The Lowdowners

October 10, 2008
Spike Hill
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The Lowdowners played a commendable show this Saturday night at Williamsburg's ambiance driven Spike Hill. Spike Hill is a rare venue that fosters and showcases live musical talent every night of the week at no cover. The Lowdowners were, in this post punk, emo driven indie rock world, a refreshing throw back to Allman Brothers, or even Tom Petty, with a country meets new age Brooklyn rockabilly sound. Their lyrics followed faithfully in the blues tradition with simple and classic songs about broken hearts , love and story telling.

The four members, all hailing from Brooklyn, were each accomplished and strong instrumentalists in their own right. One half of a lead vocal duo, Peter Cole (vocals, guitars and dobro) brought a Bruce Springstein, Bod Dylan-esque vibe to the performance- in visual appearance as well as lyrics and voice. A master of his guitar and a keen ability to switch from soft handed ballads to a more rocked out and gritty sound, he had a solid presence that stole the show. An interesting contrast in style and dress, Byron Isaacs ( vocals, bass, dobro) offered an urban cowboy aura aesthetic and lyrical blues overtones. He often sang the more sensitive side to the lyrics and, while at times a bit saccharine and his voice proving best on recording, one had the feeling that just a bit of true vocal training the kid could truly rock the house live. He was one of those rare, true tenors with the style and musicality that can't be taught but who just needed the technical ability to reign it in. The gist of what he attempted to do with his voice was brilliant and much more discernible in his recordings but he lacked the strength to deliver a true live follow through. At least live, Byron was at his best with songs that took themselves, and in turn himself, less seriously.

The greater part of the show's first half was comprised of a plethora of love song ballads with Peter and Byron taking turns leading them. This started to drag on a bit but, by the end, when the group brought out songs that were less lyrics driven and more team oriented, they just truly rocked out and showcased their instrumentals and vocals in unison. It was then that the Lowdowners really. got. down. The group shines most using this formula and should continue in this direction. Byron and Peter had a great stage chemistry and the timbre of their voices worked well together. Byron's bass playing was solid and confident. Adam Goldfried on pedal steel, guitar and harmonica was masterfully versatile at all of his instruments, switching between them often and flawlessly. It is also worth mentioning that he was of the sort of dark and quietly stunning good looks and demure stage presence that added a balance and polish to the group as a whole. Tony Leone (drums, mandolin) was masterfully solid and a humble player, very much staying in background but silently holding his own and, in turn, holding the group together in a way that only a really talented drummer can execute. Tweet

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Read This. It is Very Good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/opinion/25hart.html?ex=1372132800&en=414df75385e8ca8a&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Tweet

A Spring Walk: the end of an era

The other night I took a long walk through my Cleveland Heights neighborhood.

My impending move to New York city has no doubt elicited in me a strange sort of perspective and nostalgia , giving me pause. Granted, these feelings are normal and to be expected with a big move and a life change. But Sunday evening, after a long afternoon rain, the sun was setting at dusk and shining brightly for the first time that day and I was struck by the uniqueness of Cleveland and its unmistakeable and overlooked beauty.

And I, who am fairly well travelled and have travelled far to see beauty, came to the conculsion that Cleveland Heights has a firm place among a list of beautiful places in the world. And perhaps we are very mistaken to presume beauty and worthwhile are mostly found in the exotic and require a plane ticket to visit. Anyhow, surely my little neighborhood would be exotic to many people in the world and upon this conclusion I saw my neighborhood with fresh eyes; I thought I should share.

I passed the estates and gardens and compounds of a neighborhood of epic or perhaps fairytalesque proportions, once the living grounds of some of the most elite and wealthy people in America. The homes have now been purchased and are maintained in general by people of considerably less wealth with a soft spot and a respect for old architecture and a desire to maintain these relics of the past. These patient souls grasp and grapple, out of appreciation (or is it admiration?) with the headaches and maintenance of these old, cumbersome beasts. I'd imagine that they labor with the understanding that they are maintainting an architectural artistry that is no longer. Surely these types of homes will never be built again- the materials and manpower that went into building them are now lost arts and out of reach economically.

At a certain point I was weighed down with a sort of sorrow. The sorrow was not only for what I am personally leaving behind but also a sorrow for the city of Cleveland and its suburbs. Kind of like the sorrow one might have had for Elvis in his bloated, dark drugged out, Vegas days. In other words- the city is a "Has Been" and I am the first to admit it. Today when one says the word "Cleveland" mostly ghastly images come to mind: lakes on fire, obese people people with ankle fat wearing Cleveland Indians t-shirts, and run down steel mills billowing smoke. People forget (or never knew) that this city was also once a great cosmopolitan American epicenter of commerce. It was home to some of the worlds most powerful and influential figures as such turn of the century Robber Barons, JD Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. In fact Rockefeller is buried in the Lakeview Cementary in Cleveland Heights.

Cleveland was once a thriving center of wealth and opulence and Cleveland Heights architecture is sometimes a rather sad reminder for me of better times. There is a beauty that proudly and stubbornly shines through despite the city's economic decline and despite that fact that it is over a century past its heyday. Come to think of it, perhaps Cleveland has gone out a little more gracefully than the bloated and bedraggled Elvis.

I love the window of this house- the curtains entice me to decorate the room behind them with my imagination.


For at least 6 moths of the year Cleveland's lake effect precipitation creates a relentless environment of precipitation and grey skies. But all this water also leads to one of the most spectacularly verdant and breathtaking springs I have ever seen anywhere. The foliage extends everywhere and flowers blossoms literally burst out of gardens. Everything is crisp, refreshing, and smells of fresh dirt and leaves.

During spring and summer days Cleveland is truly and undeniably a magical place. These moments keep Clevelanders in their place until they hole up for the next winter and, with the first blizzard swear as they do year after year that they'll move to Florida. But for now you will see them gliding along the sometimes slippery limestone sidewalks, heads to the sky and eyes sometimes closed.

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Yesterday Afternoon into Last Night

This is possibly my favorite corner in the city of Cleveland. Unfortunate it currently looks like a war zone but that is because they are revamping Euclid Avenue- I hope it turns out well. Yesterday felt like summer and I enjoyed being downtown with the heat of the pavement and that surreal feeling you get when you wander a city on a hot afternoon, boxed in by buidlings, warm and still.


We crossed the bridge to from the East to the West side and the sunset was impressive.

The lights at the restaurant looked like hanging skirts and i was captivated.


Sometimes a background is so cool you just have to strike a pose and shoot a picture.

or a room...

...or a flourish. My friend Chelsea's apartment was so beautifully done I hade to share with you all. Tweet

I want one. I want one bad. I saw these hats first on JC Report. They hail from the new cult brand Official. One of my favorites has a unicorn image composed completely of the silhouettes of different automatic handguns. Rad. Each hat's design is a limited edition so you won't find everyone and her little sister wearing your duds. While intended for skate boarder types these hats would also be ravenously SEXY on the more conservatively inclined . My suggestion would be to wear with black skinny pants and a black sleeveless shirt. Tweet

Sometimes Everything Stops

Sometimes everything stops in Cleveland, Ohio. Especially on the East side where Lake Erie most intensely blesses us with her lake effect snow. We are all told by the local news to stay inside because no amount of snow plows on this earth would successfully clear the amount of precipitation falling from the sky. This involuntary shut down on life is most welcome.

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