Durhamatology

Downtown Durham's 2nd Annual Beloved Community Free Picnic & Resource Fair

2010-05-19T10:44:00.001-07:00

Music from...
Jesse Cromah ♥ Shirlette Ammons with Greg Humphreys ♥ Roger Lucey

Downtown Durham's 2nd Annual

Beloved Community
Free Picnic & Resource Fair

SATURDAY, MAY 22,
11AM–2PM

MUSIC ♥ FOOD ♥ FRIENDSHIP

If you live, work or worship in downtown Durham, you already know there’s a divide. We’re not talking about black and white or good and evil, but of the haves and the haves-not. Those who have a home, have food to eat, and have clothing to put on each morning. And those who have little or nothing.

Today’s economic downturn is producing more and more need in our community, for both individuals and for families. And with the school year (and school lunches) ending, families living on the edge face even more pressure to get through each day in the summertime.

This resource fair and picnic will provide opportunities to give help to those in need. Opportunities to get help from a variety of service and aid institutions. And opportunities to share a meal, conversation and music with a greater part of your beloved Durham community.

Become a part of it. Please join this celebration of community and faith. Volunteers are still needed—contact Rich Ball Damberg at 919.688.4141 or damberg.rich@epa.gov.

There are opportunities for all to assist, even if only to welcome a stranger as you share a meal.

Give Help.
Get Help.
Find Hope.

Barbara Lamb Plays UMD Benefit on 4.16

2010-03-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Bob Wills Meets Laurie Anderson!"

Fiddle Great Barbara Lamb Plays Durham
Friday, April 16, at 7 PM

Concert Benefits Urban Ministries of Durham

In another stellar Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) concert benefit, award-winning fiddler Barbara Lamb brings her unforgettable music to the Strings Attached concert series. This "fiddle fatale" will bow your over Friday, April 16, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street, in downtown Durham.

As a teen, Seattle native Barbara Lamb won state and regional junior fiddling championships, joined a bluegrass band and gave future celebrity fiddler Mark O'Connor his first lessons on the instrument, as well as his first introduction to bluegrass and Texas swing. In the late'80s she co-founded cowgirl band Ranch Romance. After touring as k.d.lang's opening act for most of a year and recording for Sugar Hill, Barbara left Ranch Romance and moved to Nashville. During the '90s, she released a pair of solo recordings on Sugar Hill, then started her own Lots of Coffee Records.

Over her career, Barbara's performed and recorded with Asleep at the Wheel, The John Cowan Band, The Laura Love Band, The Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Lyle Lovett, Riders in the Sky, Peter Rowan, Trisha Yearwood, Tony Trischka—even author Robert Fulghum.

When not playing bluegrass and traditional roots fiddle, Barbara experiments with loops and other electronic effects. On the road she lays down background beds, adding whatever moves her, then accompanies the groove with her fiddle and vocals—or not. While built upon solid foundations, the improv nature of Barbara's "audio sculptures" make each performance unique.

Some quotes...

"Fiddler Barbara Lamb is astonishing in her ability to swoop and soar and play exceedingly high passages with precision. She played swing and jazz-inflected passages with panache, but she was more impressive on her traditional fiddle tunes...Also, Lamb has an amazing stage presence—I've never seen a fiddler whose technique begins at her very toes, continues all the way up through her cowgirl crinolines and culminates in a bow that slashes like a Shakespearean sword. She's fascinating to watch." —Spokane Spokesman Review

"Take in the toys, tunes and technology in Barbara's toolbox. Tradition collides with innovation in a joyful process as much fun to listen to as it is to watch. Once again Babs fearlessly reinvents herself and it's so exciting," —Joe Craven

"...ferociously gifted fiddling..." —Boston Herald

"...assertive fiddle lines, full of feeling and melody." —Washington Post

"...masterful on the fiddle, a Bob Wills without the cigar." —Austin American-Statesman

"She's got the ability to scorch any song with a solo, or kick it into higher gear." —Hartford Courant

Tickets are $15 advance, $20 day of show; $8 for 12 and under (advance tickets are available by sending checks payable to Strings Attached c/o St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 Main St Durham NC 27701, via phone at 919.682.5708 or through the secure PayPal link at www.stphilipsdurham.org). Younger childcare is available. Refreshments (beer/wine/sodas/water/coffee/etc.) will be available. Free, monitored parking.

About Urban Ministries of Durham...

With leadership from the faith community, Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) was founded in 1983 with a mission "to provide food, clothing, shelter and supportive services to our neighbors in need." In offering a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment, UMD aims to affirm the dignity of guests, volunteers, and staff. UMD plays a critical role in the community's continuum of care network, as we are the primary point of entry to prevention, re-housing and emergency services for a large percentage of the homeless and poverty-stricken population in the community.

Programs include:

The Community Shelter—regularly operates at full occupancy including the nine rooms for homeless families. Each night, an average of 140-150 people receive emergency housing here. The overall shelter population has increased 32% from the previous fiscal year.
The Community Café—serves 3 meals a day every day, about 18,500 meals per month. This number has increased 10% in the past year and 63% from five years ago.
The Food Pantry and Clothing Closet—distribute groceries and clothing to adults, children and families. Demand for these services are up 39% from the previous year and 113% from five years ago.

Visit www.umdurham.org for more information.

About Strings Attached Productions...

Launched in April 2003, Strings Attached Productions is a benefit concert production program of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in downtown Durham. The April 16 Barbara Lamb concert marks the 24th concert in the series. All profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham. Visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information.

Resources...
High-res images, posters:
http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e252/cinglew/Strings%20Attached%20Durham
www.stphilipsdurham.org/stringsattached
www.barbaralamb.com
www.umdurham.org

Kate Campbell Concert Benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham (2010 edition)

2010-02-01T23:54:00.000-08:00

Strings Attached Productions presents acclaimed Nashville-based singer/songwriter Kate Campbell in a benefit concert for Urban Ministries of Durham, Friday, February 12, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 E Main St. Durham.

The always in-demand artist offers a perfect complement to the mission of UMD and the St. Philip's concert series. Campbell writes smart and sublime; her points are deftly made with reflective reasoning rather than pugnacious preaching.

From admiring everyday heroes, marveling at eccentrics, examining human rights, lamenting changing landscapes, summoning spirituality, and reflecting on youthful views, Campbell's memorable melodies and insightful lyrics stay in the psyche, uplifting and inspiring long after the last song. Plus she's a hoot. Be sure to catch this always entertaining talent!

Tickets are $15 advance, $20 day of show; $8 for 12 and under (advance tickets are available by sending checks payable to Strings Attached c/o St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 Main St Durham NC 27701, via phone at 919.682.5708 or through the PayPal link at www.stphilipsdurham.org). Younger childcare is available. Refreshments (beer/wine/sodas/water/coffee/moonpies/etc.) will be available. Free, monitored parking.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM

With leadership from the faith community, Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) was founded in 1983 with a mission "to provide food, clothing, shelter and supportive services to our neighbors in need." In offering a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment, UMD aims to affirm the dignity of guests, volunteers, and staff. UMD plays a critical role in the community's continuum of care network, as we are the primary point of entry to prevention, re-housing and emergency services for a large percentage of the homeless and poverty-stricken population in the community.

