THINGS TO DO TONIGHT

Okay. If you're not going to the Mets/Cards game or seeing the Asylum Street Spankers at Joe's Pub...and you're not camping out on Governors Island on the sly...how about a free tribute to Johnny Cash at the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center at 8 pm?

The lineup includes BAT favorites Laura Cantrell, Marshall Crenshaw, and John Doe as well as David Bromberg, Jay Farrar, Hymns, Raul Midon, Ollabelle, The Persuasions, Catherine Russell, and Sway Machinery.

Here's video of Ollabelle, featuring guitarchiks Amy Helm (mandolin) and Fiona McBain (guitar). They're playing "Ain't No More Cane," which has also been performed by Amy's dad Levon.



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Thanks to Gothamist for the lead.

ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS: COMING SOON TO JOE'S PUB!!

For a good time, see the Asylum Street Spankers at Joe's Pub on Saturday night, July 26, 2008. They go on at 7:30 and 11:30.

Previous coverage here.



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ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS: "WHATEVER" AND "STICK MAGNETIC RIBBONS ON YOUR SUV" PLUS "TRAINING WHEEL RAG"

Thanks to The Other Dave for sending me links to two great Asylum Street Spankers videos—nearly one year ago!

The Asylum Street Spankers end their stint in NYC on Sunday afternoon.

Here's "Stick Magnetic Ribbons on Your SUV" preceded by a dirty ditty.



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And here's "Whatever."



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Added bonus: An "independent" video of "Training Wheel Rag."



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GUITARCHIKS: CHRISTINA MARRS

Previous coverage of the Asylum Street Spankers showed Christina Marrs singing and bowing the singing saw, but she also plays guitar—as you can see in this video of the uptempo "Winning the War on Drugs." Handling the lead vocals is Wammo, Christina's co-bandleader!



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Click here for more Guitarchiks.

ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS PLAY NILSSON

When I wrote up the current NYC engagement of the Asylum Street Spankers at the Barrow Street Theatre, I mentioned the group's cover of "Think About Your Troubles," which made me feel much more enthusiastic about its composer, Harry Nilsson. Here's a video of the Spankers playing the cover, with Christina Marrs on lead vocals and singing saw.



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ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS

Hello MUG Readers! The article about the Asylum Street Spankers is here.

ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS KICK ASS!

Austin's awesome Asylum Street Spankers brings cheeky attitude and crackerjack musicianship to the Barrow Street Theatre today through Sunday, January 20, 2008. Seen earlier this week, the seven men and one woman in the troupe's current lineup delivered a very entertaining evening of selections ranging from oldies such as "Everybody Loves My Baby" to an arrangement of "Think About Your Troubles" (increasing my appreciate of songwriter Harry Nilsson at least tenfold) to group member Charlie King's edgy-in-NYC political ditty "My Baby in the CIA" to a medley of the group's naughtier numbers.

Vocalizing and performing on guitars, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, bass, violin, harmonica, clarinet, and percussion as well as rubber chicken, the group came across as a kind of fusion of many of the funner things in life, including the Boswell Sisters, Firesign Theater, the Holy Modal Rounders, Spike Jones, Mae Questel, They Might Be Giants, and, of course, the throat singers of Tuva and some kids singing in the back of the school bus. And they really know the value of tight cut-offs—and I'm not talkin' about hot pants, smartass!

It would be cool to see the Asylum Street Spankers as part of a festival of 1930s-ish pop music performers. I guess this used to be called New Vaudeville. The lineup could include Al Duvall, Maude Maggart, Nellie McKay, the Pontani Sisters, the Raymond Scott Orchestrette, Vince Giordano and His Nighthawks, and the Australian sensation Singing Sadie. Hm. Maybe I'll get something going here at Blog About Town....

For starters, here's a glimpse of the highly recommended Asylum Street Spankers, featuring Christina Marrs on the singing saw (a.k.a. the acoustic theremin).



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