After wrapping up a string of dates with Real Estate, The Babies appeared on East Village Radio this week for a three song performance that included the new number “Slow Walkin’.”
It was an acoustic set minus bass player Brian Schleyer and it’s the first Babies radio show appearance I’ve heard them do.
The most unique element of the live music portion of the segment was the layer of city noise that could be heard faintly as the band played during the 1 PM hour on Tuesday. The East Village Radio studio on First Avenue is set just off the street. Everyday urban sound from the outside seeps in. When Kevin Morby and Cassie Ramone performed the great duet “Trouble,” you could faintly hear a box truck shifting up and out of low gear in the background. There was a honking horn. And when Morby crooned about the trouble-maker (“Here She Comes, now…”) the screech of what sounded like a MTA bus braking to a stop came through almost on cue. The naturally occurring placement of these noises added a lot to the rendition of what is one of a couple gems on the just-released six-song 12-inch “Cry Along With the Babies.”
The interview portion of the Babies’ visit to EVR didn’t go as well. DJ Edan Wilber blew a great chance to introduce his listeners to a rising, road-tested rock and roll outfit ready to tell some stories. After asking the requisite questions about who was who and what bands everybody liked at the moment, Wilber seemed to throw his hands up in the air and quit on the whole thing despite sharing the room with articulate subjects. Said Wilber: “Do you guys have anything else you wanna chat about? I’m sorry. I’m usually Chatty Kathy…(sigh)…I’m so sorry…Yeah. I feel like we’re falling apart a little.”
When it was brought up by Ramone that Babies drummer Justin Sullivan has a strong personal interest in the life history of John F. Kennedy, there was an opening.
Likely sensing the interview was going nowhere, Sullivan said he was eager to talk JFK. Unfortunately, Wilber shot that down. “Maybe another time,” said Wilber. “It’s probably not that interesting to the listeners of this show.”
Before The Babies exited, listeners got a few nuggets of information. Morby said last weekend’s gig at the K & K Super Buffet in Queens was one of his favorite all-time evenings as a performer. Morby also indicated a Cake Shop show was in the works for sometime next week.
-The former American Express CEO in charge of setting up the 2014 Meadowlands Super Bowl doesn’t inspire maximum confidence when he talks about his vision for the event‘s logistics. Alfred Kelly appeared on Francesa’s show Wednesday. He said the area’s “large geographic footprint” complicates plans to accommodate and entertain 80-thousand fans and an international media contingent that will stream in here two years from now. Part of Kelly’s coordination challenge is tied to what he says is an obligation giving the state of New Jersey at least the appearance of being a semi-equal host. The economic infusion from the event can’t be totally one-sided in New York’s favor according to Kelly. He says he’s already decided that the two participating teams will stay in Jersey hotels and use the existing training facilities in East Rutherford and Florham Park. What concerned me about Kelly’s comments on Mike’s show was that he views Newark as both an entertainment and lodging hub in the run-up to the game. I like downtown Newark plenty but it doesn’t make sense to make it a major part of the galaxy in the days preceding the game. Out-of-town visitors should be pulled into New York City. Manhattan. It’s pretty simple. If the region wants to make a favorable impression, Kelly needs to narrow his guidance and get the Super Bowl crowd into New York City. Don’t fiddle around with New Jersey. There’s no time for that. The Jets and Giants have landed the big game and made Kelly the boss. Sponsors will be easy. We know both rail and bus infrastructure is golden. Kelly needs to treat Super Bowl guests as if he’s planning a visit from a cousin or an uncle. Get ’em into the big city and let the big city do what it’s done for tens of millions of tourists for years and years. It’ll wow ’em. Forget Jersey other than for the football game. If Kelly nails this Super Bowl, you may see the Meadowlands get into some kind of Super Bowl rotation. A good starting point would be for him to ditch talk about balancing festivities between both sides of the river.
-As for this year’s game, I like the G-Men. The over-analysis that inevitably accompanies the two-week Super Bowl break is starting to wear down some prognosticators. You’re starting to hear reputable observers abandon logic and discard consideration of the heavily tilted matchup advantages Eli will enjoy when he’s taking the snaps. Football people all over the place think this is New York’s game to lose. The pro-Giant buzz has become so loud, pundits are doling out backlash for the sake of backlash. One or all of the three New York wideouts will run after the catch. The Giant pass rush will be a big hassle for a guy who plants his feet and surveys the scene. It feels to me like one team is really clicking while the other drew into this game through the side door. If you got in early to get the three and a half, it’s extra pepperoni. I’m a Jet fan. But I’ve enjoyed watching this Giant ride. It all started when the salsa dancer ran the length of the field against my team. I’ll say Big Blue 34-21 over New England. Hakeem Nicks is your game MVP and J-P-P will put the Pats QB on the mat at least twice. Enjoy the game.