Programs include:

The Community Shelter--regularly operates at full occupancy including the nine rooms for homeless families. Each night, an average of 140-150 people receive emergency housing here. The overall shelter population has increased 32% from the previous fiscal year.

The Community Café--serves 3 meals a day every day, about 18,500 meals per month. This number has increased 10% in the past year and 63% from five years ago.

The Food Pantry and Clothing Closet--distribute groceries and clothing to adults, children and families. Demand for these services are up 39% from the previous year and 113% from five years ago.

Visit www.umdurham.org for more information.

ABOUT STRINGS ATTACHED PRODUCTIONS

Launched in April 2003, Strings Attached Productions is a benefit concert production program of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in downtown Durham. The February 12 Kate Campbell concert marks the 23rd concert in the series. All profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham. Visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information.

John Wesley Harding ASAP

2009-10-13T14:36:00.001-07:00

JOHN WESLEY HARDING
PERFORMS DURHAM SHELTER BENEFIT

Friday, November 6, at 7 PM

(click above button to add to your calendar)

Is it fair when one of today's sharpest songwriters may be best known for his cover of Madonna's Like a Prayer from early on in his career? Fair or not, John Wesley Harding knows a good song, whether he's written it or not. His own best-known song, I'm Wrong About Everything, figured prominently on the High Fidelity soundtrack. The British-born Harding, who took his stage name from another singer/songwriter's song, Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding, combines witty wordplay with memorable melodies. His songs and his sound easily call to mind fellow countryman and expat, Elvis Costello, but Harding's tunes reveal more whimsical, wry and, at times, ribald wordplay than Costello's.

In his first-ever Durham show, and first in the Triangle in seven years, Harding brings his songs to downtown Durham Friday, November 6, at 7 PM, for the next Strings Attached concert. This literate and literary artist performs in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street (enter on Queen Street). Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 on the day of show), $8 for persons under 12 (under 5 childcare is available on-site). Refreshments (including beer from Triangle Brewing, wine, sodas and water along with sweet and savory snacks) will also be available. All profits from the concert benefit the work of Urban Ministries of Durham. Visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information and to purchase advance tickets.

After lending credibility to Madge's Prayer, Harding's Sire Records debut, Here Comes the Groom, inspired LA Times' rock critic Robert Hilburn to decree it, "the first great rock record of the '90s." Along with rock's unplugged trend, Harding emerged as one of the first, great anti-folk artists or, as in his words, "folk noir."

In 1995 Bruce Springsteen's handpicked Harding as his first opening act in two decades. In addition to Springsteen (who duets with Harding on 2000's Wreck on the Highway), Harding's performed with Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, John Prine, Joan Baez and many more songwriting stalwarts along the way.

Now living in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two toddlers, Harding's most recent album, Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, employs the estimable talents of the Minus Five's Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, along with Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Kurt Bloch, Kelly Hogan, Robert Lloyd, Earl Slick (David Bowie and John Lennon) and Mike Viola (Candy Butchers). His songs take on the music biz, religion and his new life of letters as a celebrated novelist.

Under his given name, Wesley Stace, he's written two well-received novels so far, 2005's Misfortune and 2007's By George. He's completed another that should be released in the not so distant future.

Living, observing, distilling, writing and performing is what John Wesley Harding does. Now, in a rare opportunity, see what he does in an intimate setting in the heart of Durham. Strings Attached Productions presents John Wesley Harding in concert—for one night and one show only—Friday, November 6, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street in Durham (use Queen Street entrance). All profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD).

Visit www.johnwesleyharding.com for more information and materials about John Wesley Harding. Visit www.umdurham.org for more information about Urban Ministries of Durham and visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information about St. Philip's Episcopal Church and Strings Attached Productions.

—asap—

JOHN WESLEY HARDING RESOURCES:

Electronic Press Kit: http://www.johnwesleyharding.com/jwh.epk.pdf
Bio: http://www.concertedefforts.com/HARDbio2004.pdf
Strings Attached Poster: http://snipurl.com/slnps

JOHN WESLEY HARDING CRITICAL PRAISE:

"John Wesley Harding, who named himself after a Bob Dylan song about an outlaw, sounds like Elvis Costello enamored of folk-rock, gruffly revealing his ruefulness and cynicism in stolidly tuneful songs." —Jonathan Pareles, New York Times

"Harding's lyrics are typically wry and acerbic, with plenty of narrative twists...God serenades Satan in 'My Favourite Angel.' It's a rich, engaging set that reveals something new with each listen." —Gary Graff, The Hollywood Reporter

"Hinting at influence from Elvis Costello and Ray Davies, he shares his cynical observations through catchy, amusing melodies." —NPR's World Café

“Of course the lyrics are great....He’s known as a wordsmith. But he writes great pop songs, too, great melodies." Scott McCaughey, The Minus 5

JOHN WESLEY HARDING BACKGROUND:

Pop Matters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/93998-folk-rocker-and-novelist-john-wesley-harding-brings-his-storytelling-/

The Independent UK: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-5minute-interview-john-wesley-harding-singersongwriter-and-novelist-768335.html

Pandora Video: http://blog.pandora.com/archives/show/2009/06/concert_john_we_1.html

Pop Matters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/72166-john-wesley-harding/

FLYPMedia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFeYRjapo7w

FLYPMedia: http://www.flypmedia.com/issues/plus/05/#1/1

Shrewsbury Folk Festival 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ0FN7g6IyE

NPR's World Café (produced by WXPN): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102042707

NPR's Song of the Day (for Top of the Bottom from Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead):http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101611351

NPR's Scott Simon interviews Stace about his "Dickensian romp," Misfortune:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4717516&ps=rs

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:

Urban Ministries of Durham: http://www.umdurham.org
St. Philip's Episcopal Church & Strings Attached: http://www.stphilipsdurham.org

Greenway ASAP

2009-09-22T11:43:00.001-07:00

ACCLAIMED ARTIST GREG GREENWAY PERFORMS SHELTER BENEFIT IN DURHAM
Friday, October 2, 7 PM,
at St. Philip's Episcopal Church

From Carnegie Hall to Car Talk, talented singer/songwriter and expressive tenor Greg Greenway adds stealth, sublime and sometimes in-your-face political awareness to his progressive pop.

On his most recent recording, 2008's infectious Standing on the Side of Love, Greenway explores new sounds and expresses fresh views on justice—including the powerful track Sick & Tired, co-written with Kate Campbell, inspired by civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer's famous quote ("I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.")

