Escape to New York

Thanks to my brother, Silky Dark, I have gained a better appreciation for New York City over the past decade. I still wouldn't call myself a "New York kind of person" but I can get around and have come to admire the tenacity and survival skills of the native New Yorker. Native, mind you. Not so much the carpetbaggers who come from afar simply to take advantage of the City.

While I've spent most of my NYC time in Brooklyn, (preferable to Manhattan) we recently found ourselves in the Times Square area... Midtown Manhattan, for a Brand New Heavies performance at BB King's Bar & Grill.

Being from Philly, it's hard to be in tourist mode wandering around Manhattan, but I tried. The Llama who lived in NYC briefly back in the day, seems to have no such hang up. Spotting this "baby" he wanted to take a picture. pretty simple request right? All over the world there are street performers dressed up in costumes offering photo-ops for donations. In Vegas you'll find an "Elvis" on every corner, or more cult oriented characters, like The Crow. The "statue" characters are some of my favorites. Most of the times, these "acts" set up on a square or a corner and attract patrons who want souvenir snapshots.

But this is New York, where wandering bands of costumed tipsters peruse around like Gypsies under the Eiffel Tower, actively soliciting funds.


On this occasion The Llama spotted this "Baby" and wanted to take a picture. He approached, asked if he could take a pic, handed over a "tip" and before I good capture the moment, a gang characters jumped into the shot... but then, they ALL wanted to be paid. Even someone who wasn't even in the picture came to me, flashed her "I work for tips" placard wanting to be tipped. I pointed to the baby. Not sure if he was tipping out his compadres, but probably not.

Manhattan: Surrounded by Tipsters... 2016 foto by KC

I likened this experience to going to a restaurant and being seated by the hostess, your order taken by a waitress, your water filled by the water boy, your food brought by a food runner, your plates removed by a busser and then getting five different bills at the end of the meal.

The Show


I don't go to concerts as a rule. I don't like crowds. Back in the day, when the Brand New Heavies debuted, I was publishing an indie music magazine so I got the promo package. This was what they were calling acid jazz and I loved it. After more than twenty years, it was a pleasure to see them perform, especially in a venue like BB King's. N'Dea Davenport's presence was honest, intimate and well polished and her back-up singer added noticeable depth to the vocals. The band, of course as tight and to me, the acid jazz sound still holds up.

Brand New Heavies at BB King's phone foto: KC

Of course, with all the drinks and good vibes circulating, we couldn't let it end without a commemorative selfie, snapped outside of the venue. No tip required.

42st street, Manhattan, Spring 2016... the after party