Frolic!

It's time again for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden New Years Family Frolic with the Ululating Mummies. It looks like it's going to be beautiful weather for the processional to the hill roll.

The frolicing is from 2 until 5. The Mummies play 2:30 until 4:30, with the the random countdown to New Years and processional at the end of the first set... 3:30 ish? The Monkey Butt chorus will be near the beginning of the first set.

And you may stay after 5 and walk through the gardens to view the Gardenfest of Lights!

The Huja's 50th Wedding Anniversary

Music, Beer and other Masculine Pursuits

video Doug Hayes

Unhappy Hour Poe Museum

photo Charles Sugg

photo Charles Sugg

photo Charle Sugg

video Karen Sokhol

Bolly Belly Ballyhoo

Happy Lucky Combo with dancers Khalima, Kaitlyn, Johara and Cattleya. This is a PARTY after a day of bellydance and bollywood workshops. It's open to the public. Admission is $5. Doors open @ 10:30. Show starts @ 11:00.

After the floor show, Happy Lucky will play a couple of polkas for Oktoberfest and then DJ Carlito will spin Bollywood dance music.

Come Get Some Lovin'

Happy Lucky kicks off their "Come Get Some Lovin'" tour at Crossroads, 3600 Forest Hill Ave., Richmond VA, on Sept. 16, from 8-10PM. This will be the only show on the tour.

Happy Lucky will be performing as a trio. It is rumored that Nick Lewis may bring by his clarinet.

The following day Dave will be MCing the 43rd St Festival of the Arts in the afternoon. He's bringing his ukulele and bagpipes. Use that information as you see fit.

Pippin and Barry will be in Maryland with the Gourd Orchestra.

Sunday Barry performs with Khalima at Balliceaux for the Bellydance Brunch, noon till 2pm.

Next Wed. Sept. 21 Happy Lucky plays at Sabot School for an outdoor concert open to the public, @ 5:30 pm. Bring a picnic.

Bon Secours/St. Mary's 45th Anniversary

photo and video Otway Chalkley

Refreshed and Rejuvinated...

Happy Lucky is all rested, refreshed and rejuvinated after our vacations and ready for a party! Please join us @ Crossroads this Saturday, August 13 from 8 - 10 PM.

Emily will be with us!

Click HERE for your video invitation.

Also, there will be a rare performance by the Ululating Mummies @ Twin Hickory Library on Aug. 18 @ 6:30 PM.

Click HERE for the library site.

Global A Go Go/ Bastille Day

Friday evening from 5:00-7:00 PM Karen Sokohl and myself, Barry Bless, will be joining Bill Lupoletti on his Global A Go Go, WRIR, radio show to play recordings of accordion music from around the world. We had a grand time planning the show and sharing some of our favorite accordion music with each other, and look forward to sharing it with you.

Click HERE for Bill's Global A Go Go blog which includes a playlist for the evening.

And click HERE for Karen's blog, Accordion to Karen for accordion goings on.

Saturday night Happy Lucky will play at Crossroads with Blasco and Emily for a Bastille Day celebration. Blasco will sing some old Parisian songs. And as you know, you can always expect surprises and a some sing-a-long.

We will play from 8-10 PM. Admission is free. There is really good beer, wine and food. Fun for all ages.

After this gig Happy Lucky is taking a little summer vacation, Bon Voyage.

Peculiar and Special

Happy Lucky hosts another Cacophonous Cabaret @ Crossroads, 3600 Forest Hill Ave. 8-10, Saturday June 25.

Emily Avesian will be our guest and we are expecting some surprise appearances. There will be song, dance and beer.

Will is opening a cask of special ale that must be finished this week end.

Please help!

a wildly inappropriate evening

Happy Lucky presents another installment of Cacophonous Cabaret @ Crossroads, Southside, Saturday, June 11, from 8 - 10 pm. This week's guests are Harry "the hat" Kollatz Jr. and Blasco. Harry will will reading stories with musical (and possibly dance, Khalima?) accompaniment. Blasco will be singing Java Bleue, a dance hit in 1939 Paris. The Java was a wildly inappropriate dance.

And of course there will be sing-a-longs, beer and surprises.

Cacophony!!!

