Happy Ending Music and Reading Series
Last night I went to the Happy Ending Music and Reading Series at Joe’s Pub. This is a monthly event hosted by Amanda Stern and if I am in town, I try not to miss it because it is almost always amazing. It is named Happy Ending because it used to take place at the Happy Ending bar, but it has been happening at Joe’s Pub for almost a year now.
Amanda brings in a few authors and a band for every show. Every show has a theme, last night was Crisis and Suburbia. Amanda introduces the theme and is always very entertaining. It is almost impossible to listen to her and not smile, she is just that amusing. Kaiser Cartel played some great songs and there were three great authors: Victor Lodato, Lauren Grodstein, and Paul Rudnick. The authors all read from their work but they are also required to take a risk, which mainly means doing something on stage that they have never done before. The band is asked to sing at least one cover song and get the audience to sing along with them.
The risks are usually audience favorites because it is great to see what these already creative people come up with in the situation. Last night Victor Lodato read from his book after sucking on helium balloons because his main character is a 13 year old girl and he announced that this is how she sounds in his head. Lauren Grodstein read a postcard that a guy had sent her from Amsterdam and she admitted that she had no remembrance of the guy or what he was talking about in the postcard. Finally, Paul Rudnick told some great stories about his mother, who had recently passed away and he had yet to talk about publicly yet.
This is a really unique event that almost never disappoints. I always leave wanting to buy some new books and I often want to get the band’s album. Last night was no exception, I can’t wait to read all of the new books mentioned in the show and I am on the lookout for Kaiser Cartel’s new CD.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I love this post and I’m so glad you come to the shows and enjoy them!