Greenway brings his powerful, melodic original songs to downtown Durham Friday, October 2, at 7 PM, for the next Strings Attached concert. Join this talented artist in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street (enter on Queen Street), for an evocative and entertaining evening. Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 on the day of show), $8 for ages 6-12 and childcare for those five and under is available on-site. Refreshments (including beer, wine, sodas and water along with sweet and savory snacks) will also be available. All profits from the concert benefits the work of Urban Ministries of Durham. Visit http://www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information and to purchase advance tickets.

The following day, Saturday, October 3, Durham's Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship hosts a social justice workshop entitled "Conversations Toward a Better World," in which Greenway provides musical inspiration for participants. Visit http://www.eruuf.org for more details and registration information.

Originally from Richmond, Greenway found Boston, with its rich folk tradition and support of folk musicians, better suited his emerging sound and artistry. Inspired after his father's death in 1990, Greenway left his rock band to pursue a now-storied solo career. Greenway draws inspiration from blues, gospel, jazz, rock and world music, yet at his core resides a tuneful and socially aware singer/songwriter. Described as "one of the strongest, and finest voices in folk music," The Boston Globe noted that he's, "confessional one moment, rambunctiously disarming the next....the songwriter stands squarely between the wistful intimacy of folk-pop and the progressive balladry of Phil Ochs and Woody Guthrie."

Greenway's performance highlights include shows at Carnegie Hall in the New York Singer/Songwriter Festival, rebroadcast on NPR's World Cafe; an appearance on the nationally syndicated music show Mountain Stage; and a show at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoring Ochs. Greenway also figured prominently on CNN's World Beat in a segment about socially conscious artists and on NPR's Car Talk. He closed a late October 2006 rally at the University of Virginia, featuring NAACP Chair Julian Bond, with his stirring, signature rendition of U2's In the Name of Love.

In a recent acousticmusicscene.com interview, Kathy Sands-Boehmer enthused: "Greg Greenway is a positive force of change in this world. His powerful and inspirational lyrics shout out his humanity and soulfulness. It’s impossible not to stop everything you’re doing and listen to him."

Visit http://www.greggreenway.com for more information and materials about Greg Greenway. Visit http://www.umdurham.org for more information about Urban Ministries of Durham and visit http://www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information about St. Philip's Episcopal Church and Strings Attached Productions.

—asap—

Resources:
High-res images:
http://www.greggreenway.com/photos
http://www.greggreenway.com/photos/stageactionphoto.JPG
NPR interview:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1137438
Kennedy Center performances:
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=GGREENWAY
Acoustic Music Scene interview:
http://www.acousticmusicscene.com/2009/08/21/q-a-with-greg-greenway

Acoustic Eidolon 5/14 UMD Benefit Concert

2009-05-03T20:07:00.001-07:00

COLORADO'S ACOUSTIC EIDOLON MAKES DURHAM DEBUT:
CONCERT BENEFITS URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM

Thursday, May 14, 7 PM—Parish Hall, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham

"A Sumptuous Instrumental Feast"
—Dirty Linen

"A Sublime Acoustic Duo"
—Boulder Weekly

"Complex,
Classy" —Providence Journal

Acoustic Eidolon may be new to some Triangle music fans. Soon, however, that will change when the Colorado-based husband/wife duo of Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire bring their inventive stringed interplay of original music and surprising covers to Durham, Thursday, May 14, at 7 PM. As the latest in the ongoing Strings Attached series of concerts benefiting the work and services of Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD), Acoustic Eidolon maintains the series' tradition of showcasing the finest in acoustic-based music from national touring acts.

ABOUT ACOUSTIC EIDOLON...
Besides guitar, bluegrass-raised Scott plays his own concoction, a double-neck, 14-string "Guit-jo" (looks like a guitar but sounds like guitar, piano, dulcimer, harp and other instruments), and classically-trained Alkire plays cello. Their original compositions and surprising covers ranges from bluegrass to blues, Celtic to classical, folk to Latin, country to classic rock (Beatles Eleanor Rigby, Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven).

Their unique blend finds fast fans in every stop. Over the last decade, Acoustic Eidolon has toured vigorously across North America and throughout Europe. The band and its recordings have been featured on public television and radio—including NPR's All Things Considered, John Diliberto's Echoes, Woodsong's Olde Time Radio Hour and numerous radio programs. The pair also performed for the Kennedy Center's acclaimed Millennium Stage concert series, the renowned Kerrville Folk Festival and Vancouver Island MusicFest. Acoustic Eidolon earns praise from critics and passionate accolades from fans. Their live shows include their trademark instrumental pieces along with some vocal selections for extra flavor.

With a January 1999 diagnosis of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Alkire underwent chemotherapy and radiation until August of 2000. During that challenging time, their music offered a real lifeline. During the last several days of each round of chemo, when she felt the strongest, Alkire and Scott recorded tracks that resulted in their debut album, April 1999's Eidolon. Now seven albums later, Acoustic Eidolon shows no signs of slowing down. While Acoustic Eidolon's recordings attest to the band's unique sound and obvious musical talents, Scott's and Alkire's live
performances blend sophisticated playing with infectious energy and humor for an evening of exciting entertainment.

Advance tickets are on sale now for $15 ($8 for children 6-12; children 5 and under are free and childcare available). Day of show tickets are $20. Tickets may be purchased online at www.stphilipsdurham.org/stringsattached, by phone at 919-682-5708 or by mail. Checks should be made payable and sent to: Strings Attached Productions PO Box 218 Durham NC 27702. Tickets paid for in advance will be available at the “will call” table at 6:30 PM on the evening of the concert, Thursday, May 14. Call 919-682-5708 for more information. This is a Strings Attached Production; all profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM…
The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to neighbors in need. Every night, UMD provides emergency shelter for up to 150 persons without homes. Every day it serves 350-400 meals to hungry people. An additional 350-400 persons receive groceries for in-home preparation every month. And UMD’s clothing closet provides clothes to 180-220 each month. Urban Ministries of Durham strives to create a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of its guests, donors, volunteers, and staff. Visit www.umdurham.org for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HIGH-RES IMAGES AND OTHER MATERIALS, VISIT…
High-Res images of Acoustic Eidolon and concert poster: http://picasaweb.google.com/RebekahRadisch/ASAPAcousticEidolon?feat=directlink
Urban Ministries of Durham: www.umdurham.org
Acoustic Eidolon: www.acousticeidolon.com or www.myspace.com/acousticeidolon
Strings Attached/St. Philip's: www.stphilipsdurham.org

Jonah Kendall, Rector, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
919-682-5708, jonahkendall@stphilipsdurham.org
Rebekah Radisch, Strings Attached, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
919-201-1183, StringsAttachedDurham@gmail.com

A Strings Attached Production (ASAP)

—asap—

Beloved Community

2009-04-22T07:27:00.001-07:00

St. Philip’s Church Campus, Downtown Durham

First Annual

Beloved Community
Resource Fair & Picnic

SATURDAY, MAY 30,
10AM–3PM

MUSIC ♥ FOOD ♥ FRIENDSHIP

If you live, work or worship in downtown Durham, you already know there’s a divide. We’re not talking about black and white or good and evil, but of the haves and the haves-not. Those who have a home, have food to eat, and have clothing to put on each morning. And those who have little or nothing.

