Mr

Mr. Vague World Tour Journal
22 July 2009 GrassRoots Music Store, Ocean City, NJ
	What a fun gig. On a warm, sunny late afternoon, Mr. Vague performed at an exclusive engagement at Grassroots in Ocean City for Ocean City's 'Evenings on Asbury' weekly event. Making lovely noise with Mr. Vague this evening was The Flute Lady, Geri Rizzo ( http://www.geririzzo.com), on flute and vocals. And yes, there is magic in her flute playing. The duo was set up right in front of the new Grassroots store ( www.grassrootsmusicstore.com), on the 'Grassroots Stage'. Grassroots Music store is quickly becoming a landmark at the Jersey shore. There were friends, family, relatives, and other earthlings, all out to see the performance, making the night even more special. Geri and Mr. Vague did a set of tunes, followed by a set from 'Steve the Trumpet Dude' with 'Gibson SG Guy' on guitar, then Geri and guitarist Reed played a set of some sweet tunes, then Mr. Vague played some solo tunes, then Geri and Mr. Vague ended the evening with another set. Songs included: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood (The Beatles), Amtsterdam, One Stage Before (Al Stewart), If I Had Known (with Rob from Living Roots/Kicking Bear ( www.myspace.com/robswiftmusic) on lead guitar) (Greg Brown), Handsome Molly, Barstow (Bill Morrissey), Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller), Cheap Day Return, Mother Goose (Jethro Tull), You Can Close Your Eyes, Fire and Rain (James Taylor), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Lily of the West (Irish Traditional), Its Too Late (Carol King), From the Beginning (ELP), Beeswing (Richard Thompson), Message in a Bottle (The Police), Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), Chicken Coup Blues, Hot Cake Blues (Mr. Vague). In all, the evening was a blast, with impromptu jamming to Bach precision, with some fun music that made many an ear bone happy. And it was a pleasure to be surrounded by such fantastic musicians, and to perform with a few too. After the show, there was a little time for Corona beer and pizza. Then it was off to early sleep, in prep for 5:30am wake up, for fishing out on the vast sea of salt water.
17 May 2008 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	No rain, tornado warnings, just a beautiful, sunny Saturday evening in Waxhaw, NC. And at last Mr. Vague got to set up shop on the front porch. Pamala was working the house this evening, and a big thank you to her and friends for helping out with setups and water bottles for Mr. Vague!. Tunes this evening included Time, Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Love Canal, One Hand Clapping, Train to Nowhere, Bird with a Beak #2 (this tune played on the Guild D-50) (Mr. Vague), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Ain't Misbehavin (Fats Waller), Songs Out of Clay, Amsterdam (Al Stewart), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Take a Giant Step/Embryonic Journey medley (The Monkees/Hot Tuna), Cheap Day Return, Mother Goose (Jethro Tull), Handsome Molly, Barstow (Bill Morrissey), Cowgirl in the Sand, Tell Me Why (Neil Young), and Beeswing (Richard Thompson) Once again, the Irish Bouzouki went along for the ride in the Magic Bus, but did not get plugged in; maybe next time. A listener told Mr. Vague that is was nice to have some good 'Genuine' music, originals and covers, at Crossroads. Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, Mr. Vague enjoyed some Black Forest Pepper Ham and Swiss on Semolina, an Oatmeal Porter, and a nipper of Akavit. On the tele was a show about WWII warplanes, and a little SNL. It was a glorious evening..
26 April 2008 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	Seems like most times Mr. Vague performs here, the thunder clouds roll in. On the ride in, it did rain, and troopers had set up a checkpoint just before town. The sky still looked a bit stormy upon arrival, so gear was setup inside this great log cabin coffee shop. It was to have been a night of mostly originals, but it turned out to be a very quiet evening. Some originals were performed, including: Croquet in the Rain, Love Canal, Hot Cake Blues, along with a host of cover tunes. The Irish Bouzouki went along for the ride, but did not get plugged in; maybe next time. Tonight's coffee-keep was Jill, serving up hot mugs of glorious java. While packing the gear into the Magic Bus, the rain began to fall. And on the return ride home, the same checkpoint was still setup. Mr. Vague was wearing his Rapala hat, and a trooper commented: "You gotta be good if you're throwing a Rapala". (Mr. Vague had actually gone fishing before the gig too!) Back at the pub, it was SNL on the tele, and an oatmeal porter in the tummy. Peace.
