Our Man in Antigua

Antigua’s semi-dormant music scene is changing (for the better)…with the return of Nelson et al, there are more events than you can shake a stick at….wtf does that mean, you ask? well, the Gypsy Reel is in town…last night at The Snug, who also had an afternoon gig today…I think with Jessy Heroin…no, Heroine…dammit, spel chuck..

tonight, the Gypsy’s play at La Taverna, 8 or 9 or so…the new little hide-out for a few in the know..and Ocelot is doing a couple of events a week…Micho’s? yeah, they’re in the loop…Saturday nights are now the scene of Bobby Darling’s One Man, One Drink show and Sundays? Nelson and Wayne, 2-4 pm…Wayne? Wayne Hooper? Mr Urbane, smooth jazz singer? if so,they’re a great combination. Mercedes is playing Ocelot, usually Thursday night, 9 or so..not sure about Piano Mike’s schedule but he’s usually around when Bobby D is playing(along with Grace, Bobby D’s amazing daughter, doing the vocals..

Mateo of Casbah on hand last night, at door…what’s happened to the usually packed Ricardo’s Tabacos Y Vinos? staff turnover?

Reid C, supposedly in-country, driving in from Chicago, via Mexico….gotta have some great stories. Mike D and lady, around and about town, sampling the the various restaurants (big thumbs up on Escobar)….and I found myself in a new place(to me)..Cafe Sky….packed with Chapins at 5pm(who then left)and then swamped with gringo/turistas at 6pm…shoulder to shoulder, cameras going off, not a vacant seat on the deck…

the ongoing self-promotion aka ‘marketing’ goes on…Copia Felt will crank 25 more copies of ‘A Years’ this week, with photos…this writing/self-publishing thing is a never-ending task, btw..www.amazon.com/author/michaelsherer  et cetera..

ah! HBT says that the Cougar is running! and he wants to go on a trip! o christ…where’s the rum and the vitamins?..and yes, after a few years of dissing the local ‘futbol’ scene, I’ve given up and decided to go see ’em live, tomorrow..since the finca that I call home is about a 1/4 mile away, I get the Sunday drums/parking/etc…wtf? why not go see what it’s all about, right? it’s about two hours, I’ve been told..I can ‘do’ an hour and bail, if necessary…do they have cheerleaders?  hmmm…take camera/pen/paper for ‘interviews’..hey, what’s a Press Pass for if you can’t use it?