Cory Chisel & some Fourth of July synchronicity

Well, it's nearly Independence Day & I just experienced a weird bit of pre-midnight synchronicity at the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union (UWMU). Here's the story, friends, as briefly as I can sketch it.

"The show ain't great till somebody gets naked," said Cory Chisel from behind Ray-Bans on the sun-blinded stage at Memorial Park in Appleton this afternoon, near the end of his fantastic hometown set with The Wandering Sons. Part gospel fervor, part hipster cool - a perfect blend in music & style.

As much as it pains me to say it, a performance by mediocre LA roots-rockers Dawes' here at the UWMU terrace tonight might have officially gotten great: I just saw a nude dude diving off the pier into Lake Mendota. In fairness, he seemed more inspired by booze than music.

I still maintain, as I said to the UW sound guy, that Dawes sucks compared to Cory's band. Anyway, the thing is, I saw Cory open for Dawes in February at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville - and he was far better than them.

Okay, nobody's ever erected a monument to a critic. But the truth deserves to be told. While getting Cory's autograph on his (re-released 2006) CD "The Little Bird" today, he said that he was still jetlagged after his return from the famous Glastonbury Festival in England.

For you trivia buffs, Cory Chisel shares a hometown with fellow Appletonians Houdini & Willem Dafoe. Cory certainly knows how to make magic with a guitar & microphone. You lucky people in the Fox Valley can see him at the Paperfest in Kimberly & at Cranky Pat's in Neenah later this month.

And God bless America - for producing such wonderful music!

Friendly folks on a warm winter afternoon in Nashville

I drove across the Cumberland River last Friday afternoon to a green-space in east Nashville called Shelby Bottoms. I came upon a ballgame at the riverside Old Timers Field. It must have been cabin-fever that drove me to check it out because baseball usually bores me. I found a scuffed brown baseball along the outfield fence as I walked to the gate, contemplating whether to keep it as a souvenir. It was still only 45 degrees Fahrenheit & that ball was a welcome harbinger of springtime - a sporting rebuke to the barren trees.

"Hey," I said to a group of Belmont University bullpen pitchers, "Can fans keep home-run balls in this league?"
"Sure," a tall friendly young player said. I handed it to him anyway.
"'Preciate it," a teammate said.
"Might be a good a batting practice ball, at least," I explained. "Who are y'all playing?"
"Eastern Illinois University," the pitcher replied.
"Well, kick their ass," I exclaimed. "I'm from Wisconsin & we don't care much for Illinois."
"Well," the fella answered, "I'm from Illinois & we don't like you Wisconsin folks much either."

We all laughed at that & I went to watch a few innings from the sun-drenched bleachers for free, surrounded by pretty gals & entertained by music between batters. Bill called me from Salt Lake City during the top of the third. He reported that they were having similar warmish sunny weather out West. But he is off to an even warmer climate in a few days: New Zealand, that lucky adventurous soul.

Afterwards, I almost walked into the path of a young lady chipping golf balls high into the air on a steeply sloped driving range. She waved me on, but I demurred. "I'm just glad you're an accurate hitter," I said with a smile. My beret is no helmet & I am disconcertingly accident-prone.

"I'm just glad to have a warm day to hit," she replied. "I'm from Ohio." I learned that she was a high-school senior with a scholarship to play golf for the University of South Carolina in the fall.

"Nice place for golf," I told her, remembering my summer in Charleston (1996).
"Yeah," she agreed. "It's warm there."

And so are most of the people you meet here in Nashville - even in wintertime. Like the singer/percussionist Mississippi Millie & her Wild Animal guitarist Tiger Gagan, who entertained me with a blues set at Flying Saucer on Saturday night. That was a nice warmup for (Appleton, Wisconsin's own) Cory Chisel & the Wandering sons show at the Mercy Lounge. I'm gonna miss this place after I leave town tomorrow.