Monsters of Accordion 8/25 – 21 Grand, Oakland

Some friends and I went to the wharf to wander. Rich was teaching his wife the blues box, so from time to time they go to a bar in the Fisherman’s Wharf and watch the blues bands that play all day.

Papa’s Garage. Note the drink holder on the mic stand.

I got a ride to Oakland, back to Aaron’s place. We were to go on an errand for Kimric, the guest of the evening. He owns the accordion shop that is in the building that houses 21 Grand, the venue of the evening. He was at the local accordion festival and needed us to get a car airbag. All of the info given to me was piecemeal so I wasn’t sure what we were doing. We ended up at Ace Autoparts. Then, I started to figure it out. Ace was not the autoparts store I thought we were going to but an industrial yard used to build the great things of Burning Man; and Kimric is a part of the Survival Research Laboratories; and the car bag was to be used to blow up an accordion. Ace was closed.
The show may have been the best of the tour. It was packed and we all had good sets. Kimric’s accordion explosion was almost missed, but I saw it. It was quick and huge.
After the show, me and some friends went to Chicken and Waffles. It was the only place we could find open and it was the only family-style restaurant I’d been to that had a velvet rope. I hate velvet ropes but this one was worth the wait.
Speaking of Chicken, Chicken John is running for mayor of San Francisco. He’s been a good friend to travelling bands who have played his venue. He is a kind, kind man.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0OwMbc9t-o]