House of Performances

Someone told me my blog was really about NY. And complained that I have been remiss. Well, NY is a house of performances, but a weird one. The Garden everyone knows is on 32rd. The Kitchen is a great performance space, but up in 23rds. The Forum is down where the village begins, and is running a terrific series -- Breadlines and Champagne -- of 30's movies about the other financial crisis. Finally, I was at the Living Room, on the lower east side, diametrically far from the Kitchen, where I entered when The Flanks were, having done the hard entertaining, just jiving, wrapping up, crooked country and crazy. Looking good in tufts of hair and casual jeans that only youth can take for granted. My friend Elaine played next, she is all voice and sparse guitar, just the way I like it. I know she offers more --- lyrics, muscles and the band --- but I hear just her voice and the unintruding guitar. It is a scrambled house.