chuckography

Two VERY interestings evenings...

 Went to see St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the CMH* Thursday night.

It was my third time enjoying the "Man from Alabama" in an array of settings.

About two years ago, I saw him for the first time EVER at the cozy Pour House in West Ashley.

He closed the Spoleto Festival last year and I would have been there for sure, but I was out of town.


Next time - June of last year - was when he opened for the Rolling Stones in Atlanta.

He's been really traveling but at the CMH, (*Charleston Music Hall) Thursday night,  I got a close look at  the sparkly shoes he has filled!

The opener was Banditos, also from Alabama, and Mary Beth Richardson was the torrid vocalist.

It was a joyful evening of music in one of my favorite music venues.

When (St.) Paul Janeway hopped down from the stage to dance and sing bogeying up and down the center aisle, I switched my camera to capture a great video.

Glad I did but now I have to figure how to edit and  post it!

Friday night, a second "Night to Remember," had me seated in the 7th row, on the aisle, at the downtown Sottile Theater.

It was the middle night of Theater 99's Comedy Festival weekend and Bridget Everett was the headliner.

I knew only that she was a stand-up comic/NYC cabaret singer and I was wise enough to avoid sitting up close in the first several rows.

In the past, I have been briefly singled out by a comic and wanted to avoid that happening again.

I felt pretty hidden  among the 400+ comedy fans in the theater.

It was quickly obvious that the word bawdy was invented especially for Bridget.

Uh oh, as she headed for the steps to come down off the stage, I recalled that "cabaret" means mingling among the small tables and getting the patrons involved.

Lots of laughs.

She was working the crowd on the other side of the room, getting cozy with an older gentleman, his wife and their daughter.

The seemingly good natured comments quickly became X-rated.

I could live with that...for them, way, way over there.

Most everyone in the theater sighed with relief that they were not the object of Bridget's hands-on actions.

Her lovey-dovey pats and triple entendres had me squirming  because she seemed to be working right on the aisle.

Sure, you're ahead of me here.

My side of the theater was next and she stopped, tousled my white hair and said "Your name is Gary, right?"

Then began a dialogue - I tried one-word answers -  but was distracted by my buddy sitting next to me.

He whipped out his phone cam to capture the moment. 

By then Bridget had stripped off her loose draping dress and pressed my head into her ample bosom.


Actually, I was lucky. 

She had named a few other fellows up and down the aisles and invited "Tim" to join her onstage. 

Much younger, he seemed more relaxed than I and certainly was stronger, as was quickly proved!

She sat in his lap then had him lift her up in his arms.

I groaned, glad it was NOT "Gary" up there.

Well, you have to have a big finale, especially for a comedy & cabaret act. Something unexpected.

"Tim" was told to lie down and extend both feet up in the air.

Yikes.

Bridget slowly leaned toward him, got settled, and surged forward to complete the balancing act over him. My legs would not have worked like his and I would've been very close face-to-face with a big partner.. my new BFF.

As the crowd moved out of the Sottile, I got waves and cheers from giggling college girls.

"Way to go, Gary, you were great."

One white-haired guy slapped me on the back and said "Thanks, Gary, you took one for the team." 

Guess he was sweating it in an aisle seat.

(Click on the photos and links for more details.)

Oh, I was asked if that was going to be my new profile photo on Facebook... what do you think?

Labels: Banditos, Bridget Everett, CMH, Mary Beth Richardson, NYC Cabaret singer & comic., Paul Janeway, sparkly shoes, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

posted by chuckography @ 8:34 PM