Mortals Scott and Arch will be doing an acoustic duo set opening for the Billy Coulter Band for the fourth annual Rockin’ Homegrown Holiday show at The Music Cafe, 26528-B Ridge Rd., Damasus, MD. There’ll be peppermint chai and gingerbread lattés to warm you!
Be sure to stick around while Arch does bass duties with Billy.
Show starts at 7pm.
We have a new Videos page on the site. First up, four videos from the 2008 Takoma Park Folk Festival. The Mortals had to do this one without Jelly Roll Arch, who was recuperating from a brain aneurysm at the time. In his place is renowned sax man Chris Watling.
More to come as we get ‘em!
Thursday, April 22nd will be the date of the Third Annual Full Band Karaoke Roulette at Bangkok Blues in Falls Church (www.bangkokblues.com) 7:30 – 11:00pm.
For those of you who have missed the two previous events, Full Band Karaoke Roulette is basically a party for musicians, plus anyone who cares to come out and be a spectator. We have a stage, with a PA, drums, amps, guitars, keyboard, stompboxes, etc. There is a collection of hats* – one for each instrument. Musicians put their name on pieces of paper and put them in the hats corresponding to whatever instrument(s) they want to play. Throughout the party, bands are formed by pulling names out of the hats. Each band plays two songs.
There is also a song hat which has been pre-filled with names of songs. Each band has to play whatever songs are selected from the song hat. The songs are chosen to be very well known, with plenty of goofy and oddball stuff thrown in. We project lyrics and chords on a screen so you don’t need to remember all the words or be able to figure the song out by ear on the fly. Musicians can sign up for as many instruments as they like. People needn’t be professional players of the instruments they sign up for, though we do ask that they be able to actually play the instrument, for the sake of the audience and the other band members on stage. While songs have been chosen to be as familiar as possible, it does help to be familiar with pop hits of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Songs are still only charted in one key, so singers should be prepared to deal** with keys that are less than perfect for them.
I supply amps, guitars etc., so there’s no need to bring anything. In fact we ask that people not bring instruments because there’s just not enough room for them.
People have really enjoyed these in the past and keep asking me to do it again so here we are.
There will be a small cover charge (a couple bucks) applied to the bills of people who attend. Bangkok Blues has excellent Thai food and a full bar. We gently encourage attendees to partake of the food and drink so that it’s worth it to Bangkok Blues to continue to let us do these there.
Here are a few pics from last year:
http://www.jellyrollmortals.com/pics/full-band-karaoke-roulette-2009
Questions? Email me at jellyrollmortals@gmail.com.
-Scott McKnight
*I think we may skip the “hats” this year and go with a list on a clipboard to solve the problem of some people being randomly selected more frequently than others.
**by squeaking, grunting, changing the melody, asking for help from backup singers or asking the band to transpose on the fly.
To quote George Harrison: “Little darling, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter, during which Jelly Roll Mortals have played far too few gigs.” We’re celebrating the return of spring this Saturday with a trip to the beach.
Saturday March 27th
Jelly Roll Mortals
7:00-10:00
Clare And Don’s Beach Shack*
130 North Washington Street
Falls Church Va
703-532-WAVE
http://www.clareanddons.com
*Falls Church’s Best Seafood. Live Music, Happy Hour, Patio Bar, Outdoor Dining and Margarita’s, Next Door To The State Theatre
Jelly Roll Mortals will be playing a show at the Athenaeum in Old Town Alexandria this Thursday 11/12, from 7-9pm. The
Athenaeum is a cool old building with a lot of history*. Performances take place in a big live room, making it possible to
hear every note being played, and there’s no distraction from bar chatter. (That said, refreshments of the alcoholic variety
are available). This show is one of a series sponsored by the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association. I’d recommend seeing any one of these shows because it’s such a cool venue, but I’d especially recommend seeing the show
this Thursday, because, ummm, because we want people to come see us.
201 Prince St
Alexandria, VA
(703) 548-0035
*http://www.nvfaa.org/history