18 April 2008 Arooji's Wine Bar, Charlotte, NC
	Thank goodness for those Kiss Stick On Nails. Mr. Vague ripped his pickin thumbnail in half opening a UPS package earlier, and those stick on thumbnails saved the day. Mr. Vague plugged in with new strings and played one 2 hour 15 minute set followed by one 1 hour and 15 minute set on this fair spring evening. Patrons sat inside and outdide too, and music was piped outside also. The first set included: Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), Heart of Saturday Night, Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Once in A Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Riki Don't Lose that Number (Steely Dan), One Stage Before, June 1934, Amsterdam, Songs Out of Clay (Al Stewart), Honey Don't (Carl Perkins), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles), Hot Cake Blues (Mr. Vague), Message in a Bottle (The Police), From the Beginning (ELP), Something in the Way She Moves, You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Bell Bottom Blues (Eric Clapton), I Try (Macy Gray), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), I Don't Believe You (Bob Dylan), Pancho and Lefty (Townes Van Zandt). Second set included: Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Cheap Day Return, Mother Goose (Jethro Tull), and Croquet in the Rain, Love Canal (Mr. Vague), In My Room (The Beach Boys). The set ended with a Beatles medley which included: Please Please Me, I'll Follow the Sun, Things We Said Today, I'm Happy Just to Dance With You (The Beatles). After the show and gear packup, Mr. Vague hung out with the marvelous Arooji's staff and sipped a Heineken. Back at the Staggering Swine, Mr. Vague enjoyed a Corona Light and some snacks, including some English Cheddar cheese. A superb evening. And for Mr. Vague trivia lovers, this was approximately the 75th gig for Mr. Vague since November 2000.
15 March 2008 Arooji's Wine Bar, Charlotte, NC
	Gosh, has it really been almost a year since the last gig? And during this time off, Mr. Vague was to have recorded tracks for a new CD. Well, about 5 tracks did get recorded, but not enough for a CD; its still on the TODO list. In any case, a splendid evening at Aroojis'. A big rainstorm all afternoon, and then the skies cleared at early evening. Joel, the host at Arooji's, was a pleasure to work with, as were the rest of the staff. Mr. Vague plugged in a played for 1.5 hours without a break to a packed house. The first set included: Handsome Molly (Bill Morrissey), Time (Tom Waits), Once in A Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), America, Homeward Bound (Simon and Garfunkel), Take a Giant Step (The Monkees), One Stage Before, Amsterdam (Al Stewart), Just Walk Away Renee (Left Bank), Message in a Bottle (The Police), I'll Follow the Sun, Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood (The Beatles), Its Too Late (Carol King), Love Canal (Mr. Vague), From the Beginning (ELP), Something in the way She Moves (James Taylor), Second set included: Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller), Croquet in the Rain (Mr. Vague), Lily of the West (Irish Traditional), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Tell Me Why, Cowgirl in the Sand (Neil Young), The Other End of the Telescope (Aimee Mann), Mother Goose (Jethro Tull), Invitation to the Blues, Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits), and many more. Also during this evening, back in Pennsylvania, the group 'Cups of Sobriety', which contains a few spoonfulls of former Mr. Vague band cohorts, was playing a gig, and they performed Love Canal (Mr. Vague). Back at the Staggering Swine, Mr. Vague took his moccasins off and relaxed with a Hop Devil Ale, some Cheddar Cheese with crackers, and SNL on the boob tube. A glorious evening.
18 July 2007 GrassRoots Books and Music, Ocean City, NJ
	GrassRoots: Mr. Vague tinkered on some guitars here a year before. The store was great then, and now it is even better, with more guitars, brands, accessories, hard to find music, and a glorious vibe. And the prices are great too. Chris, the stores owner, was there tending to customers and fielding their questions. With a guitar off the rack, MV finger picked through unplugged versions of Croquet in the Rain, One Hand Clapping, Love Canal, Hot Cake Blues (Mr. Vague), Occasional Dream (David Bowie), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), and If I Had Known (Greg Brown). Apologies for the Vagueness in the scheduling of this gig, as there were some calls from folks as to what time, day the show was to go on. Next time around, we'll make it a bit more precise. Sometime after this gig, since there was no Staggering Swine Pub to visit, Mr. Vague went fishing at the Cheech Wizard, for Striped Bass and Flounder. An incredible day, GrassRoots, music, and fishing.
7 July 2007 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	The skies had the look of rain, but in the end, no drops fell. In any case, Mr. Vague set up indoors. The Guild D-50 was back in action tonight, out of rehab, sounding and looking lovely. . The set went like this: Hedgerow (new Mr. Vague tune), Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Handsome Molly, Barstow (Bill Morrisey), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), I Don't Believe You (Bob Dylan), Just Once More (a relatively new Mr. Vague tune), Hot Cake Blues (Mr. Vague), White Squal (Stan Rogers), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Mother Goose (Jethro Tull), When the Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Love Canal (Mr. Vague), You Woke Up My Neighborhood (Billy Bragg), Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), Croquet in the Rain (Mr.. Vague), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (the Beatles, by request). There were two listeners that spoke with Mr. Vague after the performance, saying:: "It is nice to hear good music here, a lot of the performers here are ok, but you are really good guitar player and singer." A swell compliment. Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, with the tree frogs chirping outside, Mr. Vague relaxed with some homemade chicken noodle soup, pepperoni, French bread with butter, and two bottles of ale: 1) a Hop Devil, and 2) a Smooth Hoperator from Stoudts, both good beers from Pennsylvania. The Hoperator was courtesy of a few Swine friends that had visited earlier in the week: Billy Bubba, Vic the Vixter, and Steve the Engineer..thanks guys! (Bill and Vic had played in Mr. Vague bands in years past). On the tele it was The Munsters, on DVD. And the big pig 6 pounder largemouth watches us all from the wall. A glorious evening.
