: On the Advantages of an Unusual Name
And I take one small step into the 21st century
Eric Heilner is a very rare name. This is actually a pretty good thing. If you have a less common name – say Bob Ferrante (my supervisor at my day job) and you google Bob Ferrante? The first thing that comes up is a doctor out in Pittsburg who poisoned his wife. Sorry ‘bout that Bob – I hope this won’t affect my yearly performance review. If you google my buddy Kevin Kiley (amazing vocalist and band leader) the first thing that comes up is the 41st Surgeon General of the US Army – who unfortunately had to retire due to a scandal. Please forgive me Kevin – you’ll still gig with me, yes?
I could go on, but I think I’ve annoyed enough of my friends for one e-mail.
But meanwhile… Eric Heilner? Pretty rare. But so what? (I hear you say.) Why is that a good thing? Here’s the other part of the story. For years now I’ve been thinking that I should get a web site, but along with many other things I kept putting it off. A few months ago I got a friend request on Facebook (that great black hole of wasting time) from a certain Erik Heilner. A slight difference of spelling, but pretty darn close. Did I accept the request? Nah. It was some young guy from Minnesota who I have nothing in common with other than a shared name. But this did give me a kick in the butt. Eric, you better get a web site before someone else claims it. With the assistance of the very patient and knowledgable Carl Lorentzen (fellow “ass kicker” in Arthur Neilson’s band) I am now the proud owner of (drum roll please) www.ericheilner.com.
At first it felt very strange to go on the computer and see my face plastered all over the place, but I can report that I’ve adjusted quite nicely and now I just ignore it. And now if you google me (and yes I had to self google to confirm) you will pretty much see nothing but stuff about me with ericheilner.com near the top of the list. I’ve been lucky, so far there are no other Eric Heilners who have besmirched my good name.
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April 4, Saturday, 8:00PM-10:30 – Shuffle, Jump, and Moan at Hat City, 459 Valley Street, City of Orange, NJ 07050 (862) 252-9147The last few shows here have been sold out. Yes, you can always hang out at the bar, but if you want a table, you should make a reservation. At our last gig, Rich brought his flute for the first time. -I tried to get him to stand on one leg to no avail. Hat City is clean, it has a good sound system, and it has excellent New Orleans style food. I believe there’s a cover charge of $10, but call ahead to confirm.
http://www.hatcitykitchen.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shuffle-Jump-Moan/379081422265206?fref=ts
April 11, Saturday, 8:00PM-9:30 – Lunatic Fringe, Glen Ridge Community Center @ The Glen Ridge Train Station, 228 Ridgewood Avenue (corner of Bloomfield Avenue), Glen Ridge, NJ Reservations: (973) 429-1527
Lunatic Fringe is going stag for this show, as director Deb is in another show this month. These actors are so fickle – unlike us musicians who would never think of backing out of a gig and going with a better opportunity that offered much more money and exposure.
http://www.lunaticfringeimprov.com
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53938723078&ref=ts
April 16, Thursday, 7:00PM-11:30ish – Joe Taino, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42 St (212) 997-4144
If there were any justice in this world, Joe Taino would be world famous. In a world where good guitar players are a dime a dozen, Joe stands out. I first met Joe years ago at the legendary Saturday afternoon Scotland Yard blues blues jam. I was blown away by his total mastery of the blues guitar – but Joe is no mere blues player. His range is extraordinary going from Latin through jazz through every rock style imaginable. Meanwhile, BB King’s is a great room to play in – you meet people from all over the world. Note that there are two rooms at BB King’s; we will be playing in Lucille’s Lounge, which is off to the left as you go down the staircase. (I think Tower of Power is playing in the main room.) There is no cover charge but there may be some minimum to sit at a table. The food is decent but just a little on the pricey side (this is in Time Square after all); however you can also hang out at the bar and stay for the price of a beer or soda.
https://www.facebook.com/joetaino1?fref=ts
http://www.bbkingblues.com/index.php
April 25, Saturday, 9:00PM-12:00 – Arthur Neilson and his Kick Ass Band, The Lincoln Inn, 13 Lincoln St, Jersey City (201) 659-8686
And speaking of superb guitar players. . . I have exhausted my supply of superlative adjectives. I first met Arthur in pretty much the same manner I met Joe Taino – only it was the legendary Monday night Scotland Yard blues blues jam (not the Saturday afternoon etc etc). I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time, because Arthur’s regular keyboard player had moved to Europe. I think this was 2008? Arthur invited me to play with him and it’s been a great ride ever since. The Lincoln Inn has turned into the new “go to” place for North Jersey blues folks. It’s in the heart of Jersey City Heights, it’s comfortable, and while the menu is small, the food is good.
http://www.arthurneilson.com/
http://thelincolninnjc.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lincoln-Inn-Bar-Grill/864413516925247