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Franz Kafka–“Josephine the Singer, or the Mouse Folk” [Czech Republic] (translated by Willa & Edwin Muir) [The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar #12] (1946/translation 1946 [that’s what it says, I think])

December 12, 2021 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK:  hiatus

[READ: December 12, 2021] “Josephine the Singer, or the Mouse Folk”

This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar.  This is my seventh time reading the Calendar.  The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar is a deluxe box set of individually bound short stories.

As always, each story is a surprise, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you crack the seal every morning starting December 1. Once you’ve read that day’s story, check this link where editor Alberto Manguel is providing daily commentary on each of the stories he selected for this year’s calendar.

This was the first story in this collection that I really didn’t like.  I once wanted to read all of Kafka’s stories, but this one was so remarkably tedious, that it took me a few days to read it.

The premise is that the village has a singer named Josephine.  And no one understands why her voice is so magical to them.  So he’ll try to find out why.

And that’s it.  For 24 pages. Continue Reading »

Posted in Alberto Manguel, Canadian Content, Christmas, Czech Republic, Franz Kafka, Hingston & Olsen, Huh?, Short Story, The Short Story Advent Calendar | Leave a Comment »

METZ / Preoccupations (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, December 11, 2021) [DID NOT ATTEND]

December 11, 2021 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: December 11, 2021] METZ / Preoccupations

I saw METZ open for Modest Mouse four years ago and my ears might still be ringing.  I knew of Metz from their noise filled chaotic but amazing albums.

Their live show was less about the abrasiveness and more about their intense stage presence.  I knew I wanted to see them headline a show.

And then they announced it.  A headlining show at my favorite small venue (actually, this place might have been too small for them).  I was so psyched, until I saw that it fell on the same day as our holiday party.

Realistically there was no way I could go.  What a bummer.

Turns out later on, the band Stars announced their show for the same night and since I’ve never seen Stars, I would have picked them instead.  But what a drag when schedules can’t line up.

I’ve actually seen Preoccupations twice already, once in the Foundry opening for Protomartyr.  They used to be called Viet Cong, but wisely changed that name.  They put on a great live show.  This would have been a killer double bill.

Posted in Canadian Music, Metz, Philadelphia, PA, Preoccupations, The Foundry | Leave a Comment »

Stars: The Together Tour / Kevin Devine (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, December 11, 2021) [DID NOT ATTEND]

December 11, 2021 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: December 11, 2021] Stars / Kevin Devine

Back The Montreal band Stars, whom I loved in the early 2000s and would love to see live, announced plans to play some Christmas shows in New York.  I knew I couldn’t go–logistically there was no way.

Then I saw that they also announced a show at World Cafe Live.  Yes!

But it was the same day as our holiday party.  There was no way I could get to this one either.  I held out hope that our party might end early, but again, the logistics were not in my favor.

Kevin Devine, whom I love and whom I have seen live a few times was opening.  I would love to see him again as well.  It really was a perfect bill.  But sometimes timing doesn’t work out.

So Stars, please come back to Philly or NJ.  I will cancel everything else for you.

 

 

Posted in Kevin Devine, Philadelphia, PA, Stars, World Cafe Live | Leave a Comment »

Geoffrey Drayton–“Mr. Dombey, the Zombie” (Barbados) [The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar #11] (1990)

December 11, 2021 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK:  hiatus

[READ: December 11, 2021] “Mr. Dombey, the Zombie”

This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar.  This is my seventh time reading the Calendar.  The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar is a deluxe box set of individually bound short stories.

As always, each story is a surprise, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you crack the seal every morning starting December 1. Once you’ve read that day’s story, check this link where editor Alberto Manguel is providing daily commentary on each of the stories he selected for this year’s calendar.