5 May 2007 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	And yet another stormy Saturday evening in Waxhaw. Host Renee served up a fresh steaming cup of Crossroads Coffee. And Mr. Vague served up a long set that included: Croquet in the Rain, Minuet in D, Hot Cake Blues, Stuck in these Tracks (Mr. Vague), Conversation (Joni Mitchell), Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Oz), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Lies (Stan Rogers), Mother Goose, Cheap Day Return (Jethro Tull), Barstow, Handsome Molly, These Cold Fingers (Bill Morrissey), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Found Out About You (Gin Blossoms), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), and with Oliver accompanying on congas: From the Beginning (ELP), Message in a Bottle (The Police), I Don't Believe It (Bob Dylan), Riki Don't Lose that Number (Steely Dan). All earbones were quite satisfied. Thanks for the coffee Renee. Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, Mr. Vague watched Wachovia Golf highlights on the tele, sipped some Bushmills, a pint of Dogfish India Pale Ale, while grazing on pepperoni, Cotswold Cheese, and fresh Anthony's Semolina bread. A satisfied bunker.
14 April 2007 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	Another stormy Saturday evening in Waxhaw. A great night for a cup of Joe at Cross Roads, and some glorious live music. Mr. Vague prepared no set list, so it was anything goes; a few standard tunes, a few not done in ages, and a few never done before. Where else can you find a variety of songs like this being performed? The set included:: Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Winter's Chill, Lou's Lament, Hot Cake Blues, One Hand Clapping (Mr. Vague), Conversation (Joni Mitchell), Barstow, Inside, Handsome Molly (Bill Morrissey), Found Out About You (Gin Blossoms), Things We Said Today (The Beatles), Round of Blues (Shawn Colvin), Diamonds on the Inside (Ben Harper), Somebody to Love (Jefferson Airplane), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Roads to Moscow (Al Stewart), Message in a Bottle (with Oliver providing percussion)(The Police), On the Way Home (Neil Young), Ten Feet Tall (XTC), Shoes Without Heels (Elvis Costello), The last tune of the evening was Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Wizard of Oz). Then it was time pack up the gear and head homeward through the downpour. Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, Mr. Vague watched 'US Marshalls' and sipped some Bushmills, and a few Hop Devil Ales, while nibbling on a strange assortment of grub, including: a dill pickle, soy beans from the pod, Costwold Onion and Chive Cheese (the Brits have glorious accents and cheese). A wonderful soggy evening.
17 March 2007 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	St. Patrick's Day Evening. Mr. Vague set up early. A brisk, clear evening evening, but warm and cozy in the log cabin. Mr. Vague picked through Sofa #1 (a portion of it) (Frank Zappa), One Stage Before, SoHo Needless to Say (Al Stewart), Bell Bottom Blues (Eric Clapton), Hesitation Blues (Rev. Gary Davis), Hot Cake Blues, 100,000 Deaths, Fishing Reel, Wedlock Blues (Mr. Vague), Barstow, Inside (Bill Morrissey), Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Lily of the West (Irish Trad.), Invitation to the Blues, Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Slipstream, One White Duck, Cheap Day Return (Jethro Tull), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Lies (Stan Rogers), Found Out About You (Gin Blossoms), and an instrumental version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Wizard of Oz). Renee` behind the counter was a most cordial host. Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, and being it St. Patty's, Mr. Vague enjoyed a nipper of Bushmills Black Bush from Ireland, Hop Devil Ale from Pennsylvania, and an assortment of nibble grub, including salt and pepper chips, a dill pickle, and some Vienna sausages (The sausages were not from Vienna). All this while taking in SNL. A glorious evening.
2 March 2007 Arooji's Wine Bar, Charlotte, NC
	Wow. A near full moon. And a night of firsts. First time at Arooji's, first gig at a 'wine bar', first gig in a Charlotte zip code. Steve, the owner, is the perfect gentleman, and the wait staff was very gracious too, including Jim, who helped with setting up the Vague soundstage, and another waiter that put out the tip jar! A big thanks to everyone. Mr. Vague played many song, maybe we'll list them all at a later date. In any case, it was about 3 ours of nearly non-stop tunes. Patrons were actually sitting about 4 feet in front of the Vague man as he performed. This close proximity made for a very cozy, warm and fuzzy sit on the couch and have a glass of wine musical ear bone experience. And there was a couch! Mr. Vague received more compliments on this night than any other night in recent world tour history, including 'great music', 'thank you very much for the music', 'the music was great!', 'sounded wonderful'. And the tip jar filled up fast. What was it that sent these diners into a Cabernet tizzy? Was it the wine, the food looked and smelled magnificent too...? Nahh, it was the glorious Mr. Vague music, of course. Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, Mr. Vague watched Letterman and enjoyed some Hop Devil Ale, some pretzels with Temeraire Old-Fashioned Dijon Mustard (the kind that looks like someone spilled some bird seed in it), and a nipper of Tyrconnell Irish whisky.
