Note to LJ: This journal entry was not intended, it was supposed to be a YouTube blog.
But since it's here and all I have elaborated for you fine folks.

Curtis Eller - http://www.myspace.com/curtiseller
Al Duvall - http://www.myspace.com/alduvall
Singing Sadie - http://www.myspace.com/singingsadie
Live at A Capella Books
Atlanta, GA
January 07, 2007




God bless the people that control the sound systems in restaurants, stores, music venues and other such places and actually use them to play good music. Back in August I was at 10 High to see my friend Jeffrey's band The Midwives play and the sound guy was playing a very interesting banjo CD before the show. I inquired as to whom it was and it was a man by the name of Curtis Eller, also known as New York City's angriest yodeling banjo player. I MySpace friended him and low and behold he actually left me a comment and even replied quickly to a message I sent him (not many bands have good MySpace manners these days). Anyway, towards the end of last year he announced a January 2007 tour that involved a stop at 10 High on the 10th. Not only that, but just recently he had added a free in-store show at A Capella Books a few days before the real show. So since Dad and I were going to be out in Atlanta that day at the Build, Remodel, Landscape Expo we headed to Little Five Points afterwards for a bite to eat at The Vortex and then the in-store.

Mr. Eller had brought along with him another banjo player, Mr. Al Duvall, as well as a tap dancing show tunes/standards singer from Australia by the name of Singing Sadie. Mr. Duvall took the stage first and then Sadie joined him off and on during his set. Al's lyrics were genius, he had lines like "I spent the best days of my life/In the arms of another man's wife/She was my mother when I was a tot/Not quite as saucy as you may have thought" and "I have no children and I love each one/No darling daughter or loyal son/To knit my dinner and load my gun". Singing Sadie could best be described at Shirley Temple who grew up, lost the ability to sing and got by in life by stripping for pre-teen boys for a nickel. Priceless. And she even got on the floor and gurgles water for a verse of "Moon River". Then Curtis came on in his suspenders and Converse sneakers and hopped back and forth and he played banjo, yodeled, made pigeon noises, disparaged Abraham Lincoln and cursed at his kazoo. All this for free, you can't buy that stuff folks. They are headed to the Preservation Pub in Knoxville tonight (no excuses TN folks) and then be back in Atlanta on Wednesday. I can't wait for my second helping!

See how many times you can hear me choking back my laughter and trying my best to keep the camera steady...

For the other two videos head over to: http://www.youtube.com/otterfreak