M.R. Poulopoulos

Earlier today, I traveled over to the WEXT studio in Troy, NY to record a quick spot for their My EXIT program. Here’s the deal on the spot: The folks at WEXT allow an hour for a guest DJ to spin whatever their pleasure may be. This is not only a great way for the listener-supported station to directly involve their listeners, it’s also a way for listeners to connect with one another, and perhaps influence some of the programming…

DJ KTG set me up behind the mic, asked me to record a few promo lines for the show, and then I was free to fill in the talking points. DJ Dave Michaels stopped in to say hello, and seemed a little surprised that I didn’t pimp out Greenhorn in the set. As you see from the below list, I was strictly spinning tunes that have influenced and currently do influence my approach/es to songwriting (Click here for a pdf of the set list…).

I’m hoping I did these wonderfully talented people justice during the hour. I kept the chat to a minimum so I could fill the time with songs. I’m also hoping you folks tune in to hear the program, or generally tune in to WEXT to enjoy what the good folks over there spin. Check the Calendar for an update on when the spot cruises the radio waves…

Here’s the set list with artist links (NOTE: Artist – Song / Album):

1.) The Stray Birds – Birds of the Borderland / Borderland
2.) Jeffrey Foucault – Train to Jackson / Ghost Repeater
3.) Danny Schmidt – Grandpa Built Bridges / Instead the Forest Rose to Sing
4.) Danielle Miraglia – Home / Box of Troubles
5.) Kelly Joe Phelps – Plumb Line / Tunesmith Retrofit
6.) Chris Smither – Time Stands Still / Time Stands Still
7.) Mark Erelli – Everything in Ruin / Little Vigils
8.) Jill Andrews – These Words / Jill Andrews – EP
9.) Danny Schmidt – Boils Down to Blood / Make Right the Time
10.) Chris Castle – All Kinds of Time / Last Bird Home
11.) River Wheel – Hell Waiting / The Sound We Made
12.) Jeffrey Foucault – Heart to the Husk / Horse Latitudes
13.) Red Haired Strangers – Pumpkin Hollow / Hilltown Sessions
14.) Mark Erelli & Jeffrey Foucault – Wyoming Wind / Seven Curses

Let me know what you think of the set, y’all…

A while back, my good buddy, Red Haired Strangers writer, guitar-slinger and Greenhorn producer, John Rice told me he submitted a tune to Larrivée Guitars for use in a promotional video. It was an open call for tunes played on a Larrivée guitar, which John owns and plays.

After a while, John received some exciting news from John Larrivée, Jr., son of company founder, John Larrivée. The short story goes that Larrivée decided to use the Red Haired Strangers’ tune, “Pumpkin Hollow” (which you can hear, here…). Here’s Mr. Larrivée’s words: “The Red Haired Strangers are my kind of soup. I’m so glad you came forward with [the] ‘Pumpkin Hollow’ track, as it was the perfect piece I was looking for.” It’s a sweet tune, for sure…

Here’s the video:

As a side-note, I think John should get a new guitar outta this deal…

Rambled and Gambled: Luckily, the Chrysler made it back from Boston; the Berkshires, during a snow squall at 2:00 a.m., Monday in February, are unforgiving. I should have let the Sebring retire the day the mechanics called me by my first name. I have no idea where that car is now. It was probably chopped up for parts, and the frame and body are likely the size and shape of a box-spring. A few days after Boston, I lost the water pump somewhere on I-87, and the head gasket blew somewhere on I-90. Repair was worth more than the car, and it needed new tires. I totalled it by driving it. I made it to the auto-shop before the engine caught fire. Nice. I never did get the windshield wiper timing fixed. It was either frustration or amusement with those. They did whatever the hell they wanted when pressed into service.

