Playing Out: Old Towne Pub w/the Running Kind

So the other day I got an email from Matt from the Running Kind asking if I'd be interested in playing with them, as he wanted to try upright bass rather than electric, and knew that Andrea Peterman and the Alternators were kaput due to Andrea's husband taking a job in Seattle (boo, Matt!). I dig the Running Kind, as they're tight and have a real old-school country vibe to them, with lots of Merle Haggard, George Jones, and Patsy Cline covers thrown in to complement some great originals.

Then David Serby (above) emailed Tuesday to see if Ghost Town wanted to open for him at the Old Towne on Wednesday. We couldn't do it due to scheduling problems, but I figured I was game to give it a go with the Running Kind, essentially having my first rehearsal with them on the stage last night. To top it off, the original bassist for the band shows up to take pictures for the band's website, just a day or two after being let go. Nothing nerve-wracking in playing new tunes you've only heard a few times on stage with the old bass player watching you. But I think it went pretty well -- I played most of the right chords in most of the right places, and no one was seriously injured. I did kick over my damn beer, though.

Anyhoo, this is all a long preamble to say that I got a new camera (a Sony Sure Shot 7-megapixel deallie) and will try to start chronicling more Stuff From My Life here, rather than all this link-blogging. I figure if Dooce and the Waiter Rant guy can be so compelling without ever leaving the confines of their respective house and bistro, I might be even more entertaining, since I actually go out and Do Stuff.

Except of course, those guys can write. Which is why I got the camera.

There's a burgeoning alt.country/roots/folk rock movement here in LA (which LA actually has a long tradition of, being a launching pad for everyone from Buck Owens to Gram Parsons to Dwight Yoakam) -- and I'll try to chronicle some of it in these Playing Out sections.

And keep an ear out for that David Serby fella -- he has great songs, a good presence on stage, and a crack band. Nice guy, too. I imagine I'll be boring folks with "I knew David Serby when" stories in about 3-4 years.