- - everything was very nice, clean, and well-organized. However, there is something about Takoma Park that transports (Me, any way) right back to the major excesses of the 1960s. I began my flashback experience almost as soon as I parked the car and turned around to face a grandmotherly type wearing a "Give Peace a Chance" tee shirt. Geez, it was like stepping off the bus at the 1969 Vietnam Moratorium. Lots of gray hair and tie-dyes. There must be a reason why I spend a whole lot of energy keeping the 1940s alive and an equal amount of energy trying to make sure that the 1960s stay dead. I was there for the latter and I know where the bones are buried... Well, the bands were GREAT. Just after my encounter with the peaceniks, we heard the sweet sounds of the Oklahoma Twisters coming from the bandstand. George Welling et al. put on a very entertaining show and even favored the crowd with Mission to Moscow, which --- as swing fans know --- alludes to our Russian allies during World War Two. However, the song seemed strangely appropriate at the current time in the People's Republic of Takoma Park. OK-- that's sort of a joke --- who am I to overlook their kind hospitality... The day was so nice that folks got up and danced on the asphalt street. I was pleased to note that one couple had a darned good swing-out, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Mike Dugan and Jenny Manlove. They looked great. Next up was Robert Lighthouse, the Swedish blues singer who does the dead-shot impression of Robert Johnson. It was a warm, pleasnat day, and I was very happy just to sit back and let the 12 bar blues wash over me. And, Mr. Lighthouse plays them so well!. About halfway through the set, a marvelous blue and yellow parrot --- yes a real bird --- appeared and perched hiself on a folding chair about ten feet away from Mr. Lighthouse. The bird was certainly eye-catching, but --- I swear -- the thing not only swayed to the music, but it also looked like it was lip-sync-ing the words. Needeless to say, the parrot got all the attention. I shall reiterate my sage advice from these pages: "never work with kids or animals. The final band that time permitted us to hear was the Krewe of Renegades a sort of zydeco/gospel/funk group. Today, we were favored with Alan and Chris of The Grandsons sitting in as a sort of horn section. This is a good group, especially if you have music and dance interests beyond Swing All in all, it was a very nice day and many thanks to the folks who organized the street fair. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Monday October 4, 1999 Chevy Chase Ballroom From: Sue Fedor Yeah...yeah...quit bugging me. It's been a while since we've been out. I could list the excuses, but nobody wants to hear em'. Marcus sent us on a subtle guilt trip for not going to VSO...and Monday was their last night before going to Australia.....AUSTRALIA? They're flying COACH, by the way...so imagine them squirming in their tiny seats for a nice 18 hour flight (or however long it takes you to get to Australia...I wouldn't know.) I had some nice dances with Iver, Cullen, and Mike Reis. Cullen and I discussed New Year's Eve--NO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING YET and Frank Morra and I discussed Thanksgiving--NO, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THAT EITHER. Suggestions are welcome. Mr. Tom Koerner goes under the knife on Thursday. He promises to be dancing to the Jive Aces on Saturday. I just stopped laughing at that ten minutes ago. He's such a card, that Tom. In honor of Herr Koerner's hernia, Debra dusted off her copy of Weird Al Yankovic's Greatest Hits (who knew?) and played "Living with a Hernia" (to the tune of James Brown's "Living in America") and Tom, once again, despite the pain, was able to channel the life force of DISCO BOY. As with any decent disco dancing, fortunately, the girl (in this case, Carolyn) does all the work. I noticed on the sidelines one Barbara Thompson channeling her own DISCO GIRL. I don't know, Sean...looks like the Hustle Division might be in order next year. By the way, if Tom Koerner seems to be looking better these days, it's because he had eye surgery! LASIK--it's that laser surgery where they scrape off part of your eye so you can see better. As procedures go, it would have been miserable for most of us, but perfect for Tom, since he can brag about how he could smell his burning eye flesh and actually feel the procedure because they hadn't anesthetized him sufficiently. Let this be a warning. If you can't stand the gore, don't ask Tom about his surgeries. I'm sure he'll ruin many an after-dance dinner over the next few weeks. /P> Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Tuesday October 5, 1999 Vienna Grille The very lovely Deborah Brooks joined me in a trip out to Vienna Grille. This was actually just a practice session for us as Deb tries to drag me into the current world of Lindy Hop. Deb has been very kind in assisting