Today’s economic downturn is producing more and more need in our community, for both individuals and for families. And with the school year (and school lunches) ending, families living on the edge face even more pressure to get through each day in the summertime.

This resource fair and picnic will provide opportunities to give help to those in need. Opportunities to get help from a variety of service and aid institutions. And opportunities to share a meal, conversation and music with a greater part of your beloved Durham community.

Become a part of it. Please join this celebration of community and faith. Volunteers are still needed—contact Rich Ball Damberg at 919.688.4141 or damberg.rich@epa.gov.

Confirmed resource providers include Urban Ministries of Durham, Lincoln Community Health Center, Durham County Health Department, Latino Credit Union, Self Help Credit Union, and many other area churches and community organizations. There are opportunities for all to assist, even if only to welcome a stranger as you share a meal.

Give Help.
Get Help.
Find Hope.

John Gorka Concert Benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham

2009-01-31T02:48:00.001-08:00

JOHN GORKA MAKES RARE AREA APPEARANCE:
CONCERT BENEFITS URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM

Friday, February 13, 7 PM--Parish Hall, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham

"Listening to John Gorka sing his brand of folk music, one can get goose bumps all over. There are many reasons--fresh lyrics, a stunning, emotional baritone voice, his twisted humor--but to focus on one limits the experience." --Robert P. Gluck, The New York Times

Strings Attached Productions, of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, proudly presents singer/songwriter/troubadour John Gorka in a special concert benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham. This legendary singer/songwriter, famed for his smart, slightly cynical lyrics and distinctive baritone, performs a special concert benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham, Friday, February 13, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in downtown Durham.

As one of the leaders of the new folk movement, this New Jersey native launched his career playing open mic nights at coffeehouses and bars along the Eastern Seaboard. After settling in Texas, Gorka won the Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Award in 1984. Three years later he cut his debut album, I Know, for Red House Records. Recording and performing worldwide over the last two decades, Gorka remains among the most recognized voices in folk. His music is memorable and his words showcase sublime wit and character observations.

Writing in The Washington Post, music critic Richard Harrington observes that Gorka's songs, "...are notable for sharply etched character studies combining the humorous and the serious, as well as passionate social critiques." Visit http://snipurl.com/aziqw to view the four-minute official trailer for Gorka's new double DVD The Gypsy Life.

Although he tends to spend more than half the year on the road, Gorka's resisted the music cities and industry enclaves for the little town of Bethlehem, PA. The life of the traveling musician is not easy inspiring many songwriters to pen longing songs of weary road life but, ever the cynical optimist, Gorka sees bright sides to staying on the move. As he notes in The Gypsy Life, "People love you when they know you're leaving soon." And he'll indeed leave soon after his performance in Durham, Friday, February 13, at 7 PM. So don't miss this rare opportunity to experience John Gorka's lyrical poetry and memorable stories in this intimate, relaxed listening room environment. Strings Attached Concerts take place in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street (at Queen Street), in downtown Durham. Refreshments, including sweet and savory snacks and water, sodas, wine and beer from Triangle Brewing Company, will be available. Free, monitored on-site parking is provided.

Advance tickets are on sale now for $15 ($8 for children 6-12; children 5 and under are free and childcare available). Day of show tickets are $20, if available. Tickets may be purchased online at www.stphilipsdurham.org/stringsattached, by phone at 682-5708 or by mail. Checks should be made payable and sent to: Strings Attached Productions PO Box 218 Durham NC 27702. Tickets paid for in advance will be available at the “will call” table at 6:30 PM on the evening of the concert, Friday, February 13. Call 682-5708 for more information. This is a Strings Attached Production; all profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM…
The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to neighbors in need. Every night, UMD provides emergency shelter for up to 150 persons without homes. Every day it serves 350-400 meals to hungry people. An additional 350-400 persons receive groceries for in-home preparation every month. And UMD’s clothing closet provides clothes to 180-220 each month. Through its vision as a faith-based service organization recognized for excellence in serving the emergency needs of poor people, Urban Ministries of Durham strives to create a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of its guests, donors, volunteers, and staff. For more information, visit www.umdurham.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HIGH-RES IMAGES AND OTHER MATERIALS, VISIT…
High-Res Image of John Gorka and web-quality concert poster images: http://picasaweb.google.com/RebekahRadisch/ASAPGorka#
Urban Ministries of Durham: www.umdurham.org
John Gorka: www.johngorka.com or www.myspace.com/johngorka
Strings Attached/St. Philip's: www.stphilipsdurham.org

Jonah Kendall, Rector, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
919-682-5708, jonahkendall@stphilipsdurham.org
Rebekah Radisch, Strings Attached, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
919-201-1183, StringsAttachedDurham@gmail.com

A Strings Attached Production (ASAP)

—asap—

Americana Singer/Songwriter Mary Gauthier Performs Durham Shelter Benefit 10/24

2008-10-18T13:55:00.001-07:00

MARY GAUTHIER PERFORMS UMD BENEFIT CONCERT, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 7 PM

Parish Hall, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham

"No more running away. I've made up my mind to stay. I'm gonna stand my ground, stare my demons down …"
--Mary Gauthier, "I Ain't Leaving"

Pick up any Mary Gauthier CD and you'll get an idea that this is something special. Play her songs and you know it's true. Truth is what defines Gauthier. Her songs may not be autobiographical, or they may be. Regardless, you know she knows of what she sings.

Between Daylight and Dark, Gauthier's most recent recording on the well-loved Lost Highway label, finds this talented writer seeking to define and find home. This longing for home fills Gauthier's album with hope and anguish, faith and fear. Insights that resonate with us all, especially with those for whom the non-denominational Urban Ministries of Durham serves day in and night out, now for a quarter of a century.

Strings Attached Productions, of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, proudly presents Mary Gauthier in a special concert benefiting UMD on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. Like UMD's clients, Gauthier knows these places well, having traveled through a night that stretched into years, from a turbulent Louisiana childhood through odd juxtapositions of accomplishment and devastation. Her music reflects the result of one who's lived in heaven, hell and purgatory. Starting as a trickle of songs almost from the moment of her sobriety to swelling into a well-stocked stream that fed her first two self-released albums (Dixie Kitchen, Drag Queens in Limousines), an indie-label release (Filth & Fire) and her stunning Lost Highway debut (Mercy Now).

Acclaim has followed Gauthier. Mercy Now was continuously "discovered" and lauded in the two years following its release, earning mentions on a score of year end "best of" lists in '05, including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and No Depression. The album even received a benediction from Bob Dylan, who included one of its songs on a playlist for his XM Satellite Radio program.