Before I abandoned that built to fail, steel and bent wheel crap car (it only had 75k miles), and while still in Boston, I snapped some photos driving over the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge – I guess folks call it the Zakim Bridge, though others claim it’s the Tobin Bridge. I do not recommend this; Boston’s a harsh driving environment. But I wanted to share with you folks a good moment in the Sebring. Since there will be no eulogy, no epitaph, this image should do just fine:

I-93 Northbound

Below the serenity of the blue morning sky and the ordered world of concrete and cables was this chaotic rush to get to somewhere, anywhere else. Honking horns, roaring engines and general aggression. I took a friend’s advice and was the most aggressive driver on the road. New York plates ain’t the best to be sportin’. When I came up out of that tunnel, however, a moment of clarity and peace found its way through the din, and I’m grateful that the car held up long enough to bring me to it.

Hip to Have Square: I noticed a technological trend while traveling around. I saw it at a jewelry joint in Great Barrington, MA, a hand-made goods store in Shelburne Falls, MA, and an art studio/music room in Altamont, NY. From my travels, it appears that many small businesses are opting out of direct deals with the major credit card companies in favor of dealing with Square, a company that invented a card swiper that works with your smartphone (are they still called smartphones?) and/or tablet. All you do is download the free app, link it to your bank account, plug a little square card swiper that they mail you for free into your headphone jack, and presto! you now take Discover…

Square takes a higher percentage out of your sale than the major credit card companies, but it ain’t by much, there’s no monthly fee, and you’re totally mobile. If you have a back-pocket, you can carry your credit card machine. It’s pretty damn smart, and it’s certainly convenient. If you’re running a small business with relatively inexpensive products for sale, you might want to check Square out.

As you probably guessed, I saw value in the ability to accept credit cards at shows regardless of location, with the exception of certain remote locations, and signed right up. I’m still in a mostly cash business, even though I now have a little sign that shows that I accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover AND American Express. That said, I’m glad that I can offer the credit option to those folks who are out of cash, or simply don’t carry folding money.

In fact, after Saturday’s gig a young woman asked me if I accepted credit cards. I told her, “I certainly do accept credit cards,” pointing to and proud of my sign. I felt legit, pleased that I had taken this step on the business end. I whipped out the square, plugged it right into my phone, fired up the app and forgot my password… Shit.

From the Low Down: I’d like to hear a raucous chant for Spring. Louder… Thank you. This was the Winter that never was, and while we have been spared the shovel, slush and ice, I fear that the voices exalting the unseasonably warm air will turn to curse it come Summer. Seems to me that no snow pack on the mountain caps means drought in the low land when the sun climbs high. Maybe no trickling brooks along the hiking trail. Maybe a shoal where there was once safe passage. And maybe we’ll get more snow; Winter has a few more weeks to scribble his name across our calendars.

As we roll out of the chill and into the sweat, I hope that Spring will be a generous buffer, a frenzy of greeting folks out on the street or on the porch for the first time in a few months. Some warm afternoon sun and the scent of lilacs; my mother asking if the crocus are up yet (are they?). The sound of sweeping, and a pack of rubber-soled bandits hurrying along, kicking up dust and gravel. I’m hoping that Spring ditches this current, uneasy feeling, because Winter’s paid no mind to being steady and I’m ready to walk out on this cool dalliance.

As you can probably tell, I’m looking forward, and coming right up this Thursday night, I’ve got a gig at the Rose and Kettle in Cherry Valley, NY, just outside of Cooperstown. Courtney Blackwell, her lovely voice and I will head out for a night of tunes. We’ll be settling our songs in a rustic room sturdied up with bare beams, great food and a delicious selection of beer, and we’re hoping to see some of you folks out there, especially y’all who hung late with us last time we set up shop. See you there…

And on Saturday, I’ll be heading back out to Rochester for an evening at The Lovin’ Cup. They host Saturday acoustic dinner shows, and I’m looking forward to hitting up this new spot with some familiar faces. See you there…

Generally, I’ve got some fun nights of music to look forward to, both in and out of New York’s Capital Region, and I’m hoping to make a few more announcements in the near future. So let the Spring bug bite ya, and get out and say hello.

As always, folks thanks for everything. Spread the word and share the song…

- Mike

If you would like to receive the Low Down Review via email, click here, or send an email to info@mrpoulopoulos.com

Just Around Town: Sometimes just walking around town can bring you to places unfamiliar or to those with a new look. A few days ago, I headed down to lower-Madison Avenue in Albany, NY. While trekking up the hill on my way to some tasty chili at Bonobo Coffee and Espresso, I came across a neglected store-front display with a Western Pioneer theme.

