Dispatch from Around the Globe – Summer Quarantine Edition
Dan Drago is the host of Philadelphia’s 25 O’Clock Podcast — a long form, conversational series that features interviews with members of the Philadelphia music community and those who are passing through our city. Dan is a former touring musician and currently performs with Lovecartel (on bass) and contributes songs to The Munrowes. Of his podcast, he says, “I love what comes out of taking the time to sit and talk with someone for longer than a few minutes. Everyone’s got a great story, you just need to sit still long enough for them to let it out.
What’s your favorite song that reminds you of summer? Right off the bat, I’m gonna throw out something a little polarizing: Phish. There is nothing that makes me think of summer more than the music of Phish. The Dead, too, sure, but for me it’s Phish. I’ve spent so many summers going to shows, driving around, listening to live recordings the day after a show.
We are always looking for new film and television to check out. What’s your favorite thing you’ve watched over the past few months? I’ve been watching a ton of music documentaries, trying to learn more about the music I love, and also about music I don’t know much about. The ZZ Top doc on Netflix is great, as is the one on Rush. I don’t normally mess with Rush, but the documentary really showed me what a cool, unique, and absolutely influential band they were. Also, there’s a doc on Mavis Staples I just watched that’s great called ‘Mavis!’. She’s another one that I definitely knew about, and had heard, but didn’t know much about the Staple Singers and their legacy.
Your vacation plans probably got thwarted due to the global pandemic. Where had you hoped to travel to this summer? Where are you planning to do some fun, summer things this year instead? I was really looking forward to seeing some shows this summer, particularly the Philadelphia Folk Fest, BeardFest, and yes, Phish for three nights in Atlantic City (probably the 2 Hershey shows, too).
Looking at fall, there were plans to spend my 40th birthday in late September in Amsterdam. But since we can’t get it together as a country, travelling overseas is out. This is why we can’t have nice things.
Can you recommend a local, Black owned business that we should check out? I’m a restaurant kind of guy, and I miss being able to go out and support these Philly businesses. I miss places like Good Karma in Center City, and I miss being able to go to SOUTH, which had great food and jazz nearly every day.
What’s your favorite shore town? I dig Ocean City, NJ. Since it’s a dry town, you get less of that aggro-party vibe on the boardwalk. Fewer shenanigans overall. It’s more chill, and way more relaxed than some of the other shore spots. It’s also the best quality shore grub I’ve found in all of NJ. I also love the stretch of beach down by the Cape May Lighthouse, it’s quiet and never crowded.
Lots of people have been releasing music over quarantine. What’s your favorite release that came out since March? I’m blessed with having so many friends who are musicians, so many of them had plans to drop records in the spring, go on tour, and spend the rest of the year working their newest record. Here’s a short list:
Sean Barna’s "Margaret Thatcher Of The Lower East Side" King Pine’s "At The Edge Of The World" Elaine Rasnake’s "Settle Down (Found Tapes)" Jay Carlis’ "Here We Are" Lia Menaker’s "I Am Kyros"
There are so many more, and many that are going to come out soon. A lot of folk had a lot of time on their hands over these last few months, and I think we’re about to reap the benefits of that.
What’s your favorite summertime tradition? I love going down to the beach on a weekday morning, first thing, staking out my spot, and just staying there for the whole day. I also love hiking, walking around in creeks, all that kind of stuff.
What’s your favorite summertime treat? I’m not a big fruity-tropical-cocktail kinda guy, but in the summer I want a Mai Tai like nothing else. It’s also the only time of year I eat hot dogs.
You’ve probably sharpened your cooking skills since quarantine began. What’s your favorite thing to make for a meal these days? The first month of lockdown, I was making all these ferementy-things, like kim chi and sauerkraut. I’ve dialled that down, and lately, I’ve been taking my pizza game to new places. My new trick is to use a cast iron skillet when you bake it. It comes out like Pizza Hut, but really good Pizza Hut, like from the 80s.
Best summer concert you ever saw? What’s your favorite venue to see a summer concert in? I was fortunate to see Leonard Cohen outdoors back in 2009, and that’s up there for me. Radiohead on the Amnesiac tour outside in Toronto is up there, as well as seeing Ani Difranco every summer when I was teen. I like seeing shows at The Mann in the summer, and I also really dig going to the outdoor street fests in the city that have a good lineup of acts. I miss this aspect of summer the most of all right now.
Favorite Philly bands right now? There are soooooo many. One of my all time faves are and always will be Dear Forbidden, a post-punk trio that just slay every time they get up and play. There’s a newer band called Riverby, which has some of the guys from The Tisburys and is fronted by the loud and brash, Sophie Greenberg, and they just put out a killer record called ‘Smart Mouth’. Like, literally, just this morning while I’m typing this. I’m listening to it right now. It’s the real deal.
I am also anxiously awaiting the release from Eleanor Two, I know she’s been working on it for a bit. Check out her Bandcamp for her demos, she’s outstanding.
Favorite non-Philly bands right now? I’ve been a Khruangbin fan since by buddy Matt White at Bridgeset Sound had them on the shop speakers years ago. The Tragically Hip are another all-time band for me, they’re basically Canada’s REM. I grew up in the late 80s into the 90s, so a lot of my taste is in line with the DIY-college-radio-types from that time: Fugazi, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, The Melvins, etc. I also love electronic music like Aphex Twin, Boards Of Canada, and Flying Lotus. I’m an equal opportunity listener.
Favorite Summer Blockbuster(s)? Did you see it in the theater? See, I never really liked the movie-plex experience to begin with, so I’m not really that sad it may die out. Last thing I saw in a theater was ‘Birds Of Prey’, which was a blast.
Current summer reading? All time favorite summer read? I just finished a book on Julia Child, MFK Fisher, and James Beard hanging out in the Provence in the early 70s, and it’s all about how the culinary authority of France starts to shift to other places at that time. I’m currently reading a book called ‘Pym’ by Philly native Mat Johnson. It’s sharp and funny, reminds me of Vonnegut and Pynchon, and wades through issues of race in a way that’s both unique and absurd.
What’s your favorite summer jawn? I guess being outside would be my jawn. Hanging out on a lawn listening to bands would be my jawn. Drinking beer outside at a fest is my jawn. Seeing my friends is my jawn. One day, I’ll get to have my jawn again.
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