Produced by Joe Henry, Between Daylight and Dark reflects her growth not just as a songwriter, but evolution as an artist. You have to look closely to see the difference, but it's there, like a flower pushing through rubble: an intimation of hope, a trace of sunrise in the troubled sky. It's in the understanding that even as a lover departs on "Before You Leave", Gauthier sings, "the light that used to shine behind your eyes gets brighter as you walk away".

Always been a unique lyricist, Gauthier manages to illuminate even moments of devastation and despair in beautiful hues. That gift is evident throughout Between Daylight and Dark, though her perspective has shifted somewhat. "As a writer, I'm figuring out what my job is today, in this instant," she explains, "What I did yesterday does not matter. I am more in the moment. I know instinctively when I'm onto something, and then I have to chase that feeling down until I find what it is I need to say in the song. My songwriting changes as I change, and though it's odd to admit it, I discover a lot about who I am in my songwriting. I can see how I've changed by looking back at how my songs have changed. The songs on this record are a little more fragile, a little more tender, and a lot more hopeful."

"I'll never get rid of that wild-child, going-to-jail, crazy-adolescence story," she admits. "But I've moved way past that thing. I'm ten years into songwriting. I've finished my fifth record. I've been a sober woman for a very long time, for many years longer than I wasn't. I've matured--and my writing has matured."

Gauthier offers her audiences an opportunity to glimpse and grasp the beauty of grace found. Experience her stories in this intimate, listening room setting Friday, October 24, at 7 PM. Strings Attached Concerts take place next to UMD, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 E Main at Queen Streets, in downtown Durham. Refreshments (including beer from Triangle Brewing Company) will also be available. Parking is free and monitored. This is a Strings Attached Production; all profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham.

Advance tickets are on sale now for $15 ($8 for children 6-12; younger childcare available). Day of show tickets are $20, if available. Checks should be made payable and sent to: Strings Attached Productions PO Box 218 Durham NC 27702. Tickets paid for in advance will be available at the "will call" table at 6:30 PM on the evening of the concert, September 12. Day of show tickets, if available, are $20. Call 682-5708 for more information.

New: Bring an Appetite...Durham's "OnlyBurger" Will Be Serving Up the Best Burgers & Best Fries Outside the Mary Gauthier benefit concert, Friday, 10/24!

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM…
The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to neighbors in need. Every night, UMD provides emergency shelter for up to 150 persons without homes. Every day it serves 350-400 meals to hungry people. An additional 350-400 persons receive groceries for in-home preparation every month. And UMD's clothing closet provides clothes to 180-220 each month. Through its vision as a faith-based service organization recognized for excellence in serving the emergency needs of poor people, Urban Ministries of Durham strives to create a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of its guests, donors, volunteers, and staff. For more information, visit www.umdurham.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HIGH-RES IMAGES AND OTHER MATERIALS, VISIT…
High-Res Image of Mary Gauthier and web-quality concert poster images: http://picasaweb.google.com/RebekahRadisch/ASAP#
Formatted Web Release: http://snipurl.com/40rbn
Urban Ministries of Durham: www.umdurham.org
Mary Gauthier: www.marygauthier.com or www.myspace.com/marygauthier
Strings Attached/St. Philip's: www.stphilipsdurham.org

Jonah Kendall, Rector, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
919-682-5708, jonahkendall@stphilipsdurham.org
Rebekah Radisch, Strings Attached, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
919-201-1183, StringsAttachedDurham@gmail.com

A Strings Attached Production (ASAP)

Durhamatology

2008-09-06T16:10:00.001-07:00

MICHELLE MALONE SHELTER BENEFIT CONCERT, FRIDAY, 9/12, 7 PM

2008-08-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

MICHELLE MALONE PERFORMS UMD BENEFIT CONCERT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 7 PM Parish Hall, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham

Somewhere between Lucinda Williams and Shelby Lynne comes Michelle Malone alternating between soulful ballads and rowdy, riffy blasters. —ROLLING STONE

Talented folk/blues/rock artist Michelle Malone performs a benefit for Durham's space for homeless/needy assistance, the non-denominational Urban Ministries of Durham. This special, solo acoustic show takes place Friday, September 12, at 7 PM in the Parish Hall of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street, in downtown Durham.

The names of Michelle Malone's albums nearly serve as autobiography: New Experience, Relentless, For You Not For Them, Redemption Dream, Beneath the Devil Moon, Lucky To Be Live, Strange Bird, Hello Out There, Stompin' Ground, and last year's acclaimed Sugarfoot. Certainly each release records Michelle in a place and style that builds upon her past and looks to a bright future. Before writing the revelatory songs that fill those recordings, a musical upbringing serves as testimony that Michelle Malone was born to perform. Her mom, talented pop/gospel vocalist Karyn Folmar Malone, let her tag along to shows and Michelle soaked it up. The Atlanta native considered med school while an undergrad at Agnes Scott College; deciding instead to play music—and pay her dues, sometimes calling the street home as she honed her craft.

The hard work paid off and the singer/songwriter/rock'n'roller/folk'n'blues/guitar great hit Atlanta's favorite live music haunts. With encouragement from close friends Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, the Grammy-winning Indigo Girls (and who would often invite Michelle to share the stage with them, leading some to call her "the third Indigo Girl"), Michelle soon found herself opening and headlining gigs throughout Atlanta and mid-Atlantic bars and clubs. After releasing her solo debut, New Experience, Michelle assembled the band Drag the River and started living the rock life. In the buzz generated by Georgia's many major label signings—B-52s, R.E.M., Indigo Girls, Black Crowes—it was inevitable that some big shot mogul would appear with contract in hand—quite literally. One evening, outside Atlanta's Little Five Points Pub, the limo of legendary J Records/American Idol impresario, then-Arista boss, Clive Davis screeched onto the sidewalk and the hitmaker himself signed the diminutive powerhouse on the spot.

Living a paraphrased line by one of her inspirations, Tina Turner, Michelle never did anything nice and easy. Michelle bit the major label lure and, despite promises broken, indulgences extended and excesses expected, Michelle continued creating solid songs, introspective, energetic and impressive forays into bluesy rock and tasty pop nuggets.

Michelle escaped the star making machinery and released several indie releases (the reflective pop of For You Not For Them, the sassy jazzy A Swingin' Christmas in the Attic, and hard rocking Redemption Dream with Band de Soleil). Major label level interest came again in the form of industry vet Walter Yetnikoff's highly-hyped, yet short-lived, VelVel records. Faring better than others signed to the label, Michelle's pop/rock-oriented Beneath the Devil Moon (featuring one of her most requested songs, My Green Thumb) was released and worked just before the label dissolved. Michelle returned to her independent roots with the rootsy rocker Homegrown.

But that's all last century. This century sees a newly invigorated, content Michelle Malone. Grown up but still growing, Michelle's absorbed the musical heritage of her home in the South. Nicknamed "Moanin' Malone" by blues guitarist Albert King, this talented troubadour channels the greats of Blues and Americana. Mix Bonnie Raitt's best vocals and slide licks with the best catchy pop appeal of Sheryl Crow and you'll get close to Michelle's sound.