10 February 2007 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	A chilly winter North Carolina evening. And in town for this gig, after a 3 year hiatus, was Not So Silent Bob! With NSSB on restocking-fee bass guitar (thanks Guitar Center!) and vocals, the former duo was back in action, prepared with a set of pub tunes. And gosh, it seemed like just yesterday the boys were plucking and clucking in dimly lit corner of some Pennsylvania small town smokey tavern. The yellow pine beams were shaking in the joint. The tunes were a varied collection, some old standards and some new never before played, including: Handsome Molly (Bill Morrissey), Breath (Pink Floyd), I Love the Night (Blue Oyster Cult), If I Had Know (Greg Brown), The Wind Cries Mary (Jimi Hendrix), Curtis Lowe (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Cowgirl in the Sand (a 10 minute long version: Neil Young), Lily of the West (Iriish trad), Behind Blue Eyes (The Who), Until the End of the World (U2), Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Friend of the Devil (Grateful Dead), I Don't Believe You (Bob Dylan), Honky Tonk Woman (The Rolling Stones), Something in the Way She Moves (James Taylor), Message in a Bottle (The Police), Riki Don't Lose That Number (Steely Dan), NSSB belted out lead vocals for Barely Breathing (Duncan Sheik) and Ruby Tuesday (The Rolling Stones), while Mr. Vague soloed on You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor) and Barstow (Bill Morrissey). A big thanks to Oliver for supplying some knee-slapping percussion on several songs. After returning the guitars to a nice warm and cozy habitat, the boys ventured out to the Hickory Tavern and enjoyed some Bass Ales and all 842 giant TV screens that adorned the walls. It was a thrill for Mr. Vague, who is usually locked up in the cellar pub, with a single TV screen. In all, a glorious evening; a welcomed visit and finger-splitting jam session with NSSB. Who made the salad ?
16 December 2006 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	Mr. Vague loves to play this venue. A warmer than usual evening for December, and it was hot up in the Cross Road's 'attic', so Mr. Vague opened all the windows. Vague was feeling kinda 1960s-ish lately, so he had put together a set with a few more 60s tunes. All equipment worked perfectly this evening; there were no electro-gizmo brain stompers, forgotten cables, feedback or EQ hassles. Mr. Vague plugged in and performed one non-stop two hour set of 22 tunes. The set included: Genesis (Jefferson Airplane), Urge for Going (Joni Mitchell), Sister Morphine (Rolling Stones), Walk Away Renee` (Left Banke), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Amsterdam (Al Stewart), Beeswing (Richard Thompson), I Don't Believe You (Bob Dylan), Tom Traubert's Blues, I Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Love Canal, 100,00 Deaths, Wedlock Blues, Hot Cake Blues, Question Mark (Mr. Vague), Message in a Bottle (The Police), One White Duck (Jethro Tull), Tell Me Why (Neil Young). A large contingent of folks walked in wanting to hear some Willy and some Texas music, so Vague did a song Willy loves to sing: Pancho and Lefty (Townes Van Zandt, hes from Texas), and then You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor, Curtis Lowe (Lynryrd Skynyrd), Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith..shes from Texas), Barstow (Bill Morrissey). Back at the Staggering Swine Pub, Mr. Vague poured a few Hop Devil Ales, and nibbled on some Nachos and Picante, and some Irish Cheddar, and of course, a nipper of Black Bush, and watched some Saturday Night Live on the tele. Vague went to sleep with a smile on his face.
30 September 2006 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	A cooler than usual evening, Mr. Vague set up in the upstairs room of the coffeehouse. Behind the counter tonight was Tiffany, preparing yummy coffee drinks. After noodling with that blasted tuner and that spacey spaitial expander gadget, Mr. Vague performed one non-stop two hour set of tunes. The set included: Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), One White Duck, Mother Goose, Cheap Day Return (Jethro Tull), Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Barstow, Handsome Molly (Bill Morrissey), Something in the Way She Moves, You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Last Day of June 1934 (Al Stewart), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Time, I Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Stuck in these Tracks, Question Mark (Mr. Vague), From the Beginning (Emerson, Lake, Palmer), Round of Blues (Shawn Colvin), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Beatles), Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots), Hurt (NIN(Mr. Vague performs the Johnny Cash version)) At home, Mr. Vague relaxed in the Staggering Swine Pub with a few slices of pepperoni, some Stilchester English Cheese, a bottle of St. Teresa Ale, a nip of Black Bush, and watched The Curse of the Were Rabbit. Another glorious evening.
12 August 2006 Dilworth Coffee House, Mint Hill, NC
	Mr. Vague, just back from a 'fishing for sting-rays near-Charleston, SC beach from backwater dock' adventure, drove the van of equipment down the road again. Proprietor Colleen has a fine coffee house here, very cozy with couches and chairs and the smell of java in the air.. Mr. Vague performed two sets of music, including: Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Mother Goose, Cheap Day Return (Jethro Tull), Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Barstow, Handsome Molly (Bill Morrissey), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), Amsterdam (Al Stewart), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), One Step Up (Bruce Springsteen), Embryonic Journey (Jorma), I Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Question Mark (Mr. Vague), I've Had It (Aimee Mann). A few patrons were kind enough to tip Mr. Vague, and Mr. Vague was asked to come back and play again. At home, Mr. Vague relaxed with a Dos Equis and some Irish Cheddar Cheese. A glorious evening.
