Frozen February, but at least the days are getting longer, signifying the approach of Spring. Welcome to the premier edition of the Randy Bee Buzz. Each month I will try to shine a bit of light on local and nearby music venues and happenings. Live, broadcasted, or recorded music makes life just that much sweeter and helps us all get through any season.
Here goes…
It’s Saturday night, three days before the start of February. The Bomb Cyclone has landed farther east and spared Lancaster any serious damage. Still, as I head south on Route 83 with my friend Vintage Philly Girl the temp in my car reads 17. We are headed to The Recher in Towson, Maryland, where my friend Adam Weiner and his band Low Cut Connie are performing a covid-rescheduled show. The Recher is a newly upgraded venue that featured performances by the likes of Iggy Pop, Government Mule, and Brandi Carlisle in its previous life. The space is large and long, like the Temple at Tellus360. Adam Weiner thanks the audience for braving the cold.
“I’m not sure I would have made the trip to see me.”
He and his- six-piece band then break into an almost two-hour butt-shaking set sure to make you lose the winter blues. It was worth the easy 75 minute trip from Lancaster, and I would recommend the space to anyone. Check The Recher website for upcoming shows.
If a winter drive to Towson is not your cup of tea, I would recommend The Lititz Shirt Factory.
It is located at 5 Juniper Lane in downtown Lititz. This converted factory is the realized dream of Jim Hoffer, who bought the building in 2016. After four years of restoration and a pandemic hiccup, the brick building with its upstairs loft is now a wonderful music space with a great taphouse/ eatery on the bottom called Collusion Tap Works. We sat overlooking the stage surrounded by paintings representing Rock and Roll royalty.
The night I attended, Francois Wiss from New York was performing. Playing a great classical guitar and accompanied by a percussionist, he played magical versions of Pink Floyd and classics by the likes of America and Bruce Springsteen. The sound was awesome, and it was a magical evening, to say the least.
Part of the limitations that winter imposes upon us, especially one accompanied by a persistent pandemic, is the inability to make it outside the comfort of one’s home to attend a live event. Music listened to at home thus becomes crucial.
For this reason, I visited the great vinyl emporium A Day in the Life Records at 24A W. Walnut Street in Lancaster. It is truly a gem for lovers of music, and the owner, Daniel, is a Rock and Roll geek who will expound on albums he likes endlessly.
For the sake of this column, I suggested that he give me two records, one old and one new, that had entered his stock.
Check out Daniel’s Reccomendations below:
The classic reissue that showed up in his store was Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair.
“I read about this first in1993 before buying it. The honesty and rawness plus her fresh perspective on being a woman blew me away from the first time I heard it.”
Daniel puts it on immediately as we chat.
That’s enough Buzz for now. See you around the Lancaster hive!
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ABOUT RANDY
Music Scenester
The Randy Bee was born in Philly and moved to Lancaster County in 1991. He lives downtown in the great walkable city of Lancaster with easy access to Lancaster Central Market, Tellus360, and of course The Candy Factory.