Long a fighter for social justice, Michelle puts action into her words. Besides playing benefits and drawing attention to worthy causes, Michelle has traveled to Chiapas, Mexico, to witness the struggle of the Zapatistas; ran the Paris marathon for the Leukemia Society; biked eight weeks with Team Earth Challenge from Georgia to Nevada in protest of nuclear waste dumping at Yucca Mountain.

Michelle's earned critical claim in hundreds of national reviews and dozens of "Best Of" lists. Besides her recent appearance on the Grammy ballot, Michelle's many awards include four-time best album (Atlanta magazine), two-time best acoustic guitarist (Creative Loafing, IAC), and five-time female vocalist of the year (Creative Loafing). She's written, recorded and toured with Kristen Hall (Sugarland), Indigo Girls, John Mayer and Shawn Mullins, and performed with a range of top names—including Marsha Ball, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin, Little Feat, Albert King, Chris Whitley, Johnny Winter and ZZ Top.

Michelle's live show is not to be missed—she can make the biggest venues seem as cozy as a camp fire, and an intimate venue feel like the center of the universe. And Friday evening, September 12, promises an evening full of memorable music, talented guitar and harp, exceptional vocals and entertaining stories culled from tour veteran Michelle Malone.

Refreshments (including beer from Triangle Brewing Company) will also be available. Parking is free and monitored. This is a Strings Attached Production; all profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham. Advance tickets are on sale now for $15 ($8 for children 6-12; younger childcare available). Checks should be made payable and sent to: Strings Attached Productions PO Box 218 Durham NC 27702. Tickets paid for in advance will be available at the “will call” table at 6:30 PM on the evening of the concert, September 12. Day of show tickets, if available, are $20. Call 682-5708 for more information.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM…

The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to neighbors in need. Every night, UMD provides emergency shelter for up to 150 persons without homes. Every day it serves 350-400 meals to hungry people. An additional 350-400 persons receive groceries for in-home preparation every month. And UMD’s clothing closet provides clothes to 180-220 each month. Through its vision as a faith-based service organization recognized for excellence in serving the emergency needs of poor people, Urban Ministries of Durham strives to create a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of its guests, donors, volunteers, and staff. For more information, visit www.umdurham.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HIGH-RES IMAGES AND OTHER MATERIALS, VISIT…

Formatted press release here: http://snipurl.com/3l1sb
Event posters: JPG www.lulu.com/content/3622166
5.5x8.5 PDF http://snipurl.com/3i85d
8.5x11 PDF http://snipurl.com/3hv2z
11x17 PDF http://snipurl.com/3i85o

Urban Ministries of Durham: www.umdurham.org
Michelle Malone www.michellemalone.com or www.myspace.com/michellemalonemusic
Strings Attached/St. Philip's: www.stphilipsdurham.org

Jonah Kendall, Rector, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
919-682-5708, jonahkendall@stphilipsdurham.org
Rebekah Radisch, Strings Attached, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
919-201-1183, StringsAttachedDurham@gmail.com

A Strings Attached Production (ASAP)

—asap—

2008-07-20T09:36:00.001-07:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

"Don't mess with me, I'm from Taxes."

2008-07-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

Property taxes are coming.

After two appeals, I'm assuming we're not making any more headway on convincing Durham that our modest abode and smidgen of earth is worth as much as assessed.

While the thought of living in a $200K property appeals to my ego, or something, the reality is that our home sweet home is not worth that to anyone in today's market...or tomorrows (for at least another decade anyway).

We've done all we can do, I suppose. When last year's assessment landed, I made one of the first appointments for formal appeal. We assembled our info, primarily consisting of an approximately 6-month-old appraisal done for our refinance last fall. This was pretty nice in that it included the comparables in our neighborhood and the images of our place and the appraiser's appraisal. At the time of our refi, we were quite pleased with the number. A good appreciation from our original purchase price 7.5 years prior, but still within the sane range of possible resale.

I also printed out the Durham County Tax Office's account info for our home and those of our neighbors on either side. During my appointment, first thing on Monday, January 7, of this year, the tax man and I were each endeavoring to be very kind, calm, quiet and exceedingly polite. Not that I adhere to it very well, but I've heard well-meaning others throw out the canard about catching more bees with honey than something (salt?). Of course, I don't really like bees. Sure, I appreciate them, but I've been stung too many times before.

Hey...that kind of works. Because after gently explaining our case to the friendly tax man, in which I pointed out that:

the tax office lists our square footage as greater than actually exists,
our neighbor with the exact same floorplan received an assessment $40K below ours, and
the 83% increase over our last assessment seems a bit steep (I know, I know...the tax office doesn't care about percentage increases...but still...I find it pretty stunning),

When the re-assessment arrived the only obvious adjustment was in the corrected square footage of our house. So, instead of the $220K ($100K more than our original purchase price in 2000), the friendly folks at Durham County Tax knocked it down to $200K. By the way, the tax folks offered no rebate on the previous 7 years of overpayment for that incorrect square footage. Looks like they got taxes on $160K of cumulative overpayment.

In checking out other properties in my neighborhood, a neighborhood I walk frequently staring at the other properties while thinking about paint colors and additions and other wish list things, I noticed a possible pattern.

First the disclaimer. I am a cynical optimist (things work out, just not as you plan) and slightly paranoid and tend towards conspiracy theories--within reason. I believe Oswald acted alone and that 911 was the work of "terrists" (outside of our government), so I'm not a tin hatter.

Still, I couldn't help but notice, in sizing up the neighbors' assessments, that solo property owners received smaller assessments than dual property owners. That is, the assessment of my partner and I, both on the title, is now 20K more than our neighbor on the left (with the same floorplan, same vintage, same small acreage).

In gazing down the listings on the street and adjoining street, the pattern seems to hold.

Even the woman across the street, widowed a couple of years ago (and eligible for that 50% tax due to her age), comes in about $2K less than us--despite a house 16 years newer, with a two-car attached garage, two full baths (as compared to our 1.5) and slightly larger lot (plus she gets sunshine and we get shade, but I don't expect 'em to assess on that).

My other neighbors, on a different street than mine, have a cinder block ranch with faux stucco. Not counting whatever their new bill will be, they are currently over $8K behind on their taxes (over the last 4 years). Their house appears a shambles and their yard mostly overgrown. They don't have central air. Yet their house's assessment is some $31.4K above that of their other neighbor, a single woman in a nice ranch with decent yard and central air. Granted my neighbors do have a bonus room (like a den) stuck on the back of their ranch, as do we and our other neighbor (the single guy whose place, by the way, comes in $7K below my other neighbor's house, despite being comparable on size, land, age). I guess my neighbors on the other street will probably have their house taken by the tax office anyway, for failure to pay taxes, if they're not foreclosed on by some bank first.

