Louisville, The Rudyard Kipling, Soapbox Sirens

Photo by Mark Garfinkel

I had a great time in Louisville and would highly recommend any musician checking out the scene there. I was able to travel and perform there by the graciousness of the formidable Soapbox Sirens - a group of musicians, singers and performance artists who host musicians in Louisville finding them a place to stay and perform. The first night was a pot luck at Angie and Chet's house of Gypsy Switch and then off to the Hideaway Saloon to play with Gypsy Switch and Heather of Soapbox Sirens. Thursday was an impromptu jam session at Kri's house where I was staying, Friday was performing at Nick's workplace - Kaleidoscope which is a home for mentally retarded, and Saturday was a concert at the Rudyard Kipling with members of the Soapbox Sirens and more. The Rudyard Kipling was most likely a boarding house built in the late 19th century in the old Louisville section of town and is now a bar/restaurant and performance space. It is quite a gem, red brick very beautiful and a great feel to it. It's been in existence for about thirty years and is known in Louisville as just The Rud. I was very relaxed playing for all of these talented people I met in Louisville so it was a blast. After the gig we headed over to the Alternative Bar and caught the end of the Troubadour's set and we all sat in. It was just great the openness of the scene there.

To me Louisville reminded me a bit of New Orleans because of the way it is situated on swamp in the Ohio River basin, but was also reminiscent of Pittsburgh which is not too far off in the midwest and is where I grew up. I enjoyed waking each morning to the crescendo and decrescendo of the Locusts it was quite beautiful but maybe for the locals they don't even hear them anymore. I look forward to returning soon and I look forward to introducing everybody to the scene in New York.