Updated 5 March 2000. URL is http://our.tentativetimes.net/rab/columbia.html
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Otto Visits New Bands At Columbia Street West
Columbia Street West showcases bands many nights a week.
Here are some pictures Otto took, with some of his peculiar comments, as he is not well versed in music terminology.
Columbia Street West, at the corner of Harrison and Columbia streets, is on the Landing in Fort Wayne, Indiana. There is parking at hand, and their menu is outstanding and reasonable priced, perhaps half the price of nearby eateries. The same owner owns Henry’s, where good bands and food also light up our nights.
A few of the bands Our Tentative Times Enjoyed at CSW
- The Deans
- The Red Ball Jets
- James Bond Goes Surfing
- The Chronics
- The late, great Senator Dillwilly
- Jackie Fly, Chad and Tad’s new band
- Destination Detox
- and a list of links out
The Deans
Each of The Deans is an accomplished musician, personable, cheerful, pleasant and great to listen to. The played a great set for us, and the next night played Docs in Muncie, Indiana. Touring is exhausting, and the Deans put out for us despite their gruelling schedule. Michigan is lucky to have the Deans, but they are re-forming the band and all is up in the air right now.
Take a peek at the Deans sweet faces
The Red Ball Jets
You know these home-town honeys who have shot to the top after a brief apprenticeship on the local scene. The whole crowd was on its feet screaming from the first chord to the last encore. Few bands have caused the fervor that RBJ caused the night Tell-Mama caught them at CSW.
Here, see for yourselves! Also be sure to visit the Red Ball Jets amazing, perfect, terrific Red Ball Jets Home Page
James Bond Goes Surfing
Oh how Otto wondered what this band would be like. Another surf band? Somehow it didn’t seem likely… not once you see the band and its core fans. Well, not to worry, not surf but original talent blasting life into the crowd. The fans used a lot of bubble soap, blowing bubbles onto the stage, making the lowest cost special effects in the business. But beyond the theatrics, check out this band at your first opportunity. They are original, fresh, entertaining, and worth your time. I wish they played more often.
A kissey-kiss of death Otto-style comment: this band is cathartic yet literate. The lyrics matter. Make the effort to listen to the words. Have you heard "Letting In the Sunshine"? But bring some silly string too. It’s not homework. In the audience: Skaavosa’s lead singer Todd, Chad from Senator Dilwilly, Jamie Simon of the Blue Moon Boys, several other musicians I don’t yet know.
Let’s give James Bond Goes Surfing its own picture page, ’cause Otto will see them again!
The Chronics
Too cool! Wild women and the men who drum for them! Unique, original, and absolutely mesmerizing to the rapt crowd. Rosey Lazoff writes the songs that make the whole room sing. Rosey writes the songs of love and everything. Good interplay between Rosey and Jane Palajac, and with their drummer (Jerry Miller) too, and great visuals… He’s a pirate, she’s a hot chick in a gold halter top, and Jane is the denim rocker with keyboard and guitar. Rosey is so tiny, but she gets a heck of a lot out of that guitar. I was surprised to note that I could make out the words to these songs, and they were fine. Rosey also gives gifts to her fans during the show. See it and believe it. Todd (Skaavosa) got up there and sang with them, as well as "a big group of guys Otto doesn’t know."
The Chronics photos! I’m in serious need of more pictures. When can I hear them again?
Cornfed Johnson
Surely Cornfed Johnson has played here at CSW. I met Stacy Reed with Clif Gaither at the House of Jazz & Blues, where we were enjoying the Kelly Joy Orchestra. Clif told me to come to the Sportsman on Friday the 13th to hear his duo, Cornfed Johnson.
So I set out for the Sportsman at 9:20. About 9:28 I realized I had forgotten to use my prescription eyedrops, so I decided to pull into a church off Highway 1 to do the eyedrop thing.
Strangely enough, the church had only one driveway. I assumed it had an inny and an outtie. But no. What I saw as the second driveway wasn’t.
I waited two hours for a tow truck. The State Policeman probably had never met a sober person stuck in a ditch, and he didn’t have much to say as we sat in the police car waiting, and waiting, and waiting. The tow truck cost me $60.00. I considered that enough punishment for one evening, so I headed back home. On the way home I remembered that it really was Friday the 13th, and that was the day the prescription said to switch to twice a day eyedrops instead of four times a day. I needn’t have tried to stop for my drops.
And that’s my review of Cornfed Johnson.
Until next time, kiddies, keep following those local bands until they go national. We’re all they’ve got for now.
Senator Dillwilly
There is a picture page for this band, to share our regret that we will no longer be enjoying the Senator and friends. Toodle-oo, and come back to visit if you ever can. You will be missed.
Links Out
| Some MUSIC PAGES |
||
|---|---|---|
|
A new section on coffeehouses |
||
| Legends Sports Bar |
(typo fixed) Wednesdays at Pierre’s |
Rockabilly Rebel Weekend #6, 1998 |
| Acid Bath |
Two pages of Misfit Toys |
Those Legendary Shack Shakers |
| Blue Moon Boys |
Columbia Street West |
Red Ball Jets |
| One Nighters |
Typo fixed: Gigs Away |
Cowslingers |
| Photos were prohibited: Bo Diddley at Pierres????? |
James Bond Goes Surfing |
JBGS at Tempel Recording Studio |
| The Chronics |
The Deans |
The Twistin’ Tarantulas |
| Mad Anthony’s opening, The Bel Airs! |
The Bel Airs at Amvets |
At James Dean’s Birthday Party, The Atomics |
| House of Jazz & Blues |
From RRW 5, cute couples |
Buy Obscure Music |
| Wild Wild Women |
Lollipop Factory |
Favorite Songs List |
| 2 pages Big Bad Bass Players |
2 pages Dang Good Drummers |
3 pages Guitar Stars |
| Bill Smoker reviews the weekender, Viva Las Vegas ’98 | Josie Kreuzer |
New: Farewell, Senator Dillwilly |
Here’s the cover of Our Tentative Times
Here’s the Tell-Mama’s music index which will always have the most up-to-date table of Music Pages.
Here’s the table for just the main 1997 Rockabilly Rebel Weekend pages only:
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Hearty thanks to our sponsor, Parlorcity Internet without which we would be silence and darkness.
Would you like to contact Otto’s publisher? Write to Terry Miller, email [email protected]
The opinions expressed by the writers in Our Tentative Times do not represent the opinions of the sponsors, the Blue Moon Boys, advertisers, The Red Ball Jets, Our publisher, The Bottletones, man in the street, The Slippin’ Slacks, pundits, Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys, researchers, The Atomics, graduate students, Jason Shields, tuna fishermen, Rocket J, bass players, The Duvalls, drugstore cowboys, Three Blue Teardrops, Caroline In KC, or any governmental, patriotic, fraternal, educational or recreational organization. They are just the writers’ opinions, although Buddy Holly does slip into my dreams and praise Otto.
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