November can be a beast of a month, a gnarly hole of shrinking light capable of decapitating ones disposition. Like her cranky cousin February, November serves just one purpose: to annoy.
There’s simply no bloom in her step, no arch in her heel, just the desperate sound of human bloating, cutting northern winds and dark, cold mornings.
But we aren’t going to get anywhere with that kind of attitude, now will we?
That’s why this year, instead of cowering in defeat to the month of November, I decided to push back on her by booking a steady diet of good music into the studio.
It’s really all I have in defense.
A couple months ago, I was enjoying a few pints downtown in Manchester, not necessarily searching for any new music. That night was built for rampant exaggerations and spinning white lies with my compadres.
Not introspection.
A couple pulls later, I’m thrust out of my juvenile tendencies by the voice of a 41 year old man from Nepal named Ramez Gurung, who lives in Manchester. I didn’t come to the pub to be moved other than out the backdoor by a gracious host when my bell tolls. But Ramez had me in a headlock with his rendition of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe.” I never heard it covered so splendidly. This was angelic, this was magnetic, this was a performance that transcended even the cruelest of months.
November’s growl was coming, this I knew, but if I could convince Ramez to play my radio show week one of the month, at the start of her torment — while I’m still strong — then maybe his voice would spare me a few restless hours.
Later, I found Ramez in the crowd, congratulated him on a terrific set and he agreed to fight the good fight and sing on my radio show. Ramez arrives tonight and I’ll close my eyes while he sings because he’s just that good.
But I would need more music in order to put November to the mat. Much more! I would need the sounds of the Grateful Dead! What? Did I just say that? I loathe the Grateful Dead! I’ve never been able to jive with their beehive of loyal Heads. Terrific people, no doubt. But long jams frustrate me, makes me lethargic, bored, agitated. Like November.
Still, the only saving grace in defeating November was to beat her at her own game. So, I got to me before she did and I booked a Grateful Dead cover band called Not Fade Away into the WMNH studio this Friday at 6pm, just before their show over at the Shaskeen.
Take that!
I will only ask of these talented musicians for a rebirth of sorts, something in the form of a staggering performance that not only protects me, but takes me, takes November, takes the entire studio high above Elm Street and makes the month disappear.
I hear Not Fade Away is capable of such a feat. We shall see.
So, with Ramez covering Bob and a hippy band playing hippy rock tunes, it sounds like enough to soften a majority of the blows November will land to my chin. But, no, it’s not enough. Not even close.
Time to call in the heavy hitters. Time to call in Elvis and Mighty Junior.
This reincarnation of Elvis is named Addison Chase and he leads a band called Dressed for the Occasion. I saw the band, really, for the first time in October and I was blown away. Original rock, country vibe and a stage presence that was spot on.
Chase, a Granite Stater lost to the Bay State, is a natural born band leader, like the King. He knows his strengths and bends them into a horseshoe for the bands growing audiences. His swagger and head flow is worth feeding off.
That’s why I asked Chase to play my show mid-month while he supports his new CD “Pine Tree Riot.” To put some fluff in my flow.
Finally, if you’re gonna go to war with November then you better call Mighty Junior. Junior is an old soul from Bristol, a harp blowing bluesman with the Delta on his side. Junior will deliver songs from his Holy Rolling Hymns project alongside his wife Amanda later in the month as he embarks on a new musical direction.
With a roster like that, November doesn’t stand a chance.
– Rob Azevedo
Rob Azevedo, from Manchester, has been hosting a weekly radio show called “Granite State of Mind” for the past three and a half years which showcases musicians from around New Hampshire and beyond. “Granite State of Mind” is an hour long program that features artists performing live in-studio each week, now exclusively on WKXL. Azevedo also writes a weekly music column called “Sound Check” for the Concord Monitor and hosts a monthly “Artist in the Round” style series at New England College in Concord.
