Plastic Alto with Mark Weiss

Kate Wolf

I’m very PoMo which means that rather than write the way I was trained at newspapers, ad agencies or at the best English department at America’s 10th oldest college or university, I paste together texts, emails and other people words, paste or pastiche.

Here I am dealing with my frustration with the war between humans – -like me — and viruses — like our friends or frenemies — cue Imperial Teen “Your One” the lyric “sleepig with the enemy yes sleep pig it fits here — covid 19, Delta variant and now the new and improve and busting thru Omicron strand.

Duly noted that “Ageless and Evergreen” is a song from a Barbara Streisand movie with Kris Kristoffereson while “The Way We Were” is from a Robert Redford movie. And the thing about Eric Heiden and his wife and baby is only because Kris Kristofferson – -who won an Oscar and wrote a number one hit — has a daughter named Tracy or Tracey who went to my high school one year and dated the Olympian but then he married another woman from our school named Karen or Kathy I just found out from someone I kinda sorta dated named Kathleen or Kathy who is a former prosecutuor doing defense law now – maybe she has thoughts on libel as well. Her brother like my father were named Paul and are no longer with us. Whereas I hope to soon be with so to speak some singers and songwriters from High Road touring. Woof woof.

PS If I was beter at this I would summarize the chart history of the two Steisand songs I reference. Are they both number 1? I heard them both on Casey Kasem. What songs were in the previous several versions of “A Star is Born” I still say that “Crazy Heart” with Jeff Bridges and Stephen Bruton “Falling Seems Like Flying for A While” is a better song or movie than any of the Lady Gaga stuff though she was good in the gucci thing. Gucci gucci good. 

And Redford hosted my client Stew (Mark Stew Stewart and Heidi Rodewald) at Sundance when they worked on “Passing Strange” the TONY winner that influenced “Hamilton” and “American Idiot”)

Last: Frank Riley is or was also the agent for Joan Baez who was rumored to have almost played the City of Palo Alto summer concert series in June – -the date was later filled by Jane Monheit — plus [redacted] and [oy…yo…what the $%^& grawlix] from the same agency coincidentally played at Mitchell Park outdoors. 

To wit:

I’ve done about 30 hard ticket shows at a place called Michell Park Community Center, 200 cap, usually $20 per ticket.

Previously I did about 150 shows at a place a block south of there called Cubberley Community Center, 300 capacity. 

I cannot do hard ticket outdoor shows in Palo Alto – -but maybe I would lobby for such some day – ie to change our laws.

The outdoors shows are a loss leader to promote the indoor shows.

 

But generally I am not booking June, or May — probably not making any offers on 2022 for a minute until we get more info on whether Omicrom Novel coronavirus is going to fuck us all the way we were (cue Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson^) in 2020. Why, do you know something I don’t know?

 

I go about $3,500 flat for the 200  x $20 shows and eat production costs. Sometimes – twice — I go as high as $10,000 flat for the same room — again as a loss leader. I would def do [their client]  again but there are other High Road acts I admire as much or more, and some I have a history with. I’ve known Mr. Riley since he was at Monterey in 1996 or so. The best agent in the business and trains people well….

 

Mark Weiss

dba earthwise

 

On Thursday, December 30, 2021, 08:48:02 AM PST, [young new agent or assistant, I’ve neve heard of, is not listed in Pollstar)> wrote:

 

 

Mark-

 

We could consider June 21 and 22 as well, if you think a weekday would be more optimal for you.  I figured to ask about a Sunday since your series was previously held on a weekend. 

 

A free, outdoors show is likely the way to go, but if you have a specific venue in mind, we can certainly talk thru it.

 

But we should stick to one performance to not over saturate the market.

 

Let us know when you can.

 

Thanks.

 

–
[agent]
High Road Touring
415-332-xxxx

On Dec 30, 2021, at 12:26 AM, mark weiss <earwopa@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

 

I was on holiday. Woke up in Rancho Mirage and just landed here in Palo Alto and boy are my arms tired!

Yes and no. Yes, I would hope to reprise my {artist, I really like] show from the fall but on the other hand people are wanting to re-schedule February dates — there’s still some white noise and chaos in the system.

I almost never book anything more than 90 days out so June looks hazy, especially Sundays. 

Are we thinking free and outdoors like last time or hard ticket and indoors? Or one of each? 

I’d, seriously, consider two dates.

Mark Weiss

Dba Earthwise 

(650) 305-0701

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 29, 2021, at 9:59 AM, [young new agent or assistant, I’ve neve heard of, is not listed in Pollstar] wrote:

 

 

Hi Mark-

 

Happy Holidays. 

 

Frank and I have [artist I like, very much] confirmed at next year’s final Kate Wolf Music Festival in June, and we’re looking for a few dates in Northern CA.

 

I was speaking w/ [artist] and she asked me to reach back out to you since she had such a wonderful time in [previous date].

 

Would you consider having [artist, first name] back so soon? 

 

If so, we’re looking to fill either June 19 or 26 in Palo Alto.

 

She will have a new album out June 3 on [good indie label, perhaps new to the artist, i forget] — so there will be some momentum behind her. 

 

[link to EPK which means electric press kit]

 

 

If you think a date could be successful then, do please let us know.  [Artist} would love to come back.

 

Thank you.

–
[young new agent or assistant, I’ve neve heard of, is not listed in Pollstar)
High Road Touring
415-332-xxxx

Olympian, lady I went to high school with, their child wait wait, he’s a skater but his niece also from Gunn High of Palo alto was Olympic biathlon, which involves high roads

Notes:

it’s with you I wanna be
(You’re one you’re one) peace and love and empathy
(You’re one you’re one) tie me off I wanna be
(You’re one you’re one) shooting up the enemy
Shooting up the enemy yeah

the lyric is actually “shooting up” not “sleeping with” — duly noted. And the band I reference is not to my knowledge a High Road Touring client. Close enough for Plastic Alto. 

^ — it’s actually “Evergreen” from the BS/KK and “The Way We Were” from a movie of the same name with BS/RR. 

Briefly, “The Way We Were” was from 1974, and “Evergreen” was from 1976. They were both both number ones and Oscar winning best songs from movies. The first was with a triumvirate of Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman and Marvin Hamlisch and the second was by Barbara and Paul Williams (not to be confused with Barbara and Paul Weiss, my parents).