Day of the Dowd; November 8, 2015; Fitzgeralds, Berwyn

Gerald Dowd gave me plenty of time of to get a one dollar bus ticket when he told me about his monolithic plans for a CD release show, unfortunately he told me two days after I spent a lot of money on a Bob Dylan ticket for the same day.  I couldn't skip the Dylan show, but I decided to see as much of the Day of the Dowd as I could.  And I was there at 10:45 to see the show kick off at 11 with Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players.  A friend was excited to see them as she'd never seen them before.  Since I've seen them a bunch, I asked why not, she replied "I don't have kids."  When I mentioned that to Justin later he responded, "Neither do I."  Excellent point.  I was able to stay through the much-anticipated Frisbie reunion (with the help of some ringers), but then I split for the Cadillac Theater.  Dylan was great, if a little mellower than usual, and I cursed the fancy theater setting that seemed to necessitate an intermission, but I rushed out the door and made it back just as Gerald took the stage with his band, and for the first time all day he wasn't behind the drum kit.  Sure I missed Kelly Hogan, Chris Mills and Robbie Fulks, and that was heartbreaking, but you know what?  They've all played in my basement.  I'd never seen, and maybe will never see again, most of the bands who played that day.  I knew Gerald was a great drummer, but I really had no idea until I saw him go from playing kids music to salsa to technical jazz to glam to power pop, and a bunch pf other stuff in between.  It was remarkable.  I'm glad I could be there for most of it.

Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players

Dave Sills

Bill Ohern's Model Citizen's Big Band

The Regulators

Nora O'Connor

The Hoyle Brothers

EXO

Dave Ramont

Frisbie

The Gerald Dowd Band