22 July 2006 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	Mr. Vague set up outside on the front porch. After a few tunes, the dark clouds rolled in from South Carolina, and the rain, thunder and lightning started. A big thanks to the folks in the audience that helped getting the equipment moved inside. After a quick re-set up, music filled the air once again. Mr. Vague played a total of 23 tunes, including: Barstow, These Cold Fingers, Handsome Molly (Bill Morrissey), Spider Web, Croquet in the Rain (Mr. Vague), Songs Out of Clay (Al Stewart), Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor), When the Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams), Mother Goose, Cheap Day Return, One White Duck ( Jethro Tull), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Don't Think Twice Its Alright (Bob Dylan), Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), Round of Blues (Shawn Colvin), One Step Up (Bruce Springsteen), Take a Giant Step/Embryonic Journey Medley (Monkeys/Hot Tuna), Sing Me Back Home (Merle Haggard), Love Ain't For Keepin (The Who), If I Had Known (Greg Brown). And coffee-keep Andrea now has a copy of the 'Vaguely Familiar' CD to play at the shop too. The ride home was a sky full of thunder and lightning, and sheets of cat and dog rain. Safely in his hobbit home, a soggy Mr. Vague relaxed with two of his favorites, a pint of ale and a small nipper of Black Bush. A glorious evening it was.
5 July 2006 GrassRoots Books and Music, Ocean City, NJ
	When you walk into this new store, you get a nice mellow Mojo vibe in your bones and being. It is located on Asbury Avenue in Ocean City, a street known for its fine shops and restaurants. Chris, the proprietor, who himself is a fine guitarist, gave Mr. Vague a tour of the store's merchandise, including guitars and accessories, vintage and collector vinyl albums, books. With a guitar right off the rack, Mr. Vague performed, as customers rolled into the store. Tunes included Love is Green (Jeff Beck), Amsterdam (Al Stewart), Ten Feet Tall (XTC), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Love Canal (Mr. Vague). If you do visit the beach there in OC, stop in GrassRoots, and tellum Mr. Vague sentcha.
22 April 2006 Cross Roads Coffeehouse, Waxhaw, NC
	Waxhaw, NC is a real small town, close to SC. A few main roads form the crossroads, and some train tracks run through town. There is a fine tack shop situated in town. And, right close to the town center is Cross Roads Coffeehouse. Its basically an old log cabin with a big front porch, an upstairs seating area, big glass jars of coffee beans inside, and that great coffee aroma. Lindsay, the proprietor of this fine establishment, said that her grandfather (?) built the place a long time ago.. How cool is that? Performers set up either upstairs or on the front porch. There were nasty thunder storms this night, so Mr. Vague set up upstairs. Being this was the first time out performing in many moons, Vague had to re-familiarize himself with many of the buttons, wires, and knobs that make the sound equipment function properly. Alas, he pervaded. The first gentleman that walks in during setup time was a fellow from, of all places, South Philadelphia. And there was also a local singer/songwriter Jesse Marshall that introduced himself during some in-between-sets-on-the-porch discussion. Two hours of tunes. All enjoyed. Surely, Mr. Vague will be back to perform here during the coming months..
26 June 2004 John and Peter's, New Hope, PA
	Vague opened with a mixed bag of goodies, including: Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), Last Day of June 1934 (Al Stewart), Cheap Day Return/One White Duck (Jethro Tull), Just Once More (Mr. Vague), Wedlock Blues (Mr. Vague), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Cosmetic World (DM), and finished with Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen). Then Barnum, with Don and with no Billy, took the stage..good stuff. After Barnum, some of Barnum, with Tom on guitar, Don on bass, wizard Jeffrey on keys, and Judy and Wild Bill on drums, played some blues, including Meat Loaf Blues.. Confused yet ? Wooeeeee. .. But it had a nice groove. This was to be one of Mr. Vague's kinda last appearances in the area, since he is goose flying south for the winter, and the rest of the seasons. A southern tour may follow, and Vague declared he will return to play another gig with Barnum at John and Peters, or somewhere up yonder. And then JOHN from John and Peter's was there too on this day, as was that massage therapist with magic fingers, Samantha. A round of beers and jiggers of Jaegermeister for all. Peace.
3 April 2004 John and Peter's, New Hope, PA
	Mr. Vague opened for local favorite's, The Barnum Effect, on this glorious Saturday in New Hope. And after it was all over, Vague and Not so Silent Bob got to sit down and relax with a cold beverage, delivered by Miss Jessica. Joining Vague's table was another local favorite, Dean Ween, Ween's wonderful guitar player, for some conversation about the old Buckingham Palace parties, etc... A fine gentleman he is, and a maker of fine music.
13 December 2003 John and Peter's, New Hope, PA
	Mr. Vague got caught in that dang Doylestown to New Hope 202 traffic again, and arrived just before showtime. The kids from The Barnum Effect had already setup their gear and got their pitcher of beer. Hey, that rhymes. Mr. Vague took the stage dressed like a second hand cowboy, and rode into a vintage mix, including: Songs Out of Clay, SoHo Needless to Say (Al Stewart), Cheap Day Return (Jethro Tull), Lou's Lament (Mr. Vague), Cowgirl in the Sand (Neil Young), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits) amoung others. Yee Haw. Then The Barnum Effect took effect, minus their leader and keyboardist A. N Notay, who had just gotten some repairs done at the people garage and was recovering from the tune-up. It was good to see him out at the show.. Barnum cooked like cowboy beans over an oak log fire..with gas. A glorious afternoon.
