Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
LISA DENTON: Barry, let me be the first to wish you Happy Dyngus Day.
I’d be willing to bet that not only am I the first person today to tell you that but the first person ever to offer greetings for this post-Lenten bash, a Polish tradition. But apparently Dyngus Day is big in some parts, including Buffalo, N.Y., Detroit, Mich., and Cleveland, Ohio.
BARRY: I thought for a minute you had simply misspelled Doofus, but you’d hardly be the first to wish me Happy Doofus Day.
LISA: In Poland, the day is celebrated by playfully whipping wet pussy willows at friends and family.
BARRY: How else would one celebrate Dyngus Day than by playfully flagellating a family member with a wet pussy willow? I’m surprised that hasn’t caught on for other holidays.
LISA: Americans generally celebrate Dyngus Day like every other minor holiday – with food and beer.
BARRY: Could be a bad combination, beer and willows. I could see that getting out of hand quickly with some of my family.
LISA: I’ve heard “Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” Do do you think “Everybody’s Polish on Dyngus Day” will catch on?
BARRY: Maybe. One thing I do know is that Turkuaz will be at Revelry Room tomorrow night. They were at Riverbend last year. WGOW’s Jeff Styles described them as King Crimson if Bootsie Collins were playing bass. I like them a lot. Very funky in both sound and philosophy. I am kicking myself for not getting Jason Isbell tickets before it sold out. He’s great.
LISA: Those tickets went fast, from all accounts. Like people lining up for a pussy willow flogging.
Don’t forget that “Riverdance” will be at the Tivoli Theatre Tuesday through Thursday. Founder Michael Flatley isn’t in this 20th anniversary world tour, but it’s said that he could reel off 28 taps per second in the 1990s, during the heyday of the Irish dance phenomenon. I got about that many steps in once when a spider I was trying to step on scooted up my leg instead. There was also some full-throated “singing” that went along with it.
BARRY: And Jazzanooga continues its great run of shows with a Bessie Smith tribute by local perform Neshawn Bynum Calloway. She sang a little Bessie for us on Music Wednesdays awhile back. You can watch it at https://youtu.be/qZ0wvkAPQ5Y.
And Michael McCallie, a classical guitarist and teacher at McCallie School, is the next concert at Songbirds as part of the live music series. He will play there on Thursday, and then surf guitar legend Dick Dale is there on Friday. You might not know his name, but you know the song “Miserlou” upon hearing the first note.
LISA: He released his version in 1962, but The Beach Boys, The Ventures and Consider the Source all had versions. And younger fans may know it from the “Pulp Fiction” soundtrack or the sample of it in The Black Eyed Peas’ song “Pump It.”
BARRY: Museum president Johnny Smith told me the recent Kevn Kinney and California Guitar Trio shows there were almost church-like with the gleaming guitars, music and sound. It’s an intimate space and whole new experience for live music.
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.