BIG FAT WEDNESDAY

Come celebrate BIG FAT WEDNESDAY, February 25, @ O'Tooles with The Happy Lucky Combo. Special guests this week include Jarene Fleming (photo left) and trumpeter Jonathan Greenberg (photo right).

Miles Barnett (photo lower right) did a great job performing with us at The Richmond Symphonys' Music Marathon. We were like a vaudville act squeezed in between classical solos, quartets and trios. We played a polka.  Miles, you're fearless.

Meanwhile we ready ourselves for Virginia Arts and Letters Live.

Please check out the link of the week. I'm particularly fond of this one.

Thank you Margaret Woody for photos of Jarene and Miles.

Silence

Pippin's father, H. Dewitt Barnett, died Monday night. 

Dewitt spent a lifetime working for peace and justice through The American Friends Service Committee. His death was not unexpected and the immediate family were all present.

For Dewitts' obituary Click Here.

The Happy Lucky Combo will not perform at O'Tooles this Wednesday evening.

Special Guests, Special Prizes

We  have two  special guests performing with us this Wed. @ O'Toole's. Miles Barnett will play his violin and Jarene Fleming will sing.Our Fortune Cart is flush with  special prizes.

above @ Gallery 5.

Photo by Ron Mitchell

We've been working hard on The Virginia Arts and Letters Live show. Monday we started working with the actor/readers. They're great!

We play at Nordstroms on Valentines Day with Miles Barnett. One song @ 1 PM. There will be lot's of other musicians and goings on. It's a fund raiser for the Symphony and it's called "The Music Marathon".

Southside Scene Grows

Thank you Heidi for the photo at left. The Happy Lucky Combo is available for private parties. Live music for the masses!

 It was great to see so many people gather together @ O'Toole's last Wednesday for beer, food, music, chess and conversation. There was even dancing!

The Southside scene grows!

We'll be back this Wednesday for more of the same.

This week Miles Barnett will play a song with us on his violin. 

Richard thanks for putting us on the Hills and Heights blog.

Gudrun, I'm working on getting together a group for accordion lessons. Keep after me.

Pippin was declared the "Art Blakey of Richmond" in Brick this week. 

We play @ Gallery 5 this Friday Feb. 6,  8-9  PM It's free.

On Valentines Day we'll be part of The Richmond Symphonies'  "Music Marathon" @ Nordstroms.

"Cooking with Beer"

The Happy Lucky Combo will be cooking with beer again at O'Toole's this Wednesday evening from 8:00 until 10:30 PM. Good gemutlichkeit last week and lots of folks. Thank you to everyone who came out.

Micol Hammack started a Facebook page for us and within a few days we already have almost 200 members! Click HERE to see it. You'll have to join facebook if your not a member already.

This weeks quotes and links come through Todd Woodson. He's always sharing things with fellow musicians, so I thought I'd pass them along.

Meanwhile we prepare for a busy February and March. See last entry, "Beer and Gemutlicheit", for details.

Listen to the Birds

Good Gemutlichkeit and lot's of folks last week at O'Toole's. Thank you everyone for coming out.  We will be back this Wenesday, from 8:00 until 10:30.

Micol Hammack created a Facebook page for The Happy Lucky Combo. Thank you Micol. In just a few days there are almost 200 members. Cick HERE to get to it. If you're not already a member of Facebook you'll have to join.

This weeks links and quotes come through Todd Woodson. He's always sharing interesting links with fellow musicians and I though I'd pass them on. Thanks Todd.

Meanwhile we prepare for our up coming performances. See previous entry "Beer and Gemutlichkeit" for details.

Beer and Gemutlichkeit!

Nick Lewis joined us at O'Toole's last week. Always a pleasure! 

We'll be there again this Wednesday. It's great to have a place to share our music and try out new tunes.

Remember O'Toole's has good beer and great Gemutlichkeit! 

Also if your looking for a band for an event... we audition every Wednesday!

Upcoming public gigs include;

 Gallery 5, on February 6, w/ Jason Horst, Zac Hryciak and The Jungle Beats

The "Music Marathon" @ Nordstrom on February 14. This is a fun fund raising event for The Richmond Symphony. Miles, Pippins son, will perform on violin, with us.

