Thursday is almost here!!!!

Thursdays at the Lizard Lounge in October are always special. You know it, I know it, so let's not argue about that. Ah, ah, ah....shhhhh! No arguing about that!

Now, I know we play late and God knows it takes a lot to get me out of the house, so I don't blame you for not showing up in the past, what with the Sox again holding on for dear life and playing yet another ALDS Game 5, it is a wonder anyone comes out to these special nights of physical, emotional, and musical challenge. Perhaps if we were in NY, where baseball fans have nothing but time on their hands to go out and get on with their lives, we might all be more apt to be looking for something else to do.

But what if I told you we have special guests? Like Tanya Donelly and Chris Toppin? Would that help? I should hope so. Not that I AM saying that; just hypothetically speaking. What about guitar slinger Joe Guese from the Click 5? He is a gentleman and a rockman. And you know, what about not just one, not two, not three, but perhaps the unfathomable possibility of four Janovitz boys in the house? Well, you might just say, "Bill, that sounds like it would be one expensive-ass show and we might even have to dress up for such an occasion and damn, I have nothing to wear and, on top of it, there would be no WAY I could even get into such a show, even if it were held in Foxboro Stadium, as it would sell out so fast."

Well, I agree, it will be quite popular, and sure, maybe you could tuck your shirt in. But I guarantee you it won't be expensive and, judging by the last few weeks, there might even be a table for you if you hurry and ACT NOW.

Thursday. This coming one. Lizard Lounge. Cambridge. It's special. Feel it. OK. GO!

Bill

Music, Yeah Music

Oh, you offended few and non-offended majority,

I promise now to move on to something more important than politics and whatever it is Sarah Palin is practicing. Yes, it is time to discuss music.

So all of you who come here for that (the same 5 people who showed up at my show at the Lizard Lounge, minus the two who engage in political jousting), let's talk about music. I will tell you something and then I want you to tell ME something.

Me first: Round 2 of the 6-round gladiator hootenanny at the Lizard Lounge is fast approaching this Thursday night. I will tell you that very special guests will be coming to sit in at one or more of the upcoming shows. When I say "very special," I friggin' mean it. Of course, Billy, Billy, Matt, and Philly are all special to me as well. But I mean, special to you, the "Joe Fan."

Warning to those not interested in the Sox (as I don't want to offend any more folks by straying off topic, what I know best, should stick to, etc.): SOX WIN! BEAT NAYSAYERS! GO ON TO CHALLENGE YOUNG UPSTARTS WHO WILL LIKELY FALL AT THE HANDS OF THE CHAMPS!

OK, back to music now. Me? I'm digging all kinds of stuff lately, from getting back into the Feelies (whom I was going to go see until the SOX advanced -- dang, sorry!), to the Ohio Players, to Coltrane (very much back on Lush Life), Gene Clark, Mean Creek, the Budos Band...oh man, so good. Tell me, tell me what you like.

Chart (not the music kind)

RockToBAH

I have good news and bad news. The good news is the Red Sox playoff games will not interfere this week with the inaugural show at the Lizard Lounge. The bad news is the VP debate will be happening. SO those of you who like to watch train wrecks will have to choose between our usual train wreck on stage and the other one known as Sarah Palin. I suggest you DVR the debate. which will also be linked ad nausem online. But Bill Janovitz and Crown Victoria and Friends will not be TELEVISED! You cannot DVR the visceral classic rock spectacle that is the Jano Show nor can you shut off the Jano/Aiken Debates about which song we should do next.

But I am tickled about the upcoming Lizard shows. We will have 5 of them. They will be only slightly more organized than the Toad shows. We will have more room to spread out. We will have a big acoustic component, either starting that way and building each set, or whole acoustic sets integrated into the evenings. I will write more set lists, even if skeletal. And, if elected, I promise to not take 5 minutes between songs at attempted "humor" to cover up the fact that we have no idea what to play next.

Many of the Toad shows -- given the intimacy of the place -- had people shut out on the sidewalk waiting to get in. Though there will be a nominal "fee" (no new taxes under my administration) to enter the subterranean homesick cavern club, you can rest assure that this will keep some of the riff raff out and also will have the benefit of allowing me to pay the musicians more than $12.34 each and then having to collect more in return from them for their breathtaking bar bills (no bail outs either).

So come down, one and all, starting this Thursday. Each night is special. It is like a "happening," a "be-in" and a celebration of our one-ness all at once-ness. You'll never know what you're missing, even if you are there. Guest stars, fireworks, shark acts, air shows, carnivals, feats of strength, safety demonstrations, language tutoring -- whatever you're looking for will likely be there for you. Just look within your heart. There, you found it!

Bill "Star Man" Janovitz

Fresh Video of Fresh Sounds from the New Kids and the Old Kidz

Buffalo Tom, Boston Arts Festival



Never follow kids or an animal acts. Better yet, invite them onstage.

