J. Johnson vividly recalls meeting Melissa Rich Mulcahy at a rock concert. "I was a transplant to the area, fresh from Brooklyn in the fall of 2000," the graphic designer and now singer/guitarist for Easthamp's National Carpet remembers. "Mark [Mulcahy, her husband] and his band were playing, and I later introduced myself to them both and we all became instant friends."
Now, in the wake of Melissa Mulcahy's recent untimely passing, Johnson says there is simply no better homage to his late friend's life than to throw a rock show in her honor. And with a little help from some of his high-profile friends, including Henning Ohlenbusch, Jose Ayerve and more, he's doing just that in a very big way this Friday, Nov. 14 at the Northampton Center for the Arts.
In short, the dream organizing team has compiled a nearly two-dozen act bill that effectively doubles as a who's who roster for the Western Mass set—with everyone from Johnson's own Carpet, Ayerve's Spouse and Ohlenbusch's The Fawns, School for The Dead, Aloha Steamtrain (and whatever else he's in these days) to Steve Westfield, The Winterpills and even a set by Dino Jr.'s J Mascis.
"Melissa was a great lover of music and had a lot of friends in the community," Johnson notes. "So we reached out to all we could think of to participate, and as the lineup indicates, the response was as immediate as it was overwhelming."
Seeing that such a star-studded evening could easily result in the number of those seeking to attend overwhelming the Academy's confines, advance tickets are highly recommended. To get yours, go to Pleasant Street Video or the Apollo Grill or visit rubwrongways.com on the Web.
In other news… it appears a new Moon on the Valley horizon has lured an illustrious member of the renowned rockabilly act The Lustre Kings out for a local solo show.
As perhaps best indicated by his Myspace (.com/jeffpottermusic), journeyman musician Jeff Potter swings—and rocks—with the Kings on an almost nightly basis throughout the Midwest, northern New England and upstate New York.
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, however, he'll break ranks with the Kings' court for a special, one-night-only headlining engagement at a great new venue he learned of from this even greater music column.
"I was flipping through the Valley Advocate one day and read about the Black Moon Cafe opening in Belchertown," he recalls. "I had been itching to do a solo show, and also found out that the room sounds amazing. So I contacted them and here we are!"
While Potter traditionally pounds the piano for the Lustres, he is, in fact, a talented multi-instrumentalist—a skill set he says he intends to showcase next Wednesday when he also breaks out the guitar and harmonica. At present, the Nov. 19 gameplan is to cull the lion's share of the setlist from his last CD, Great Big Beat on El Records in Spain, but considering that Potter's past achievements include stints with Clean Living, Al Anderson's Wildweeds, The Rhythm Agents and The Contenders, anything is possible.
Also possible: Potter and the Lustre Kings, who have repeatedly backed legend Wanda Jackson, will back her in Cleveland if her nomination leads to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Last up… a highly organ-ic matter.
As part of its ongoing tribute to the International Year of the Organ, National Public Radio and its Pipe Dreams series scheduled a stop at the United Congregational Church of Holyoke last Sunday. In addition to featuring the church's Skinner organ itself—widely regarded as one of the finest known examples in existence—the program includes performance segments by resident musician Griffin McMahon.
To catch McMahon in a considerably more casual setting, see him at East Longmeadow's Fusion Restaurant Nov. 21—where he has been turning in equally soul-stirring performances on a regular basis lately."
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
