Tonight, Tomorrow & Beware My Final Ides of March March!

[Phat Man Dee]

Friends, Romans, Yinzers,
It has been and is continuing to be a fascinating journey for me through the 20th and 21st centuries.... This weekend is the perfect example showcasing why and how I love the City of Pittsburgh. I'm preaching from the 412, a chubby tattooed Jew..... (bad rhyming shall cease here.)

Seriously, I know this note is hitting you late, but check it, I am so excited to announce that tonight I shall sit in with some of the most dangerously sexy salsa musicians to hit our collective black and gold triangle.

Photo below of me with Miguel Sague III and Miguel Sague Jr

You may know of the band Guaracha, if you don't , you really should, in the 80's and 90's they introduced our city to Latin Music. Every Thursday at Rosebud and Saturdays at Cozumel they helped us shake it in ways we hadn't heretofore realized were possible. These days, Guaracha is led by the son of original founder Miguel Sague Jr, now Miguel Sague III is leading the group and tonight I debut sitting in with his show for a couple of songs like "Perfidia", "Bessame Mucho" and perhaps "La Llorona". It is not too late to come out to the Food Bank Fiesta!

Tonight March Friday March 12, 2010 at the Shadow Lounge
Doors 8:30 pm, $8 or $6 if you bring cans for the foodbank.
http://allsaguelatinshows.webs.com/
http://www.shadowlounge.net/

Some video I shot of Guaracha and Miguel's Latin Moods for a demo for Miguel Sague III

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And then tomorrow I am singing with Miguel Sague III and Colter Harper at a benefit for Chile.
Sat March 13, 2010, 7:30 pm, $10 donation

http://www.chileanbenefit.com/

Performers include:

El Coro Latinoamericano de Pittsburgh, Emily Pinkerton y Marcia Moreno, Christiane D., Phat Man Dee with Colter Harper and Miguel Sague III, Indira Corales, Flamenco Pittsburgh, Musuhallpa and Copihue-Chile.

In response to last Saturday’s devastating earthquake, the Chilean Community of Pittsburgh is presenting a benefit concert on Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 (Bellefield Hall Auditorium) to raise funds for the millions of individuals left without adequate food, water and shelter in central and southern Chile. In these efforts, the Chilean Community will collaborate with Brother’s Brother Foundation (BBF), a 52-year old Pittsburgh-based international charity that has provided over $3.4 billion of medical supplies, textbooks, food, seeds, and other humanitarian supplies to people around the world in over 140 countries. Also supporting the Chilean Community as sponsors are The University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Latin American Studies, the Department of Music, and the Latin American Cultural Union. The concert will feature several performance groups from Latin America in addition to raffles and prizes donated by local businesses. Visit http://www.chileanbenefit.com for the latest updates and biographical information on participating groups.

The Brother’s Brother Foundation earned Charity Navigator's seventh consecutive 4-star rating for BBF's ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances. Forbes Magazine, in this year's Investment Guide, once again noted BBF's efficiency with a 100% rating for fundraising efficiency and charitable commitment. The Better Business Bureau again gave BBF its “Wise Giving Alliance Standards” seal of approval. For additional information about BBF, and how to donate to Chile, please contact Karen Dempsey , Director of Development, or Luke L. Hingson , President, at 412-321-3160 or [e-mail]

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And then finally, for me anyways, the 15th Annual Ides of March March shall pass on, not into the ether thankfully, for there is another who wants to ride this hot mess of freaky traditions into the future......
Since 1995 when the Big Daddy Bull Seal! and I realized we had a constitutional right to assemble and therefore a sociological responsibility to do so, albeit dressed to impress as our innermost selves supplanted themselves onto the unsuspecting consciousness of our local community at large, we have annually marched on the Ides of March to insist vociferously that those standing still should BEWARE of us, the IDES of MARCH MARCH! I even have a song for it, maybe I shall record it this year.....(what with all the free time I will have now that I am finally free of the fetters of the Ides of March March). And so, dutifully we responded to the inner calls of Bull Seal! and made Smelt Drop Cookies, and Square Lighthouses, and Blue Bakers and paraded the Ictothingus around with pride, we beat the drums heads high boys and made the girls grunt and squeal in disbelief. Ah, but we were young..... These days I am lucky if I get the Bellare Bewounds made in time and order the cake from Giant Eagle for the after party.

So this year, I am pleased to announce that Professor Emce Squared of the It's Alive! Show will be taking the Keys to the Parade and shepherding her into a glorious, rich, (though in grand Pittsburgh tradition probably more Zombie filled) future fervor.
http://www.theitsaliveshow.com/
Come be a a part of this Historic Changing of the Bards..... March with us, bring a costume and a drum.

Monday March 15, 2010
S 12th Street and E Carson St, in Pittsburgh's Hysteric Sahs Side at Birmingham Square
Gather at 6 pm, depart at 6:45 pm
March up to S 21st St, cross Carson, and then back down to S 14th St, and there will, I promise, be cake.

There may be floods, devastation, depression, concessions and earthquakes galore, but I implore you, let me see your shining face sometime this weekend. At the Food Bank Fiesta, at the Benefit for Chile, or the Ides of March March. If you can't I understand, we'll put something on youtube I am sure, but we would have had more fun with you than we ever could without you.

Love, butter and melting icepacks,
Phat Man Dee