The Old West on Display

As you can see, the only backdrop provided is two scenic paintings, and the figures are arranged oddly with many of them fallen, or knocked down. And yet, on a closer look, it seems as though thought and care was given to the initial presentation.

I had never seen figurines like this; they’re too big for kid play, and seem to be for modeling… They might be dolls. The scene reminded me of the documentary, Marwencol, about Mark Hogancamp’s fantasy world. Check that out…

Here’s a couple of other images I snagged:

On the Line: Monday night, as I sat down to dinner, the phone rang. Fork in my mouth, I let it ring out to voicemail. I put down the plate, hit pause on the movie and hit play on the phone. Richard Genest, owner, Moon and River Cafe, left the message: “Hey, Mike. I’m with Oliver and Charlie who say they met you at NERFA. They’re from The Stray Birds, but they’re playing with their other band, River Wheel tonight and tomorrow. Hope you can make it out.”

My dinner went cold, and I made it out for both nights. These guys are serious players, and they can craft a tune, sturdy as a barn, delicate as a rose corolla. The sound is old – guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, upright bass – but their melodies are as fresh and as right as rain. They can plunge the depths, and then ease you right up through them to enjoy the surf. Both The Stray Birds and River Wheel are strongly recommended for you folks who dig acoustic music. Man, they’re a lot of fun to listen to.

Tuesday night, we hung out late, real late. The guys introduced me to Kariki, a dice game laden with the art of bullshit. I’m carrying that game with me, and plan to introduce it to the late-night crowd here…

Wednesday morning, sluggish and heavy from little sleep, I answered the phone. Oliver was on the line, in the car, on the way to the next town. I’m going to ask that you folks stay on the line; we may have something to announce for later this year…

Norris Hauls…

From the Low Down: Sorry for the brevity, folks. I’m sitting in Stoneham, MA right now, but I wanted to drop a line before I headed out tonight. I should be getting ready for tonight’s show in Cambridge at Toad, a great spot for beer and music, I’m told, but I’m hanging with some good folks. I’ve wanted to play this room for a couple of years now, and I’m grateful to Lawrence Scudder (viola, Danielle Miraglia, “Box of Troubles”) for the invitation. I’m playing the opening set for “Truck Norris”, and as the facebook event page says, “Don’t miss this or Chuck Norris will kick you in the fucking face!”

I’ll be around Boston all weekend. I’m playing Sunday night at The Burren during their Backroom Music Series (hat-tip to Tom Bianchi, bass, Danielle Miraglia, “Box of Troubles”). I’ll be sharing the night with Tom and his friends, as well as songwriter Eric-Jon Tasker.

It’s shaping up to be a great weekend, and I’m excited to bring Greenhorn to new ears. So if you’re in Beantown this weekend, or know someone who is, send ‘em out and along for the song. We’ve already started in on the good times, and good company is always welcome.

As always, folks thanks for everything. Spread the word and share the song… I couldn’t do this without your support.

- Mike

P.S. – If you’re looking for a good laugh, I recommend this…

If you would like to receive the Low Down Review via email, click here, or send an email to info@mrpoulopoulos.com

Hey, all. This Saturday, January 28th, I’ll head over to the WEXT studio to act as Court Jester for their fifth annual fundraising concert, “The EXIT Dome.” As Court Jester, I’ll play for you folks as you walk in and get yourselves situated. I’ll also play in between stage sets over by the merch table to keep the music flowing. I’ll have copies of Greenhorn sitting on that merch table…

I’m damn pleased to say that John Rice will join me with his always wondrous string slinging, be it on slide or simply picking. It’s good fun reinventing the tunes with John. We play them different each time, and he can definitely keep the melodies fresh.

