Can you tell me what's a national act that I can recommend for next
Summer's events?

I know Rude Boy Ska and Punk Ska. Have also seen Less Than Jake
at a fairly big indoor show. I do not much care for the more
traditional variety like The Toasters. Show bands are better.
Fast tempo and fun.

Any websites or news groups that have the current dope? (No
pun intended.)

Those are the biggies but I am likely forgetting some yet.
Then how do you break down comedians from monologists
and -- well something like Nordine does which cannot
be categorized?

Since listening to old time radio broadcasts on my public
radio by Norman Corwin and others, there seems to be a form of
broadcast poetry that is difficult to quantify.

One concept show that has been on experimental radio
nights is the work of Joe Frank. He had a series of
radio shows that are still available: conceptual art
audio dramas and, well _concepts_. My favorite example
is where Joe (on the radio) called all the people in the
US with the name Joe Frank. So there were young Joes, old
Joes, professional Joes and one Joe whose wife answered
and told Joe that Joe had just died.

That's a concept show you won't hear on Terry Gross.

Radio and spoken word have always fascinated me.

"Music...is what we like to play."

Marsha Ball plays in the New Orleans style of Professor Longhair.

I had seen her on Austin City Limits 25 years ago. But she
has been playing the area over the past couple years and
at an event called Waterfest this year.

I have been seeing anumber of Waterfest events which are held every
Thursday during the summer because a freind of mine is circulating
a bring the troops home petition at each of the events and I have
helped gather those signatures.

The first day I volunteered to get signatures from those
coming in to the Waterfest events, i asked who was playing.
I come to do this from about 30 miles away.) He sez:
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I was amzed and asked how much.
The guy told me he gets regular suplly of free passes
so I saw that show on the other events that I've done
the petitioning. A side benefit of doing important work.

He also has some sort input to the promoter and the
booking agency that gets the acts. So I am trying to
give some suggestions of acts they may not have heard
of. That's why I'm looking for headliner Ska act.

If you come up any from your kids, let me know.

mail me.