Monday, April 26, 2010

Derby to Do: James McMurtry at the Fest-a-Ville

Earlier this year when everyone and their Uncle Leo were taking sides on Team Coco and Team Leno, I couldn't have been less interested. Sure, if pressed, I would have sided with Team Coco rather than Team "Get off my lawn!" but Coco and Leno fall distant third and fourth on my list of late night personalities. I've always loved Letterman and his crazy socks. Loved him even through his disappointing sex scandal. But for the past few years, he's been #2 on my list.

I am firmly and unwaveringly on Team Fergy.

Tomorrow night at this time I will be tucked away at some restaurant or bar somewhere in Cincinnati waiting for the 730pm Craig Ferguson show at the Taft Theater. I'm so excited that whenever I think about it, I spontaneously clap.

And because I'm so excited about this show, I took a legit personal day (my first non-medical day off in eons!) on Wednesday so I could enjoy the show properly (read: have a few Manhattans afterward) and then indulge in two of the only things to like about Cincy the next day: IKEA and Trader Joe's.

But, we can't linger too too late in Cincy. After all, the best Derby Festival events are on Wednesday night: The Great Steamboat Race at 6pm and James McMurtry at the Fest-a-Ville at 7:30pm.

McMurtry probably hates that when most people mention his name, they immediately say "son of writer Larry McMurtry," but when you have serious pop culture cred like that, what can you expect? Seriously, Larry McMurtry, probably best known for writing the Pulitzer Prize winning book and best mini series of all time, Lonesome Dove, is American literary royalty. There are probably people who go see James McMurtry shows just to see what Larry's offspring sounds like.

I wonder if the younger McMurtry has ever had a beer and bitch session with Jakob Dylan?

Anyway, like Jakob Dylan, James McMurtry ain't no Brooke Hogan. He's a genuinely talented singer-songwriter who's been putting out decent to great Texas Rock/Americana records for more than two decades. Entertainment Weekly (which faithful readers know is one of Mama's weaknesses) called him "the truest, fiercest voice of his generation." (If EW says it, it must be true.)

Tennessee singer-songwriter, Will Hoge, is opening up for McMurtry. Hoge played at Waterfront Wednesday in August 2009-- the Waterfront Wednesday that ranks at #1 on the list of "most sorry that I missed" (it's a short list, kids. Mama don't miss WW very often) so I am super-psyched to get a second chance to check him out.

The Steamboat Race, Hoge, and McMurtry can all be yours for the low, low price of one Pegasus pin. Gotta love this town!

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