The concert itself raises funds for the continued operation of WEXT, which defies conventional radio. They’re bound to play something that you’ve never heard before, or that tasty track you haven’t heard in a while. And… no commercials, y’all. It’s listener supported, so show your support by coming out to the EXIT Dome concert, or by making a donation…

Gene – Corning, NY

Snap-Shots: This time out, I remembered to snap a few photos… Above, meet Gene. I stumbled into Gene at a coffee shop in Corning, NY. After greeting each other over the sound of the sleigh bells hung above the door, I took a couple of steps, stopped, turned and walked back to where he sat by the entrance. He looked out the window, content and seemingly relaxed behind a scowl, and then turned his attention to me quizzically.

“Can I take your picture,” I asked.

“Why?” he replied, locking into a stare.

“I like your hat.” It was a half-truth. He had such an intense, concentrated look on his face, that his eyes seemed to see beyond the here-and-now, right through me and down over the road to forever. That glare situated under his horned hat reminded me of the American Bison I saw out West. It was a strange situation, and I was compelled. Capturing his photograph became important.

He paused.

“You don’t have to smile…”

“I’m not going to.” And with that, he laughed.

Rochester is a great city for the Arts. Music, painting, sculpture, and performance… The first thing I wanted to do when I reached Rochester was to head downtown and visit Bernunzio Uptown Music. Located on the same block as the Eastman School of Music, Bernunzio’s offers a wide and diverse selection of instruments for the refined, the educated and for the collector. Well, I ain’t much of any of those, but John, the owner, tells me I have good taste. I suspect he’s the one with the good taste, and that I could throw a dart in the dark there and pin down a quality guitar.

I sat with a 1948 Gibson JS and immediately desired it. I picked and strummed it for an hour. The sound was rich, full and balanced. It was as though the wood sang, more than I played. The guys in the back-room shop had brought the action down and walked the line between playability and resonance. The sound was so natural, it seemed other-worldly. And where the guitar seemed, the price-tag was. At $6,500, I tempered my desire with as much care and deliberation as the Bernunzio luthier had tempered the wonderfully worn and comfortable fret-board.

But even the price on the ol’ Gibson JS was no match for Rev. Gary Davis’ Gibson GB-1 banjitar. John set the price for this “rare model and incredible piece of American history” at $25,000. If I had 7 or 8 extras of my car, I might be able to make a trade… I don’t. I had to hop in the one car I have and head out empty-handed, richer for the experience.

The Reverend

After a great night in Rochester and another in Montour Falls, I headed out to Angelica, NY for an unamplified set at the Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe. This is how I like to play, and the intimacy of the room satisfied. The space reverberated with pleasant timbre. When in a room like this, it’s easy to “play” with the room; I can adjust the levels simply by raising my vocals, lowering the sound of the guitar, and bringing the two of the them into complimentary pitches. No need for a soundboard… This is a room the performer can feel out. What a delight. In rooms such as these, each song has a life of its own and the energy the listeners provide fuels the performance. It’s a moving symbiosis. I forgot to sit for a meal, but I can testify that the smell of the food heightened my senses and tantalized.

Red Carpet Treatment

After the set, proprietors Don, Karen and their friend Jim and I sat for a couple hours of conversation over some cheese and wine. Simply put, these are great people, and they’re doing great things out there in Angelica, a couple of which I promised I wouldn’t divulge. I don’t want to be the jinx… But what they are doing, and it’s immediately clear, is providing the folks in and around Angelica a great spot for a meal and music. I can’t thank them enough for their hospitality and their kindness. I hope to be back in their company this upcoming summer.

After Hours Crowd, Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe, Angelica, NY

The Holiday Reason: I’ve had a great year, and have you folks to thank for it. Many (very many) of you folks have supported me at shows, shared my songs with your friends and families and hosted me in your homes and venues. I want to offer up some generosity and hand out free downloads of Greenhorn to the first five folks who reply to this email, or click on the Greenhorn CD image below (if you’re replying to this email, make sure you mention “Greenhorn Download” in the subject line).

