New Years '05-'06...

...found my buddy Jon and I at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC for what has become Patti Smith's annual foray for her bithday (1/30) and NYE. Tom Verlaine (Television) played guitar both nights which really added to the shows. For her birthday show the band did the ENTIRE Easter album! The place was nuts. NYE was a more commercial show which was broadcast live on satellite radio (for the 2nd year in a row). Jon and I got tapes of both nights from our usual spot...which will remain our little secret. The response to the 1st show on Dime-a-Dozen was terrific. Many downloads ensued.

When we tried to upload the second show, the numbnuts at the satellite company claimed that they owned the rights to the show because they had broadcast it and complained to the board admins who promptly yanked the second nite. This, IMHO, is total bulls--t, as they broadcast a board feed while our tape was an audience. WHATEVER, the board admins had no cojones and yanked the show anyway.

On NYE day, spent the day roaming around south Manhattan in the cold drizzle and walked out on the Brooklyn Bridge, which was pretty cool. Had a great dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown called Nam Son (I think.) This has become, and will continue to be, an annual ritual so long as Patti chooses to ring in the New Year at the Bowery.

Enjoy the PICS. Note that many have been modified with Picassa, a product a can't say enough about.

Peace,
Gordo