Happy Lucky returns to Crossroads this Saturday, May 28,
8 - 10 pm for the
Clanging, Catterwauling, Cacophonous Cabaret. This week we will be joined by Emily Avesian.

And of course you never know who might stop by....?

That morning we plan to play at the CrossRoadster @ the Forest Hill Park Market.

This is how we do it in Southside

Happy Lucky is back at Crossroads with another Cacophonous Cabaret this Saturday May 14 from 8 - 10 PM.

Last time we were joined by belly dancers Erin and Heather. We had a couple of fine sing-a-longs and as the night proceeded there was some fine dancing by Greg and Emma, see video above. The evening ended with two lovely dances, a tango and a waltz by Simona and Keith.

All and all a fine time was had by all. And we never play so loud that you can't hear all the Southside gossip.

This week we'll be joined by Bob Jacobs, accordionista! (my accordion hero)

And if we all wish real hard Khalima may come by to sing an ancient song, and she and others may dance.

"In Heaven there is no Beer"... and of course some sing-a-long!

Cacophonous Cabaret

video: Arthur Stephens dancer: Johara

We are grateful that so many people came out to the Bellydance Ballyhoo. Lot’s of preparation went into this variety show. Thank you dancers, singers and musicians. And especially Khalima, without whom it would have never happened. We hope to make this a regular event.

To see more videos of the dancers go to the Happy Lucky Facebook page. Click HERE.

The Cacophonous Cabaret is back at Crossroads Southside this Saturday, April 30, from 8 – 10 PM. These bi-weekly events feature the Happy Lucky Combo and guests. Past guests have included Bob Jacobs/accordion and belly dancers from the Roque Bellydance Collective.

It looks like it is going to be clear and warm so the garage door will be open and you can take your beer onto the patio. Some of the beers on tap this week are the “extravagantly hopped” Green Flash IPA, Lagunitas’ “Little Sumthin’ Sumthin’”, Troggs Hopback Amber and a yet to be announced cask conditioned live ale.

Happy Lucky will provide the drinking songs.

Also this week we will perform at the Jackson Davis Elementary School Spring Carnival on Friday from 4:30 – 7:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public. The PTA would love to see you at this fund-raiser. Poster right.

Jakson Davis Spring Carnival

Bellydance Ballyhoo

Happy Lucky joins Onca and Khalima and many other dancers for the Bellydance Ballyhoo @ Balliceaux, this Friday, April 22. The show starts @ 11 PM sharp. Balliceaux is located @ 203 N. Lombardy in the fan. Admission is $7.

This concert is the conclusion of a day of workshops. Emily Avesian will join Happy Lucky with clarinet and baritone. Weeks in preparation, this will be a variety show of song, dance, music and costume.

Cacophonous Cafe

Thank you to everyone who came by the Wednesday Market on Forest Hill Ave. Remember it's open every Wed. and there is good food, prepared and unprepared, plants and crafts. Yummy pizza baked on site in an oven. And Happy Lucky will be back to play Wed. May 4th from 5 - 7 PM.

This Friday, April 15, Happy Lucky is back at Crossroads Southside for another Cacophonous Caberet, from 8 - 10 PM. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful Spring evening. The garage door will be open and you can take your beer on the patio.

Amoung the selections of beer this week are Hitachino White Ale from Japan and Kolsch 151 from Nelson County. Brew Globally Drink Locally! Also Will has been keeping a keg of live ale on hand.

I think we'll do some sing-a-long this Friday and we may have a musical guest or two... we'll preview some of the songs from the upcoming Bellydance Ballyhoo, see poster to right. Any dancers want to come by?

Happy Lucky and Collard Greens!

Thank you to everyone who came out to see us at the VMFA and to Shari and other dancers for their wonderful dancing. Video above is by Karen Sokohl and the photo above that is by Arthur Stephens.

This Wednesday April 6, from 5:oo till 7:oo Happy Lucky is playing at the Forest Hill Market. That's the one near the intersection of Forest Hill and Westover Hills @ 4910 Forest Hill Ave., in the field next to the old Blockbusters.

For directions click HERE.

It's exciting that Farmer's Market Season is begining! Forest Hill Park Market starts May 7. Look for us at the Crossroadster (photo right).

April Fools!

Happy Lucky (trio) will play @ the Virginia Museum this April Fools Day, Friday, April 2, 2011.