Click the above image to reply…

If you already have a copy of Greenhorn, feel free to reply to the email. If you receive a download code, send it along to a friend or family member if you think that they will dig the songs…

From the Low Down: I’m off to Rhode Island, the Ocean State. I’ll be joining Daphne Lee Martin and Sandy Allen (members of the estimable and thoroughly entertaining Raise the Rent based in New London, CT) for a fun night of song and craft beers. Join us at Perks and Corks, in Westerly, RI. Music starts at 8:00 p.m. on Thurday, December 29th. No Cover. Tell your friends…

I’m also excited to announce that I’ll be playing the part of the Court Jester at the 2012 WEXT Exit Dome. It’s the fifth year that WEXT has put together a benefit concert featuring acts from the Albany, NY area. Guitar slinging and sound guru, John Rice will join me for the night. EXT promotes local music with both sincerity and fervor, and I am indebted to their constant support. Get your Exit Dome 5 tickets through a donation to WEXT by clicking here. It all goes down on Saturday, January 28th, with doors at 7:00 p.m. Here’s the line-up:

- Sgt. Dunbar & The Hobo Banned
- MaryLeigh & The Fauves
- The City Never Sleeps
- Mother Judge
- and more!

Lastly, John Rice and Courtney Blackwell and I will team up for what’s beginning to look like a New Year’s Day tradition. We’ll head out to Shelburne Falls, MA to play around for a couple of hours at one of my favorite spots, Mocha Maya’s. After the set, we’ll head over to Memorial Hall to catch Redbird, a collective effort from some of our favorite songwriters. There’s lots of gigs coming up, and stay tuned for some Palatypus gigs to be announced. Check the show listing below for dates and details. I hope to celebrate a new year with you folks soon.

As always, folks thanks for everything. Spread the word and share the song… I couldn’t do this without your support, y’all.

- Mike

If you would like to receive the Low Down Review via email, click here, or send an email to info@mrpoulopoulos.com

This Thursday, I’m heading out to the western part of the state for a string of three shows. I’ll be playing in Rochester, a familiar city, but in a new location, Starry Nites Cafe. This is a relaxed setting – a little tight, but certainly relaxed and intimate – situated right in the University Neighborhood. Those folks were mighty kind to me when I stopped in for a bite to eat and a coffee on a Saturday afternoon late last Spring. Good people make for a good spot.

I’m hoping to meet up with friend and songwriter, Matt Sauer who struts on the guitar for The Indras. I owe a hell of a lot of good times to Matt; he’s put me up each time I’ve gone to Rochester to play shows, and I’ve been making the trip for about two years now. Matt is housemates with Corey (also of Indras notoriety) who is one of the funniest guys I know. His perspective on the current state of live music had me wiping tears with my sleeve.

After Rochester, I’m heading down to Montour Falls, NY to meet up and play with Palatypus band-mate, Matt Durfee’s brother, Travis Durfee for a night of songs at the Harvest Cafe. It’s a dinner show, and according to their website, they offer “the best chargrilled burgers in Northern Appalachia.” Alright, I’m in… They also claim to be home to the “most Vegan friendly menu in the region.” The region, y’all.

And on Saturday, I’ll drive a bit further west to Angelica, NY for another dinner set at the Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe. Co-owner, Don, has been a most gracious host, and I’ve yet to meet the guy. He’s reached out to contacts at WRUR radio, and says that they’ll be spinning tunes off Greenhorn. Nice. Thanks, Don. Their menu impressed me, and was certainly a factor in reaching out to them. After writing with Don a few times, I’m honored that they’re having me in to play. It seems to me that they’re particular about musical acts.

So, if you feel like taking a road trip for some good food, times and tunes, hop in the car and travel with. And if you know anyone out in Western New York, make sure you tell them to head on out and to introduce themselves…

In a bit, folks…

Falling In Touch: Now that I’m sitting down to write, stomach still full and a bit dazed by Turkey Day gustational indulgences, I’m realizing just how busy I’ve been this Fall. I kept up a steady schedule of travel and shows, met some amazing musicians and songwriters, hit up delicious restaurants, and completely forgot to take pictures – not a single photograph… But, if I wasn’t playing, I was driving on the Thruway, chatting with someone about seemingly nothing, eating and drinking and laughing with them, sleeping in the guest room or on the couch, and in one case, nursing a migraine. A picture of my wincing face would have been pretty funny.

