The Ramblers; Bryan Dunn @ Mercury Lounge; Patrick Thomas @ Rockwood Music Hall

The Ramblers; Bryan Dunn; Bucky Hayes
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - July 3, 2010

Patrick Thomas
@ Rockwood Music Hall
New York, NY - July 2, 2010

It was a July 4th weekend for the singers and songwriters in New York City, particularly down on the Lower East Side which last I checked still managed to churn out a snifter of class or two in a sea of clubbers and Sex and the City types.

At Rockwood on Friday, Patrick Thomas played less than an hour but handed out a set to be remembered. He proved to be an adept bar rocker the first time I saw him but this time he displayed some very deliberative, very gut-punching ballads. It must be said folks: he's a keeper.

The Ramblers have that thing. You know the thing in which a band reminds of you this and that but you can't quite name this and that because they sound like a thing all their own. Yeah that thing. Name the greats in country and rock and these guys know it but they have their own graceful spin on what's come before and it makes for a smiley time variety hour.

Alright by now you know if you read this blog you know the work of Mr. Dunn. It was another inspiring set on a New York stage that while it is not the biggest, it is the best (some say the Bowery Ballroom stage is the best and you know what? Bryan's played there too, so there). There's a new record coming. Spread the word. It's gonna be gangbusters.

Bucky Hayes can be a reminder of all things good that must come to pass. But in addition to the roots that make rock what it is, there's also in the Bucky Hayes milieu a desire for the big guitar pop solo, the wailing kind, that has bettered power pop balladry for the last 20 years. I'm a sucker for that stuff.