with my "re-education" and I greatly appreciate it. However, when Doug played Rockin' Robin, I had a recidivist attack and implored Deb to do the atavistic St. Louis Shag (it fits the song soooo well...) I was able to stave off the urge to do 1994 Savoy (Round) Lindy until Doug announced that some of the younger dancers had requested a 275 bpm song. Fortunately, Nancy Baird was on hand and with a mixture of fast small Savoy and Balboa, we were able to keep up. Thank you, Nancy. Have you caught your breath yet? (I haven't...) For much of the evening, Frank Papparozzi entertained the crowd with card tricks --- this was absolutely amazing. Frank will be doing magic at Madam's Organ next week and you ought to go see him. Frank is about the absolute best that I have ever seen. THis is a good venue --- great floor, good music. You should come out to the Grille on Tuesdays. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Wednesday October 6, 1999 Eric Felten at Felix Yes, it was another Wednesday at Felix. Let's see, I know that you're tired of hearing about it --- yes, there is no dance floor to speak of and yes the crowd delights in smoking cigars. Yes, there are downsides. Of course, there is the one single over-riding positive point --- the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra. They are simply SUPERB and the other drawbacks are just teeny little annoyances. Felix and Glen Echo are diametric opposites. The management (and Eric) get a kick out of full vintage regalia. Tonight, Deborah Brooks and I got a very warm welcome. Deb was dressed in a very nice beige 1940s dress with bakelite buttons. She wore a lovely pair of open-toe alligator shoes and a matching burgundy coat and hat set --- tres chic in my book! The only fly in the ointment was that the late night diners were lingering over coffee and the band could not set up. We were, however, shown to a nice table and we sat politely and waited. Management was very prompt in removing tables just as soon as patrons rose to leave. One waiter even pulled the old parlor trick of yanking the table cloth out from under the plates. This provided a very noticeable hint to the remaining patrons. Soon, the band began setting up --- about 20 minutes late --- and we decided that it was time to change shoes. This, of course, stimulated the inevitable question "What do you carry in those suitcases...?" This gives the dancers a chance to chat with the crowd, so it is not all bad. The band led off with One O'Clock Jump and kept the program swinging. After a few songs, we found out that it was the 35th anniversary of one of the couples in the audience, so we got them out dancing. Things went very well for about 45 minutes until a gang of cigar-smoking "Johnny Swingers" made an appearance. One fellow had an annoying habit of stomping his foot and doing dips --- but out of time to the music. (And I thought that we had left Glen Echo behind...) The "foot stomper" was certainly annoying per se, but he took a vast quantity of the small dance floor as well. He appeared to fancy himself a great dancer although I would have been hard pressed to have heard even one of his stomps on the beat... We solved the problem by simply changing shoes and moving outside onto the sidewalk. Apart from a small hole in the concrete, things were just fine. We attracted a very nice crowd, including some beginner Lindy Hoppers. Since we directed all comers into the bar (at $5 cover), I hope that we succeded in endearing ourselves to management. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Thursday October 7, 1999 The Grandsons at the Cowboy Cafe This was sort of a non-dance sort of evening, a chance to catch up with the Grandsons and to enjoy some comfort food at the Cowboy Cafe on Columbia Pike. Chris and Alan were certainly in good form. They did all of their standards including my favorite, Have you ever had one of those days? -- I'm having one of those lives. I was also pleased to hear that Go Get my Dinner is still in their repertoire. There is no cover at the Cowboy Cafe on Thursday, so the boys play for tips. They have an old blender as their tip jar. For some reason that just struck me as a very hip thing... It is definitely worth the trip and a few bucks in the blender just to hear Chris Watling belt out the notes on the Baritone sax (and/or accordion.) Alan always adds a few Johnny Cash numbers (especially Folsom Prison) to give real spice to the evening. The band's version of Sixteen Tons is incomparable --- especially when the bass player does a cadenza with the bow. Go to the Cowboy Cafe South --- order the comfort food. If you eat meat, order the Elvis Burger. If you don't (like me) order the Turkey Burger. Relax, enjoy yourselves. Dance a few songs in the aisles. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Friday October 8, 1999 New Legacy at APTD Deborah Brooks and I paid a visit to the new venue for Nancy Baird and Donna Barker's "A Place to Dance". This incarnation is located in the Fairfax Health Club. The room is very spacious and the wood floor is slick and comfortable. The air conditioning is excellent and there is a water fountain nearby (APTD also sells soda and juice). This evening, the festivities were also marked by a small buffet. So, it was a very nice affair. There was a very nice crowd that seemed to be fairly evenly split between Lindy Hoppers and ECS practitioners. The first band break was highlighted by a vintage fashion show that seemed to generate a whole lot of interest During the second break, Deb and Iver did a small Balboa demonstration. For the Lindy crowd, it was preaching to the choir, but I think that some of the ECS folks took an interest in Balboa, so hopefully there will be a goodly number of students in the Fall Balboa class. There was a very nice jam, led off by Luke and Laura. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I want to thank Deborah Brooks for getting me into it once again, and Nancy Baird for going out with me for a little Balboa. The Jam was a whole lot of fun. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Saturday October 9, 1999 Jive Aces at GMU This was a SWING event. BOY was this ever a Swing event. These guys are just spectacular! From: Sue Fedor Boy was I excited. Steve and I haven't been dancing much in DC lately and the Jive Aces were coming and we were gonna go see 'em, see... So I got all sorts of folks together for a nice chicken dinner, see... and Steve ended up getting sick. He was the only one and he was feeling queasy before dinner was finished, so you can't blame it on the food, see... It may have been all the excitement of having people over...or as a friend of ours put it, Steve is allergic to George Mason University...which is probably closer to the truth. I ended up going with one of the chicken eaters, Ron Haron. It was turning out more and more to be like the night from hell. There was a crash on the beltway just east of the Legion Bridge and the backup was starting around the exit to Glen Echo. Ron thought he could make it to the exit and get off at Clara Barton Parkway. I fumbled through his radio dial (he never listens to the radio in his car) to find WTOP. Knowing that they have "traffic on the eights" (yes, I listen to the radio---ALOT) I knew we would be getting a report in the next minute. I had to interrupt Ron's story of HIS hernia (now I know three of my contemporaries who have had hernias...) to find out that there was yet ANOTHER accident even further east of the bridge and in the next few minutes they'd be landing the Medivac. When that landed, they'd have to close the beltway. We high-tailed it off and took the River Road exit, thus adding about 30 minutes on our trip. I switched over to Rob Bamberger, who, by the way, played "Christopher Columbus" in honor of the holiday. CHRIS: I NEED THE LYRICS TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS! I think it would be a good one to sing to the cat. But you wanted a review of the Jive Aces. Well, others can tell you about the floor show. They ham it up on stage...the trombonist slides across the floor, the pianist plays while they swing his keyboard back and forth, the trumpeter and the trombonist duke it out on the floor, blah, blah blah...The trumpeter can play and dance with a woman at the same time...yadda, yadda... But the band is good. The music is pretty fast, but it does swing. The arrangements are tight, the drummer is consistent and the trumpeter is amazing--especially when he sings Calloway, which is truly his forte, if you ask me. On a personal note, the high point of the evening was dancing with Jim Kranyak, who usually gets into an endless conversation with my husband about videos. With Steve not there, we ran out of things to talk about and ended up dancing! The jam was awsome with everyone fresh from their VSO victories. Steve and Carla were incredible and Tricia and Thomas did some of the strongest and smoothest dancing I've seen from them in quite a while. As I watched along the sidelines (and I did a lot of that since my steady partner was home sick...) I noticed one match up I would never had made in a million years: Anne Bailey and Misha Ackerman. She's very energetic and athletic. And he's been on an endless improvisation kick lately. She's right on his wavelength, apparently, and it was fun to watch them play off each other. I also finally got to see this Marty dude that everyone keeps talking about. He's a cutie patootie and pretty smooth too. I don't get out much, these days and I'm hearing everything second hand from our basement tenant, Steve Bailey, so it's my first chance to put faces to names. As usual, the newly varnished floor made the Bleyer rubber sole act like suction cups. Those of us in the know wore swede or chrome leather bottomed shoes. Those of us in the know also wore industrial strength insoles too. The floor is laid on concrete and is extremely hard. Klienpeter had his shoes sitting in a pile of powder to make the slicker, but that can also create a hazzard. Dancers should always bring shoes with more than one type of sole. It was good to see Trish Manetti and Bill Lehman (resident Jitterbuzz record reviewer), who I haven't seen in quite a while. Driving home with Bill and Trish, we did some catching up and I admired his car CD collection, conveniently stored behind the sun visor. Wouldn't they warp there? Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Sunday October 10, 1999 Jive Aces at America There is never too much of a good thing! Two nights in a row were just fine with me! From: Sue Fedor Steve's second favorite place after the Multi-Purpose Room at George Mason is America at Tysons Corner. But I dragged him out anyway to see at least the first set of the Jive Aces. Boy, those guys play fast tunes. Dancing four in a row nearly finished us geezers off for good. Then I ran into a vision... a rather tall vision from my recent past. DR. DAN!!!!! These days, I see him on eBay more than I see him on the dance floor. We had a wonderful dance (I'm still swooning) and I learned a new maneuver on the dance floor--kids, don't try this yourselves--leave this to the professionals: When you want to clear the way for a move, simply put your arms out (it helps if they're long, like Dr. Dan's) and lightly touch the backs (or behinds) of the folks dancing around you. They automatically dance away from the offending outstretched hand and the space is clear. Or else, they're glaring back at you. Either way, they're not crowding you. I think only Dr. Dan can get away with this, but it cracked me up. I've probably just given away his secret weapon and he won't be able to dance again in public for a while and I won't see him again for another few months. Sorry. This evening, they stuck to their jump blues repetoire, focusing on Louie Prima songs. The sax man falls just a bit short on the energy level for those tunes and although the lead singer is good, he doesn't have quite the color in his voice on the Prima songs as he does when he sings the older stuff. But as the night wears on, his voice warms up and improves. It must be hard to switch from singing to playing trumpet. I could never figure out how Louie did it...Prima or Armstrong. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Monday October 11, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Tuesday October 12, 1999 Vienna Grille From: Elizabeth Engel Thanks to Elizabeth Magin for again organizing an "old timers" night at the Vienna Tap Room. There was a great crowd with an even mix of leaders and followers. Gator played lots of fun tunes. It was Sweet Sue the bartender's last night, and we forced a line up dance and cake on her. I screwed up my courage and asked Luke White to dance, had a great time, and my nerves didn't even make me forget how to dance. It was good to see some folks I haven't seen in a while (I'm not sure if it's been that I haven't been around, that they haven't been around, or that we've been dancing at different venues). Unfortunately, Jim wasn't able to dance too much as he was coming down with a cold, but at least he let us stay until the very last number. Since he's been working at home lately, he could get a little extra sleep on Wednesday. I unfortunately had to go to work at the normal time and spent the day trying to stay awake. Which is one of the reasons I'm glad the old timers nights are once a month. I'm too old for all these late nights! Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Wednesday October 13, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Thursday October 13, 1999 Bill Kirchen at the Sunset Grille Since I was sidelined with a badly sprained ankle, the only optio was a "Listen Only" place. And, what could be better than Bill Kirchen's guitar virtuosity at the Sunset Grille. This evening, Bill's program was drawn very heavily from Merle Haggard --- a real treat if you can't dance! Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Friday October 15, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Saturday October 16, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Sunday October 17, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Monday October 18, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Tuesday October 19, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Wednesday October 20, 1999 Rockin Bones at Glen Echo After ten days with no dancing, I said "Ankle, Schmankle, I'm going to see Rockin' Bones!" So, off to Glen Echo with a special heavy duty ankle brace. Actually, things worked out very well. The Bones were just spectacular. This was a very upbeat end to Marc and Ellen's Wednesday night series. You really ought to go see Rockin Bones wherever they play!!! Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Thursday October 21, 1999 RKO at Timpanos Stretching my luck, I ventured off to Timpano's for the once- a-month gig with RKO. The event was very nice --- lots of Lindy Hoppers showed up and everyone seemed to be fairly tolerant about my limited repertoire. Fortunately, my sprain did not interfere with the Shim Sham. