About once a decade, the zeitgeist reminds me why music matters.

In 1987, I thought one day I’d be attending one of Paul Simon’s famously mellow concerts at Carnegie Hall, and instead ended up blown away by this (though without the African skies above me):

Years after that, I was intrigued enough by this guy to buy some tickets to a concert…

…never knowing he can do anything, and was in the process of turning into this guy.

Both times, I think, the universe was telling me I needed to pay attention. Which is why I can’t stop thinking about my New Year’s Eve discovery, which would not have been one if I’d been paying attention to the NY Times (SIX years ago!) or watching David Lettermnn instead of Leno.

If Joe Strummer and Borat had teamed up to produce CABARET, they might have created something like Wednesday’s headliner at the Electric Factory.

But by the time Hutz’ band arrived that night, complete w/percussionists in hot pants, Rache and I had had our hearts stolen by this Dixieland klezmer band. Listen to this one over breakfast, then come out and listen to them live over vodka.