That migraine hit hard during a Saturday I spent at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Annual Conference held in Kerhonkson, NY. I intermittently passed out on the lobby couches, awoken each time by random bands of folks joining up to play a few tunes. I loved waking up that way, even though I had to squint my eyes and rub my temples – I couldn’t even think of picking up my guitar. The impromptu band would take a break, and I’d wander around the hotel for a bit, guzzling water, checking out showcases and industry exhibits until the headache forced me back down to a couch to close my eyes again. I missed all the guerilla showcases…

I ended up leaving earlier than I hoped, but not before discovering The Stray Birds from just outside Lancaster, PA, and hanging out with Chris Castle, whom I joined for a set of tunes at The Moon and River Cafe a couple of months earlier when he traveled through with the amazing Womack Family Band. Check Chris, the Womacks and the Stray Birds out; you’ll be on the right side of great music and songwriting. They’re up-and-coming, y’all, and in a big way. Chris’ latest album was recorded and produced at Levon Helm Studios, and gets a little help from The Band (no link required)…

On a cool and clear Friday evening late last month, I played the opening set for soulful and strong-thumbed songstress, Danielle Miraglia’s “Box of Troubles” CD Release Party up at the venerable Caffe Lena. She and her two sidemen on viola and bass put on a moving performance, with her tunes “Home” and “Another Round” as standouts. A friend of mine shed a tear during “Home.” No lie, Danielle is a powerful performer and talented songwriter, and is definitely worth catching if she’s traveling through your area. Here’s her schedule.

Danielle actually tipped me off to NERFA, and while I was too late in the game to snag a showcase of my own, I ended up talking time and again about house concerts while at the conference. Many of my songwriting friends and I commiserate over the dearth of listening rooms like Caffe Lena. As a dream, I’d like to someday open an acoustic listening room on Lark Street, but I’m skeptical as to whether Albany has the desire for such a venue.

In the meantime, I’ve been chatting with and learning about the folks who took the listening room idea directly to their homes. Folks across the country are hosting musicians in some of the best places to hear and experience live music, their livingrooms. As a songwriter trying to reach more ears than bodies, I’m currently attempting to incorporate as many house concerts into my schedule as possible, so if you think you’d like to hear the tunes from Greenhorn, and the new tunes I’m singing without the hassle of a noisy bar, drop me a line and we can work it out… Click the above “Concerts In Your Home” image, or click here to start a conversation…

On the Spotify: In addition to streaming my tunes on Pandora’s music genome project, you can now find me on the somewhat alternative and long-awaited in the U.S. internet streaming station, Spotify.

From what I’ve been reading and hearing from my friends, Spotify allows the listener more control over the music played. You can create and share playlists, you can listen to entire albums and artist catalogues, you can search by record labels, etc… There is also a radio feature that determines tracks based on selected genres and decades, which I think is an interesting approach to delivering a stream of music, and is a feature similar to Pandora’s service.

Personally, I’ve found Pandora very helpful for discovering new songwriters. The last LDR mentioned, Kelly Joe Phelps, and since then, Pandora delivered to me Harry Manx, Cliff Eberhardt, and Kevin Barker. I’ve dabbled a little with Spotify, but haven’t delved into its features enough to give you an opinion on the service. For now, I’m content to visit Pandora and let the tunes roll in – kinda like radio. Let me know if you try/use Spotify and share your experience. Oh, and this is apparently on the horizon…

From the Low Down: Today, Saturday, November 26th, is Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting the businesses that bring a unique cultural and economic identity to wherever you live. We have many such businesses here in New York’s Capital Region, and I’m hoping that as the holiday season begins, you venture into these shops. Capital District Local First, a non-profit dedicated to promoting the benefits of buying locally, is a helpful resource for discovering local businesses. They host a directory of local shops (I’m unsure of how current it is), so you should be able to find a bakery, accountant, mechanic, art gallery, realtor, restaurant, bookstore, etc…

Here are some music and art shops in the Capital Region that (cough, cough) just so happen to be locations where you can pick up a copy of “Greenhorn“:

- Desolation Road Studios, 182 Main St., Altamont, NY
- Last Vestige, 173 Quail St., Albany, NY
- River Street Beat Shop, 197 River St., Troy, NY

I have a number of shows coming up, including a small tour out to the western part of New York. I’m hitting up one of my favorite cities, Rochester, before a swing down into the Finger Lakes Region for a show at the Harvest Cafe in Montour Falls, and then out to Angelica for a quiet evening at the Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe. I’m pretty excited about this swing west, and hope the snow goes easy on me while I’m out in the belt. So send a prayer for good weather, and a message to those you know out that way.

