Two Chances to Meet your humble folkbum . . .

. . . on each of the next two Saturdays.

Frist up, on April 30, the People's Legislature is making its way to Milwaukee, and I will be there. I'm not scheduled to do a talk or present or play guitar or anything, I'm expecting just to be a plain citizen, which will make it harder for you to find me, sure, but also easier for me to deny any involvement when Homeland Security or the FBI busts us up for daring to take the power to the people.

The People's Legislature is organized by the good folks at Fighting Bob, which supports progressive politics in the mold of late Wisconsin Senator "Fighting Bob" LaFollette. Here's more about the PL, from the PL website:

The People's Legislature is a unique, multi-partisan citizen assembly devoted to building a statewide, grassroots movement to take back government and rehabilitate democracy in Wisconsin. [. . .]

By focusing on what unites us rather than spending a lot of time discussing what divides us, we can restore our democracy. While we all may differ on what issues belong at the top of our state's agenda, and we may differ on how to solve those problems, what we all have in common is that none of us will be satisfied with what government does until we do something about how our government conducts business.

The need for a healthy, functioning democracy that allows the collective voice of the people to be heard loud and clear at the Capitol is what binds us together. Now more than ever, we need to find common ground, rather than dwell on our differences.

Your voice counts, whether you identify as democrat, republican, green, libertarian, independent, or politically homeless.

Next up is Saturday, May 7, when I'll be playing a show with the other members of the songwriting workshop that I'm a part of. Yeah, I know, you wonder why you should bother to come to a show like that when you'd rather just listen to me wailing in all my glory at a solo gig. But I assure you, when all six of us are on the stage, I consider myself sixth in terms of songwriting and musical talent. In other words, this will be a much, much better show.

In addition to your humble folkbum, the cast of characters will include

• Carley Baer, an incredible young talent in the tradition of Ani DiFranco and the whole "indy grrrrl" scene she inspired. Worth the $4 cover just for her.
• Eric Baer, from whom daughter Carley got the genes. He's got an easy style, but with aggressive, often biting lyrics that range from bad love to no love to the political.
• Mark Plotkin, Milwaukee's best home inspector. But he also has a dry wit and sensitive take on any subject he approaches. His songs can be fun or deeply personal, but all accompanied by capable fingerpicking.
• Chris Straw, whom you may know as the bass player from the almost-famous Moxie Chicks.
• Barb Webber of Fair Webber, the oft-WAMI nominated (and again this year!), occasionally WAMI-winning group she is in with her husband Tom.
• Special guests!

As I said, the show is just $4; where else can you get this much entertainment for so little? Bring your friends, your kids, your neighbors, anyone. It will be a great time:

Saturday, May 7, 8:00 PM
The Coffee House
631 N. 19th St. (19th and Wisconsin)

Hope to see you at one or the other. Or both.