Off the conspiracy theory for a sec, and on to the lack of logic these assessments make theory. The property owned by some across-the-street-and-over-a-house neighbors, nice folks, exceeds our property in the following ways:

4 bedroom (1 more than we),
2 full baths (.5 more than we),
2600 square feet of heated living space (1K more than we),
.95 acre (nearly 75% more than we)

Plus, it's a really cool mid-century modern design--a mere 3 years older than ours.

Their assessment is $207.4--only about $5K above ours!

Since no one else has a cool, spacious house like theirs around here, I can't try my single vs. double conspiracy theory on their place.

The point of all this is that I'd like an audit of the Durham County Tax Office's methods of assessment. I understand assessments/appraisals are quite subjective, but, still, it seems to me that some measure of logic should be apparent. And, to me, apparently it's not.

Walking thoughts...

2008-06-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to walk three to five mornings a week. I like to cover at least three to five miles a walk. It's a little challenging getting in much distance in my nice, little neighborhood, but it can be done. So far I've not found the perfect route, so I tend to do a new route or variation on a previous route theme with each walk. Maybe I just bore myself too easily. I map my walks on, what else, mapmywalk.com (a great and free utility for plotting walks and keeping up with one's workouts).

Sometimes I walk with my friend/neighbor/ex-coworker. She's nursing some back problems so doesn't (can't) walk as far as I do. I usually keep walking after walking her back to her place. Some days, I walk all alone and that's fine. The neighborhood's pretty safe and I know where I'm going and keep an eye out for possible trouble--plus I carry my big stick brought back from Spain. I also walk the busy roads but on stagnant summer mornings, those exhaust fumes create potential choking scenarios, in my mind anyway.

Walking allows time to observe and to think. In Spain, walking the last 120 KMs or so of the Camino de Santiago, I thought about many things and I observed much of my environment. Fellow pilgrims were kindly and respectful and supportive, throwing "Buen Camino" to each person trudging on foot, bike of horse. In Durham I find that I continue to gain an appreciation for nature--the way a flowering weed finds its way through a crack in a sidewalk, the bunny sitting statue like as I stride by, the beaver (or was it a woodchuck) shuffling back to Ellerbee Creek. What I don't appreciate in Durham, more so than in Spain, are people. My fellow citizens and their trash that accumulates nearly every step along my way.

I've seen syringes and condoms, woofers and tweeters, smashed ripped (off) CDs of Jay-Z and someone who didn't merit a Sharpie-written ID, underwear of all stripes, and the ever present parade of fast food discards. I've wondered if a trash impact fee could be assessed restaurateurs with a majority carry/take out business. Of course, how do you keep private enterprises from passing any such fees on to the consumer in the price of the items consumed? If there were a way to extract a fee for clean-up of their trash, without the consumer ultimately paying it, that would be ideal. Perhaps there could be a fast food brigade that helps clean up Durham one weekend (or two) a year?

While walking these are the kinds of thoughts I have. There is a service I utilize to remind myself of my ideas: jott.com. I set up a free account and saved the number. When I'm out and want to remember something later, I just Jott myself. In essence, I leave myself a voicemail but, this is the part I love, Jott transcribes it and emails my message to me (or to anyone I want to Jott). Given the huffing and puffing from my 3.5-ish MPH walking, it's not always as perfect as it is poetic.

Because I'm walking before Durham One Call answers the phone (919-560-1200), I'm often Jotting things to report--gang tags/graffiti, overgrown areas, the place I assumed to be a whorehouse that apparently really is a legitimate "Pleasure Tour" operator. When I check my email, I can just copy my Jotts right over to the Durham One Call report form. I'm sure the folks there see my email as the latest complaint from Miss Thrope.

The Durham One Call folks. Gosh, they seem friendly.

Lately, the bikers I've seen during my walk and during my commute around town and to the Park and back are not wearing helmets. Sure, the "pro" bikers are wearing high-tech head protection, along with those awfully unnecessary spandex racing jerseys, but these are apparently leisure bikers, and possibly those taking it up to save a few bucks on gas. Not only are they riding without helmets, they tend to ride the wrong way on a street, on sidewalks and look rather unaccustomed to handling a bike, especially amid vehicular traffic. Even advertisements are showing the "Then Came Bronson (on a Schwinn)" look. In the Brier Creek sales magazine, a happy hetero couple stand astride their bikes gazing appreciatively at one of the many Brier Creek area developments. They have no helmets anywhere. If you've ever found yourself around Brier Creek, I'd think you'd want to wear a helmet. It just seems irresponsible on the part of the Brier Creek marketers.

She looks real at home with that bike and those sandals!

Near the end of my 3.5-mile walk Friday, a white GMC Suburban gas guzzler rumbled by on Murray. Emblazoned across the top of the windshield, in rather large white letters: "REDNECK WOMAN." Of course, I had to look. The driver's window was down and, in fact, she appeared to personify a redneck woman. Chuckling, I wondered why she felt compelled to advertise such a fact. Are redneck women in demand or so rare that they need to advertise? Did she think it wasn't obvious? Is the billboard not actually redundant?

Strange Albany Street

2008-06-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

[PICTURED: Above, the house where the Indigo Dawn couple resided. Below, the house down the street in
which I lived. It was yellow back then]

News this weekend about the arrest of a couple from Albany Street. Active in local politics, the pair faces charges of rape, kidnapping and assault. The wife getting the more passive accessory charges and the husband the more active charges. She's a grad of Cornell and worked, apparently, as a research assistant at Duke. He seems a self-proclaimed "Rev." together they ran "Indigo Dawn," a spiritual biz for throwing runes, cleansing your chakras and astral projection needs, among such things. Anyway, it's surely scandalous and will do no favors for the county Democratic Party, of which the wife was the third vice chair (seem to be lots of vice chairs) as well as precinct president.

Y'know, when I lived on Albany Street, it was a sweet little neighborhood (between I-85, Guess and Watts-Hillandale proper. But it's still a strange area.

The owner of the place I lived in was a Duke-graduated MD, moving to the Pinehurst area to open a Doc-in-the-box.

I nearly didn't make my appointment to tour the house, as I was feeling feverish. Mentioning this upon my visit, Steve, the good doc, pulled out a Px pad and wrote a Px for some antibiotics (not that he examined me).

He was insistent that I should move in to his 2-bedroom, 2-bath home. I guess he was in a hurry to wrap up that loose end. I told him the price was too steep for one person and that I had no housemate in mind. He was still insistent and offered to only charge me half 'til I found a housemate. I said okay. He left behind lots of furniture in the living room (with lots of knick-knacks). He also left behind his housemate, some guy who was a hairdresser at a shop in the Brightleaf area.

I inquired about this and he said, by long distance phone in Pinehurst, that it was his way of helping me out, 'til I found a housemate of my choosing. He said the guy was cool with it and pretty much kept to himself. I was less cool, but felt stuck.

The arrangement was odd but okay. I pretty much stayed to my half of the house; the guy stayed to his half. We didn't see each other or talk much. But after a few weeks, when I got the phone bill (in my name), the dude had gotten super lonely over the holidays and spent the week I was away with family burning up the phone sex lines. I guess I'm a prude, but after plotting a line graph of his phone calls, I demanded to the owner that this guy go. So he did and I advertised for a replacement.