23 November 2003 Carolyn's 25 South, Lansdale, PA
	Mr. Vague had a blast here tonight. Great crowd. Vague fans were shaking Vague's hand, asking "where will you be playing next?". And a wide variety of new tunes were performed, all masterfully mixed by Bob the Beak, the master of the tweak, parked behind the controls of dials of his spaceship console. Vague sang like a bird, at this before thanksgiving gig, stuffing the evening with plenty of cranberries and flying pumpkin pie music...Happy Holidays
26 October 2003 Carolyn's 25 South, Lansdale, PA
	Mr. Vague cooked up a few tunes he has never performed before, such as Bowie's Space Oddity, Allman Brother's Whipping Post, as well as some Vague standards, on this rainy Sunday evening.
20 September 2003 John and Peter's, New Hope, PA
	Mr. Vague opened with wonderful lead guitarist Donnie accompaning on lead guitar. The tunes included 'One White Duck' by Jethro Tull, the Vague tunes: 'Cosmetic World', '100,000 Deaths', 'Hot Cake Blues', 'Intestinal Bubble', also 'Sister Morphine' by the Rolling Stones, 'If I Had Known' by Greg Brown, "Can't Wait to Get Off Work' by Tom Waits, and ending with 'Beeswing' by Richard Thompson. But the real kick of the evening was the group of boys and girl that took the stage next. Formerly known as 'Venus Moon and the Gas Giants', this new groove was called 'The Barnum Effect', featuring Jeffrey on keyboards/vocals, Will on drums, Airwyck on bass guitar, Bill E. Bubba on lead guitar/vocals, Venus Moon on guitar/vocals. And gosh, they had an effect on the crowd. The joint was jumping. Even Vague's feet were tapping, and all the Rolling Rock flowed, and the Nachos tasted great, and that John and Pete vibe was in the air like a paste, like butter or olive oil. And that David K at the controls made for a tasty mix. Where else can you sit so up close to the performers...? Look for 'The Barnum Effect' and Mr. Vague at John and Petes in the future. A must see.
24 August 2003 Carolyn's 25 South, Lansdale, PA
	Mr. Vague played some Neil Diamond. Bob the Beak supplied the mixing tweak. The Coconut Chicken Fingers felt good in the belly of a hungry Mr. Vague. Chef Stefan will have to get his paws on that recipe. A pleasent evening had by all.
9 August 2003 The Stottsville Inn, Pomoeroy, PA
	After being greeted by manager Colleen and gracious staff.members, Mr. Vague got down to setting up his equipment. He noticed some things had changed. This Inn has been completed renovated, updated, etc, and the pub where Vague did his thing had a nice new groove to it. The solo evening started with a few Tom Waits tunes, followed by some jazz, then some blues. The weather was monsoon-like; raining cats and dogs. Meow. Bark Bark. Warren the barkeep poured a tasty Yuengling draft to complete a splendid evening of music. Look for Mr. Vague to return to The Stottsville in the near future.
27 July 2003 Carolyn's 25 South, Lansdale, PA
	Bob the Beak supplied the mixing tweak, as Vague played on... Was that Neil Diamond at the bar, or was that Phil ? John has a glorious establishment, and pours a fine Belgium beer.
23 June 2003 Private Party, Wilmington, DE
	A motorcycle man named Crash.celebrated his 65th birthday in style with Mr. Vague parked on the porch of their villa, supplying lovely summer evening music, from jazz to snazz, to a fun bunch of guests. Great people, food, conversation, and of course, music.
13 June 2003 Chambers, Doylestown, PA
	Friday the 13th, rainy night, back again at one of Mr. Vague's favorite eateries. The main roads were all closed. But the Vagueman made it to the gig and played some tasty, spooky solo acoustic sets.
16 May 2003 Chambers, Doylestown, PA
	Matt, David, and Jason have turned this place into a fine spot. Good food, good vibe, a fun place to play for Mr. Vague. And even Wayno showed up in the wee hours to say hello. Mr. Vague and NSSB performed some good music. And there is Guiness and Harp on tap.
4 May 2003 Just Desserts Cafe, Wilmington, DE
	There were a some familiar faces at the cafe, all stopping in to hear some Mr. Vague luncfast tunes. Luncfast sounds so much nicer than brunch, and the tunes sounded fine also.
5 April 2003 The Sumney Tavern, Lansdale, PA
	With Bob the Beak doing the master tweak, the sounds were as hot as the wings. Even trumpet master David K. stopped later in the evening in to feel the vibe. Vague and NSS Bob were the masters of the music. A glorious evening, and tasty Bass Ale..
30 March 2003 Just Desserts Cafe, Wilmington, DE
	A rainy cold day, but inside it was warm and dry, and Vague sounded as good as the brunch tasted.. Hey: Vague CDs are available at these gigs!
8 February 2003 Cedar Hollow Inn, Malvern, PA
	It had snowed the day before. It was cold. But damn if that Vague music was not hot.