They will perform in either the Best Cafe or the Atrium. The show begins at 6 and ends at 8pm. Admission is free. Food and beverages are available.

I know your thinking, this is some kind of April Fools joke... the Happy Lucky Combo playing at the prestigious VMFA. But we'll be there, groomed and perfumed and ready to entertain.

Oh and the picture above was in no way digitally manipulated by Stephen Williams.

Luck of the Irish

Musical purists beware! Happy Lucky will attempt to play Irish-like music on St. Patrick's Day @ Ellwoods Cafe. And because they can't sing a lick, they will ask you to sing along. Ooooh Dannyeeee Boyeeeee... They will also play some German Beer Hall music which comes much easier to them.

Showtime is 6:00 - 8:00pm. Admission is free. Ellwoods Cafe is at 10 S Thompson St across the parking lot from Ellwood Thompsons. We are holding off on the sing-a-long till our second set, so that Karen Sokohl, a huge fan of sing-a-longs, can join us. The wise may want to stay just for the first set.

If you want green beer then BYOF, bring your own food coloring.

and Good Luck!

Gemutlichkeit and BEER! Southside Style

Happy Lucky will play at Crossroads Coffee (and BEER!) this Saturday, March 5, 2011, from 7:30 till 10:00. Admission is free.

Crossroads is located at 4600 Forest Hill Ave. Where Semmes Ave. and Forest Hill Ave. meet.

Crossroads just included BEER! and wine on there menu. They have seven unique beers on tap including Hopsecutioner, Russian Imperial Stout and Crispin Cider. A patio has just been completed. Happy Lucky will perform there Saturday nights starting this Saturday.

Come prepared for lots of social intercourse (and BEER!)... Gemutlichkeit Southside Style. Musically that means a clattering cafe, a clamorous carnival and a cacophonous cabaret.

"Crossroads, keeping the oral tradition alive through social intercourse." (and BEER!)

Celebrate Lunar/Chinese New Year

The Ululating Mummies @ Balliceaux, 203 N. Lombardy St., Saturday, Feb. 5, 10:30 PM

Goings On

photo Arthur Stephens

We had a grand time with everyone @ the Happy Lucky Cabaret @ Ellwood's Cafe. For photos and video of the merriment click HERE. Roll out the barrel! Thank you Khalima, Emily and Paul for joining us. (photos right)

This Saturday, January 29th, Pippin and Paul Watson will be performing @ Balliceaux with And the Wiremen. Doors open @ 10:30, Admission $5

Also Happy Lucky will join The Ululating

Mummies for a Chinese New Years Celebration on Saturday Feb. 5. @ Baliceaux.

Ellwoods Cafe

Happy Lucky will play @ Ellwood's Cafe, corner of Ellwood and Thompson in Carytown, this Saturday, January 22, from 6 until 8 PM. We will be joined by musicians Emily Avesian, baritone sax/clarinet and Paul Watson cornet. Khalima will perform Oriental Dance.

On Sunday Khalima and friends will perform at The Byrd Theatre at 2:30 PM. Click HERE for details. And Heather Addley will be posting an after party @ Balliceaux. Click HERE for details.

Pippin and Paul will be playing with And The Wiremen @ Balliceaux January 29. Click HERE.

And look for The Ululating Mummies Chinese New Year @ Balliceaux Feb. 5.

a few of our favorite things from 2010

playing with Karen @ the Farmer's Market Southside (photo Jennifer Watson)

a gift from Steve Williams

we love House Parties

and Birthday Parties

and Chanukah Parties (photo John Shire)

and writing and recording music, coming soon... (design Jennifer Watson)

and performing with Khalima (photo Otway Chalkley)

marching with The Ululating Mummies (photo Catherine Farmer)

playing with Emily (photo Otway Chalkley)

and Bob

participating in the Musicircus (photo Amy Alt)

more parties!

Mom and Apple Pie and Fairies

recording and sharing our music (design Jennifer Watson)

playing with Jonathan and Harry (photo Aimee Oliver)

graduating VCU students with The Ululating Mummies

playing at the Crossroadster (photo Charles Sugg)

getting the whole gang together

performing @ Ellwood Thompsons great room (video Arthur Stephens)

playing at the Listening Room

bringing guests into the studio to record (video Christopher Hibbon)