Line-Ups for Loser's Lounge Salute to Dolly Parton

This weekend's Loser's Lounge salute to Dolly Parton looks promising. Thursday night's line-up includes Ellen Foley and Laura Cantrell. Friday night you can catch Martha Wainwright and Lianne Smith and Michael Cerveris as well as the countrified raunch of Tammy Faye Starlite. And Nick Danger. On Saturday, you can see the return of Wainwright, Smith, Cerveris, and Cantrell. And Nick Danger.

You have been warned.

Here's Tammy Faye Starlite.

Here's a profile of Laura Cantrell.



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And here's Laura Cantrell singing "Bartender's Blues" with Elvis Costello (or vice versa).



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LOSER'S LOUNGE: THE KINKS

Last night's 9:30 Loser's Lounge tribute to the Kinks (two more performances are scheduled for tonight) was a refresher in how varied the Kink's output has been. There were English retro numbers (yes, Deborah, "Village Preservation Society" was the opener, with some customized lyrics, and Julian Maile had the singing honors on "Waterloo Sunset"), the basic rockers ("All Day and All of the Night" featuring Joe McGinty, "Til the End of the Day" featuring Edward Rogers), the transcendently brilliant "Lola" (a semi-singalong featuring Eddie Skuller), and the also clever "Apeman" (featuring Nick Danger, whose performances seem to be aging like fine, or at least decent, wine).

Many Kinks songs revolve around edgy feelings—ome of the better performances either captured that quality or imprinted songs with it. So I liked the varying oddnesses of Victoria Liedtke's "Sunny Afternoon," Natalie Weiss's "Who Will Be the Next in Line," Wilder Selzer's "I'm Not Like Anybody Else," and Mike Fornatale's "Do You Remember Walter?" as well as fashionisto Keanan Duffy's "David Watts," abetted by guest guitarist Earl Slick. This wasn't one of the greatest Loser's Lounge evenings (partly due to the mixing), but it was a pleasurable enough journey with an authentic climax built up over the last several numbers, with a grand finale fusing "All Day And All Of The Night" with "Paranoia."

And Sean Altman, Connie Petruk, and Tricia Scotti once again shone out as soloists as well as backup singers and photographic subjects.
























Nice dress, Connie—it reminded me of the Mondrian dress! Where did all those fashions go?
























Next up for the Losers: Disco at Damrosch Park (Lincoln Center) on Friday evening, July 11, 2008.



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Photos: David Marc Fischer

LOSER'S LOUNGE: PAUL MCCARTNEY

This might seem like a routine announcement of the Loser's Lounge salute to The Cute One, taking place at Joe's Pub on

Thu 9:30, December 6, 2007
Fri 7:00 December 7, 2007
Fri 9:30 December 7, 2007
Sat 7:00 December 8, 2007
Sat 9:30 December 8, 2007

And it might seem like just another excuse to post a great illustration by Cliff Mott.

But it's also a perfect opportunity to share an unforgettable musical memory from the 1976 Miss America pageant. I love those Loser's Lounge people, but I wonder if even Nick Danger could come close to meeting the standard established by the pageant's longtime host Bert Parks.



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JACKSONS A WINNER FOR LOSER'S!

I caught the early show of the Loser's Lounge tribute to The Jacksons last night and enjoyed it all. There was a sense of playfulness as well as real enthusiasm for the music—my favorite kind of mix when it comes to these shows.

My favorites: Sean Altman and the Losertones harmonizing on Ben (from the loving sound of it, I don't think Connie Petruk was the only one who had an imaginary pet rat as a child), the regulars performing the obscure Goin' Places (which sounded a lot like material performed by Bloodstone in Last Train to Hollywood), Jana Peri's Benataresque Beat It, Nick Danger's Dirty Diana (over the years he's really grown as an interpreter), Tammy Faye Starlite's Nasty (which probably would have been better if she'd had a cordless mike and a wardrobe malfunction), Tricia Scotti's little Michael vocals over the course of the whole evening (Altman was also very good throughout as a second lead), Michal the Girl's seemingly effortless I Want You Back, and the closing set of Somebody's Watching Me/Thriller/State of Shock featuring the singing and acting talents of Victoria Liedtke and Wilder Selzer. The experience didn't change my preference for the bubblegum funk and soul of The Jackson 5 over the family's disco-transformed productions, but it enhanced my appreciation of both styles.

Here's Goin' Places.



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And here's a chance to hear Jackson and Mick Jagger on State of Shock.



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And here's a very memorable version teaming Jagger with another partner.



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Illustration: Cliff Mott

LOSER'S LOUNGE: A VERY SERGE BASTILLE DAY

Here, straight from Loser's Lounge Central, is the lineup for the Serge Gainsbourg tribute at Joe's Pub at 7:00 and 9:30 on Saturday.

Michael Cerveris
Ed Rogers & Amanda Thorpe (Bedsit Poets)
Pierre De Gaillande (Melomane)
Kerry Kennedy
Kristofer Wydholm (Morex Optimo)
Sean Altman & Sue K
Patti Rothberg
Boshra Alsaanti (Looker)
Nick Danger
Joanna Choy
Lianne Smith (7:00 pm only)
Joe Hurley
Stan Harrison
Mike Fornatale
Flaming Fire
Adira Amram (9:30 pm only)

And here's must-see footage of a performance of Gainsbourg's Comic Strip. Can you identify at least one of the two singers?



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Illustration: Cliff Mott

LOSER'S LOUNGE: FLEETWOOD MAC

Here's the roster of guest performers for this week's gigs:

Thursday
Alison Pierce
Jana Peri
Mark Rinzel
Mike Fornatale
Wendy Ip
Cid Le Seac'h
Nick Danger
David Foster
Mary Lee Kortes
Joanna Choy

Friday
Lianne Smith
The HoHos
Christine Smith
Victoria Liedtke
Ed Rogers & Amanda Thorpe
Mike Fornatale
Julie Klausner
Katia
Nick Danger
Eddie Skuller
Julia Greenberg
Joe Hurley
Joanna Choy
Natalie Weiss

Saturday
Lianne Smith
The HoHos
Michal The Girl
Mike Fornatale
Wendy Ip
Katia
Nick Danger
David Mosey
Erik Paparozzi
Joe Hurley
Joanna Choy
Natalie Weiss

And here's a glimpse and an earful of Fleetwood Mac c. 1969!



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Illustration: Cliff Mott