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Friday October 22, 1999 America I pushed my luck and headed out to America for the TCO weekly gig. The band was great and in introduced a new song called "Red Light" (originally done by Anita O'Day). The place was well attended, but not crowded. Everything was going great guns and then disaster struck. Alas, I had to beat a hasty retreat before the Shim Sham. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Saturday October 23, 1999 From: Chris Bamberger The Wedding Cakewalk By Chris and Rob Bamberger Rob and I met Tricia Reneau and Thomas Iveson through mutual friends a few years ago. They love the swing era as much as we do, and they kindly introduced me to the Lindy scene and were among my earliest teachers. So we were honored to attend their wedding October 23, 1999. It took place in Stafford, Virginia in the historic Aquia Episcopal Church. We drove up a curving drive toward a stately 18th-century church with a backdrop of woods and grey autumn sky. Gathering were relatives from England, Scotland, Oklahoma, and other locales; neighbors and friends from Tricia's former Washington residence; Fidgety Feet performers; DC Dance Collective instructors; and many other familiar dance faces. We had glimpsed Mr. Iveson looking debonair and devil-may-care in the doorway of the carriage house for some earlier photographs. He wore white tie and tails, and even an opera hat. As he and his groomsmen reappeared hatless inside the church, he looked anything but blase as he waited for his bride. Some of the guests mentioned that Tricia had especially hoped it would not rain, and only a few minutes before the ceremony was to begin, the sun broke through and streamed cinematically through the windows (of which there were many to all sides and heights) of the church. But when Tricia first appeared, the congregation gasped. The sun was now a distant second in radiance. Tricia wore a stunning vintage dress of soft golden satin, with a sweetheart neckline and slight bustle. In her blonde hair rested a tiny gold tiara carved with sparkling flowers. From it flowed a trailing veil of gold sheer. The ceremony was conducted by two eloquent clergymen and accompanied by hymns and songs from a tenor soloist whose voice resonated from the choir loft above. There was one change in Tricia's expression that caught the attention of many, when the traditional marriage counsel from scripture was cited to the effect that she must be obedient to her husband. Save for this very fleeting double take, the bride and her groom looked happier than they appear even when they win dance competitions. A dinner dance followed at a spacious colonial hall on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia. After a dance lesson given by Christy Etcher and Marty Lau, guests welcomed the wedding party and lauded the bride and groom with cheers as they danced to "Begin the Beguine" played by the Bill Eliot Trio. Tricia and her dad then took the floor to dance to "Tenderly," and were soon joined by several couples at Mr. Reneau's urging. After we were seated, the best man Christopher Livesy led a toast to the newlyweds in which he remarked upon Thomas' clarity, commitment and love, and the lady who returns it with ardor. Christopher alluded metaphorically to the "seam of gold" that Thomas had tapped. Rob sported a new tux, underscoring the specialness of this occasion for which he pre-taped his program; and thanks to Deb Brooks, I had a black lace and tulle formal gown for this event. It was the first time I had ever tried dancing in a truly Ginger-ish dress, and it went OK, but I probably would have danced even more in a short skirt. But it was fun to get decked out like a movie star. The evening sped by with a yummy buffet, an exciting jam, and a killer-diller demonstration of Tricia's choreography for the award-winning Fidgety Feet troupe. In a lengthy dance-off, I was not the only one who danced with both groom and bride. The Ivesons planned their departure for Hawaii on Monday, so they were there to the very end of the party. As we said our good-byes, Meridith Byrne, the newest member of Fidgety Feet, assured Tricia that they would come back with a cup from ALHC. Her dance director told her that she'd be calling from Hawaii to find out how it went! Even in love, a truly fidgety foot never rests... Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Sunday October 24, 1999 The Vault From: Cherri Harris As a spur of the moment thing I went to The Vault in downtown Baltimore on Sunday. It was pretty nice; the crowd was friendly, and a mix of beginners with a few more advanced dancers. The room was pretty dark and it is a bar, after all, but the floor is wood, it is very big, and John and Samanta play a really nice selection of music; music you don't hear all the time that is very dancible. They do a beginner drop-in 6-count lesson from 8:30 - 9, and then what they call an intermediate lesson at 10 where they teach one or two more advanced moves. I left at around 11, but I understand it goes until 12. If you are in the neighborhood, it is definitely worth the $3. Just a note; the neighborhood changes very fast (it is only a few blocks from the Inner Harbor, but you wouldn't necessarily know it). Make sure and park in the parking lot next door. Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Monday October 25, 1999 Letter From Glynis From: Glynis Irwin Well Frank, it's been weird. It looks like I'll be on "Win Ben Stein's Money". Yup. Laurie sent my name in as a contestant and they called. I did a little phone interview/test and went to the studio last night for further testing and to play a mock game. It seems I have the right combination of perkiness and knowledge. I'll be taping some time in December, January or February - they'll call me with booking information (!) two weeks before the actual taping. So who knows exactly when all this will be happening. I doubt I'll win anything, but it should be fun(ny). Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Tuesday October 26, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Wednesday October 27, 1999 We have no Reviews for this Date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Thursday October 28, 1999 Bill Kirchen at the Sunset Grille Due to my sprained ankle, I decided on one more night of just "sitting" prior to the monster Halloween weekend. This being Thursday, it meant visiting Bill Kirchen at the Sunset Grille --- my absolute fave non-dance event Jack O'Dell was away on his honeymoon, so it meant that the Too Much Fun trio was drmmerless. This evening, Bill brought along Akira Otsuka, a special treat. Those of you (like me) who might be tempted to say "Who?" will (like me) betray your ignorance of the contemporary Bluegrass scene. Most of our erudite readers (unlike me) will recognize Akira as one of the world's preemininet Mandolin players. Hence, the evening featured Akira on Mandolin, Bill on acoustic Martin Guitar and Johnny Castle on stand-up bass. The trio did a lot of the familiar Too Much Fun songs including Seeds and Stems, Truck Drivin' Man, and Mama Hated Diesels. On the other hand, there was a whole lot of high-quality bluegrass that sounded really fantastic in the small confines of the Grille. A most rewarding evening, especially for a $2 cover! Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Friday October 29, 1999 Rockin Bones at APTD, TCO at America Deborah Brooks and I paid a visit to see the fabulous Rockin Bones at Nancy Baird and Donna Barker's "A Place to Dance". To review, the venue is the Fairfax Health Club, a very spacious room with a slick and comfortable wood floor. The air conditioning is excellent and there is a water fountain nearby (APTD also sells soda and juice). The Bones were red Hot! (I love these guys --- they always play a great gig! The guys have a gigantic repertoire and they play lots of three minute songs which mean lots of opportunity to change partners. And, of course, they played Peg O' My Heart which is my favorite grope'n'grind song. Great show, the Bones. From APTD, we set out for America and the Tom Cunningham Orchestra. As usual, the band was in great form --- we were glad to see Brent Sessions back on Tenor Sax. ALHC had drained away some of the regular stellar talent, but the jam was still hot. Cameron and Carolyn put on a great shag display --- and even with the "Second String" filling up the remaining spots, the jam was first class! (The secnod tier at America is better than the first tier anywhere else in the country!.) This was a great evening! Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Saturday October 30, 1999 Blue Moon Big Band at Glen Echo What can I say -- the Blue Moon Big Band was just spectacular. Playing to a fairly large (but not sold out) Halloween crowd, the band truly had something for everyone. Good strong rhythms for the beginners and subtle but complex arrangements for the dancers to play with. The band put a good face on the phrase "Moderate Tempos" that gets bandied around a lot these days. This was a very pleasant experience! The temperature was reasonable inside the ballroom and there was a great mix of people. I am becoming a very big fan of the Blue Moon Big Band. A wonderful show!!! I certainly hope that the Swing Dance Committee has the wisdom to hire this band again real soon! Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along" Sunday October 31, 1999 We have no Reviews for this date Go back and check out another day Go back to the Home Page Or, like that "Old Man Scribber", just keep "scrolling along"

	Home \| About Lindy \| 1940s Collectibles \| Upcoming Events \| Vintage Clothes The Guide - Establishments - Travel - Accessories Music \| Links \| Photo Gallery \| Extras \| Contact