26 January 2003 Just Deserts Cafe, Wilmington, DE
	Owner Maria has a swell place. Good food, good coffee. The Vague man did a solo acoustic set. Look for a return visit with all originals!
16 November 2002 Film Brothers Premiere, Wilmington, DE
	Gordon, keep the films trimmed and burnin man. What a glorious evening. And to top it all off, a buffet party over a a local riverfront pub. A wonderful film...and gosh, who did some of that groovy music ??
12 October 2002 Half Moon Tavern, Kennett Square, PA
	Owner Kristin has a wonderful establishment. Good beer too! And Mr. Vague and Not So Silent Bob made the sound howl at the moon this October evening.
28 September 2002 Cedar Hollow Inn, Malvern, PA
	Barkeep Jessica was kind enough to bring Mr. Vague a sample of the Jamisons, which tasted marvelous. With both Sierra and Bass Ales on tap, the Hollow is a glorious place for that evening beverage. And the music that poured out of Mr. Vague and Not So Silent Bob was as smooth as the Jamisons.
18 September 2002 The Flying Pig Saloon, Malvern, PA
	This place was packed, and on a Wednesday night... Mr. Vague and Not So Silent Bob noticed immediately that there was Hop Devil Ale on Tap, which was a discovery of high magnitude. Once that sound got cooking, the pig started flying, and the place was airborne. The evening was topped off with an Irish tune sing along. Can you say, "lets call in sick on Thursday?"
22 August 2002 Cedar Hollow Inn, Malvern, PA
	After a bit of noodling with the local sound system, Mr. Vague and Not So Silent Bob did some noodling of their own. NSSB sang a wonderful version of The Rolling Stones' Ruby Tuesday. And even though it was Thursday, it seemed more like Saturday. Mr. Vague did not know what day it was. In any case, the barmaid said it was one of the busiest Thursdays of the summer. Was it the food or fine spirits that bought them out on this drizzly evening...nahhhhh.. it was the fine music of Mr. Vague and Not So Silent Bob, but of course.
17 August 2002 Ebenezer's Cafe, Glen Mills, PA
	Mr. Vague, on a solo acoustic leg of the tour, opened a fresh can of beans for this performance. He scooped out such tunes as Songs Out of Clay (Al Stewart), Love Canal (Mr. Vague), Beeswing (Richard Thompson), Please Please Me (The Beatles), Hot Cake Blues (Mr. Vague), Love Got in the Way (Dayna Kurtz), If I Had Known (Greg Brown), Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits), and I Can't Wait to Get of Work (Tom Waits). These fine beans were brewed slowly, and the aroma made each nosebone flare, and the sound filled each and every earbone with joy.
29 June 2002 The Stottsville Inn, Pomeroy, PA
	Mr. Vague, while driving around lost in Chester County, discovered a most scenic route. And upon arriving at the gig, found Not So Silent Bob sipping ale with Not So Silent Bob senior. The boys then provided the most scenic sounds the ears could ever hear.
08 June 2002 The Sumney Tavern, Lansdale, PA
	That glowing neon sign beamed Mr. Vague at the Sumney. A kind of Irish Pub of sorts. Good pub food, as Mr. Vague tried the wings and fries. Bob the Beak supplied the tweak on sound mixing, as Mr. Vague and NSSB plowed their way through 3 overtime Stanley Cup Hockey periods of sets. Jack at the bar supplied the boys with plenty of Bass Ales. Oh, and the music was glorious.
06 April 2002 The M-Bar at Myers Restaurant, Quakertown, PA
	Nice place, and NSSBob and Mr. Vague filled the room with good vibrations. Vague and Bob announced 'We shall return'.
20 April 2002 John and Peters, New Hope. PA
	Mr. Vague, with Not So Silent Bob, back to J&Ps for another reunion with the Gas Giants. And it was a gas...
23 March 2002 Cedar Hollow Inn, Malvern, PA
	Mr. Vague, with Not So Silent Bob, played three sets of wonderful sounds to a glorious crowd. You should have been there. At 2am, when all was quiet, the boys relaxed with a Bass Ale and a nipper of Jamison's.
16 March 2002 The Red Hill Hotel, Red Hill, PA
	Mr. Vague, with Not So Silent Bob, opened the evening with 'God Bless America', and the evening finished with NSSB leading the chorus of several traditional Irish sing-a-long tunes. Can you say spanning the globe? Three sets of Vague originals and some of those other songs. Little Ian and his folks were grooving. And, there was Yuengling on tap.
15 March 2002 Border's Books, Montgomeryville, PA
	Mr. Vague, with Not So Silent Bob, played a specially engineered set of originals and obscure cover tunes, written for a Friday evening bookstore audience. Quite frankly, these folks put their book markers in place, and boogied in the isles. Was it the java caffiene, or the stimulating music vibrations that shook the bindings of the place? Another glorious chapter in the Vague chronicles. Mr. Vague ordered a Guiness at the bar, to no avail.
16 February 2002 The Red Hill Hotel, Red Hill, PA
	Mr. Vague played 3 sets, and by the 3rd, the joint was jumping. One patron literally threw himself down in front of Mr. Vague and had to be carried away. The jury is still out, but many say it was due to the inebriating tunes that Mr. Vague plays. It was good to see Billy Bubba, Lynnie K, and A. N. Notay too.
