Who Would You Rather Watch?

This past week, Silent Stereo friends The Dansettes backed up two soul pioneers, the Mighty Hannibal and Young Jesse at a raucous show in Brooklyn. It was amazing to see the effort these two gentlemen, both in their late sixties at the very least, put into performing. When Young Jesse and Hannibal weren't regaling the band with tales of their encounters with Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, Ray Charles, and the Beach Boys, these two dynamos told the band in no uncertain terms what live performing was all about. Even though the two men have been friends for more than forty years, each of them saw it as his duty to try to blow the other performer off the stage. The show was an event, with Hannibal and Young Jesse both dressed to the nines, each of them exhorting the crowd to give them more, each of them straining the limits of his vocal cords. All in the name of a good show and bragging rights at the end. Now compare that to your typical, "too cool for school" modern band. Many of these performers act like it's a drag for them to be up there on stage. Who would you rather watch? I'll take Hannibal and Young Jesse any day.

The Birthplace of Rock?

Check out this interesting article from the New York Times about the dispute between two South Jersey towns--Gloucester City and Silent Stereo fave, Wildwood. Both are claiming standing as the birthplace of rock and roll after hosting early Bill Haley gigs.