I’m also excited that Matt Durfee and I will join up for that Palatypus thing we do. We’ll open for the seductive and sultry bass thumpin’ Amy LaVere on Thursday, December 1 at Valentines in Albany, NY. It’ll be our second time opening for the noir-swinging wonder from Nashville. She stunned us all with her last performance, so be sure to make it a night out next week.

One last word to the wise: keep your ears tuned to The Exit 97.7 FM / www.exit977.org on Friday, December 2 at the 5:00 p.m. hour for a big announcement… And don’t forget that you can always request my tunes and others’ tunes by clicking here to visit their request form page.

And as always, folks, thanks for everything. Spread the word and share the song…

- Mike

If you would like to receive the Low Down Review via email, click here, or send an email to info@mrpoulopoulos.com

In addition to Pandora’s internet radio and music genome music project, you can now find Greenhorn on Spotify. All the kids have been buzzing about it, and after a deluge in music submitted to the service and a subsequent delay in sorting, Greenhorn made the cut.

According to Wikipedia, Spotify “users can register either for free accounts supported by visual and radio-style advertising or for paid subscriptions without ads and with a range of extra features such as higher bitrate streams and offline access to music. A paid ‘Premium’ subscription is required to use Spotify on mobile devices.”

So go ahead folks, jump in and start splashing Greenhorn’s electric currents, and be sure to tip off your friends…

Yellowstone National Park, WY

The Summer-y: Last I wrote, I was planning out the routes for my eastbound trip from Washington. The distance between here and there is great, but the events that sandwiched themselves into the stretch of time from then to now define a turbulent summer of elation and catastrophe. Crest and trough. Standing ovation to flood water devastation. A patriarch’s death, some friends’ welcoming their son to the world. This summer was all stir and no standing.

While in Washington, I settled in for a couple of days with buddy and songwriter, Justin Stang. He set me up with a gig at the intimate, friendly and family-run Robin Hood Restaurant and Pub, in Union, WA. Chef Michael Holbein has a knack for pairing experimentation with enjoyment. The venison dish he imagined in my presence was soon on my plate. I savored each bite. A bit of butter, a dash of salt, local vegetables, handmade pasta and king crab to crown… Clean plate club, y’all.

Hood Canal, Union, WA

After my performance at the Robin Hood, which garnered a standing ovation (a first), I hit the road along I-90 towards the rising sun, paper money in my pocket and sick as a dog. My voice was gravel and buckshot and my nose was an open floodgate along the Columbia River Basin. So much for busking. Up into the Idaho Rockies in search of somewhere to lay down and sleep away the night. There was little sleep. I dozed with my head outside the tent on the outskirts of Coeur d’Alene. Same for the other side of the Continental Divide, in Bozeman, MT.

A full two days remembered like a hallucination. Coyotes on guide rails, charred tree-trunks and flush canopies, burnt stone, a hawk on a carcass, Butte’s celebrated gash in the land. A glacial valley, the track of a monstrous, slow moving serpent, snaking through Missoula. I passed the same trucks and cars for 500 miles. The sun beat down from Big Sky and I napped on the roadside.

Music derailed, vocals drenched in honey-lemon Halls, and Emergen-C in my water bottle, I detoured down into Yellowstone National Park just to see it. I fell in love with Wyoming. Yellowstone alone is worth two weeks of wandering. I had a day. I didn’t waste it, and the wild in the air roused my senses and cleared my head.

