Friday, March 28, 2008
Okay!
The concert is...

Are you gonna be there?
I think you'll be able to just show up and pay at the door tomorrow night. But, if you wanna reserve a seat to make sure, you can do that here today!
Listen, if you've been coming to this website recently you know about the gig tomorrow night. I already know a few special things are gonna happen in that music hall. But, you know me. I'm always makin' it up as I go along and we never know exactly how cool any given gig is gonna be.
But, I know this is gonna be great for a few reasons.
One is just the fact that these concerts fill with such good people and good energy.

Another is that I'm asking you to show up and do something kinda cool for a friend of mine who really deserves it. (We're gonna sing the new song "Keep Hope Alive" for music-legend Sid Bernstein. It's the first song he's ever had a hand in writing. More about that further down the page.)

Another is that folk-legend, Christine Lavin, told me she really wants to help get this concert series off the ground. So, she's gonna sit in and do a few songs.

Another is that my special guest artist who I'm introducing to a whole new audience is just a brilliantly edgy, sassy, smoky, audacious young woman who can really write and sing!
Galia Arad . 
Click on her photo
Another reason is that everyone who shows up tomorrow night gets a ticket to the taping of the brand new interview show for song/writers called "What's Behind the Song" with special guest, Jake Holmes. (To be held the following Friday night, April 4th.)

And maybe the BEST reason is that... we're gonna have a blast, the audience is gonna be filled with other artists, music people, music lovers... well, if you've ever been to one of my gigs, you know what the feeling is like. This is gonna be a typically special night. AND, we're all gonna be able to make this new venue into our musical home of sorts. Y'know, a place you can check out often to see what's going on there. this concert is just the beginning. Janet Kirker and David Marcus are gonna be on stage with me again. It's gonna be a blast. We usually laugh as much as we sing.
HERE! YOU WANNA STOP FUCKIN' AROUND AND JUST RESERVE SEATS!
Click on this button.
All the seats are 20 bucks - general admission. This concert is gona be in the newest music hall in New York City.
H.I. NEW YORK PERFORMANCE HALL
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The music cranks up at 7:30. The doors open at 7:00 'cause it's general admission. The new music hall is on Amsterdam Ave @ 103street. (Conveniently right near both the 1 train and the B & C subway lines.)
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NOW! ABOUT SID BERNSTEIN!
He;s become such a good friend. And, he doesn't ever check the internet... so, I'm safe putting this on here.
Well, Sid is living an amazing life. Seriously. He's done so much to make this world a better place it's just amazing and he keeps dreaming new dreams. (That's one reason he wanted to put his name on this new concert series at H.I. New York Performance Hall.)
But, for the few of you who don't know... Sid changed American music history forever when he introduced The Beatles to America.
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Besides that, he brought The Rolling Stones here... ABBA... countless others. He also played such a huge and underrated role in breaking the racial barriers down in this country by being the first promoter to book white and black acts on the same rock 'n roll bill. (He also made James Brown the very first rock n soul act in Madison Square Garden.) He discovered and managed The Rascals. He's also been humbly on the front lines of political activism from the rise of the Nazis, to the current corruption of the American government, from the civil rights movement to the recent assault on The Constitution... he speaks with presidential candidates and people who have no voice. And he has always spoken out where and when there's been a need. Over his lifetime, he's been some amazing places with some amazing people. (Anyway... you just hafta read his book.)
So, Sid has been a promoter, a producer, a manager, an activist for Truth and Reason... he's been immersed in the music business his whole, long life. But he's never played one note and... he's never written a song.
Until now.
Do you wanna be a part of something beautiful? This is where I get to your part.
Listen... at this concert on Saturday night, I will tell you the story about how Sid left a message on my voice mail that became the inspiration and hook-lyric for a brand new song. But, here's the thing...
Sid's gonna be in the audience that night. And, I would LOVE it if the entire audience sang this song... I mean, filled the music hall with this song. The credits on this song will read as follows.
Music: David Ippolito
Lyrics: Sid Bernstein and David Ippolito
So, this is what I did! I recorded a rough demo... a scratch track of this song for you to listen to right now so that you can get your mind and your heart around the song. IT'S NOT FINISHED!!! Some of the lyrics still need work. But you can get the idea. THEN, when you show up at the gig on Saturday, we'll really be able to let it rip with everyone else!
Cool?
Here... click on this logo to learn the song.

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Okay... call a few friends and make plans! Reserve seats or just show up. We'll find a way to get you in!!!
See you tomorrow night.
Thanks for everything.