Mr Dombey was, indeed a zombie.  He travelled the morning train every day and read the daily newspaper for his hounsi.  His hounsi was interested in the latest rapes and murders, but not enough to read the paper herself. Continue Reading »

Posted in Alberto Manguel, Canadian Content, Christmas, Death, Geoffrey Drayton, Hingston & Olsen, Short Story, The Short Story Advent Calendar, Zombies | Leave a Comment »

KT Tunstall / New Reveille (SOPAC, South Orange, NJ, December 10, 2021) [rescheduled date POSTPONED again and again]

December 10, 2021 by Paul Debraski

[POSTPONED: December 10, 2021] KT Tunstall / New Reveille [rescheduled from March 27, 2020 and February 12, 2021]

I enjoyed watching the saga of KT Tunstall’s shows getting scheduled and postponed and reschedule and postponed again.  Not because I want her (or anyone to be unhappy), but because it was a good bellweather as to what was going on.  Unlike most artists, KT was really game to get out there.

Plus she had three shows in my area and it seemed like I saw her name all the time.

Well, things finally opened up and she was playing her shows.  Of the three, I was most likely to go to this one since it was closest.  And then a short time before the show, it was postponed as well.  But her other shows weren’t

But this time it wasn’t because of COVID or other health related issues, it was actually a boon for her (although not for SOPAC).

She was invited to sing at the 41st Annual John Lennon Tribute Concert at Symphony Space in New York City.  A good reason to postpone a show.

I see that in the new year, KT is on the West Coast, so I’m not sure when she’ll be back for SOPAC, but I’m sure her local fans will be waiting.

New Reveille is an Americana/bluegrass band from North Carolina.  They’ve got banjo, fiddle and a ton of attitude.  While they are definitely in the country vein, I think the bluegrass and the rockingness (they cover The Killers live) makes them a potentially fun live band.  For the three shows in the area, she has three different opening acts.  This one might be the most fun.

Posted in Ardmore, PA, John Lennon, KT Tunstall, New Reveille, Postponed, Sellersville, PA, SOPAC, South Orange, NJ, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Ween (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, December 10 & 11, 2021) [DID NOT ATTEND]

December 10, 2021 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: December 10 & 11, 2021] Ween

When I was in college, Ween was a new novelty band singing silly songs about Daisies.  I enjoyed them and explored their back catalog a bit.  Then I forgot about them.

In the intervening years they apparently turned into a jam band favorite, with devoted fans and three hour concerts.

In 2015 I saw Gene Ween open for Modest Mouse (I think Ween was on hiatus at the time).  I was surprised by Gene’s set because it was goofy but well done.

I put Ween on my “bands to see” list, but I put them in the least urgent category.

I thought about seeing them at the Met Philly, but it seemed too fancy or something.  And the more I thought about it, the more I decided I just couldn’t bring myself to go to a Ween show.  I have (unfairly, perhaps) made their audience into a bunch of people I don’t want to be near for two hours.

So I won’t take them off my list of bands to see, but I feel like circumstances will need to be perfect for me to go.

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, Ween | Leave a Comment »

Aleksandar Hemon–“The Bees, Part 1” (Bosnia) [The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar #10] (2009)

December 10, 2021 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK:  hiatus

[READ: December 10, 2021] “The Bees, Part 1”

This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar.  This is my seventh time reading the Calendar.  The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar is a deluxe box set of individually bound short stories.

As always, each story is a surprise, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you crack the seal every morning starting December 1. Once you’ve read that day’s story, check this link where editor Alberto Manguel is providing daily commentary on each of the stories he selected for this year’s calendar.

I’ve enjoyed Aleksandar Hemon’s stories.  And this one was a huge mix of humor and sadness.

This story begins simply enough.  The narrator and his family are watching a film.  But his father is so annoyed that the film isn’t real that he (and the family) walk out before it’s over.