AND MORE TOAD, and another show

hi guys

Yes, one more show at Toad Thursday, September 18. Then look for us every Thursday in October at the Lizard Lounge, all in fabulous Cambridge.

I want to announce another show, at the risk of losing more "fans" like those who defected from the mailing list back when I was right about the then-oncoming Iraq War, bemoaning the fact that an artist (yeah, me) whose music they liked had gone "political" (which really meant they disagreed with my politics). Anyway, this will be a short set on Dunster Road in Jamaica Plain, Boston, for a real street-level Obama fundraiser on Sunday, September 21. The event will also feature Jimmy Tingle, Michael Tarbox, Chris Toppin and Jim Buni, and other speakers and musicians. Jimmy has some details here: FUNRAISER

Toad Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Sept. 4 and Sept 18. The Thursdays in October at Lizard Lounge, all in Cambridge, MA. Buff Tom may show up for some songs during October.

Hope to see you at BT Sept. 12 in Columbus Park, Boston.

Weekly Gigs Resume

Bill Janovitz and Friends (Best Friends include Phil Aiken, Matt Tahaney, and Billy Beard), which was so much fun at Toad in June/July (seems like only yesterday....summer's gone, a summer song....who wrote that brilliant couplet again? Dylan? Longfellow? P Diddy?) will be picking up where we left off. We are doing Thursday Sept. 4 and Sept. 18 at Toad and then moving the whole carnival down the street to the Lizard Lounge for Thursdays in October. No more free lunch, I guess, and, unfortunately, no more asking Matt to move his bass neck whilst he's in the raptured throes of a Bill Withers tune so you can get by to use the toilet. I mean, you still can, but it might be a bit of a distracting detour for all involved.

To get you freakin' STOKED for these shows, here is one of the more originals we promise to pull out of storage, a song called "Look After Me" (scroll down for posts regarding audience recordings of past Toad shows):

And More Toad Shows

We had such a great time at the Toad June/July residency that we are carving out time for some more. The same group of musicians will be at Toad in Porter Sq. Cambridge on Thursdays Sept. 4 and Sept. 18.

I love the place partly because it is so intimate. But intimate means small and too many people had to wait on line because the place filled up too fast. Now, I know what it takes to get a 40-something ass off the couch and come out for some music. If it had been me shut outside, I would have gotten right back in the car and not come back. So I appreciate that many of you came down to take part in the evenings.

But we are looking into keeping this gig going, except moving it down the street to Toad's sister venue, the Lizard Lounge. We are probably going to do Thursdays there regularly. Stay tuned for confirmation of dates.

I hope to see you Dutch and Belgian folks this coming weekend at the festivals with Buff Tom.

For those of you in Boston, BT will be playing in Columbus Park in the North End of Boston on Sept. 12 for a Boston City Arts Festival of some sort.

Toad Recordings

Hi all,

We had a great run of shows at Toad June/July. Now we are looking forward to trying to keep it going at another venue starting at the end of the summer. I will let you know when we have it al together. In the meantime, good friends Dan and Camille recorded some of the shows and linked them at their Kitchen Door web site:

Toad Shows.

Third of Four

Thanks to all who came, thanks to those who posted comments below, and thanks for your emails.

The second Thursday at Toad was even better than the first, and there is no reason to believe that the third will bot be better, with some guests lined up and yet more new material to play.

Here are some short rough video clips, compliments of the Speca's. The unfortunate part is that I am the only one you see in them. But we have a whole group of folks up there playing.


Springsteen cover


Long Island

And a couple of articles about Toad and Billy Beard that mention the residency, past and present (click)

Toad and the Regent Theater

I have been making promises I can not keep.

Chris Toppin could not make it to last week's show. And my old buddies (of which she is one) in the erstwhile Bathing Beauties, A.K.A Show People, will not be making it to this week's show. It will be more of the Crown Vic with Billy beard on drums. We will play more songs. Last week rocked, in my opinion. We will always miss Tom Polce until his return from Hollywood Babylon. But Mr. Beard is another superb drummer. We will maybe do 3 sets, one more acoustic than the others. We play a lot of old classic rock and soul songs so all you dads should come on down as a reward to yourself. We are like Taylor Hicks. You like him, right? Soul Patrol?

Also, JUNE 27 at 8: I will be playing a set of tunes before the screening of the locally made film that I composed the score for, On Broadway at the Regent Theater in Arlington Center and hanging out afterwards for a Q&A with the director, Dave McLaughlin and producer/actor, Lance Green (and maybe some others). It will be the final big screen screening around here.

Here is one of the pieces from the film:



I leave you with a song from Aretha and the choir:

And It's On!

Celts are on tonight, yes, I know, but I thought that some of you might be into coming down to Toad, a fine pub in Porter Sq. to hear some music any of the next 4 Thursday nights, starting tonight. I will be leading/hosting a few different combos of talented musicians beginning around 9 and going late, with multiple sets of cover tunes, new and old original tunes, ill-advised improvisations, beer-sodden spoke-word ramblings (if this happens, I advise you that it will be time to go).