It was the start of a new year, and the new housemate, Sue, was breaking up from her hubby after realizing she might be gay. I think she thought I'd be some great guide into the community. Oops. I had my own life and dramas to deal with. Sue was okay, 'though...keeping mostly to herself. She was a little more earthy than I was/am/will be.

Now, in perusing property records of Albany Street today, it seems mostly rentals, with owners located elsewhere in town. Back then, we were among the few renters, and some neighbors, I think, resented it.

The older lady across Soverign Street was always complaining. Once she called the cops on me because I parked my car the wrong direction in front of my Soverign St door (to be closer to the house when I returned from my radio shift at 3 AM). I got a "warning" ticket for parking the wrong way and more than a foot from the curb (I measured and it was just a hair over 12"). Another time she called and demanded we remove dog poop from her yard. My dog Ana never got out of the house or fenced yard, but my housemate's two large breed dogs did jump the fence; however, this poop was tiny, like the old lady's miniature poodle dog's, not like two big dogs' poops. She even left a threatening anonymous note, in little old lady handwriting, about having the health department throw us in jail because we let the grass get too tall. A lawnmower did not come with the property, but we borrowed the neighbor's.

We mentioned this odd neighbor behavior to Steve, the owner. He said that when he'd lived in the house he'd briefly dated our neighbor (a single mom of a toddler girl) and they actually caught the old lady peering/peeping in the neighbor's window during a date. The not crazy neighbor confirmed this; she also confirmed that Steve was kind of weird, too.

We'd noticed some elements of odd. Besides the hard-up roomie who came with the house, and lots of Rx pads, the attic offered a trove of stuff including pix of Steve in drag. Of course, it was the '80s and boys will be boys who will be girls.

Yet, suddenly, one spring day, Steve called and evicted us with no notice, no reason. I don't even think we'd bounced any checks to him (ever victims of the trickle down effects of voodoo economics). I considered he might be homophobic and suddenly realized we were lesbians (or in poor Sue's case, a wannabe lesbian). Still, we had to be out by the end of the month. Sue and I went our separate ways. The Albany Street chapter closed.

Years later, in a schadenfreude moment, I discovered that Steve got in all sorts of trouble with the state medical board and police. His addiction to meds discovered, Steve was suspended from practice, then stripped of his license. Then, he tried to kill a male friend of his wife (hmmm...wife...that was new...I guess he married her during our eviction). He got a deal in which he served six months hard time for pleading guilty to a misdemeanor solitication to injure (I didn't realize Prayer for Judgments Continued worked for murder). The deal was structured so he could still reapply for his medical license upon completion of his time, community service and addiction treatment.

Here's the story from the Fayetteville Observer.

As I said, it's a strange area.

Good news about Durham's bad news: Kate Campbell Benefit

2008-04-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

Many media report on the bad things happening in Durham...and many of their constituents' comments reflect prejudice against the city and its people while wondering why no one's doing anything to address social ills.

Non-denominational Urban Ministries of Durham does address these issues by providing services to Durham's down and out. UMD shelters persons without homes, feeds the hungry, provides clothes, offers counseling and vocational training.

UMD's neighbors include the Durham County Main Library, WTVD and St. Philip's Episcopal Church. From its century-old site in downtown Durham, St. Philip's helped start UMD and remains committed to its work. To that end, in 2003, St. Philip's launched Strings Attached Productions, a concert series presenting top names in acoustic roots music.

After a nearly two year construction hiatus, in which St. Philip's received a much-needed expansion, the concert series returns with talented Nashville-based singer/songwriter Kate Campbell performing the UMD benefit Friday, April 18, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 408 E Main St, Durham (see www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information).

The always in-demand artist offers a perfect complement to the mission of UMD and the St. Philip's concert series. Campbell writes smart and sublime; her points deftly made with reflective reasoning rather than pugnacious preaching. From admiring everyday heroes, marveling at eccentrics, examining human rights, lamenting changing landscapes, summoning spirituality and reflecting on youthful views, Campbell's memorable melodies and insightful lyrics stay in the psyche, uplifting and inspiring long after the last song.

So, please consider responding to your constituents' demands that someone do something by reporting on the good news of UMD, St. Philip's Strings Attached Productions benefit concert series and/or Kate Campbell.

Please spread the word:
Urban Ministries of Durham Benefit Concert:
Singer/Songwriter Kate Campbell
Friday, April 18, at 7 PM
Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church
408 E Main St, Durham

Tickets $15 advance, $20 at door ($8 children 5-12; younger childcare available)
Refreshments (beer/wine/sodas/water/coffee/mini-moonpies/etc.) availabe
Free monitored parking

We appreciate the generous support of:

David Ball & Susan Chapek
Koroberi
Rick Tufts, Triangle Brewing Company

More info: www.stphilipsdurham.org

surrender shelby

2008-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

Shelby Lynne, why did you surrender to the alleged suggestion of an aging crooner with new hips? Doing an album of Dusty covers with no subtlety whatsoever required a dearth of inspiration and effort. Barry Manilow is not a good excuse. If anything, a suggestion from that overgrown beagle-boy (who more resembles a frog-face) should result in a run the other way reaction.

It's sad when folks swallow the buzz of laziness.

Feel free to compare with the creative all-gal various artists' compilation Forever Dusty.

Hopper Starters...

2008-01-10T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hoo...new set of questions:

1. (this one in from ledbelly) where did you sleep last night? (and don't say "in the pines"!)
2. why do fools fall in love
3. does anyone really know what time it is
4. where is the love?
5. can i get a witness?

Cheesa...Just to get some in the hopper:

1. What's love got to do with it?
2. How long (has this been going on)?
3. When will I see you again?
4. Can you stop the rain?
5. Who do ya love?

I will answer all same numbers at the same time.

1. Where did you sleep last night and what's love got to do with it?
In bed with G and M!

2. Why do fools fall in love and how long has this been going on?
Lack of healthy hobbies and for all time.

3. Does anybody really know what time it is and when will I see you again?
Time is a human invention so it is, of course, relative. That said, apparently some folks really know what time it is (those employed with keeping such things as Greenwich and the magic atomic clock working). I think general time creations, such as dinnertime, lunchtime, naptime and howdy doody time are more relevant than o'clock time. As for part b, I hope sooner rather than later. I do think it's time for a hike or time for a meal with you soon.

4. Where is the love and can you stop the rain?
Well, the love is all around if you want it. As for the rain, no you individually can't stop it, although you can redirect small portions of it with shields (bumbershoot-style). You collectively can stop the rain by your, and I mean our, wasteful excesses that cause global warming and greenhouse effects. Such things, judging from our historic drought, do let us stop the rain.

5. Can I get a witness and who do you love?
Yes, you are all my witnesses and with the advent of Intenetness, all the world is a witness. As for love, you know I love you all.