Every Wednesday at a place called “The Basement” in Long Beach there is an entertainment that is worth the drive from wherever you are in this lower section of California. You know its always going to be a drive, right? Once you surrender to that, your options are phenomenal and “The Lightbulb Mouth Radio Hour” is a perfect example. It became shiny for me when I saw that Hannah Wehr was going to do a feature there and since I adore her and her work I went to the website to look into it. Here it is, doesn’t this look enchanting? … Lightbulb Mouth Oh, and look – Brendan’s featuring there too! Looking at the show listings, they have a great lineup planned, lots of incredible talent.
Buddy Wakefield
Colin Baines & Buddy Wakefield
You know how you get sucked in by a good graphic artist and a pretty logo and then the end result is disappointing? That happens to me all the time, I love good packaging and marketing just slays me. I’ll buy stuff from Apple just to get the box. Well, this isn’t that. When we got there a very nice man greeted us at the door, took a very small chunk of change ($6.00) and stamped our hands. Look up and there is Buddy Wakefield at a table, greeting everyone with that sparkly eyed grin that just melts you. Being an optimist with a very bad memory, I always bring my camera with me but I try to have good manners about it and ask permission (I do so hate getting yelled at). I asked Buddy if he would mind if I took his photo in general and specifically I wanted to get a photo of him with Colin. He was so far beyond gracious that he instantly got creative and said “let’s do this” and became the perfect model; he’s hot and he knows what he’s about. We made a few images and Colin bought the new CD and Buddy signed it for him.
The lighting is warm and rich and the decor is gorgeous. It is not mandatory but they do encourage cocktail attire and so most everyone is dressed nicely but not in any kind of a pretentious way so that you feel like it’s a contest, just lovely. Next thing you know Buddy and other people are asking Colin if he wants to read in the 6 poet competition. Colin was not prepared for that and so he initially declined.
They have managed to procure champagne in a can with a straw. It was a little dark and so that is as detailed as I can get on that other than to tell you that it’s a headache in a can and the straw is too short and so you’ll loose it in there right away. It is a charming novelty though and I’m sure I’ll order it again. ($5.00)
Ray Barbee
The format is that of an old time radio show. There are chairs on the stage and microphones strategically placed. Every week there is an author, a musical guest and an “informationalist”. Buddy was the author, the musician was Ray Barbee, who also happens to be a professional skateboarder and the informationalist was Wendie Wilson, a fertility expert. Ray started the show and it was magic. Up there all by himself with a guitar he filled that room, you could feel it in your soul. He played a few songs and then sat down with our host, Derrick Brown, for a bit of a chat. This is the part where you feel like you’re an audience for a radio show – funny sound effects, applause sign. Derrick gave Ray a test on skateboard terms and I’m not going to give it away because I know that we can look forward to a podcast, but I have to tell you that it was impressive and amusing.
Buddy Wakefield & Derrick Brown
Same thing with Buddy and Wendie, they did their thing and then sat in the hotseat. If you haven’t experienced Buddy Wakefield, do a YouTube search and you’ll see what I mean when I tell you that he is very talented. Live, he is not only talented but sweet and funny and incredibly charismatic. He is one of those people who light up a room just by walking into it. I did not know that I was going to write this, if I had planned on it I would have taken notes and a lot more photographs, and so we have to put up with my sketchy memory as far as what happened when. That is OK though because, as I mentioned above, I have high hopes for a podcast of the evening.
Wendie Wilson was very informative! We learned about donating eggs and sperm. For instance, if you are a man who is not that interested in having sex but you like to masturbate, you could make $5,000 a month as a donor! Wendie is very well spoken, intelligent and has a great sense of humor.
Colin Baines
Then there is a break.
After the break, Buddy did another piece and the judges scored his performance. This begins the open reading/competition between the first 6 people to sign up. By this time we had arranged to have Alexandra email one of Colin’s poems so that I could get it on the iPhone. He signed up for the reading just in time, he was #6. All 6 performers were very good but the judging and audience was a little on the brutal side. One poet got the hook! After watching that, I cannot imagine how nervous Colin must have been, it was the first time he’d read anything in a venue other than PondWater! But he did great and all things considered got a decent score from the judges. I would have passed out at the mere suggestion of it.
From what I understand there was a dance party after this but we needed to leave. We met so many nice people that night and all of the performers were interesting to talk to afterward. I can’t recommend this venue highly enough – these guys really know how to host an event and make everyone feel welcome. Well, aside from the sacrificial poet who got the hook, but I spoke to him after the show and he was a very good sport about it.
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