Evening Out: Dinner and a Show

After our awful week, we wanted to get out and the Center for the Arts in Homer, NY, which I think I've mentioned before, was presenting Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. I got tickets online and we drove up I-81 through the picturesque farming country of upstate New York to the historic little town of Homer. People who love huge old houses, and 19th and early 20th century architecture should make it a point to go there. Cortland too. Most of the houses are kept up to show off that style beautifully.

We stopped in Cortland for dinner at an old restaurant we like. It's called Community Restaurant and you can tell it's been there a long time: creaking floors, bustling waitresses who have been there forever, and a mixed crowd of locals, many from SUNY-Cortland. The food is excellent. I had grilled salmon with homemade pesto and Dave had broiled scallops, both done just right.

I knew Dan Hicks was about my age and had been in the business for decades but had never heard him that I could recall. Well, he's some experience! Sure enough, he's a year younger than me, has a laconic way about him (the reviewer in Albany called him a "ham on wry kind of guy," and his current band is terrific. He also has two young women he calls the Lickettes who do percussion instruments to complete the group since there is no drummer, just violin, guitars, and bass. Dan is also a very funny guy but he never cracks a smile.

He writes and plays and sings a variety of music, some a little strange, and the lyrics gave the audience hysterics. I wasn't at all surprised to learn he started out in San Francisco in the 60s. In fact, one of the songs they did was about a guy who is stoned; we loved it. Not that we've ever experienced that state, you understand. :)

If you'd like a different kind of concert and Dan Hicks is performing in your area, he's worth listening to.