Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

Subject: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Hollowfox
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 06:15 PM

I was looking up something else on his website, and I saw that he is booked to perform on New Year's Eve. That's the good news for me, since I live fairly close by. The bad news is that the website didn't say when or where. I've gotten so lost in Pittsburgh that knowing the time and place might not make much of a difference, at that. It's probably part of one of those "first night" extravaganzas. There is a toll-free phone number, though: 888-744-4744. Weather permitting, I might just give it a try.

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Snuffy
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 07:43 PM

He's appearing at a folk club in Warwick on Dec 17th, dammit. Mondays is our Morris practice night, and that night is our Christmas party. But I'll sing a few of his songs to remind myself of what I'm missing.

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Marymac90
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 07:52 PM

Who's Les Barker?

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Allan C.
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:03 PM

Yeah, I thought he was the MC for "Beat the Clock" or some other game show.

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: GUEST,McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:04 PM

Don't miss him if you can avoid it.

I suspect that if he's over in the States he likely won't just be making one appearance. Drop him a email via the website and ask for details. I see he's off to New Zealand in mid-January, and than in Feb back via the States.

And here is the website for First Night in Pittsburgh. Well behind its promised schedule on its events details, I see. (Alcohol-free venues too, I note - that'll be a change from the normal Les Barker gigs back here. You really are a different country. And quite entitled to be, of course.)

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Marymac90
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:56 PM

The First Night tradition, as far as I'M aware, may have started in Boston for the New Year of 1978. If not, a good guess would be that it was started sometime during the 70's, and in New England. It was designed to be an alternate to the usual New Year's Eve celebrating in bars, etc, that revolved around imbibing as much alcohol as possible. It also gave people a chance to see short segments of various forms of entertainment, either cheaply, or for free, within walking distance from one another. The custom has spread around to other towns in other states, but I'm not sure how far outside the Northeast US it may have gotten.

Well, McGrath, I guess we're not the same old colonies that we used to be. The US is quite diverse, and there are generalizations that you can make based on the region. The Appalachian Mountains of the Southeast were settled largely by Scotch-Irish, and you will find many similiarities in the trad Appalachian culture, and that of the Scotch-Irish. They include brewing whiskey, drinking heavily, feuding among various clans, etc. Not to try to say that these generalizations hold up in ALL cases, but enough to give the region's culture a different flavor than that of some other regions.

But anyway, what I still don't know is, who is Les Barker, and why should I try to go see him?

Marymac

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: GUEST,micca at work
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 04:38 AM

MM. Have alook in the DT forum search, he has been the subject of a number of threads, and some of his lyrics are available in the DT, he is a very funny poet, songwriter, storyteller, adnd well worth the effort to se/hear, a look at his website , given above mught enlighten also. Micca
" Dachshunds with erections can't climb stairs.."

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Guessed
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 06:18 AM

Marymac90
Les Barker is a hoot, a gas, an enigma, and a poet
Perhaps a flavour of his mindset can be seen from the titles of his 50 books that usually have K9 references.
" Dachshunds with erections can't climb stairs.." - "Paws for Thought" - "Bark Odes"
Has to heard to fully appreciate.

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 10:58 AM

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it has been through a blender first."

Les Barker is the only performer I've found it physically painful to watch, because of the laughter. And he has a serious side too, but he tends to keep that for print, because it consfuses audience who are expecting it to turn funny. For a taste of both sides click here.

Not to be consused with Lex Barker who was Tarzan. I believe this has been known to happen...

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Trevor
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 11:07 AM

The bad news is that the website didn't say when or where

New Years Eve is generally around December 31st!

I concur with M of H. I last saw Les at Bridgnorth in the summer and I thought I'd ruptured something, when I started breathing again. He was pratting about with Keith Donnelly and it was one of the funniest performances I've ever seen.

Don't miss it!

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 06:07 PM

It's part of the first night thing here in PGH. I'll find out more next week. A friend of mine works for his agent. I'll be playing with him at a ceili next tuesday and ask then.

Rich

Subject: RE: Les Barker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Nov 01 - 12:21 AM

Go up to him and tell him you know Liz the Squeak and he will either a) ask if I'm there and go pale; b) run and hide; c) offer you tea and sympathy; d) tell you to tell me I owe him £5.00.

If you get the chance to buy some CD's, I'm on the one called 'A cardi and Bloke' and possibly the aforementioned 'Daschunds with erections'. I am the East London Society for People with Funny Laughs. Considering the amount of one liners and back chat he's had from me, you'd think he'd give me a commission.....

Whatever, go and see him, he is knickerwettingly funny, terribly romantic, and drinks orange squash/juice. I have a secret passion for him, though heaven only knows why, he's small, wrinkly and now wears glasses. And he was an accountant!!

Les Barker Newsletter E-mail Address(es): [e-mail]

is usually full of info.

LTS