The beauty of the park is paved with bittersweet blacktop. Sure, it allows the casual observer access into one of the last of the large expanses of wildlife, but it also taints that same expanse and creates dangerous confusion for the very wildlife that the park provides sanctuary. Wolves, bear, elk and bison may be seen from the relatively safe confines of
a car’s cab, which amazes. But it also reinforces the distance we’ve placed between ourselves and the natural world. Now, you can’t just get out of your car to pet the grizzlys, but I hope to get back to Yellowstone with a back-country pass to observe them from a good distance, with bear spray at hand.

Traveling east out of the park on US Route 14, I entered the heart of Wyoming, the Shoshone National Forest, into Cody, through the Big Horn Basin and into Greybull, where I settled for a night with guitar, bourbon and fire. The next morning, I spent driving through the most solemn, beautiful country I’ve ever seen, the Big Horn National Forest. From desert canyon, to green grass and sagebrush plain, to snow packed peaks, this forest instilled in me an incomparable, unmatched serenity. Real grandeur, indelible splendor. I was truly saddened when I realized that the road wound off and out of the forest.

From the high-desert plain, through the Black Hills and onto the Great Plains I drove along. The Great Plains will set a soul to thinking, and I thought about the buffalo and wished I had been able to see the herds blanket the rolling land like a cloud shadow. More regret than nostalgia.

Bighorn National Forest, WY

Once I crossed the Missouri River, I felt the familiar bustle of the East gaining traction. I found some tasteful, energetic jazz and some equally tasteful Pappy Van Winkle’s bourbon in Sioux Falls, SD. From there, well the story sits like a memory we all have: “You’re East, young man… This is not a welcome.” I’ll go west again.

Pandora’s Vox: A few months ago, I sent Greenhorn to the internet radio service, Pandora with the hope that they’d spin some songs. If you’re unfamiliar with Pandora, it’s a music service in which you choose an artist you like, create a station with the artist as the root, and Pandora selects similar artists to play on the station. I’m guessing that most of you are familiar with Pandora, but if you want to read up on it, here’s the Wikipedia page.

After about a month of waiting, the folks over there informed me that they accepted Greenhorn… Pretty exciting. My tunes will – hopefully – play for folks all over the country with similar musical preferences. Exposure is important, and I’m hoping that Pandora exposes my songs to new ears.

You can visit my Pandora Artist/Station page, and create a station for yourself by clicking here, or by clicking the above Pandora image… I’ve been using Pandora for a while now, and have found a few artists that I now follow. Most recently, one of Courtney Blackwell’s (lovely Greenhorn harmony, and songwriter) created stations delivered us Kelly Joe Phelps, and all the jealousy and aspiration that comes with hearing him…

From the Low Down: Thanks to your folks’ generosity, the Albany Angels surpassed their fundraising goal of $6,000. That’s an impressive amount of money to raise, but the effort impressed beyond the donations. Blisters be damned, the fine ladies in the Angels then joined hundreds of people dedicated to raising awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and walked 50 miles over three days as part of the MS Challenge Walk. I am very proud to know these strong, compassionate and generous women. Here they are at the finish line:

Ketti Horton, Rhonda Smith, Andrea Lomanto,
Courtney Blackwell

I’ve recently been on the fortunate end of media coverage: a Greenhorn and performance review, both on Nippertown.com, and an interview with Schenectady Gazette‘s Live in the Clubs feature. Here’s a list of the writers with links to their written word:

- Lindsay Malachowski – Greenhorn CD Review, Nippertown.com (link)
- Brian McElhiney – Interview, Schenectady Gazette (link)
- Al Goldberg – Performance Review, Nippertown.com (link)

In addition to freelance writing, Lindsay photographs weddings, bands and adventures. Check out her additional work here…

I’ve a string of shows stretched out into December, and I’m working on adding more. I’ll be traveling quite a bit around the region. I’m particularly proud of an opening slot I secured up at Caffe Lena in Saratoga, NY on Friday, October 28. I’ll be kicking the night off for the award-winning, soulful blues songstress, Danielle Miraglia. I found her music on myspace years ago, bought it, and jumped at the chance to open for her. Hope to see you there.

As always, folks thanks for everything. Spread the word and share the song…

- Mike

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