: The case of the missing ‘the‘
Dear readers: I had something else in mind for this month’s missive but (as you will see) I got sidetracked by the lengthy description of my first gig this month and my train of thought had left the station by the time I got back.
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Friday December 16, 8:00PM-11:30ish
Holiday Benefit Blues Jam for the Montclair Child Development Center at the Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ (973) 509-1134
As I was typing this a thought struck me (fortunately it was only a glancing blow). Should there be a “the” in the description just above – and if so should it be capitalized? This is not a simple question. Just for instance, the 60s rock group Cream (you remember them) insisted that their name was simply Cream and not “the Cream”. Now I’m not rock & roll historian, but I belief that this was the start of a trend. Yes there were exceptions but most major acts in the 60s had that “the”: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, etc. But by the 70s you had Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, etc.
Yeah, yeah, Led Zep got started in 1969, but I consider them to be a 70s band. So there, nyah, nyah.
Next – assuming you have that “the” in your band’s name, what are the rules are for capitalization? I’m not 100% convinced, but based on my extensive research (5 minutes) it appears that the “the” is not capitalized unless it’s the first word in the sentence (as all first words should be). So why do some bands use “the” and others not? AFAICT you use “the” if the name is a plural. So if Jimmy Page had chosen a plural name then we would say the Led Zeppelins. But this is only a preliminary result – if there are any professional grammarians out there reading this, I encourage you to help confirm this nagging detail.
Meanwhile, back to my original dilemma whether [the] Montclair Child Development Center (AKA MCDC) has a 1960s style name or 1970s? My hunch was the 60s, but I’m a stickler for accuracy so just to be extra sure I went out to the website of [the] Montclair Child Development Center and . . . the results are mixed. In the page heading there is no “the“, but everywhere else? Yes indeed, we see that danged “the“. So my first instinct was basically correct.
And speaking of instincts, this Friday evening I hope you will follow your first instinct and head on over to the Shillelagh Club in West Orange and hear some great music. Al Gold has assembled a rotating cast of some of the finest blues musicians in the area and we’ll figure out what we’re playing when we hit the stage. And in spite of it’s seeming ethnic identity, the Shillelagh Club hosts many of the areas top blues and r&r/r&b bands. The club has excellent bar food (I can recommend the burgers) and a lively friendly mix of folks.
https://shillelaghclub.com/
Fun fact: there is actually a band called the The.
Saturday December 17th, 9:00PM -1:00AM
Better Off Dead at Great Notch Inn,
400 US-46, Woodland Park, NJ 07424(973) 256-7742
It’s the annual Christmas Party Extravagonzo at “Da Notch”. Once again I will humiliate myself and put on an elf’s hat and play some very strange off beat “holiday” music (hint – the holidaze are an excuse for various types of bad behavior). And a rum-ba-ba-bum to you too.
http://www.betteroffdead.com
https://www.facebook.com/Great-Notch-Inn-45741843010/
And looking ahead to January . . .
Friday January 20, 8:00PM-11:30ish
Better Off Dead at Shillelagh Club
648 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ (973) 509-1134
And speaking of Shillelaghs – as you drive along Prospect Ave at night, you may feel like you’re in the middle of a forest. But when your GPS says “you’ve arrived at your destination“, you will notice a parking lot lit up with bright green LED lights – which lets you know that indeed you have arrived at a great destination. I’ll be making da music with [no “the“] Better Off Dead.
http://www.betteroffdead.com
https://shillelaghclub.com/
Saturday January 21, 7:30PM-10:00
New Music for a New Year at the National Opera Center
330 7th Ave, 7th floor, New York, NY 10001 (973) 509-1134
I’m psyched that the third “episode” of my string quartet will get its debut concert performance next month and will be performed by a truly outstanding string quartet ensemble The Rhythm Method (and yes, it appears that they capitalize the “The” in their name). This concert is being produced by the Composer’s Collective of New York and (besides my piece) will showcase compositions by 7 other composers from the group. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. You may purchase advanced tickets here.
https://www.operaamerica.org/national-opera-center/
http://www.composerscollective.org/#