We'll also be performing at another Symphony event on March 28. This is the "Music Free for All" @ the main branch of The Richmond Public Library.

And that evening we'll be performing @ The Empire with "Virginia Arts and Letters Live".

And thank you to everyone who has  invited us to play at their parties and receptions...

Liver, Chess and The Happy Lucky Combo

The big news is that The Happy Lucky Combo is back at O'Toole's on Wednesday evenings from 8 until 10:30 PM.

This Wednesday Nick Lewis will bring his clarinet and join us.

Remember Wednesday at O'Toole's is Liver Night, Chess Night and Happy Lucky Combo Night.

We have met with Irene Ziegler and are getting busy for our performance with Virginia Arts and Letters Live at The Empire Theatre on March 28. And to think, it was just a while back we were busking out on Broad Street.

Also we're working on lyrics. Consider yourself  forewarned. Our friend Micol is working on some in Russienglish. 

Meanwhile we're doing weddings, parties et al. We can play on short notice and our prices are reasonable. We're on a mission to provide live music to the masses!

Happy New Year!

The Happy Lucky Combo joined other Ululating Mummies for a New Years Eve Day performance at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.

Thank you to everyone who came and froliced with us.

The Happy Lucky Combo will be back at O'Tooles Restaurant and Pub every Wednesday in January from 8-10:30 PM. Please come by. O'Tooles is a friendly neighborhood "Third Place" with good food and beer and it's smoke free.

Long Winters Nap

The Happy Lucky Combo is settling in for a long winters nap. We will awaken after the New Year.

Until then, come hear the Ululating Mummies at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens on New Years Eve Day.

 We plan to be back at O'Tooles in January and we will be preparing for the Virginia Arts and Letters Live at The Empire Theatre with Irene Ziegler and Carl Kasssell. 

We'll also be finishing up some recordings and will have an EP available soon.

Also, please take time to check out The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra web site. Arthur Stephens has been working hard on that.

Wine, books and $$$

That's what the Happy Lucky Combo played for last week; wine, books and $$$. Thank you to everyone who came out to hear us.

Photo to the right is at Once Upon a Vine South. Thank you Tom Campagnoli.

Below we're @ The NY Deli for the Harry Kollatz History Happening. Thank you Isaac Harrell.

We also had a great time at the VizArts Free for All.

A special thanks to the gentleman who said we sounded like Paolo Conti.

You made my week.

And to the guy who said we sucked... did you mean that we sucked in a good way?

The following rumors have been substantiated. 

The Happy Lucky Combo does not have any  public gigs booked this coming week... yet. Remember, we do provide 24 hour emergency service.

We'd love to play our Christmas music at your party, and we're still available for rent New Years Eve.

Also The Ululating Mummies will be playing at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens on New Years Eve Day.

Southside, Socialists, Sex, Wine and a Free for All

It's a busy week ahead for the Happy Lucky Combo, and everyone else, I'm sure.

 All four rumors below have been substantiated.

 Wednesday, December 10th, we perform at O'Toole's Restaurant and Pub from 8:00 until 10:30 PM. Remember Wednesday is liver night at O'Toole's. (and Happy Lucky Combo night)

Thursday, December 11th, we will perform at the NY Deli, in a collaboration with Harry Kollatz. This is a celebration of the release of Harry's new book, "Richmond in Ragtime, Socialists; Sufferagints, Sex and Murder". This is our second annual book release event at the Deli with Harry. 

A book a year! Go Harry Go! 

Where are the Art Cheerleaders when you need them?

Saturday we perform at Once Upon a Vine South for their grand opening, and wine and beer tasting, from 5:oo till 5:30 PM.

Sunday, December 14th, we perform at The Visual Arts Center from 1:00 untill 4:00 PM.

This is being billed as; "Art Free for All,  family-friendly art workshops + demonstrations throughout VisArts' studios, live music + refreshments."

This week we'll be performing with special guest, bass player Carter Blough.

Good Luck

Barry