Tonight, I am pleased to have what will surely be the bedrock band of Billy Beard, Phil Aiken, and Matt Taheny -- joined by the opening duo of Jim Buni and Chris Toppin, who will hopefully be sticking around and joining us for many songs.

Next week, June 19, we will have most of the above group as well as a resurrected band I was fortunate to be part of, the Bathing Beauties (which morphed into a duo called the Show People). This will have Phil, Top and I, joined by Paul Kolderie and Dean Fisher.

June 26 looks to be pretty much the same as tonight, though we might have other guests joining us.

July 3 is too far in the future to ponder. But we hope you will make the leap of faith necessary and choose to remain in town for the 4th of July holiday, if for no other reason than to be part of The Magic that will surely happen on this final night. Actually, some of you are old enough to remember this same sort of Toad hootenanny 2 years ago that culminated in a late-night appearance by a True Rock Star (who does not supplement his income with a real estate gig) leading the band through a 20-minute version of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's "Cortez the Killer." I can't make any promises of such fabulousness coming down Mass. Ave. tonight, nor should you require any such promise, but like the Mass. Lottery points out, you can't win if you don't play.

Your friend,

Bill

TOAD

OK kids,

Thanks to all of you who showed up in Dublin and Barcelona last week for Buff Tom. Now it is back home for the funfest.

For, Thursday is Bill Day at Toad in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA, USA this month. I will be hosting a shambolic hootenanny from 9 - close on June 12, 19, 26 and July 3. Many covers will be played. A lot from my solo records. Some BT tunes solo maybe. And I might try out a new song or 2 that I am working on.

Here is how the core is shaping up for each:

12th -- Chris Toppin and Jim Buni will play some songs together, followed by me plus a band that is 3/4 of the old Crown Victoria -- Phil Aiken (keys), Matt Taheney (bass), and the illustrious Billy Beard who has been kind enough to agree to sit in on drums for a few of these shows. Tom Polce was lured by the siren song of Hollywood, where he has sold his soul to the corporate music syndicates. Billy is well known around town as drummer for Session Americana, Dennis Brennan Band, as well as a drummer for some big time touring artists. Most importantly, he is a great guy who knows how to play the skins.

I believe the early 7-9 show will feature the band, The Rationales.

19th -- This looks like a battle of the bands, with the remnants of ye olde bar band, the Bathing Beauties, the songs of which Chris Toppin and I resuscitated and joined up with some newer songs to complete the CD Show People. This all star lineup featured Dean Fisher on the traps, Philly on the keys, Paul Kolderie on bass, and Top and me singing, guitaring.

And the Crown Vis facsimilie will also be playing this night. It will be a steel-trap death match.

26th -- I have no idea who will be playing. We may be the same CV band, though we might have a sub-sub drummer.

July 3 -- Same as above.

If worse comes to worse, I will play a lot of stuff solo or duo or trio. And once that runs out, we will do Jimmy Buffet covers as an audition for summer resorts.

Hope you can make it to some or all of them.

bill

Buff Tom Shows and Residency for Bill

Thanks to everyone down in Australia who came out to see us. We had a great time playing and hanging out at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the festival at Meredith. Saw my first wild koala. just hanging out. Backstage at the festival. Here is a pic from my Blackberry.



Also, here is a pic of Chris and Tom enjoying a buena vista:



Lastly, a pic of my son, Will, ready to rock breakbeat style:




We have some Buffalo Tom shows coming up starting this Friday, April 18 at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA, the town where BT formed while at UMass. And, the venue is where we first performed at a folkie open mike night as the "Buffalo Tom Trio." This is true.

Next Friday, the 25th, we play the Paradise in Boston. It sold out last week. Thanks for purchasing tix early.

We are playing in Dublin at the Passenger Festival at the http://www.pod.ie/list_tripod.php on May 30, on our way to the Primavera Festival in Barcelona the next night. This, in my book, is not a bad way to spend a weekend. I don't take this sort of thing for granted.

We will also be playing fests in Belgium and Holland on a weekend in August. Check buffalotom.com for details

Finally, I have gotten back around to booking a month of Thursdays in June at Toad, Porter Sq., Cambridge, MA. Like 2 years ago, the core will be Matt and Phil from Crown Victoria, though sadly, our drummer, Tom Polce, is in LA. So it will b real revolving cast, a hootenanny, a Janon-nanny, if you will. Expected gusts include my soul sister, Chris Toppin. We wil spotlight the Show People CD which was a covert release still available on iTunes, CD Baby, etc.

If you will recall, in 2006, we had luminaries Theo Epstein and Eddie Vedder make a late night appearance for a 15-minute "Cortez the Killer," amongst other confections. Phil points out that Pearl Jam will be booked in Boston around June. As he said, "I'm just sayin'...."

Look for me on Facebook, all you "with it" kids.

Lovin' you is easy cause you're beautiful..do do do do do doooo laaaaaaaa,

Bill