Michael P. Smith
October Enews
A Note from Michael
HALLOWE’EN:
Once upon a time I and everyone I knew got dressed up in costumes for Hallowe’en. We’d go door to door for free stuff and for all the adults to marvel at our outfits. In later life there’d be Hallowe’en parties and we didn’t go door to door anymore and it wasn’t nearly as exciting as getting all this free stuff and all your neighbors professing to not know who you were. And somewhere along the way I stopped taking any pleasure in getting all dressed up. Maybe it had something to do with going to a Hallowe’en party in college with nobody else (somehow) dressed up but me. There I was in this Dracula outfit, a red-lined cape & fangs etc. and man, the only one there in a costume, trying to feel cool nonetheless. That was a day that wearing any Hallowe’en costume just suddenly seemed pretty dorky to me. I felt like the coyote in the Roadrunner cartoon, standing in mid-air. What I’m getting at is that things are acceptable and fun, and then they’re not, and suddenly seeing that the status has surprisingly changed when you weren’t looking is part of becoming an adult, which I may accomplish if I get reincarnated. When folks whom I know still like getting dressed up for Hallowe’en I always think: how light-hearted of them.
Recently I shared on Facebook a photo of the Obamas, simply because I sure miss him being President, they are both clearly such lovely people, and both are so beautiful that I love to look at them. And, man, it tripped a whole political argument among my Facebook friends. I could sense they were getting into it and haven’t gone back there. I certainly will never do that again. This is a time when what people think politically will surprise you and often not in a pleasant way. Again, the coyote.
A friend of mine told me a charming story. In her town when the kids come round for Hallowe’en they say “Trick or treat! Smell my feet!” and one little boy came to her door and she prompted him with that line, and she could tell he was struggling to come up with some rejoinder equally outrageous to respond in the right spirit of things, and he said something like, “I’ll take off your underwear!” and then he had this look like, I hope that was OK? And she laughed and (she told me that) she was so glad that this little kid’s improvisation was in front of her instead of somebody who’d get offended.
So check out my October (Bradbury Time) calendar, I am working on some new and scary stuff, so don’t get offended. And if you come to my show, afterward tell me: Trick or treat! Smell my feet! OK, bye.
UPCOMING APPEARANCES
Saturday, Oct 13 at 7:00 PM
Michael Smith, solo
Wishbone North
3300 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, Il
Phone: (773) 549.2663 (restaurant)
Information: Jamie@jamieoreilly.com
Admission is $20.
Restaurant link: http://www.wishbonenorth.com/events.html
Reserve seats ahead via Jamie’s blog page.
Saturday, Oct 20, 3:00 – 6:00 PM*
Special Guest for Leopold Segedin
Retrospective Exhibition & Book Launch
Rare Nest Gallery
3433 N Kedvale
Chicago, Il
Reservations required: keith@rarenestgallery.com
Phone (708) 616-8671; www.rarenestgallery.com
The Segedin book release/exhibit, runs to Oct 21.
Michael will be part of the panel discussion Oct 20.
ST. LOUIS AREA
Friday, Nov 2 at 8:00 PM
The Focal Point
2720 Sutton Blvd
Maplewood, MO
Phone: (314) 560-2778; http://thefocalpoint.org/about/concerts/
DO YOU HAVE MICHAEL’S SONGWRITING CD?
“I wanted to make a recording that, had I heard it from someone else, would inspire me. And I think that’s what this recording is. “
Michael Talks. Part Master Class. Part Musical Memoir.
Singer/songwriter Michael P. Smith reveals the inner workings of his songwriting process, tells stories: from first song and first guitar, to the inspiration for (and secret source) of his best known song The Dutchman, and performs this song, and others, with distinctive Smithesque style. This winning recording offers a glimpse of this singular artist’s musical landscape, confirming why he remains a master in the American folk lexicon, revered the world over. This limited release available by mail order only. Order from our websites and through CD Baby.com, https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/michaelpsmith
Our page https://www.jamieoreilly.com/smith-songwriting-cd-mail/
Michael’s Enews is published by J. O’Reilly Productions
copyright 2018.
Listen to Michael sing Hey, Kid, accompanied by Leo’s paintings:
https://vimeo.com/2047978
Follow Michael on FACEBOOK!
https://www.facebook.com/michaelpsmithsongwriter/
Contact Jamie O’Reilly
Booking solo concerts, and songwriting workshops
Email: mps_booking@jamieoreilly.com
Phone 773.203.7661