His father only wants to see things that are real so he sets out to make his own film. Continue Reading »

Posted in Alberto Manguel, Aleksandar Hemon, Bees, Canadian Content, Christmas, Death, Funny (ha ha), Hingston & Olsen, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Short Story, The Short Story Advent Calendar, War | Leave a Comment »

Strand of Oaks [Winter Classic VI] / Pat Finnerty (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, December 9 & 10, 2021) [DID NOT ATTEND]

December 9, 2021 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: December 9 & 10, 2021] Strand of Oaks / Pat Finnerty

In 2015, Timothy Showalter played his first Strand of Oaks Winter Classic at Boot and Saddle.

Every year since then he has played two to four shows around Christmas time to a small but rabid fan base.  Obviously he didn’t pay one in 2020.  And now Boot & Saddle is closed

I have been to three of these fun winter events.

When he announced December shows at Johnny Brenda’s, it just didn’t occur to me that these would be Winter Classic shows.  I’m not sure why it would have made a difference, but had I realized, I would have gotten a ticket before they sold out.  Even S said, you love those, I can’t believe you didn’t go.

When I’m looking for it now I see that it was clearly stated that this was a Winter Classic, but I guess I was looking in the wrong places. Continue Reading »

Posted in Boot & Saddle, Full show video, Johnny Brenda's, Pat Finnerty, Philadelphia, PA, Strand of Oaks | Leave a Comment »

Mia Couto–“The Marine House” [Mozambique] (translated by David Brookshaw) [The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar #9] (1997/translation 2021[that’s what it says])

December 9, 2021 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK:  hiatus

[READ: December 9, 2021] “The Marine House”

This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar.  This is my seventh time reading the Calendar.  The 2021 Short Story Advent Calendar is a deluxe box set of individually bound short stories.

As always, each story is a surprise, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you crack the seal every morning starting December 1. Once you’ve read that day’s story, check this link where editor Alberto Manguel is providing daily commentary on each of the stories he selected for this year’s calendar.

This is the story of a young person being enamored with an old hermit named Tiane Kumadzi.

The narrator’s parents said to avoid this strange man, but the narrator loved that Tiane saw signs from the world beyond.

One day Grandad Tiane tossed the narrator a piece of wood–it’s what he’d been looking for, he said.  The narrator started looking for more wood and son enough Tiane built a boat==a boat that could walk on water.

The villagers were horrified by this abomination and decided to set fire to it.

The fire seemed to make the villagers drunk–was the wood covered in poison?  And when the smoke cleared, the boat was still intact.

Posted in Alberto Manguel, Canadian Content, Christmas, David Brookshaw, Hingston & Olsen, Mia Couto, Mozambique, Short Story, The Short Story Advent Calendar | Leave a Comment »

Cirque Dreams: Holidaze (State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ, December 8, 2021)

December 8, 2021 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: December 9, 2021] Cirque Dreams: Holidaze [moved from December 29, 2020]

My family loves going to Cirques.  We have gone to many and we’ve enjoyed them all.

But we haven’t been to one in a few years, and the kids are older now, so we weren’t sure how much they’d remember about this kind of show.  But we figured they’d enjoy it.

And, it was holiday themed!

The show is about 90 minutes long (with an intermission).  And like most cirques, it features acrobatics: juggling, balancing, strong men, a Cyr wheel, and men and women spinning through the air.

The big difference between this show and other cirques is that there was a lot of singing!

Christmas was not so much the theme as the plot of the show.  Set a the north pole, two people set about going to different stations to collect things for a gift for Santa.  So they would travel from one act to another, watch the performer do his or her thing and then collect an item for the sack.  A tenuous story, but you don’t really need a narrative for a show like this (although it is fun to have one).

The acts were fun–a guy who balanced on a cylinder on its side (after adding more and more things to it–it was quite impressive and his feigned fear was very effective).  He then juggled as well.  There was another juggler who bounced the balls off of boards to creative a very cool visual effect. Continue Reading »

Posted in Acrobats, Cirque Dreams, New Brunswick, NJ, State Theatre | Leave a Comment »

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