Archive for February, 2009

Gato’s Neo-Soul Cafe & O’Neill’s – Back to Back!

Friday, February 13th, 2009

Two phunky  shows planned at the end of the month. Thursday, Phebruary 26 we will be a slimmed down version of the band to phit on the small stage at Gator’s Neo-Soul Cafe – 129 South B Street, San Mateo.  Gator and his wife Marianne serve up some of the tastiest New Orleans and Soul Phood cuisine that will ever slide down your gullet!  This food is cooked with love and with your health in mind so you won’t have to worry about gaining too many phat calories.  However, the taste experience is undeniably savory and you will not notice the lack of butter and grease which is the norm with this style of cooking.  Clean and green Soul Food – Now we are talking!  Gator is the real deal.  A former Army sniper who grew up wrestling alligators in the south is a true southern gentleman and his restaurant is unique, soulful and he loves Motown!

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O’Neill’s – 39 South B Street, San Mateo is an Irish pub and a local watering hole that is frequented by the younger set.  It is cozy, normally packed on Fridays with gorgeous honey’s and it’s a dance club so we will be stretching out with our horn section to stay true to the Phunkphest theme.  Cuisine at O’Neill’s is alcohol, so bring a designated driver and be ready to get hammered, shake your booty and get sweaty!  Please, try not to stare, gawk or otherwise lose it when some of the Bay Area’s phinest ladies strut their stuff. Unique and truly a phun experience!

Press about O’Neill’s

O’Neill’s was voted best pub in San Francisco Bay Area by AOL city search 2007. 
O’Neill’s was voted one of the best Irish pubs in America by Irish America and Irish Voice. 
San Mateo won James Joyce award for the Most Authentic Irish Pub.

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Oscar & Why the Music Makes a Movie

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

Could you imagine a movie without sound in the 21st century?  Could you sit in a theatre and experience the cinematography alone, without a background of sound, music and edited dialogue and special effects?  Chances are you are just thinking that I am full of shit about right now, right? Sorry about the lame question, but… the answer is as obvious as the blog on my face.  Last year, the academy impressed me with it’s selection process with it’s choice for Best Musical Composition, “Falling Slowly” from the film, “Once” written and performed by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irgova.  There was stiff competition considering that, “Enchanted” composers Alan Menken: Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz had three nominated pieces (these guys are known quantities, “In da biz”) and considering the great cinematic effort to include musicians in a fun and dare I say, animated park scene this was stiff competition.  However, the stark simplicity and pureness of “Falling Slowly” was just too much for the big orchestral and bombastic production of the “other” choices.  I know, there is a rub that the orchestra was unnecessary, but that still does not take away from the stark simplicity and sparseness of a great performance of a great song, it merely embellished in this bloggers opinion. Again, I believe that we are all getting too jaded and too negative to appreciate how good Oscar was last year.   We need to appreciate that for the cost of admission (free on TV) these shows offer great entertainment value and yes, they can always be better, but damn, in my opinion that show went buy in a hurry and I was left wanting more. In anticipation of this years event, I am looking for Slumdog Millionaire to win, “Best Picture”, Mickey Rourke to win best actor for his performance in, “The Wrestler” although Brad Pitt may trump with his stellar performance in. “Benjamin Button”.  Meryl Streep should grab top honors for, “Doubt” but it will be a dog fight with the beautiful and talented, Kate Winslett.  Actor in a supporting role will go to Heath Ledger posthumously (great sadness) for his amazing performance as “The Joker” in, Dark Night.  I am giving the nod to Marisa Tomei in the Wrestler for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, although it will be close with Penelope Cruz and Amy Adams hot on the trail (too close to call).  As for this years, “Best Musical Composition”  I am pulling for Peter Gabriel in Wall-E, but Danny Elfman may get the nod for “Milk”.  None of these are as outright to pick as last years “Falling Slowly” and lord knows I am picking my favorites in anticipation of another great show.  So those are my picks.   Your thoughts?

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