Willie Nile's a Superstar

No matter how you feel about the whole New Orleans fiasco—my two cents: Ray "chocolate city" Nagin’s lack of chops are now going to be exposed posthaste—there are parts of that town that cannot be allowed to go away, first and foremost the musicians, many of whom still teeter on the brink or have fallen head first into the abyss of financial ruin.

Tonight’s benefit for the Tipitina’s Artist Relief Fund at Southpaw in Brooklyn is one of many events in NYC put on to aid NOLA musicians in this, their time of trouble. Besides trying to help by adding my twenty bucks to the pile, I’m going to see the mighty Willie Nile, whose new record Streets of New York, continues to be one of the best records of 2005 by a wide margin. If you want to hear dues paying at work, avail yourself of a copy. I’m almost worried that I'm creating a permanent hiccup in my iPod from flipping back and forth between Willie and Calexico’s astonishing Garden Ruin.

As a year in music goes, 2006 is shaping up to be a very notable year indeed. Lots of good record out there right now. And many more to come in the inevitable holiday season avalanche.

COMMENTS
Donald N.'s picture

Thanks for the support (from NOLA)!

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