It’s Up to You, New York
Late December in New York is always a special time. Arriving on a packed Christmas Day flight from Los Angeles to Newark, the collective energy and anticipation from incoming travelers alone is enough to elicit an ear-to-ear smile. Reconnecting with family and friends, exchanging gifts, and enjoying relaxing meals made the first two days fly by in a joyous frenzy, and this was all prior to setting foot in Manhattan. An annual tradition, seeing a run of concerts leading up to New Year’s Eve at different clubs and theatres around the city is an appropriate way to celebrate and this year proves to be no different with numerous choices for nighttime entertainment consisting of a diverse array of bands to appease most all musical tastes. Wear & Tear jumped headfirst into the action with a visit to Terminal 5 last night for The Word.
Sacred Steel guitarist Robert Randolph led the five-piece band, backed by organ maestro John Medeski of New York favorite jazz-fusion trio MMW and the down and dirty crunch of the North Mississippi Allstars: Chris Chew on bass, Cody Dickinson on drums and electric washboard, and newly appointed Black Crowe Luther Dickinson on guitar. This was my first chance to go to the relatively new venue Terminal 5, and it turned out to be a mixed bag. The cavernous three-story room’s ambience was equivalent to that of a barren warehouse and possessed a reverberating echo depending on where one stood on the dance floor. As the show progressed, the initially rigid crowd began to warm up to the groove and by the second set people were finally getting down. This was not the band’s fault as they jammed for a two and a half hours of soulful, playful, improvisational rock, funk, and blues. The second of four shows booked for this week on the East Coast, these were their first gigs since a 2005 appearance at the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee and their first tour since 2002. Given the rarity of seeing musicians such as this away from their usual groups, and to be surrounded by approximately 2500 eager listeners, this was a show well worth the minor gripes and turned out to be a great experience after all.
The thrill of a week-long vacation in New York has not tempered my enthusiasm for rooting on the LA Lakers, who face the Utah Jazz tonight at 10:30 EST. The Lakers’ impressive and convincing victory against the Phoenix Suns on Christmas was another indication of the team’s tenacity and growth since last year’s first round playoff exit. Andrew Bynum yet again trumped his previous career high in points with 28 and 12 boards and Kobe went well over average with 38 of his own. Tonight’s game should be another hard-fought battle, leading to Sunday’s highly anticipated contest against the dominant Boston Celtics. Wear & Tear was lucky enough to score a ticket and will be at Staples Center to root on Purple and Gold against the currently 24-3 Green Giants. Until then, the concerts keep on coming as the Disco Biscuits are set to perform at Hammerstein Ballroom this evening for what is sure to be an exhausting, all-night dance party. Be sure to check back for more music and sports reviews as 2007 comes to a close.
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