The Honey Brothers

In the van we’re debating the best way to describe the gleeful, beer-curdling, eardrum-bursting response of our Brooklyn audience when, in a lull between songs, we simply exclaimed the fun, rolling syllables “O-BA-MA!“ DuContra isn’t sure how to accurately describe the highness of the pitch. And Carl isn’t sure how to describe the sheer overwhelming power that i witnessed rock him backwards clasping his ears, with a look of fear in his eyes. It was probably most like standing in front of a double jet engine. At 30,000 feet. Yes, we were exceedingly grateful the NYC audience was very much on our side…. but nothing in our set could compete with the ovation for President Obama. Still, we couldn’t complain, as we concurred wholeheartedly, and besides, all the positive energy was harnessed to contribute to a great night playing a sold out show in our hometown.

Despite the home-team crowd, perhaps because of it, we found ourselves more nervous than any other of the tour. We all had butterflies in our stomachs. Not just because it was a big, beautiful venue, but mostly because friends and family came out and we wanted to justify our existence. I guess. Either that or it was Philadelphia’s cheesesteak from the night before. But in any event, The Prigs were stunningly joyous and rocking, and kicked the night off in the best possible manner (converting the audience) and made our job easy, thank you very much.

I need to recognize the wonderful city of Philadelphia and the North Star Bar. The day started out perfectly with the band live on WXPN and WMMR. Then for some classic Philly Cheesesteak at the Reading Terminal Market. And then just about the coolest rock bar East of the Delaware River. And run by the nicest people. We were thrilled to have our Brooklyn friends in the amazing (new!) band Xylos join us for the first of two nights. By the time we took stage we were all feeling the spirit, and as such gave a very spirited and sweaty performance. Panties where thrown. I think they were Carl’s. I’m not sure. We may never know. It was our first show in Philly, and filled with, well, phillies. There were actual Phillies baseball players there. And lots of young men and women. Really… can’t complain.

Last but not least - I’ve played Cambridge a dozen times, so it was especially neat to get The Bothers across the frozen Charles River (quite a sight!). TT the Bear’s, as they call it, made for a perfect inaugural Boston show for The Brothers - a real downhome joint. We invited Noam Chomsky to the show, would have loved to see him nodding his head and tapping his foot on the sticky, beer-bathed floor, but that wasn’t to be this time. But Boston is a major music city, and the Chomsky-less audience clearly demonstrated their enthusiasm. We were fortunate to have an absolutely killer local band open up - Mean Creek. We were also blessed to again have the camaraderie of The Dresden Dolls’ Amanda Palmer, who we had played with in DC. She had us over for dinner to her magical townhouse in the South End where we partook in amazing Thai food and a lively conversation about plastic surgery, Dolly Parton and David Bowie. Amanda Palmer has a slamming new record out - her first solo one. Check it.

With that, we officially ended our East Coast US Tour. I must say I favored spending winter in Oz-land, but regardless of hemisphere, and weather conditions, we found our first major foray into the public sphere in two years to be overwhelmingly warm and mirthful. Even though I had to warm my feet with a hair dryer on more than several occasions. You know how i said i was sick of palm trees and perfect weather? I take that back. I’m still trying to thaw out 5 long days after Inauguration, up though a frozen east coast, in a salt-crusted van, passing frozen ice-choked rivers and perma-frosted fields. But you know what they say, Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor gloom of night shall stay these musical couriers from the swift appointment of their completed rounds. Just like Buddy Holly. The sum total of my advice is this: Don’t wear Chuck Taylors in a Northeast January, and Do Get Out and Travel More.

Yours, Dory Honey.

Posted: 01/28/09