17 November 2001 The Stottsville Inn, Pomeroy, PA
	Mr. Vague started off with a 1 1/2 hour long set, followed by a cooking 1 hour second set which made the patrons howl for more. A really cool place, and Mr. Vague was not really sure which way he turned or how he got there, but he made it. Some fine Sierra Pale Ale on tap!
04 November 2001 Beef, Beer & Bonfire Party, West of West Chester, PA
	Mr. Vague and Not So Silent Bob set up in the garden (actually, on the garden), next to a steaming hunk of grilling roast beast meat, and other fine assorted foods. Stars were out, big bonfire glowed, and there was even a beer tasting event. Some fine accompaniment from Marcy on the fiddle, and at end of the gig, an appearance by an enthusiastic beer testing man on vocals.
19 October 2001 Cedar Hollow Inn, Malvern, PA
	A glorious Friday at the Cedar Hollow Inn, where the pub was packed, pints of ale poured, and wonderful Vague sounds filled the air. Long sets of cover tunes, with a few Vaguely familiar tunes slipped into the mix, had the patrons clapping and screaming for more. Thanks to 'Not-So-Silent' Bob for his sound engineering help. After it was all over, Mr. Vague enjoyed a few pints of Bass Ale and a nipper of Tullamore Dew, just a few of the fabulous spirits and beers at this venue.
15 September 2001 John and Peter's, New Hope, PA
	It was nice to be back at a place Mr. Vague used to play regularly. New Hope was packed, and the popular New Hope band Ween had announced that they would appear at John and Peter's that night also. Starting the afternoon gig was an acoustic set with Mr. Vague, with Dr. Bob debuting on bass guitar. Then the band Venus Moon and the Gas Giants took the stage, opening with the Vague tune 'Hot Tub', with Mr. Vague on vocals. A glorious afternoon. All proceeds from this gig were donated to the Bank One Disaster Relief Fund, which matches every dollar donated.
01 September 2001 59th World Science Fiction Convention. Philadelphia, PA
	Aliens, Amish Sci Fi fans, Storm Troopers, Vulcans, Vampires all at the Marriot Hotel in Philly! An interesting day to say the least. Mr. Vague was accompanied by Lynnie K on vocals for a few tunes. Set included all Vague originals: The Vampire Tune, Pocket of Resistance, Love Canal, Hot Cake Blues, I Love Mary, Green Man, Mystic Places, Window to the Universe...
04 August 2001 Red Hill Hotel, Red Hill, PA
	This evening cooked with gas. Great crowd, great music. Mr. Vague opened for a band called the 'Gas Giants', who are led by former Mr. Vague keyboardist, the man with magic fingers, A. N. Notay. Gas Giants also feature a few other former incarnate Vague band members, including former bassist and now lightning fingers lead guitarist Billy Bubba, and bassist Airwyck. Mr. Vague's set included: Handsome Molly, Once in a Very Blue Moon, You Woke Up My Neighborhood, Amsterdam , Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots), Hot Cake Blues (Mr. Vague), Message in a Bottle, Can't Wait to Get Off Work...
06 July 2001 Ebenezer's Cafe, Glen Mills, PA
	A quiet evening, with a visit from Nor Nor. And someone asked, what music does Mr. Vague play? Here is what he played this evening: Once in a Very Blue Moon (Nanci Griffith), Handsome Molly (Bill Morrisey), Amsterdam (Al Stewart), Can't Wait to Get Off Work (Tom Waits), The Wind Cries Mary (Jimmi Hendrix), Killing the Blues (Chris Smither), Lilly of the West (Irish Trad.), Indoor Fireworks (Elvis Costello), Tangled Up in Blue (Bob Dylan), You Woke Up My Neighborhood (Billy Bragg), Message in a Bottle (The Police), I've Had It (Aimee Mann), etc...
09 June 2001 Cedar Hollow Inn, Malvern, PA
	Mr. Vague did not perform this evening because there was a double booking. ? and ? (send me an email guys so I know your names) were set up before Mr. Vague even arrived, and after the dust cleared, Mr. Vague, fine gentleman that he is, watched ? and ? perform. Cedar Hollow was kind enough supply Mr. Vague with Black and Tans, and another Vague gig in the future.
19 May 2001 The Farm Party, Wilmington, DE
	Wow! These folks know how to throw a party. Mr. Vague opened with a mix of covers and originals, followed by a Jersey Jazz Quartet (name unknown) and Montana Wildaxe. Montana does some of the best Almann Brothers and Greatful Dead covers Mr. Vague has ever heard.
18 May 2001 Ebenezer's Cafe, Glen Mills, PA
	Good Cheesecake. There was a man in the corner, possibly an alien. He was writing something down and looking bewildered at Mr. Vague.
12 May 2001 Barnes and Noble, Wilmington, DE
	Mr. Vague crossed his wires and the show started out with the loudest 900 watt bolt of feedback you could imagine. Up until that moment, you could have heard a pin drop in the place. This show was all originals, early Vague to band Vague to recent Vague. A special thanks to Phil the Mailman for being 'roadie' and 'heckler' for the evening.